What’s happened to ‘Two Poofs and a Poodle’?
So what’s happened to Two Poofs and a Poodle?
Lots of friend have asked this question, so let me answer.
I began writing the book in 2014. It was a long slow process, recalling or living adventures and then recording them. Each time I finished a chapter, I presented it to the members of the Ubud Writers Group and they would offer a mountain of constructive criticism and editorial advice. Away I’d go and rewrite the chapter and again present this revision to our group. Slowly, the book came together.
I was 80% finished the book when Rina got sick. That was the beginning of October, 2016. On the 30th October she died, aged fourteen. In front of my desk, I constructed a garden and wall of Rina photos, so I could see them every time I wrote. I thought I’d never recover. Her death gave me the ending to my book and I wrote and wept, and wept and wrote some more. Writing is cathartic and by early 2017, I’d crawled my way out of that pit of loss.
“Two Poofs and a Poodle” was finished in January, 2017, but it was still only a good first draft.
It was time to let it sit before I returned to it with fresh eyes. About June, 2017, I was ready and attacked the manuscript again, correctly, deleting and rewriting. Then it was time to hand it over to a professional editor. Kristi was amazing and a month later she had it back to me. I read her many pages of notes and also all the digital comments, but as much as I knew her feedback was perfect, I needed time to let it all sink in.
November, 2017, I was ready and over a few weeks rewrote, corrected, slashed and edited my manuscript. By December it was back to Kristie for the final edit and when she returned it I dedicated days to these corrections and reading it once more. It was good, but I was getting sick of it.
January, 2018 it was ready to print and share with friends to proof. And sure enough they found a few more mistakes.
By March it was ready to send off to a few publishing houses that accept unsolicited manuscripts, but first I needed a synopsis. WOW! Writing the book was easier than writing the 300 word synopsis. I am a member of the Ubud Writers Group and again these people helped me pull together an acceptable synopsis.
By May, 2018, I was finally ready to start sending out the synopsis and the manuscript to publishing houses. I started with Allen and Unwin , but with no success. In June I tried Pan Macmillan Australia and Penguin. Again they didn’t snap it up.
So that’s where I’m at. No publishing house has grabbed it yet. I need to listen to the voice in my head that says, “Read it again. Tighten it up. Delete anything unnecessary.” I haven’t given up, but I’m now in the process of editing once again. By 2019 I’ll be ready to submit, once again and hopefully get an offer rather than a knock back.
Friends, please be patient. One day, Two Poofs and a Poodle will be published and available. When this finally happens, I hope we’re all still alive and that you buy it.
Tags: #balidogs, #love, #pets, #publishing, #twopoofsandapoodle, #writing