The Shadow of Your Smile

I hear you say "Where have you been?" It's been a posting hiatus.

Because I was all hunkered down in writer-mode, banging out a completed draft of the third Zack Taylor mystery, "A Shadow on the Wall."

No showers, food hurled across the transom, shrieking fits at odd hours, all to finish the book.

Well, finish, in the sense of Stage 1...

Now we begin the heartbreaking fire-trial of editing. My team of editors has also been working feverishly to process the steaming chunks I've been throwing their way. Now we must turn dross into gold.

There are parts of it that are good. Some even damn good. But it doesn't get released until it's all good.

And that, my friends, takes time and effort.

It's one reason I don't have patience for those who put up unedited books online for sale. If it hasn't been beat up by someone who doesn't care if you cry or not, it ain't ready. Guaranteed.

Editing and critique is what separates the pros from the wannabes. It's why the traditional publishing world still clings to their vaunted, outdated positions, because at least their books went through an edit.
Sure, many of the books still reek, but at least they've been curated!

So my team and I work hard to make sure the end product isn't a big, smelly diaper. It will be a beautiful, powdered, sweet baby, and you won't be able to resist. You will have to read it!