From the first spark of inspiration for a story to that story being a book a reader can pick up takes a while and goes through a number of steps.
I first did some brainstorming for ideas for new stories that my publishers might be interested in seeing me write several years ago. As many of you know since you have been wonderful and read many of my books, I’ve come up with quite a few different ideas over the years. Next year’s title will be my 39th published book. Many of my ideas have come from a bit of history I’ve read about in a book or newspaper or perhaps online. I stick to Kentucky settings which you might think would narrow down my possibilities. I guess it does in some ways, but so far I’ve been able to glean plenty of Kentucky based ideas for new stories.
The story, The Pursuit of Elena Bradford, that will release in May 2025 is one of them. I’ll be telling you more about the story in the months to come, and I’ll be getting more information about it on my website too the first of the year. But now I thought you might like to know some of those steps toward a book in your hands if the book has a traditional publisher and is not self-published.
First the idea is pitched to the publishers. If they think it is a story their customers might buy, they offer a contract with a date when I am expected to have the book written and in their hands. That usually gives me a year for research and writing. Some writers are faster at getting a book written, but I’m comfortable with the year timeline. I have written two books in a year and think I could again if I kept my nose to the grindstone. But for this book, I had a year.
Once I write the story and get to the end and go back and do my personal edits to try to make the story the best I can, I send it off to the acquiring editor who reads the manuscript and suggests ways the story can be improved or odds and ends that need a little more explanation or less. Once the editor and I are satisfied with the edits, the book moves on to the next step – a title. Of course, I have already titled the story, but often that title doesn’t seem to work as well as the publishers think it should. Those who usher the book along its publishing trail brainstorm for a title they think will fit the story and appeal to readers. I’ve filled out a questionnaire about the setting, plot, and characters that helps them get a vision of the story. We agreed on The Pursuit of Elena Bradford. I think it’s a good title for the story.
Next step, another editor reads the manuscript to clean up any remaining questions about the story and to catch various grammar missteps, descriptions or timing that are off, and a myriad of other things that might make a reader stumble while reading the story. That editor sends the manuscript back to me with these kinds of things pointed out. These wonderful editors catch things such as a word that might not be in circulation at the time of a historical story or they might point out when one word is used too many times to make the story feel too repetitive or tired. They try to do things like make sure everybody’s eyes stay the same color from the beginning of the book to the end.
I’m working through those edits on this book right now. One of the things the editor caught was that I mentioned the Grand Canyon which wasn’t actually a park until after the date of my story. Another time an editor caught when I said Wes in my Hollyhill books was a fan of a certain mystery writer who didn’t publish books until after the time of those stories. A good content or copyeditor can save a writer from making those sorts of mistakes.
During this time, the art department at the publishers is designing a cover that will fit the story. Again, they make use of the questionnaire I filled out to know about the characters and the setting of the story. Once they have a design, they send it to me to see if I think it works. I can make suggestions about things I don’t think work, but usually the cover is lovely. The art department at Baker Books is outstanding and my covers are always eye-catching. The cover for The Pursuit of Elena Bradford is one of those. I usually like to wait until a little later to share the cover, but when I do, the cover gets out there online before I get my act together. I’m trying to be first with the reveal this time. So, I sent out a newsletter last week to give my newsletter subscribers the first peek at the cover.
I’m happy to let you faithful readers here see it now too. I’m sure some of you have already seen it in my newsletter and if you did, I thank you for being a newsletter subscriber. If you didn’t see the newsletter and you think you should be on my email newsletter list, check your Spam folder. If my news isn’t there, let me know and I’ll check if you are still subscribed. In the change from one newsletter service to another, I lost some names.
Anyway, whether you have already seen the cover or are just now seeing it, I hope you think it is inviting and a cover that will entice you into the story. The book is already listed at Baker Book House. No cover there yet, but the pre-release deal of 40% off and free shipping is there. The cover will show up on the entry soon.
The cover is a big step toward publication and always a fun one for writers and readers to see. There will be another round of editing after the ones I’m working on now. That will be to check for minor errors such as typos or various small errors missed in the first two rounds of edits. Once that is done, the book will be out of my hands. Copies will be sent out to advance readers and reviewers. I’ll be asked to do podcasts, blog visits, and other things to try to let readers know about my new story. Most of that happens in the last few months before publication which for this story is May 2025.
So, now you know why it takes a couple of years or more from my first spark of inspiration for the story to that book in your hands.
Does the cover make you want to find out more about the woman on the steps and holding a parasol?