Those who completed National Novel Writing Month last November – wrote at least 50,000 words in 30 days – received the offer of a free proof copy from CreateSpace, an Amazon company. We had 6 months to take advantage of it. I looked at it early this year and was overwhelmed with all the terms and steps. What else is new. And then just over 2 weeks ago, NaNoWriMo reminded everyone on Twitter that the 6 months were going to be up soon. Suddenly, I wanted to have that proof copy.
I’d been looking for an agent all this time. I had had a positive response early on from an indie publisher, but I really wanted to find an agent, one who could help me execute all rights, not just print and eBook ones. It’s been (and is) a long, frustrating process, with good feedback but no takers. I suppose it would be easier if they had said my manuscript sucked, but to say my novel is gripping and then turn it down… Well, I want to scream.
And so my novel sits in digital form unseen by any eyes with no physical form to say it’s real. Yes, eBooks are great and gaining momentum, but a novel in manuscript form seems more like hope than reality. When I saw that tweet from NaNoWriMo, I decided I had to see my novel She, see it as a book because who knows how long it’ll be before that actually happens for real, for public consumption.
This week my free proof copy arrived from CreateSpace. The cover quality isn’t that great as it’s rippling from the heat and humidity, and I don’t think clouds against light blue sky rendered that well. But it’s my book. My words. Even my cover. For the first time, a smile reached my lips. It’s difficult to get me excited about anything (thank you brain injury), but I had a moment of feeling it. Yes! I wrote fiction for the first time in 10 years and a novel at that!! For that, the proof is worth it. Now I can continue my endless search.
An entity from nothing space invades a young songwriter, consuming her. She fights to resist him , to expel him – and discovers where evil really resides.
