Thursday, October 14, 2010

Legacy Lunacy

So you finish editing a book ahead of deadline, feel pretty darned good about the accomplishment and the man appears with the much awaited question...

You've just edited the next best selling Cozy Mystery! What are you going to do NOW?!

You know the answer right? Disneyland, ne?

Well not if you're ME, because I am NUTS. Wanna know my answer?

I AM EDITING ANOTHER BOOK!

I realize that if any of you came after me with men in white coats, it wouldn't be difficult to have me committed, but you see... it's like THIS:



November: NaNoWriMo (translation: booked)
January: Amazon Breakthrough serious prep (translation: booked)
December: Address any Cozy changes by agent.

So if I want something CLEAN for Amazon, NOW is the time.


My PLAN

Come on... you know me by now. There is ALWAYS a plan!

Now the advantage of Legacy, is it was CLEANED once, so that first step... making it readable... isn't necessary. So I have currently started the 'read with notetaking piece'.

Funny. I am only 20 pages in (though I DID read the feedback I got from 3 readers 'back then') and I have a couple fill-ins for 'holes' already. I definitely am a believer in the 'let it sit and come back fresh' thing.

My intention is to MAKE the small changes and make NOTES for the big changes, and then in December, after the Cozy gets cleaned, come back and do the big ones.

I'm not convinced LEGACY will be my ABNA... in fact because it is first in a trilogy, it probably WON'T, but I'd like to have it ready to share. My agent is only my agent for the Cozy, but I'd like to have HER feedback on a clean version... Then I will clean something ELSE in January for ABNA. I will have to evaluate what is closest to ready... but I just have WAY to large an editing pile to not commit to some of this ASAP.


REALISM

The funny thing is, when I looked at my plan, it seemed DOABLE! How the heck is a book mostly editable in less than 2 weeks? But I think it is, between having that picky round already done and the time sitting, I really think I can DO THIS!!!!

WAHOO!

[Note: cover was designed by Joris Ammerlaan, my go-to graphics guy (as was the diva below)]


Lucius in Lingerie

So besides being insane for editing... (which I don't want ANY of you to mistake for LOVE), I also have a thing for very bad boys. It is because I ultimately believe nobody is ALL bad, especially someone who LOOKS so GOOD in a corset and garter.


Laughing Llamas

You had no clue how deep my lurve for things beginning with L went, did you? My llama love originate with Ralph the Wonder Llama and the 10,000 Mexican Whooping Llamas that were featured in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

So there you have it. Now you're loony too.

26 comments:

CA Heaven said...

You're going straight for a trilogy. That's impressive. You're apparently more productive than me >:)

Cold As Heaven

TreeX said...

I'm still impressed by that cover -- and I MADE the damn thing! =)

By the way, your Facebook is set to Pirate. I can tell because your FB BADGE is also set in Pirate ;)

Anonymous said...

Whaddya mean, *now* I'm loony too? I *bin* loony, darlin'.

(Didja get the clever little Ebonics pun? Didja? Huh? Like...loony bin? Huh? Yeah? Huh?)

Yeah.

:)

Oh, and good luck on the speed-edits!

Hart Johnson said...

CaH--The trilogy is WRITTEN but the 2nd and 3rd books are not even TYPED--I am also thinking of changing PoV on them... (but the main story has been hammered out--did THAT so when I cleaned the first, I could back fill and change for how the story would go). But yeah... I've had a productive last 13 months. 6 books at least drafted since August 09.

JOris--FABULOUS cover. I love all of them. And yes... set to Pirate *winks*

Simon *snort* Yes, very clever *scuffles Simon's hair* ya NUT. (Thank you!)

Old Kitty said...

Oh wow!!! wow!!! You have a trilogy!! Oh that's so so so so exciting!!! I have no idea what an ABNA is but who cares - you have a trilogy!!!! Yay!!:-)

Llamas. They just ARE aren't they?!?!

Take care and GOOD LUCK with your editing - so excited for you!!!
x

Hart Johnson said...

Jenny *snicker* You're so sweet. Legacy, above, was the 2nd book I ever finished--I wrote it in a made frenzy about a year ago, but the reason it was so easy to write was it was a prequel to something I'd been pondering for a long time. The other two books were a little rougher to get out, but I think I can make them good with revisions and such.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

LLamas are looney.

