I hope this newsletter finds everyone well. Thank you for interacting with me on this website and social media. I have been energised by your support and encouragement. Some of you may be enjoying the autumn scenery up north. I am quite envious as we are heading into summer here in the South, and the wind is drying all my plants. I don’t know of many bookish people who love summer, but I will find things to like about it since I am will spend a quarter of my life in this season.
October was a productive month. Besides my freelance illustrations, which make my personal projects possible, I am also participating in a group exhibition at a local gallery. It gave me the incentive to paint a scene from my book. There is an important gathering area inspired by the Pantheon, only with more sci-fi technology. I just like the idea of a giant skylight that can expand and contract. The elemental spirit-like creatures on the pillars are part of the mythology of Coming Apart. I will share more about them in time. I don’t have a tripod and good lighting to photograph my acrylic paintings, so it’s a bit blurry (especially the cropped mobile version of the image). I’ll do better next time.
While sketching compliments my world-building, it is also a form of procrastination as I should be working on my edits. By the 20th of November, I will have handed over my manuscript to Jonathan, my copy editor. Of the 27 chapters in my novel, I have cleaned up 20. The remaining chapters are not in a terrible state, but I need to check for underscores I have left in place of names, unclear descriptions, and notes to self in the middle of the text. There’s also a lot of scrolling between chapters to recall, for example, where I’ve placed a particular chair in the main character’s living room.
I will be relieved to have a fresh pair of eyes picking out the mistakes I am blind to. I’ve only corresponded with Jonathan a little, but he has already helped answer some of my questions. He has 20 years of experience in publishing and has edited books for Solaris and Abaddon Books. I am grateful to have found him and other publishing professionals through Reedsy.
The expected release of Coming Apart pt 1 is around August 2023. The 2nd half of the duology should follow a year later, with art products and novellas in between. I will soon revisit my draft for part 2. I know of indie authors who write an entire series at once and publish a few books in quick succession. I am slower than such authors, but I also understand that readers don’t like to be kept waiting too long. Each novel in the duology should make for a satisfying read on its own. I aim to resolve the first novel’s primary conflicts while setting up some exciting themes I emphasise in part 2.
In December and January, I hope to reveal more about the world and the characters of Coming Apart. You will find my regular ramblings @ cblansdell on Twitter and Instagram. If you enjoy reading about meaningful, platonic relationships and are intrigued rather than horrified by strange creatures, this might be the book for you.
C B Lansdell 