As we near the end of 2022, I reflect back on when the year began. At that point I had a manuscript for a crime novel that was almost ready to hand over to my editor. The book had already been through what is called a macro edit where the plot was scrutinized and I trimmed it from around 120,000 words to about 80,000 words. After almost three years of writing and rewriting, it seemed the book would never make it to the publisher.

That is why last week it felt strange to submit the final edits for the book to the publisher. I can no longer make any changes to the manuscript. From here, the book moves into the typesetting stage. The story of my characters is now established and it will be a part of their history.

The process of putting all the pieces together is well underway. The cover and back cover are nearing final form (cover image below). The manuscript is closer to a full typeset and soon I will see a proof of the interior of the book. It’s been an amazing experience to see how far the book has come in the last year.

Thanks for your interest in sharing this journey with me.