the all-powerful “to do” list
June 16, 2009
I’m getting ready for yet another trip, and working my way through the pre-trip to do list. It’s going pretty well, I think. Knock on wood. Pre-trip laundry is turning as I speak. There may be errand-running this afternoon.
One of the things I have to finish today is going over the copy-edited manuscript for Kitty’s House of Horrors, which is due out in January (not long now, my little Smurfs!). I’m hoping to have cover art to show you pretty soon. At this stage, I’m usually pretty pleased with whatever book I’m working on, and that’s true this time as well. I still think this book has the absolute creepiest, ickiest scene I’ve ever written. I can’t wait until it comes out and I can find out if other people agree with me. But this stage is also a little frustrating because there are lots of places where I disagree with the copy editor. Because the voice is colloquial first person, there are lots of bits that I’m fully aware are not grammatically correct, but I want them to stay that way because I want it to sound like someone talking. And lots of times, people don’t speak grammatically correctly. Also, the copy editor wanted to put a comma between “Yo” and “Joe.” No way!
The shuffle is giving me Janis Joplin and Cyndi Lauper. Nice…
June 16, 2009 at 10:28 am
That is 7 months!!! ;_;
June 16, 2009 at 11:11 am
awwww 7 MONTHS! Oh well, I guess I got used to reading non-stop last year. Good luck on your trip Carrie! Best wishes!
June 16, 2009 at 11:19 am
Every author/editor relationship is different, but here’s a comment from someone who’s been that copy editor: This is why you get to review the edits. I view it as my job to point out those places where things might be grammatically incorrect to be sure that you were making a *choice* to step away from the perhaps technically correct thing. There’s always a chance that something like that made it past your eye and that you’d actually rather it be the grammatical way.
Also, it can be really tough to turn your “editor” up on some things and down on others.
It’s my JOB to be able to do that, but sometimes I get going and become a little stricter than I mean to be in the midst of things.
Last but not least, here’s a whine that January seems awfully far away right now…
Can’t wait!
~wynn
June 16, 2009 at 12:20 pm
I think I accept more changes than I overrule. There are just a couple of quirks that happen throughout the manuscript, that I have to “stet” every single time. I wish there were a way to clear those up.
And keep in mind, a January 1 release date means it’ll be out in December — 6 months!
June 16, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Your icky/creepy scene remark has piqued my interest. As has the January/late December release date (as my memory files this away for future bookstore-scouring).
Now my mind turns to Cormac and wishful thinking on whether or not we shall see him again in this book.
June 16, 2009 at 8:40 pm
I just had a question:
If we are the smurfs…does this make you Smurfette or Gargamel?
June 16, 2009 at 11:16 pm
So is it December or January? I can’t wait. I can’t wait for the cover art too. That creepy scene is it the epic/climatic end or some place else? To Trai with all the time Cormac still has left on his sentence I don’t think we’ll see him in this book and this one is a road trip book so would he make the trek?
June 17, 2009 at 6:33 am
Obviously Smurfette
To do a Gargamel she would need evil minions and questionable eating habits.
June 17, 2009 at 8:53 am
“Every author/editor relationship is different, but here’s a comment from someone who’s been that copy editor: This is why you get to review the edits. I view it as my job to point out those places where things might be grammatically incorrect to be sure that you were making a *choice* to step away from the perhaps technically correct thing. There’s always a chance that something like that made it past your eye and that you’d actually rather it be the grammatical way.”
Exactly. Copy editors are not the enemy.
“I think I accept more changes than I overrule. There are just a couple of quirks that happen throughout the manuscript, that I have to “stet” every single time. I wish there were a way to clear those up.”
I’ve heard that some presses have style sheets that go with every series. Perhaps you could talk to your editor about creating a Kitty style sheet that gets passed to the copy editor with each manuscript?
July 1, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I…can’t…wait!!!! I’m so addicted to this series. My husband was trying to find me the perfect gift for my birthday this year and bought the last two book that were published. I felt bad having to tell him I already have those and had already read them. So now I have a gift card all ready to go get the new Kitty book when it comes out at the end of the year. I was wondering if there’s a possibility of this series coming out as a movie(s)?