Shhhhh, It’s a Secret
Annnd… Here it is!
The Artist
Meet Arielle Smith, the talent behind this cover art. She runs pretty/creative by aes and is a Bostonian!
Arielle and I met through our mutual love of music and mutual friends (like Laura!). When I began this project, I had a few goals in mind. 1) I wanted to bring people into the fold that I knew/someone I loved knew and 2) I wanted to work with artistic friends who were passionate about their craft and excelled at what they did. Bonus points if they were badass women and super extra bonus points if they were local to Chicago.
Arielle’s artistry runs deep; the art she creates is multifaceted. She jumped into this project with both feet and it was inspiring to see. I loved working with someone so in tune with color palettes that when I said “I think this needs to be a little more ominous” she knew exactly what to do!
I can only hope that when my second book comes out ( 👀), she’ll join me again!
Where It’s At Now
Editing. More Editing. MORE editing. EVEN MORE EDITING.
Have you ever opened an email that was so exciting and simultaneously made you want to cry?
Welcome to the horror that is line editing! James Gallagher of Castle Editing did such a phenomenal, thoughtful job with my book. (He’s the reason why Fern didn’t cook two different dinners in one night and why my characters didn’t eat at a restaurant that didn’t yet exist #timelinetroubles). But let me tell you, when I saw almost 12,000 revisions I needed to acknowledge, I thought I was going to melt into nothingness.
Also, keep in mind, that was after my developmental edit, two beta readers, my own reading of this manuscript all the way through ~5 times…. whew.
But now, the manuscript sits with an amazing graphic designer I will introduce you to later! (Spoiler, also a bad ass woman). I have one teeeny tiiiiny (very legally important) detail also hanging out in the wind that may or may not necessitate a very brief re-write of the last chapter. Cross your fingers I get an answer soon!
Do you need editing services? Find James here!
What to Look Forward To
ARC Readers!
Writing is interesting in that one would think (read: I thought) you would write a book, then list that book for sale, and then people would read that book. While that’s true, it’s much more nuanced than this. How does someone get suggested your book? Usually positive reviews. How do you get those reviews if no one gets suggested your book without reviews being there? ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) Readers!
As soon as the formatting is complete for my ebook by the ever talented gal I mentioned above, I will be submitting through various platforms. Currently, the most likely contenders are BookSprout, BookFunnel, and BookSirens.
If you’re an avid reader and want advanced copies of books in various genres (outside of my absolutely stunning, life changing, best book you’ll ever read in your life… 😉), I encourage you to sign up as an ARC reader! Other websites exist, such as NetGalley and Meet Calli (presently Romance genre only).
A Final Note
This journey, as much as it feels like is nearly complete (wasn’t getting this book printed the finish line?!) is far from over. You can follow along on Instagram for more insider looks, forward this newsletter to a friend, join the ARC yourself, or just spread the word if you know of anyone who loves the dystopian genre!
“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom” — Marcel Proust
Until next time,
Lindsay J. Bennett