To celebrate the completion of the Twelfth Draft of my WIP, I have posted the First Chapter on another page in this blog.
UPDATE: The first five chapters are now viewable at Amazon – just click the link
If you have any thoughts, ideas, criticisms or if something simply doesn’t make sense to you, I’d be very happy to hear your feedback.
It would be useful to hear your opinions as to whether the first chapter ‘draws’ the reader to continue reading.
I won’t repeat any previous comments on that aspect at this time as they may ‘steer’ your opinions.
I am very close to a decision on whether I will publish this on Amazon, (UPDATE: Now published – see link above) rather than wait a whole year (or even longer) to see it as a paperback.
This means that any errors need to be expunged (I’ve always loved that word!) and you, my fellow writers, may be that final defence against humiliation and midnight rewrites.
Enjoy, critique and above all, keep writing!
Andy
Andrew Toynbee's very own Blog 
Aug 29, 2012 @ 15:33:08
Awesome!!!! She’s a really great book cover artist. Have you researched any ebook publishers yet?
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Aug 29, 2012 @ 19:19:24
Sonya
The only route I have seriously looked into is that of Amazon. I haven’t even considered publishers – mainly because I know so little about them. I’ve quizzed Ryan Casey on his experiences. Hopefully he will offer some words of wisdom.
MD Kenning has also offered to guide me down the Amazon route.
Does that make me an Indie?
🙂
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Aug 30, 2012 @ 01:29:33
I would have to say yes…if you’re going to be getting it out there on your own. You’ll have to keep us posted on the journey. It will be great insight for those who aren’t sure what route to go. Wishing you the best of luck ~ thanks for sharing your journey with us 🙂
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Aug 30, 2012 @ 13:00:59
Sonya
I will keep everyone posted. In the meantime, you can keep up with my journey on the ‘No Garlic Required’ page. I post everytime anything of significance happens and often muse to myself on those pages too. I don’t post every little notion as I’d probably become a bit of a prolific posting pest!!
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Aug 24, 2012 @ 15:51:38
If the rest of your book flows like the first chapter…..put your feet up and revel in the awesomness you have created. I, sir, bow to you!
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Aug 28, 2012 @ 04:42:25
I’m going to tell you a little something I told Candace…….”You’re work is awesome, every time you touch it, tweak it or doubt it – you’re creating more work for something that is already very good. If you don’t give it the wings to fly – it will always be a work in progress and not a cherished read for others.”
I read….a lot. There are some books that just have an “it” factor that keeps the reader going – like the ability to fall into what your reading and the words disappear and the images start flowing. Maybe that’s not the best way to describe it, but that’s what happens to me. What you posted did that. I saw the morgue, I connected with your characters – if you can do that in the first chapter and keep it going throught the whole book (which I think you can) what more is there to do?
Maybe the question you should ask yourself is – what’s the biggest reason I’m holding myself back?
Think of it this way: Pick your favorite Author, look at the reviews. How many are good? How many are bad? More than likely they have a mixture of both. Does it make them less of an Author in your eyes? Probably not, and the reason for that is you can’t please everyone all the time. To try would only make you miserable, and what fun would that be?
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Aug 28, 2012 @ 21:08:39
Sonya – your words make a lot of sense – and they came right after I’d just read the post from Baboozan (reblogged by tryingtowriteit)
http://abusivelybaboozan.wordpress.com/2012/08/25/you-are-playing-at-writer-a-tough-love-speech-from-a-wannabe-author-to-herself/
First, thanks for your glowing encouragement. You’re also correct that there’s a point where a WIP stops becoming a labour of love and starts to become laborious. Getting close…
There’s an old saying; Don’t go to the grave with the music still inside you.’ I used to be guilty of writing never-ebding stories. Has it become the eternal WIP?
There is less and less holding me back lately. Two months ago I was gloomy (yet simultaneously optimistic) about the continuing number of rejections from Agencies. But since I began to read other blogs and started to receive a lot of encouragement, the idea of eBooking started to seem like a viable alternative to being put through the literary mincing machine.
To be honest, the idea of waiting a year or longer for a book to hit the shelves was gnawing at my patience. The idea of practically begging an agency to accept me was galling. It reminded me of the seven months I spent as a jobless statistic, begging employers to see the worker within me. A hateful experience.
But now that there is an alternative, the future suddenly seems brighter. Ryan Casey (http://ryancaseybooks.com) has had positve experiences with this format and I am now seeing more pros than cons.
Only two things are really holding me back…but you’ve made me reconsider the first, that of quality. As has been pointed out, an eBook can always be tweaked (only if it REALLY needs it) even after publication.
The other thing?
The darn cover. I need help to conjure up a presentable, professional piece of artwork for it. I know exactly what I need – I just need some help assembling and polishing it.
And that, darn it, leaves me no other reason not to go ahead. I want to get on with the sequels, and putting ‘Construct of Angels’ out there is the only way I can let it go.
So…only one thing really stands in my way…
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Aug 29, 2012 @ 01:14:52
There is an awesome cover artist by the name of Ravven – she’s the one who did Candaces cover. You can find her on Facebook but her website is http://www.ravven.com . I hope this helps!!! Can’t wait to see what you come up with!!!
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Aug 29, 2012 @ 11:53:22
Sonya
Many thanks!
Did Rawen do ‘The Shadow of Black Wings’ cover too? I was Googling late into the night to try to find out!
X
Andy
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Aug 29, 2012 @ 15:34:37
I don’t think so…..as far as I know 🙂
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Aug 29, 2012 @ 12:05:52
Sonya
I’ve now asked Ravven if she is able to help me – and what her rates are *cringe.
Her work is gorgeous, but expensive, I imagine!
x
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Sep 11, 2012 @ 11:17:48
Sonya
Ravven is putting together an awesome cover for me right now. Will post it up as soon as it’s done. Puts mine to shame. 😀
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Sep 11, 2012 @ 11:57:27
OH YAY!!!! lol…I actually clapped and said that when I saw your comment, I’m glad no one witnessed it 🙂 That’s awsome news! Can’t wait to see what she comes up with for you. Her covers are just….wow!
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Sep 11, 2012 @ 12:11:50
I love Ravven’s work – I’ve fallen in love with the picture from ‘Born in Flames.’
Artistically speaking, of course.
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Sep 11, 2012 @ 12:20:45
I’ll pass your compliment on to Candace 🙂 I agree, Ravven really rocked it with the Born in Flames cover!
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