I have to read Glamour in Glass out loud. You can listen. Or rather, nine of you can. How so? It’s like this…
Last week, I got the line edits for Glamour in Glass, the sequel to Shades of Milk and Honey the day after I finished writing The Transfigured Lady. Handy timing, that and I’ve been head down in revisions since then. But… two things have occurred since I turned Glass in back in January of 2010.
Thing A: I’ve forgotten most of the book.
Thing B: I’m a better writer than I was a year an a half ago. (I hope.)
Part of my normal process is to read my fiction, even at novel length, aloud when I’m finished to smooth out the prose. It’s amazing the number of repetitions, weird phrasing, or incomplete sentences one can find when reading aloud. Some of the changes between the hardback of Shades and the trade paperback were a direct result of recording the audio book. So, given Things A and B, it behooves me to read Glass aloud
With Google+ hangouts I can read to people instead of to myself.
What will this entail?
- No recording. None. Seriously.
- You’ll have to put up with me pausing to correct things.
- This will take about nine to eleven hours broken into chunks.
- You have to be on Google+
- And no recording. At all.
Starting on Tuesday, I will be reading in the mornings from 8am to 10am PDT. The chunks might be longer, but only if everyone in the hangout agrees to keep going.
How do you get to listen?
- Be available between 8am and 10am for the next five days.
- Have the ability to do a Google+ hangout with camera and mic.*
- In the comments below (on my website) tell me why you should be one of the nine people listening to this live-audio-book-revision thingie of Glamour in Glass. The book itself won’t be out until April 10, 2012. So tell me why should you get to know what happens before everyone else?
- Respond by 8pm PDT on Monday 8/8.
I’ll pick the nine most compelling cases to be the listeners as I read.
*Edited to add: If you aren’t on Google+ say so and I’ll send you an invitation.
1. Because I’ll be around.
2. Because I’ve read the first book.
3. Because the idea of this intrigues me, and I’m curious to see how it’ll work.
Well. There’s two reasons why you should pick me.
1.(this is the reason that makes me look like a good person) I’d love to hear the book and give any feedback you might be looking for. I really liked the first book and would love to hear the current iteration of book 2 so I can see how it changes before it’s ‘real’.
2. (This is the one that makes me sound like a bit of a jerk) I want to torture my roommate for the next 6 months that I’ve already heard the book and she has to wait.
Plus, I’m also a Portlander which makes me awesome;-)
It’s really you who will be missing out. If it weren’t for this thrice-cursed day job I would bribe you with all sorts of expensive things.
This sounds really cool, but the time between 8am and 10pm is pretty much the only writing time I have on weekdays, so unfortunately I’ll have to miss the reading. 🙁
This is almost enough to get me to join Google+ but even if I did I would have to figure out the camera and mic on my computer. So I’m sorry to say that I am not throwing my name in.
Ok first off I have to admit I have not you gotten an invite to Google + so that may put me right out if I can’t get one…
In terms of why I should…
First off I would respect the do not record rule.., following people wishes is important when they are giving you something special..
Second I really love hearing authors read their own work… I think that getting that chance as I said is something special..
Third At the moment I have the time in the morning since I am currently free at that time…
Um other then my enjoyment of the first volume I cam not think of another reason right now…
Hoping you tour for the new book and make it to Vancouver BC or that I will get to Washington or Oregon when you do..,
Luck with the new book
Take care
Gref
Greg,
I can send you an invitation to Google plus if you’d like.
Hmmm, can’t quite seem to find an email address for you so I’ll send you a Twitter message instead. Throw me an email and I’ll send out the invite.
chris
I’ve sent you an invitation and will add a note up top that I have more available.
You don’t need an invitation anymore. I signed up without one. Just go to plus.google.com and you’re in.
Sounds like a neat project, Mary, but 8-10 AM is for me also my best and only writing time! Have fun!
Well, I can give you one really good reason NOT to pick me:
I haven’t finished reading it yet.
Not for lack of trying though! I get started and invariably after a day or so I talk to someone who is looking for something new to read… and I lend it out. At least the people I’ve lent it to have gone and purchased their own copy!
I should just pick a night when it comes back next and read it through.
