Wouldn't you know it, just as I'm up to my eyebrows in stuff to do before the Malice Domestic conference, I get my "pass pages" for Chapter & Hearse. I hadn't heard that term until earlier this year. Before that, they were known as Galley Proofs--the author's last chance to read the manuscript and fix whatever the copy editor had screwed up.(Although I was extremely frustrated with the copy edit, I must say, this manuscript wasn't as screwed up as Bookplate Special, which is a HUGE relief.)
I had a week to go through it. I've heard horror stories of author's being given ONE DAY to read through a book. I suppose it can be done, if you can get someone else to feed the cats and shove food at you at intervals, but it's nerve wracking.
I was a bit worried about this book. I was extremely pleased with Bookplate Special, and thought, "this is the best book in the series." Now I'm not so sure, which is kind of a relief. You don't want to hit your peak too early in a series that you hope goes on for at least nine books, eh? And, a big chunk of the book was written during a very sad time for me, during the last three months of my Dad's life. It was a real emotional roller coaster as he'd seem to take one step forward in recovery, only to take six or seven backward. And, of course, I lost my Dad soon after I turned the book in.
So I kind of dreaded getting into it again. I should have read it a little closer during the copy edit stage, but there was a lot going on, and well . . . But now I've devoted quite a bit of time to it and I'm surprised. I like the book. It keeps making me laugh. Not belly laugh, but a turn of phrase here or there and I think to myself -- did I write that? I have to finish up today, and then off the changes go to my editor.
I hope you guys will enjoy reading it as much as I have.
