Catching Up

Okay latest news...

I've finished my modern story, Dinner For Two. Its come in short of the required 50k and I'm not inclined to add more to it unless it's requested from the London office of H M & B, which I very much doubt. If it's not requested I'll be happy to leave it as it is and submit it to a smaller publisher who accepts stories under 50k.

I've been working on, A Noble Place my Australian colonial manuscript for the last week or so. I've dragged out the ms I write 5 years ago and have started to edit (actually re-write) it. I don't recommend this really. It's hard work. I've learnt so much in the last five years and this ms shows me just how much! It's full of passive writing and telling.
Still, I think I can make something of it. The story plot is good, I like it. It's main character is Phillippa Noble, she's a twin and, along with her parents, they emigrated to Australia in 1848 to recoup the fortune Pippa's father lost over years of gambling. They strike out into the bush and begin to forge an empire, only nothing runs as smoothly as it should. They are hit with draughts, bushfires and money problems. Pippa's twin, Hilary marries a useless man and they go to live in remote New Zealand and while Pippa is visiting they are attacked by Maoris. There are love interests, death and a whole range of other things to keep the story ticking along, but, at this stage, they need some help to shine.
I'm line editing, which is a slow and tedious job, but very much needed. I'm cutting out huge tracts of the ms and re-writing it. The story was never finished and so I hope to finish it and then later submit it to my critique group before I send it off to publishers.

Yesterday, I sent a query to BeWrite Books about The Gentle Wind's Caress, my fourth historical novel. I would like to be published by this publisher as they are UK based and as my books are set in England I think the reader base would be use to my type of story, etc.

I haven't heard back from Wings ePress about Kitty McKenzie.
I haven't heard back from All Romance Books about my short stories.
I haven't heard back from the London agent about Gossamer Wings.
So I wait......

I did update my website this morning. :o)

Take care!