Polishing

Having checked out the web sites of several real literary agents I can see my work needs plenty of editing, polishing and rewriting. I have also asked my wife to read it with a harsh critique. I hope I can take it.

I am re-reading my book for the 4th time and I'm becoming quite ruthless with my editing. Its amazing how many prepositions I used in the first writing.

The imminent publication has now been delayed while I trawl through the internet finding a publisher who will hopefully publish my book(s).

I'm re-reading volume one for the umpteenth time trying to make it more appealing for the people in acquisitions. Not too much tweaking but a couple of errors found. Also some plot aberrations have been corrected. Hopefully I won't worry it to death like a terrier.

A mistake?

I think I got caught up in the moment and the possibilities of being published caused me not to be as cautious as I should have been. My enthusiasm overrode my natural reticence and the publisher who I thought would bring my dreams to reality seemed dubious. In fact they appeared prominently on the 'Writer Beware' website. Fortunately I signed no contracts or agreements but I did send my e-manuscript....eeek. Bit a worry but so far so good. Email sent to curtail further action, lets hope they take notice.

Maybe I should publish it myself. I know exactly how to go about getting it printed and really its a matter of distribution.

Time to Start

Well even though I have had this blog for a while now it has never been important enough to share anything with the general population, but now that I have submitted my manuscript of my first novel the publisher suggested I start a blog. Well here it is.

My novel has been many years in the fermenting and because it is an historic there was a lot of research to be done before pen was put to paper. The original was hand written in note form then written in more of a narrative form later and then copy typed and then rewritten on the computer.

I don't know if this is the best way to write but it works for me and the way I think.

The novel, Following the Emperor's Footsteps, is about Gabriel St Jean a young Breton farmboy who runs away to join the army of Napoleon as he prepares for the invasion of Britain. The invasion was postponed and the army marches east to fight with the armies of Austria and Russia at Austerlitz. In the march and the battles fought the young boy becomes a man and a soldier.