Paksworld

The copy edits have gone back to NYC on the wings of…oh, I dunno, a FedEx purple plane, probably.  They’re to be delivered Monday morning.  I made a copy for myself (hellishly expensive, but I did it last time and it makes checking the proof pages much easier–I can see if the copy edits were transferred correctly to the pages.)

And here we are, with no copy edits between us, and the long, long wait until May, and…I’ll bet you’d like a snippet.   The usual warnings apply.  All snippets contain the potential for unintentional spoilering.  If you don’t want any spoilers at all, not even the tiniest, most accidental one,  don’t read the snippet.    The snippet will be below the break, after  “more” warning.   If anyone thinks of something spoilerish that they’re pretty sure is right…please don’t post it in comments to this post.  As soon as I finish this one, I’m going to open a Speculation Space for such discussions, and all you who don’t like spoilers should stay out of it.    Is that OK?   (If not, I’ll fix it later.) Read the rest of this entry »

Leaving aside the copy edit chores (still going on), I’m thinking what to do about the difficulties inherent in a tenth book…when it’s considered as an entry point for new readers.   The copy editor (and maybe editor–comments are in two colors of pencil, which is often indicative of two persons) feels that something isn’t clear enough for new readers.   But that assumes this book–the fifth of Paladin’s Legacy, the tenth overall of Paksworld–can function as an entry point for new readers.  Read the rest of this entry »

The silence following the trip is partly LifeStuff, partly illness (minor, but annoying: very sore throat, drippy nose, gut problems) and mostly the 800+ pages of copy edits now occupying the bed with me while I sneeze, suck down liquids, and make frequent runs to the small tiled room.   I am doing my best not to contaminate the ms.  with lots of hand washing, using clean kitchen towels over anything not immediately being read, etc.    I may bake it in the oven when I’m done (you can do that with paper…if you’re careful.)   I don’t have enough time to just let it sit for a few days while I recover (I hope I recover in a few days.  This started on the train Friday night or Saturday, I see in hindsight.   Since I was sneezed on and coughed on in NYC, in subway and diners, plural, that’s probably where I got it.)  It’s not flu, it’s just some other viral thing.

Anyway, expect nothing until I’m done with the monster, or at least am far enough along to say something interesting.  Early yesterday I did the CEs on the short story that’s in the same world and time period but not spoilerish for the book (or vice versa.)   I need to mail that off but forgot until just now that I hadn’t.  (That’s what a virus plus the !**!**!!!!! idiots in Congress can do to you.)