Luck of the Irish!

Before I tell you about my latest Luck of the Irish! promotion, let me give you:

Some writery advice

Elaine Denning, Editor

I blew the digital dust off an old manuscript of mine and found I was quite entranced with the story. The first part of the novel, tentatively entitled NORAEBANG, is set in South Korea and reading it brought back fond memories of my trip there in 2006. I'll tell you more about the novel in another blog, but first I want to talk about where NORAEBANG fits into my career plans.

I decided to query Noraebang to some agents. (I'll explain why in a later blog.) Whether one is submitting queries to agents or publishers these days, the guidelines often ask for the opening chapter or chapters of the work being queried. So I carefully polished those pages before attaching them to the cover letter, bio, synopsis and whatever else specific agents say they want. With response times from agents ranging from weeks to months, I was left wondering what to do with the manuscript in the meantime.

In the event finding an agent didn't pan out and I decided to self-publish Noraebang, I contacted my editor, Elaine Denning, to see what her schedule is like. (I won't self-publish without employing the skills of both an editor and a proof reader.) In the ensuing discussion, she offered me some sound advice, which came a little late for Noraebang but will be very useful in the future.

She suggested it would be a great idea to have those opening chapters professionally edited before submitting them to agents and/or publishers. This is something she would be willing to do for a reasonable price. She notes that she wouldn't be able to edit thoroughly for things like pacing, plotting, and inconsistencies. However, she could polish those samples to a bright shine, potentially impressing those all-important decision-makers who just might be holding the key to my success.

Watch for my next blogs: Why I want an Agent and NORAEBANG: the novel

Where does the luck of the Irish come in?

My great grandfather Treasure was Irish through and through, according to my late mother, so we always celebrated St. Patrick's Day with green. This year I'm incorporating that fine family tradition into my month-long celebration of my latest release FIREWALLS  by adding a bonus prize to my Rafflecopter draw. First prize will remain a 3-book set of the BackTracker novels, eBook or paperback--winner's choice. Second prize will be winner's choice of an eBook copy of my adult SciFi thriller, SCHRÖDINGER'S CAT or...a critique of a 10-page manuscript. What that means, is you email me ten pages of your work in progress and I'll send you some feedback on your writing.

So...enter today, enter everyday to increase your chances of winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Luck of the Irish! has been brought to you by

FIREWALLS

"A gritty, fast paced thriller"

"Be prepared for a roller coaster of emotions..."

"Packed with humanity, crafted with insight."

 

"A tale of comfort and hope that we, too, can slay our own dragons."