Good news! I’m working on the final edits of The Devil Particle! It was touch and go for awhile as I struggled to figure out what the heck my villain was up to. I had a couple of brainstorming sessions with my editor Tim Storm and we had a breakthrough. I’m really excited how it’s all coming together.

In the next couple of weeks, I’ll revise the book and then send it to Judi Weiss of Reedsy by January 13th for copyediting. Wait, you might be thinking, more editing? Yep.

Tim did the developmental editing. He looked at the whole manuscript for structural issues like plot holes and under-developed characters (like my villain). If something I wrote was confusing, inconsistent, or redundant, he pointed it out.

We discussed the book’s midpoint (when my protagonist Paul has an epiphany), why some of the trials I put Paul through worked and others didn’t, and where to start that all-important first chapter. His developmental edits are always a master class for me.

Judi, on the other hand, will be dissecting the manuscript line-by-line. You probably know what a proofreader does — checks the grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. A copy editor does that plus examines the manuscript’s sentence structure, tense issues, word choice, syntax, dialogue, and more.

A couple of years ago, I asked Tim if he’d copy edit my manuscript. He told me no–he was too close to the work. I needed someone who could look at the manuscript with fresh eyes. That’ll be Judi!

When I receive the manuscript back from Judi on January 23rd, I’ll go through it one more time and make the changes she suggests. I’ll read it out loud to make sure it’s exactly how I want it. Then I’ll format it using a software program called Atticus (wish me luck, I’ve never formatted a book before) and send it to Patrick Knowles, my cover designer, for the final cover. I’m still shooting for a spring 2023 release date–now only a few months away! As always, I’ll be sure to keep you posted.

Did I mention I’m excited?

Big News and Free Books

Big news — I’m moving to Milwaukee! My sister, brother-in-law, niece, nephew, and niece-in-law have lived in the Milwaukee area for decades. My daughter Caitlin took her dream job as a music therapist at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center and she, her husband Sean, and their dog Ramona moved to Waukesha over the summer. In August, my daughter Jessica started studying costume design at UW-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts and lives in a historic home a few blocks from campus. In November, my mom moved to Brookfield.

That’s it, my whole family now lives in the Milwaukee area. It’s time for me to join them. That’s where you come in. No, I won’t ask you to come to my Madison condo to help me pack dishes or move furniture (but if you’re volunteering, I might take you up on it).

Instead, I’d like to you take advantage of my free paperback and audiobook giveaway (even if you have all ready). You’ll lighten my moving load (I have so many boxes of paperbacks and audio CDs) and you’ll receive terrific novels to whisk you away from this cold winter.

If you already have Carpe Diem, Illinois or God on Mayhem Street or both, be sure to get copies for your friends, family and book club.

Simply click here to fill out the form and receive your free autograph copies!

And have a Happy New Year!