Originally published at Joely Sue Burkhart. Please leave any comments there.

While I’ve been blogging mostly about Vicki and “dream writing” this week, the real “work” I’ve been doing is Revision Xibalba.  I got the revision letter from my new editor at Carina Press last week and a deadline of 2/28, so I’m rocking and rolling through her notes.  ( Read more... )

Originally published at Joely Sue Burkhart. Please leave any comments there.

Nobody likes to make mistakes.  For one thing, it’s pretty damned embarrassing, especially when it takes someone else to correct your mistake.  But I tell you now that there’s nothing that’ll open your eyes quicker than a humiliating mistake - if you’re willing to learn ( Read more... )

Originally published at Joely Sue Burkhart. Please leave any comments there.

This morning, I reached a place in this writing journey that I’ve never been before.

Awhile back there was some blog storm about when a story should be submitted.  Jessica Faust at BookEnds wrote that Good Enough is Never Enough, and obsessive-compulsive writers everywhere ( Read more... )

Originally published at Joely Sue Burkhart. Please leave any comments there.

If I can just get this blasted synopsis written, then The Bloodgate Codex is ready and waiting to go out and face the cold, cruel world once more.  I’ve never enjoyed the synopsis, but this one is proving harder than usual.

Maybe because I’m still iffy in my head about what ( Read more... )

Originally published at Joely Sue Burkhart. Please leave any comments there.

When all else fails, return to pen and paper.

I sat down over the weekend with my favorite pad of paper - purple legal pad - and my favorite pen.  I pulled up the Synopsis Lesson with Dr. Connagher.  And I started over from the beginning.  Oooh, I thought Conn was a ( Read more... )

Originally published at Joely Sue Burkhart. Please leave any comments there.

The end is in sight!

I had some dialogue that contained crucial information the reader needed to know-but it was borderline “technical” or “infodump.”  I didn’t want the section to read like a Maya textbook, but if you didn’t understand the background mythology, none of the ( Read more... )

Originally published at Joely Sue Burkhart. Please leave any comments there.

Whew, that was some hard work!  I finally managed to cut a scene from around page 130 and move it very early in the story arc.  This scene sets the stage better and provides true motivation for Jaid, the “Un-Indiana Jones,” to risk going to Guatemala, even to save her ( Read more... )

Originally published at Joely Sue Burkhart. Please leave any comments there.

July is going to be hellacious.  No time for the dog days of summer here!  Victor and Shiloh will need to wait just one month longer so I can get two shorter pieces whipped out by 7/31.

Right now, my number one priority continues to be Revision Xibalba.  After screwing up ( Read more... )

Originally published at Joely Sue Burkhart. Please leave any comments there.

So here are a few of the details that I’ll be tackling this week in the Maya story. 

1. Opening scene:  clarify the whole “video taping” element.  Smooth the dialogue so it’s not quite so stilted.  Goal:  eliminate reader confusion about what’s happening.  DONE last night.
2. ( Read more... )

Originally published at Joely Sue Burkhart. Please leave any comments there.

I think I’m really, really close.  Thank you to Rene for her question - I think this one is even stronger.

Called “Ruin” because he destroyed his entire civilization, the Gatekeeper is sworn to kill anyone who tampers with the Bloodgates - portals to the mystical realms of ( Read more... )