Vellichor Ink

Well, I sent the proofreader the manuscript for The Bone Cottage last night! I am all sorts of nervous. You’d think after doing this three other times I’d be used to it but its nerve-wracking to hand over your story, this thing you’ve poured so much of yourself into, and ask for feedback.

For most of this month I’ve been steadily working on getting it ready and doing the last minute revisions and read throughs. One of the most monotonous but paramount things that HAS to get done is finding all your repeat words and culling them down. Of which I have many. If you’re curious…here’s my list.

• Nodded (59 down to 23)
• Dark (61 to32)
• Darkness (41 to 22)
• Made my way (6 to 1)
• Worried (43 to 12)
• Worry (45 to 19)
• Clear as a bell (3 to 1)
• Just (352 to 150)
• I knew (141 to 41)
• Magic/magically (335 to 210)
• Power/Powerful (99 to 64)
• Sinister (8 to 4)
• Shadow (35 to 24)
• Fear (81 to 47)

Obviously. my characters knew a lot of magic, were really powerful but worried and just nodded a lot…

I don’t think anyone truly realizes the words or phrases they use a crutch until you’re knee deep in edits and finding that you use just or that as often as you use a period. Hopefully I’ve caught them all. And, if I haven’t, hopefully the proofreader will!

I’m using a new editor for the proofread this time (also doing a professional proofread, which I’ve never done) and I’m anxious about it. I won her services in an auction to help raise money for Hurricane Helene last year. I knew I needed someone who lived here and was familiar (hopefully) with the southern idioms and lore of the Appalachian mountains. Fingers and toes crossed that she enjoys it and doesn’t email me back saying, “You need to completely overhaul this and do a full round of copy-editing first.” Because right now, that’s my biggest fear.

I think I’m going to hold off on self-publishing this one for a bit and try and shop it out. It’s just really good. Like, the kind of good that I’m truly not second guessing (but that, of course, sends my anxiety spiraling…like, maybe I should second guess this. Maybe it isn’t really that good…. you get the idea). I haven’t fully decided yet and I’ve got time to make the call.

I thought about just hitting publish and having it out and done before the end of the year so I could have it at some of the autumn and winter markets I have on the books, but I dont want to do this story a disservice and I truly feel like rushing it out would do just that. So, I’m going to wait. And maybe query. And maybe just take time.

What I do know is that this is a story that I love so very much. More than the trilogy, it feels like something I am really proud of and that I’m not just nit picking apart and finding all the things I could have done better on. I really cant wait to release it out into the world and have it find its way into readers hands. It’s a story of resilience, love, magic, and the power within us all at every iteration of our life. Not to mention, I have forever immortalized Angus, my soul dog whom I miss every day (shh…don’t tell Novel that…lol)

So, anyway… watch this space and my socials and I’ll update as I figure it all out! And cross your fingers and toes that the new editor does a great job and enjoys it!