And you're making me tired, Hart!

Mason Canyon said...

Where do you get your energy? Best of luck.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress

Unknown said...

Those llamas are so cute. I see a lot of them here in Mexico.

Well, I hope you have lots of success with your manuscript.

CD

Sarah Ahiers said...

omg - that cream llama has the sweetest face! I just want to kiss it!

Will Burke said...

I've already discerned that you can type like a tornado, I guess that helps. I was right tickled with Lucious in Lingerie!

Helen Ginger said...

Oh my word, that llama on the left is sooo cute. Now there's something I never thought I'd say.

You definitely have a plan and you're sticking to it. And that's why it'll work for you. You're committed.

Jen said...

Wow, you are motivated. I'm still struggling with a plot for my Nano project! (Of course going from chick-lit to crime isn't the easiest switch... especially when I switched 3 weeks ago...) The llama photo made me giggle!

Hart Johnson said...

Alex- you've discovered my nefarious plan. If I make all the other writers TIRED then I will be the only one with books to read! *cough* Probably won't work...

Mason-it's a mirage. Thank you!

Clarissa-I LOVE llamas, though around here they aren't super common. And Thanks!

Sarah-it almost looks like a cartoon face, yes? He's precious!

Will-my typing isn't all that fast, but I am a more consistent writer than most full time workers I know. It's the upside of my hubby being the house-husband. (ah yes... Lucius in lingerie is a favorite theme of mine...)

Helen-I know, right? (on the llama) STICK to a plan? THAT is something I am less good at. I am GREAT at making plans... but plans are made to be rearranged! *shifty*

Jennee-My NaNo is somewhat plotted. I do plan to storyboard it, but I was a little worried I might start WRITING if I spent much more time before it is TIME. And ABSOLUTELY on the difficulty of the switch you are talking about. I think if I was doing chick lit, I'd mostly pants it--seems more HEART-ish. Mystery I have to actually plot much more carefully, and I imagine CRIME even more so, as the details need to be more carefully realistic.

Talli Roland said...

Wow! Go Hart go - that's fantastic. I love your plan. My head is all in a muddle right now -I wish I had a plan!

Terry Odell said...

I'm exhausted just reading this post. (And there are numerous llama farms around here if you're ever in this neck of the woods.)

Terry
Terry's Place
Romance with a Twist--of Mystery

LTM said...

so you really really love me, right? B/c of the b'day thing. And the Ls...

I think you're righton! I mean, if the train's moving, and you're in the zone, work it! Geaux, Hart!!! :o) <3

Dawn Ius said...

Hmmm....bad boys...me like bad boys.
*shakes head* Great plan, Hart. I'm always awed by your motivation. xo

Hart Johnson said...

Talli-Not sure if I will still be up for planning and writing when I am heading right into book release mode, so I think you are doing GREAT--that is your priority at the mo...

Terry-I KNEW Colorado had llamas! They are supposed to be great, instead of pack horses, for camping and such because they do less damage on those slopes.

Leigh-of COURSE I love you! Thanks!

Dawn--yeah... love the bad boys... especially when they need to be PUNISHED *cackles* Thank you!

MJenks said...

Wow. That. Wow.

Lucius Malfoy in lingerie is.

Wow.

I'm sure I had something more profound to say, but that kind of wiped my mind clean. Thanks.

Katie Anderson said...

Phew, that's a big plan. I hope it all goes well!

Carolyn Abiad said...

No time for Disney? The llama looks like he has something to say about that.

Bridge Marie said...

Good luck with all the plans, Tami, it sounds fabulous from here!

Cheeseboy said...

Llamas must totally be an Idaho thing. Didn't Napolian have a llama?

dolorah said...

Wow, what a varied post! I completely enjoyed this. The cover is so cool, I had to check on Amazon to see if you're published. When, dear, when?

ME; I like editing and revision. It feels like I'm doing actual work on the novel, not just getting it down so I can sleep at night.

Hey, good luck on all your plans. It can happen . .

............dhole

Arlee Bird said...

I like the look of the Legacy cover--classic and classy.

Lee
Tossing It Out