What a Palaver

Well, looks like the new novel is going a lot slower than The Hypogeum did.

I simply don't seem to be getting the time to sit down and write it. Not only that, but I decided, after a read through, that the prologue was too slow and the start of chapter one was not punchy enough.

So what did I do? Simple, binned the prologue and moved chapter one to chapter two, then started a new chapter one that incorporated the events of the prologue into it that will be interspered with a couple of rather bloodthirsty episodes that will hopefully engage the reader from page one.

Can you think of a more startling way to begin a novel than with the paragraph, "The startled sheep just had time to let out a pathetic bleat when the large, hairy shape exploded through the hedge. Long, razor-sharp fangs sank into its neck causing two geysers of crimson to arch outwards. Long claws raked along the side of its body opening up the flesh of the poor beast."?

Me neither.

Not only that, but I suspect that The Hypogeum will be my last self-published work. I didn't realise how much self-promotion would eat into my writing time, not only that, but I rather think that I would prefer a publisher (should that ever happen for me) to be the ones that are banging heads in the direction of brick walls.

Don't mean to sound bitter, I know that a publishing deal happens for the happy few and not for the great unwashed. And I have after all, only just started on the journey towards a proper book. But it does seem like there are an enormous amount of pitfalls just waiting to trip you up, as well as legions of sharks just waiting to take your cash and rip you off.

Thank Heavens for websites like www.sfwa.org without whom I may have fallen into one of the many traps out there waiting for me.

More later, when I actually get around to creating more of A Wolven Rose.