Because I am me. And you know how fangirly I get. But I promise to stay quiet and not get all squealy and crud.
Please?
Greg, send me an email and I’ll send you a Google+ invite. I don’t want inability to participate to be a reason someone gets excluded.
pdxtrent@hotmail.com
Hello,
I think sitting in quietly while somebody tinkers with their craft sounds intimate and fascinating. I don’t have a more practical reason than that, just– i’m a reader who respects the work, and in my whole life i haven’t been around so many writers as i am at G+. And i’m a voyeur!
I’m am not a writer…. so i can’t claim the need to “observe” some kind of process or anything.
If i get bumped for an adoring fan or a fellow writer it would make perfect sense to me.
Sounds like rad idea! I hope everybody has fun.
Thanks
~grins~
Crazy as it may sound, an excellent reason that I’d be a good one for the reading spots, is that:
(A.)
I’ve never read the book in question, nor anything by you as yet, and we’ve never spoken.!
Not having done so, means I’m bringing a fresh perspective to the table. No preconceptions. No sugar coating because I like you from past projects/books/conversations. No bias for or against. A flat out new reader experience perspective to the script.
(B.)
I happen to have the time slots open, am always interested in hearing/reading new material/books/scripts, and we have a mutual friend who I’m pretty sure I’ve heard speak highly of you in the not so distant past. 😉
And lastly, I would of course respect the “No recorders” rule. Both on principle, and because you asked nicely. 🙂
What a super wonderful and exciting experiment! I wish I had seen this in time to put in my plea for participation – next time (if there is one) for sure. But thank you, my dear, for being so open and unafraid to try something new and inclusive.
Sharon, you definitely still have time. The deadline isn’t until 8pm tonight.
I’d throw my name in but the timing sadly doesn’t work for me either. I have to be at work at 10 and I’d hate to leave before you’ve finished the segment. I’m also house sitting for most of this week which means that I won’t have internet access anyways since I don’t have my client’s internet password.
A. I read and loved Shades of Milk & Honey.
B. I’m free (almost) every day during that period of time.
C. I’m a librarian.
D. I’m a romance writer & reading aloud is how my RWA chapter critiques, so I’m familiar with the process.
E. I’m already on Google+ (though I barely use it).
F. I love to torture my friends like Tracy does.
G. I can’t think of a G, so I’ll stop while I’m somewhat ahead.
Katie, clearly your ‘G’ is that your icon is a kick-ass cool looking redhead, what could be better than that?
6 reasons to consider including me in your list:
1) I’m on Google+
2) I use my local library extensively and so only purchase (for myself) around five books a year. Shades of Milk and Honey made my list last year. 😉 http://www.twitpic.com/3bcb1b
3) I’ve actually already read Glamour in Glass (in draft) and enjoyed it very much!
4) I’d love to hear the book in your words, along with the new scenes you said you’ve added since the initial draft.
5) I’ve not yet been motivated to try out the new Google+ Hangout feature. However, since you were my first Google Wave (while beta reading Glamour in Glass) it seems fitting that you could be my first Google Hangout too.
6) #marygoround
Thanks!
*******
1 reason why you may NOT consider including me in your list:
I know already I won’t be available on Friday. I am taking the day off the celebrate my oldest daughter’s 14th birthday. Since technically that means I don’t meet all your criteria, I understand if that puts me out of bounds for this reading. Nevertheless, I thought I’d weigh in and at the very least let you know how much I’m looking forward to seeing this one in print in April!
While I’d hate to miss any of the reading, if you DO end up with space enough for someone to sit in for only 4 of 5 days, please consider me. 🙂
Cheers!
Well! That was easy. Perhaps next time I’ll be able to pick a more accessible time to read in
1. Julia Rios
2. Julia Thorne
3. John Rea-Hendrick
4. Greg Lincoln
5. Daniel Rice
6. Tracy Erickson
7. Alex?
8. Katie D.
Which means there’s one slot open…
Julia Thorne and Alex, I can’t find you on G+ can you help me?
Ask, and ye shall receive. 😉
I believe that should do the trick.!
~A~
Yes, I shall fix that in a jiff!