Rift in the Races is now with my editor, and I have begun working on the third book (so that the wait between book 2 and book 3 won’t be anywhere near as long as the time between 1 and 2). My editor says she can have it back to me in eight weeks, which, from the time I gave it to her, puts that around November 9th. I will be getting chunks of her suggestions back and working through them as she goes, so I can actually be done with her revisions at almost the same time she is done making them, or within a few days. So, in theory, I’ll have an edited copy of the manuscript done by let’s say November 12th or, just for reality’s sake, let’s call it the 15th.

From there, I will get the file formatted for print and for ebook, which includes inserting graphics and front page notices and back page links to my website and all that rot. I have someone who helps me with the print files because there are some artsy things that have to be done in Adobe In-Design that I do not know how to do yet. I want to learn how, and I want to learn Photoshop in general (plus, more than either of those, I want to learn some HTML because it’s really, really hard to get help with website stuff consistently. Everyone who is good with websites is always being hounded by a zillion people for help, making getting help when you need it tough, unless you can afford to throw huge money at it, which I can’t). It’s hard to say how long formatting will take. If Fernando, that’s the graphic artist who did the formatting for me on book one, can knock it out in a day or three, that’s awesome. If not, well, then it takes how long it takes, although likely not more than a week or so. If we call it a week or so for paranoia’s sake, that’s November 22nd by the time I get it back.

So, once I get that file, I will load it for print and wait for printer approvals on it, which shouldn’t take more than a day (probably less). Then, I will order several print copies and distribute them to my proofreaders who will go through for any typos that were missed and go through for any funky stuff that happened during file formatting (this is why I have proofreading in galley copies rather than manuscript copies). Between print and mail delivery time (overnight fees paid in full), that’s probably a week, moving me out to November 29th before I get those copies and anyone starts to read.

It doesn’t take a mathematician to see I’m probably not going to hit my November target if all the worst case scenario things play out, which they tend to do. Frankly, even if everything goes smoothly, I probably won’t, because the proofreaders still have to read the whole thing, and the book is 909 pages long in manuscript form. In paperback form, that translates to about 950 pages using the same size book and font as book one. So even a best case scenario puts me pretty much on November 30th.

Either way, once I get the proofread copies back, I will fix anything that needs fixed and order two more final print proof copies, one for me and one for my lucky proofreader, Nancy. If she and I both clear it, then it’s done and I will pull the trigger and launch it.

Realistically, I’m thinking it’s probably going to be at least three weeks off my original goal of November release, but we’ll see. I’m hoping the manuscript is just so amazingly clean that my editor hardly has anything to do and will be done much sooner than anticipated.

I suspect the Raiders have a better chance at winning the super bowl this year than that happening, but hope is a good thing. Heck, it’s even a theme in the book, so I’m going with it.

Either way it’s getting close, and I’m totally stoked at how it came out. It’s a great big volume of epic magic and space action and I can’t wait to get it out there.