Not only do authors take
different paths and make a variety of stops along their journey to publication,
so do stories. Some books are taken down detours, but still find their way
into the hands of readers. Author S.
Dionne Moore (Sandra Moore) shares how she resolved a dilemma with one of
her mystery novels—the final in a series—when a line was discontinued before
the book’s publication. ~ Dawn
Your Goose is Cooked. Or is It?
By S. Dionne Moore
LaTisha is back in the third and
final book that details her sassy tongue and tender heart. This is the book
that almost didn't happen. When Barbour Publishing discontinued the mystery
line, Your Goose is Cooked was known
as Recipe for Deceit, but the end of
the mystery line was announced before its release date. What's a writer to do?
LaTisha wanted so much to have
this story told. Everyone wanted to know what happened to Mayor Taser and
his—uh, loving wife after his appearance in Murder
on the Ol' Bunions. I never
thought I would release these as e-books, but Barbour reverted rights to the
story and the authors put our heads together. So this is the story that almost
wasn't. I'm so thrilled to finally allow LaTisha's fans to get a glimpse into
her life with Hardy as they get ready to celebrate their 40th anniversary, buy
and run Maple Gap's restaurant, Your Goose is Cooked, and solve the mystery of
the hired gun who turns up dead during the mayoral election.
For every story there is always a
need for an audience. E-books are hot and becoming hotter. Though the price
wars wage on and many authors hesitate to stick their toes in the waters that
is e-publishing, there are also success stories. The main concerns for e-books
of any type and at any price range, are that they are well written and well
edited, the latter being a common mistake of new authors.
You cannot put out a book that is
not edited and expect to maintain the integrity of the work. Getting a
freelance editor to work on your story is an expense, yes, but it is one that
is well worth the cost. One of my friends has asked not one or two, but over a
dozen people to read and critique the work in order to avoid errors of
spelling, grammar, plot and pacing. That's better than nothing, and the feeling
is that most people can catch grammar and spelling errors. But it really takes a
professional to catch your story’s plot and pacing issues and suggest solid
fixes that take your work to the next level.
What do I recommend when looking
for a freelance editor? Ask around for suggestions of professionals who have
edited within your genre, then ask them questions and pay close attention to
their experience. When you are in the middle of having your manuscript edited,
it is not the time to decide you don't like the editor's feedback. Do your
homework ahead of time, then sit back and watch your story get shined to a high
gloss!
Kudos to Jamie Chavez for editing
Your Goose is Cooked.
S. Dionne Moore is an award winning,
multi-published author of the LaTisha Barnhart Mystery series as well as six
historical romances, three of which are published in the single title, Promise Brides. Born and raised in
Manassas, Virginia, Moore moved to Greencastle, PA in 1993, then to Mercersburg
in 2009. Moore enjoys life in the historically rich Cumberland Valley where
traffic jams are a thing of the past and there are only two stoplights in the
whole town.
To learn more, please visit:
Twitter @sdionnemoore
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sdionnemoore/
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/156156
(link to book on Smashwords)
http://www.spyglasslanemysteries.com/
(Link to all Spyglass Mysteries)
