I’m not on the #OpenBook blog hop this week, for various reasons. Instead, I’m talking about what comes after the writing is finished. Just when you might think the hard bit is done, along comes the edit.
Every writer needs an editor, they are the unsung heroes who turn your manuscript into a gleaming story. They punctuate, check grammar and spellings, check for plot holes, style and so many other things. Mine is worth their weight in gold.
The wait for the return of a manuscript they have been poring over is always a tense time. Will they like it? Have they managed to make sense of it? Was there a huge plot hole?
This time, I was waiting for the return of Andorra Pett and her Sister, the third cosy mystery starring Andorra Pett, the reluctant amateur detective, café owner, pilot and all the rest.
With each part of a series comes another source of tension. Has the idea run its course? Should I have stopped writing adventures for Andorra?
This time I didn’t have to worry. “Brilliant story,” she said. Then she put the words that every author dreads. “I’ve added lots of comments. Some relate to the plot.”
Oh well, I had to expect that!
Now I have to do my bit.
I have to make sense of the comments, attend to all the issues that have been spotted. These range from sightings of repeated words (the same one twice or more in close proximity – to put it in context, in another story, I used the same word eight times in one paragraph!) to plot discrepancies and questions like didn’t you say, on Page ***, that *** happened? Then why are you saying here that ***? Which is a polite way of telling you that what you’ve written doesn’t make any sense.
Once I have sorted all of them out, I will read the story through again and see if any enhancement springs to mind, anything that will make the story better. Then the process of preparing it for publication begins, all the exciting technical stuff. More about that later.
Back to the story
This is a rough idea of what it’s about.
Following her adventures on Mars, Andorra has had to return to Earth. While she’s there, out of the blue, she gets a call from her sister, who is having a really bad day. If you’ve read Andorra Pett on Mars, you will know that much; as Chapter one of this story was at the end of that one.
My beta readers had been positive about the story. Here’s what one had to say.
I’ve loved this series from the very first sentence of the first book. The entire series has a light, funny outlook even with very serious situations that sucks you in for quite the adventure! Now in this third book Andi is in London getting things settled, and as seems to happen for her, someone gets into trouble, and she is unable to resist digging into the middle of everything and as usual, mayhem ensues! This sucked me in for a wild ride that alternately had me swearing, laughing, and cursing certain stuck up individuals. It reads so fast but it stays clear and sharp throughout without leaving you feeling book hungover. I loved it just as it is, and can’t wait for more from this series! Thank you for the opportunity to review this gem!
Here’s the Blurb for Andorra Pett and her Sister
“When a sister hates you, that really is the end of the world.”
Andorra Pett is back for another adventure, and this time it’s personal!
Trouble seems to follow Andorra Pett, wherever she is in the Solar System.
Andorra Pett hasn’t seen her sister for a while, they never really got on; there was a falling out and they drifted apart.
Out of the blue, Andorra gets a call while on a business trip to London. As if she hasn’t got enough to deal with, it turns out that her sister’s in trouble, big trouble.
There are allegations of drug-smuggling and money laundering, it’s so unlike the staid, respectable life that she remembers her sister leading.
How can she be involved in things like that? And why isn’t her husband, Simon, sorting it all out for her? Could he be part of the problem?
The police have decided that she’s guilty, Andorra is her only hope of avoiding prison. Against her better judgement and without her friend Cy to help her; Andorra starts to investigate.
All she has to do is work out what’s really going on.
At the end of the day; family comes first.
The novel will be published on October 15th
You can pre-order Andorra Pett and her Sister at http://mybook.to/Andorra_and_her_Sister and find the other two adventures here.
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I’ll be back on Thursday, with a new Indie Showcase, featuring another guest with something to say. See you then.
