Monday, April 06, 2009

BOM: Questions and Answers


Have a question? I'll try to come up with some answers!

Also, I'm giving away a free copy of JOURNEY. If you'd like to be entered in the drawing, just leave a comment with "ENTER" and I'll announce the winner tomorrow!

Deborah asked: I always have loved the ending of the book. What made you decide to tie the story up like that? Did you intend on doing that from book 1?
No, I didn't originally intend to come back to Joseph and Tuya at the end of JOURNEY . . . but after settling things with Ephraim and Manasseh, I thought it would be nice to come full circle. After all, Joseph lived a very long and full life, so I'm sure his latter years were interesting . . . and it seemed only natural to bring those two together again. I like the symmetry of that. :-)

LuAnn remarked: There are so many mistakes in books. Where are the proofreaders who should know these things? Maybe you need a book specifically written for proofreaders.

My pal Al Gansky once pointed out that if you have a 100,000 word book and it's 99.9 percent accurate, you're still going to have 100 mistakes. Yikes! We try--all of us--editors and authors and proofreaders--to be as accurate as we can. But every time a human is involved, there's another opportunity to mistakes to creep in. Sometimes I'll correct something on the "first pages," and when the typesetter makes my corrections, another typo slips in. So we all try, really we do, but as long as we're human, mistakes will be made. :-/

And sometimes, to be fair, the mistakes are in the readers' perceptions. Today I read a comment in an online review--the reviewer said something about how THE ELEVATOR needed an editor when it came to hurricanes, Florida geography, and Pinellas County bridges. Since I've lived through hurricanes, I'm a Florida native, and I double-checked all those bridges, I have to wonder what on earth she meant. When I was writing THE ELEVATOR, however, I learned that the bridge I've called the "Howard Franklin" for 20 years is actually called the "Howard Frankland."

Oops.

But the book has it right. I was saved by a sharp-eyed copyeditor. :-)

Thanks for coming along for another BOM. And don't forget to type "ENTER" in the comment box if you'd like to be entered in the drawing!

~~Angie

15 comments:

Mocha with Linda said...

Loved the answer to the second question. Especially when you put it in percentage terms. It drives me nuts to read misspelled words and poor punctuation, but I'll try to keep my OCD a little more under control! LOL I think I just notice things that most people don't! And lo & behold, I'm not perfect either. (And that makes me crazy, too!)

kareng said...

ENTER

I haven't read this book and would love to! I really enjoyed your editing tidbits!

Anonymous said...

ENTER

:)

Lynn said...

Thanks for sharing from "behind the scenes" Angie. I appreciate all the time and effort that goes into getting a book published. Bless you as you continue to write!
Lynn

ENTER

Kathy Cassel said...

enter

God's Prof said...

ENTER

I have read several of your books and have enjoyed them. ENTER me in your contest. It would be great to ENTER the promised land of a free book. I guess it's time to press ENTER and move on to something else.

Andrea said...

ENTER

Anonymous said...

-rebecca Eischen
Have a great day!

Please enter me in your contest.

ps. i can't remember my blogger password...so i'm doing it this way.

Laura in Texas said...

ENTER -- I LOVE your writing!

Lauren said...

ENTER :)

Adrianna O'Regan said...

Can Canadians enter too? If so.... ENTER!

Anonymous said...

ENTER

from Char in Lybrg

Suzanne said...

enter


Thanks Angie! I haven't read this series yet.

Linda G said...

Please ENTER me into the drawing.
Thanks, Angie!

The Dynamic Uno said...

ENTER

Don't feel bad--I've always thought the bridge was "Howard Franklin" too. I guess you really do learn something each day. :)