Coming Soon. For those of you who’ve expressed a deep and abiding fondness for print books, I have good news. The Galleries of Stone trilogy is making steady progress in that direction. For the last month or so, I’ve focused on learning a new skill set—typesetting. Very hands-on. Very useful. Also very cost effective, given the number of titles on my publishing docket. I’m embracing the indie experience in all sorts of DIY ways.
The typesetting process has gone through several phases. Before I could prep Meadowsweet for print, I wanted to give it a thorough read-through. And I’ll admit, I was cringing. The writing was so … 2012! So I grabbed my chance at some judicious revision.
I rid the manuscript of an embarrassing number of typos. My personal favorite was a reference to Aurelius as Frey’s “bother-in-law.” Deucedly apt, but in need of correction.
I tweaked a few facts into new canon compliance. For instance, early on in the writing, I hadn’t formalized the names of the continents. And apparently, I couldn’t make up my mind whether or not to capitalize Keeper.
I used seek-and-destroy (well okay, find-and-replace) to get rid of old habits. Early on, I clung to some non-American spelling & usage quirks, something my editors chastised me for. Therefore grey = gray. And towards = toward.
I clipped out unnecessary dialogue tags. When two people are talking, you don’t need to continually label them. I also migrated to “said” in most cases. Because as much as I like variety, professionals tend to look askance at an abundance of synonyms (she reported, confessed, admitted, opined, declared).
And I obliterated so, so many adverbs. Call it youthful enthusiasm. Or ignorant bliss. Either way, it felt good to banish a host of words with -ly endings. They were cluttering up my descriptions and dialogue tags in a bad way. By the time I was done, Meadowsweet was more than 2,000 words shorter. And the better for it.
Side Note: I’ve also re-read Harrow and Rakefang, and I’m pleased to say that my prose showed marked improvement throughout the year I wrote the trilogy. Only light revisions in those books.
Meadowsweet sketches by Skylee
Rereading Meadowsweet was a pleasure, mostly because I’m so fond of the cast. Revisiting them gave me plenty of reasons to giggle and sigh. And even more reasons to keep working on the next trilogy that’ll feature the Meadowsweet and Harrow families. But I’m not here to talk about stories yet to be written. Nope. This is about books in print. They’re coming soon!
Yesterday, I uploaded Meadowsweet to my printer’s website. If all goes smoothly, paperback editions will be available by month’s end everywhere books are sold. Here’s a sneak peek at the back cover:
Harrow and Rakefang are due to follow in short order. I’ll keep you posted. So … a show of hands. Who’s interested in owning print editions of the trilogy?
C. J. Milbrandt 
I just reread the trilogy myself. I would definitely be tempted by a print version…
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Excellent! : )
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Oooh, oooh, oooh! Pick me! I’ve been telling people about this series since it started. I’m glad I’ll be able to just hand them a good book to read.
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Books are so … tangible! : )
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Yesss! I’ve been wanting printed versions since the start! My favorite way to own and read books. And why I had hesitated before jumping in (before I couldn’t stand it no longer and downloaded the PC Kindle version for these books only)
But I’m ready! It’s a lot nicer putting sticky notes physically into a book to mark and return to your favorite moments.
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Oh, I’m a sticky-note reader, too! : D
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I already have the eReader series and I love it. I think it’s already perfect, but I am definitely buying the books. Soooooooooo excited.
I also hope you might make a sister series. Maybe about one of Tupper’s children, maybe he could be like Farley and then Farley comes back with an adventure. Or maybe a story about Farley and his adventures and maybe finding a girl who give a run for his money (maybe literally. She could be a thief that he sets straight.) Or how about Hewert and his affinity for stone? Or even perhaps a different sculptures story on a different mountain. Like Tupper, I would love to meet someone with a tail. :)
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-laugh- Many of the things I foreshadow in the trilogy will play out in the second trilogy. And you’ll certainly be seeing more of Tupper’s younger brother since Book 1 of the Journeymen of Stone trilogy is Farley.
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Yay!!! As soon as I have book spending money I am immediately going to buy the print editions!!! Super excited. :) Read them over twice while on vacation, and loved getting to know them again.
Isn’t it fun seeing how your writing improves over the years?! I see the same thing with my writing from before.
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Meadowsweet didn’t kick my “must tell the Author about these typos!” impulse into action to the degree that some others among your books have. But I will try REALLY HARD to re-read and report on anything I spot BEFORE the crucial moment. I wish I had … not more time, exactly; I have a lot of time. But more energy and capacity for concentration. Chronic illness is really annoying. :/
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No need to worry over a report, m’dear. I’ve already sent up Meadowsweet (and PP for that matter). What’s done is done.
And yes. Chronic = exhaustipating.
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Ah, bah. Okay, if you’re sure. But curse my blasted illness! All that work on PP, all that telling myself that if I wanted to be any use, I had to GET IT FINISHED, and I’ve been no help at all. Why do I bother to say I’ll do these things, when it never happens in time? I won’t say I will any more. :'(
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