Proof of life (sic)
As I said a while back, the last time I have to read Touchstone, and the last time I can do anything about Touchstone before it goes into print, is the proof page stage. These are the pages as they appear in the book itself, with decorations and page numbers, and it’s my last chance to catch that place where I forgot to change the name Aldous Carstairs or a reference to the island I long ago omitted.
Now, I leave Tuesday for BoucherCon. I told Dana Stabenow she could use me all day Wednesday to stuff book bags or set up chairs or take her away and ply her with many drinks.
And now I hear that the page proofs are going to come out of Production Monday, and need to be back Oct 3, the day I fly home from Anchorage.
Guess what I’ll be doing next Wednesday instead of stuffing book bags and drinking with friends?
Have drinks with your friends and let them help you go over the proofs. Hmm, wait, drinks and proofs, why is this a bad idea? Oh yeah, alcohol and proofreading don’t mix. BWAHAHAHA.
You could always just use the VBC members as beta readers–assign a few chapters among several different folks and see what they find. You’ve looked at the MS too much anyway, right? We’re here to help because we love you…that, and we’re just greedy readers.
Nikki, always looking for the angle 😉
Nikki has me laughing. Sure, we’ll be *glad* to proofread for you! Actually, the idea of letting your friends at Bouchercon assist you–sans the drinks–isn’t a bad one. Share the load.
Find time to enjoy your trip. Wish I could be in Alaska with you!
I agree completely! And since proofreading probably only works if everyone looks at the book in its entirety, I just want to say that I’d be more than happy to make the, uh, huge sacrifice (yeah, that’s it!) of going through the whole manuscript, too. Just because I love to help, you understand. And because I’d hate for you to have to skip drinks and bag-stuffing in Alaska.
Right. Damn, I wish I could be up in the frozen northland! Have a grand time anyway 🙂