Slip of The Pen

I have just resubmitted a manuscript (working title – BILLIONS ) after three months of rewriting.  It was an extensive rewrite that included an addition of 12,000 words and  more emphasis on the romance aspect of the story.  (The novel is also a mystery.)  It’s my first novel written specifically for the inspirational market, and as such was a challenge.  Like learning to swim all over again. 

Now the agent, who so kindly and patiently made suggestions for corrections, will place it on her stack of manuscripts-to-read and eventually it will be ” my turn”.   If she likes it enough and deems that she can work with me, she may add me as a client, but maybe not.  It will take a few months for me to find out, and, meanwhile, I’m praying that I did an adequate (Actually, I’m hoping for excellent.) job of rewriting.  It’s so easy to overlook manuscript problems, large and small. 

Here’s a small problem from BILLIONS that slipped through at least two rewrites.  [A little back story: Our heroine has just escaped her kidnappers.  She’s hurt and dehydrated and starved.  The only food she has eaten in the past day or so is half a dog biscuit she happened to have in her pocket.  When our hero arrives on the scene with his security force, this is the brief conversation that ensues.]

                  “How long since you’ve had anything to eat?” Liam asked.

                  “Not counting half a dog biscuit?”                    

                  “Get her something,” he barked.

HE BARKED?  What on earth was I thinking?  

Okay, so at least I caught that one.  And sometimes during a long day of editing and rewriting, laughter is the best thing of all, even if you’re laughing at yourself! 

Blessings,

Sue