So the beta read is going well!
I have about 12 readers going strong. So far, all (but one?) said they’d read beyond the first 58 pages. (And that was highly important to me: the first 60 pages — which translates, usually, to three chapters — is all I get to send out to potential agents/publishers, so I need to be able to hook them there. I needed to know if — at the end of Act I — the reader would sigh and think “ho-hum” or if they’d be thinking “More! Give me more!”)
So now that they asked for more, now comes the “long part” — the balance of 100,000 words. So I need to be patient while everyone reads the whole thing. But three people have already finished! Whew! That’s a compliment! Superman barrelled through it and read it in about four days, so that was awesome. (First time he ever read it — I was so nervous!) So I’m already getting some long, terrific feedback.
One of the biggest things I’m waiting on feedback about is that I had to change the heroine pretty significantly after about Chapter 8 or 9, so I’m curious, in general, how everyone responds to her. But so far, so good. Every chapter after 9 changed (because when her motives changed, her actions did, too), so this is the first time anyone is reading the “new Simone.” And I added in two big scenes toward the end that now I can’t believe weren’t in there before (because they’re kind of big “showdowns”), so I’m eager to hear how those read. In other words, some of these scenes are actually “first drafts”! (Although 80% of the book is more polished with thought-over word choice, so I don’t want anyone to worry!)
Plus I want to make sure the dialogue reads well, and the secondary characters are interesting.
I guess I just want everyone to love Adam and Simone; and I want to make everyone smile and have fun with the story. Always a writer’s goal. : )
Yay!! I feel like a little slacker but I have started the rest that you sent me but I haven’t gotten too far. Hopefully on Tuesday when my biggest one starts preschool and we get into the fall schedule, I will be able to FINISH IT! Woohoo!
Yes I did read it and feel HONORED to be the first one to read the entire book. I am not a fiction reader or romance reader. I am much more of a non-fiction, historical and historical biographies reader. That being said…I LOVED it!!!!!!! I really did! It changed my whole thinking on what these books can be about. Laurie actually moved my emotions in this book. The intimate scenes stirred me and the emotional scenes moved me and the entire book was very entertaining and quite honestly taught me, too. But, then again, Laurie is absolutely one of the smartest and most talented people I’ve ever met and I feel so blessed that she decided to marry me!!!! Whoa, starting on my own romance novel in this comment section…
But truly an entertaining and thought-provoking read. I felt like this was something right off the bookshelf in the bookstore. I could also see this as one of those Lifetime-type movies.
Laurie is, as everyone who’s ever met her knows, an accomplished writer and editor but she has such an incredible talent to come up with these stories and bring her reader in and have them not want to let these characters go. I started to feel that these characters were alive and I was rooting for them; ME?????
Yes, my beautiful and wonderfully talented wife has changed me into a romance reader, and I couldn’t be happier.
Great job Laurie and I want to be the first one to officially get your autograph, and you first signed book!
I would have read for you, but it is well documented that I don’t have an ounce of romance in my body. The only things I get emotional about are Cowboys losses and Longhorn wins…
Now, if your romance novel has guns, explosions, assassins, shootouts and car chases, well I’ll be the alpha beta reader!
That said, I know you are a great writer so I know you will be successful in this endeavor!
Kristi — No worries, girl!!! Take your time. Man, I forget how busy life is with preschool, toddlers, etc.! I sympathize with you. …
Chris — Aw… What can I say? Thank you. For always being so supportive. I know you’re my biggest fan. : )
Dave — Hmmmm … guns? explosions? assassins? … well … not exactly, I’m sorry to say. Maybe next time? 🙂 But thanks for the vote of confidence. I appreciate that you’re all so supportive.
I already commented to you via email, but I want everyone else to know that this is a fantastic book! I was totally sucked in by the first three chapters and couldn’t wait for more. I loved all the characters and it was fun watching (or reading them) evolve. It’s funny because you even made Noel seem like he was a constant character in the book even though he was only “physically” there briefly. I, like Chris, was really rooting for the characters and got lost in it as if it were a movie, and wouldn’t be surprised at all if it became one. In fact, I was telling my mom about the book and she said it sounded like a “Lifetime” movie (nice Chris!) Anyways, I know you have to cut some of it so I wish you luck because I think every page was awesome 🙂 It felt like every other book I read as far as experience, etc. – as if this was one of your many published books.I hope that after Chris gets his “first editioned, signed” copy that you will sign one for me too 🙂 Can’t wait for the next one!!!
Thanks, Debi! Yes, of course — signed copies all around! 😉 Now, of course, I just need to get there …
But thanks for all your comments and encouragement. Glad the you liked the characters and that they came to life for you. (No words could make a writer happier!)
And I’m especially happy you liked Noel, because he’s actually slated for his own book! I have the synopsis already written for him. (He’s got “responsibility” issues. :))
But before him, I have to finish Lia’s and Giselle’s books. About 98% done with Giselle’s, actually. I’ll definitely take you up on the offer to read more — Giselle’s is up next! Thanks so much for all your help! Later, I’m going to ask all the beta readers for their fave scene and (for cutting ideas) LEAST fave scene (!), so think about that, and I’ll post that soon. … THANK YOU SO MUCH!