A New Book and a New Blog Everyone!

Tags

5-star reviews, Comfort food, In Search of Beef Stroganoff, New Blog, self-publishing, Women's fiction, writers, writing

Hey followers and casual readers of this humble blog,

two announcements from Casa de Coyle.

New Book!

New Blog!

First of all, I finally published my book, In Search of Beef Stroganoff!

Yes. Really. No lie. I kid you not.

You can find it here on Amazon. I’ll wait while you go check it out.

Now that you are back and have put away your credit card, you undoubtedly noticed my whopping fourteen 5-star reviews. This writer’s buttons are busting.

For those of you who knew me when I was struggling to find the words to summarize my book, with the help the reviewers’ comments, I now know how to describe my book! Well, sorta. I still have an interminable internal disconnect in being able to up with an “elevator speech” for the darn thing.

Ripped from the reviews, I present the following:

• Complex, relatable, believable, lovable characters you wished were your friends . . . reading the book is like talking to a friend.
• An intimate tale that is funny, yet heartwarming, giving you a wonderful place to escape.
• Wonderful, skillful imagery and detail of the story’s scenes, people, and places.
• Mouthwatering dishes and memorable food play a central character in the story.
• The writing is delectable, warm, and satisfying – like comfort food for the mind.
• The food descriptions will make you hungry and inspire you to hit the kitchen.
• It has the kind of romantic love and friendships you yearn for.
• A tale of self-discovery, personal exploration, redemption, life transformations, self-forgiveness, and growth.
• It is the simple things in life that matter.

Aw shucks, book reviewers, you made me blush.

The second big announcement is that I am moving my blog, and hopefully my followers, to a new site. You can find me, my blog posts, and I over here:

Robincoylewrites.com.

I have come out of semi-retirement from blogging and will be posting again with vigor. Or at least with less anemia that what has happened here over the past couple of years.

I’ve written two posts about current “the world in which we live in” (grammar, Sir Paul, mind your grammar). You may find them amusing.

I hope you find it in your heart to keep up with me over there. It would be lonely without you!

Be well, and remember to wash your hands.

 

The End is Near

Tags

In Search of Beef Stroganoff, self-publishing

Source: http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk

No, I am not a survivalist predicting the end of the world as we know it, although I do happen to look fetching in mossy oak camo and make a delicious tree bark stew.

The end I am talking about is the end of the long process of writing and editing, editing, editing, editing (did I mention editing?) my manuscript for my soon to be published novel, In Search of Beef Stroganoff.

I can hear a collective sigh of relief from all you bloggers out there about not having to listen to me moan and complain and rant about how the editing process is endless. I could always find sentences in my manuscript I wanted to tinker with, things that needed to be added, sections to toss on the garbage heap, or scattered typos left in the wake of my editing.

My dear friend and fellow blogger, also happens to be a librarian with a fancy schmancy Master’s Degree in Library Science. She read a draft of In Search of Beef Stroganoff over the summer and gave me fantastic feedback, asked hard questions, and told me she HATED the ending. I took her comments to heart et voila (how French of me), the manuscript was in a state where I was happy with it and could quit gnawing on it like a pit bull. I could finally say . . .

Enough is enough.

It is finished.

Quit picking at it.

There is no earthly reason to change the word “happy” to the equally boring word “glad.”

I honestly didn’t think that day would ever come.

I sent the manuscript off to a talented and knowledgeable editor, who many of you know as the fabulous Madame Weebles of blogging fame. She is an editor with a keen eye, nose for accuracy, delicate touch, hears when dialog is stilted, and chewed up and spit out sentences that didn’t ring true. She used all five senses while editing my manuscript and I think she used her sixth sense as well. She gave the novel the polish it needed. The story is the same, but she helped me smooth out more than a few bumps.

My gifted and artistic (and may I be so bold as to add, beautiful) daughter is a graphic designer extraordinaire. She created a stunning cover for the book, but she won’t let me reveal it . . . yet. Because she is like her mother, she is never happy until something is perfect. She wants to play around with the design some more, but in my mind, it is already perfect. It captures the essence of the story.

Because, as I said, I leave typos in my wake when I edit, the manuscript is now in the capable hands of my best pal. She can spot a typo at a hundred yards. And by the way, she has found a few. Once she is finished, it is publication time.

Woooooooohooooooo! I will soon be doing a happy dance and I hope you all join in!

After doing much handwringing, gnashing of teeth, and hours of research, I decided to self-publish using Lulu Publishing Services. Have any of you used them? If so, how did it go? From everything I’ve learned about Lulu, they are author-friendly, you can do eBook and print book versions, and they don’t demand your first-born child as payment.

I considered trying to get an agent but it seemed like an impossible dream. The numbers are against anyone who would like to be traditionally published, except if your name happens to be Stephen King. There are so many talented writers out there. My goal is to hold a copy of my book in my hands, not to be rejected by an agent.

Stay tuned. I’ll be around the blogosphere more now and will try to not bore you with the details of getting my book in print. But I can’t make any promises.

So . . . enough about me. How have you all been?