I’ve been deep in the pits of writer’s hell, otherwise known as editing, for some months now. Personally, I find edits easier than the rough draft, but that doesn’t make the process painless. Having to change, or even delete, my precious words can feel like no less than murder.

I recently received the second round of editor’s notes for my next novel. This after months of self-editing, followed by two months of going through her first round. A part of me wishes I could sit back and do anything but write for a while. But, in truth, the novel itself is not the only step toward publication. It’s certainly the biggest part, but it’s not all that needs to be done.

I need to get to work on the blurb for the back cover. Short but, in some ways, even more difficult to write than the body of the book. I also need to contact my cover artist to start working on that very important selling point. It’s the first thing to catch the reader’s attention, get that person to pick it up. Second most important would be that back cover blurb.

“Is this the type of story I like to read? If it’s not a genre I would normally read, is it one I find interesting enough to buy?”

Normally, once the process comes to a close on a book the writer can then turn to a completely new project. In this case, my current work-in-progress is the first in a trilogy. So, I’m not done with these characters. And they’re not done with me.

Watch for the first of the Pine Lake Girls, “Alice: The Betrayal” coming this spring.