The Proof Is In (The Pudding)

So I got the proof of The Pericles Conspiracy on Monday.

Wow, that sucker is thick.  I mean, I knew it was going to be a good size.  At 122,000 words, Pericles is the longest book I’ve written to date.  But for some reason knowing that the print version came to 490 pages total and SEEING those 490 pages were two very different things.  I put it on the bookshelf next to Masters of the Sun.  *sigh*  Poor Masters looks so…so little compared with it.

Now granted, I’ve been meaning to reformat Masters.  I originally did it in 6×9, and more and more I don’t like that size.  Pericles is 5.5×8.5 and I like that a lot better.  Taking Masters down to that size would fill it out a bit more, for what that’s worth.  And looking at it now, I’m not very satisfied with the print cover.  I made the back too cluttered.  So that’s on the list of things to do.  Later.

Anywho, I immediately found a couple problems with the proof copy, which were easily fixed.  But for giggles, I brought it in to work on Tuesday, to show it off.  Everyone was more than suitably impressed.  In fact, one of my friends there went ahead and swiped it.  Which is cool because that makes for another set of eyes looking for issues.  Not that I expect him to find many at this point, but you never know.

When I got home Tuesday, I entered those few changes that needed to be found and resubmitted the files.  Got a second proof ordered as well; it shipped yesterday.

So that’s where we stand on Pericles.  Depending on when the new proof gets here, it may or may not be ready for a release on the 24th, like I planned.  Worst case, I’ll just pop the ebook out there and update with the print in a couple days.  Can’t hurt.  We’ll see.

In the meantime, work continues on Glimmer Vale 2.  I had been slacking on that, and on my writing goal progress in general (I’m only at 124,000 words for the year right now – yuck!).  But I’m getting back into the saddle again.  The new target is to have GV 2 complete by the end of September, but considering I’m at 26k words and the target length is 50k, I ought to have it done well before then, if I just put my nose to the grindstone.  Then it’s back to work on Masters 2 for a month, then GV 3 for NaNoWriMo, then back to finishing Masters 2 around the end of the year.  Oh and Writers of the Future submissions.  Can’t forget those.

If all goes as planned, that is.

Right.  Off to it, then.

Cheers!