Am I there yet? Almost!
I am marking. Still marking. I feel like all my life revolves around marking – which it does, until I get it done.
Marking is such a roller coaster ride for me – during the day, I go from ecstasy to despair. This has been such a hard year for everyone, I am brimming with admiration for those students who managed to complete all their expected work, and submit it for this last step. I find myself wishing I could give everyone High Distinctions just for achieving that. Alas – that is not how it works in the university sector. So, I am back on my roller coaster ride of ecstasy and despair.
On a more personal note – I am relieved to be still waiting for the return of the corrected interior file of All Manner of Things.
I spent the time between two marking rounds reading through the advanced reader of All Manner of Things. It was the first time I have ever had a physical advanced reader to check through for any of my novels – which is one of the problems with being published with small publishers. I came out of this particular reading experience promising myself that this would be the final step for all my future novels.
One thing I find as a writer is that I engage with my work differently by reading it in different forms. In my early drafts, I go from Scrivener to my word program, from computer to iPhone to iPad. One of my final steps is to print out my manuscript and read it as hard copy. I caught quite a few things in the Advanced Reader Copy (little things, but still things I was relieved to fix) that I missed when I checked over the huge pile of paper that formed my unpublished novel. Now I look forward to releasing a thoroughly checked over All Manner of Things to the published world.
Speaking of which, I have included another pre-published review of All Manner of Things for your enjoyment below.
As always, I hope you and your loved ones are keeping safe and well.
Warmly,
Wendy
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“‘As a girl, I believed the movement of the stars made music we did not even know we heard.’ […] Catalina’s eyes glimmered in the torchlight. She is not looking at the stars. She is gazing back at a time when life contained love’s promise and the sweet essence of youth. […] ‘I am no longer sixteen and believe the stars make music. Astronomical phenomena are like the seasons; they are only the design of God, and to be accepted and welcomed as such.’”..This book made me fascinate over times long ago, times when ancient buildings were brand new, faded portraits were still sharp and striking and faith and loyalty were absolute; times when women had so little autonomy it was never an option for them to venture out on their own and just ditch this damn place. It was a time when babies were not expected to live, when mothers often died giving birth and bloodletting was a universally accepted medical treatment. And merely saying one wrong word or looking at someone with influence the wrong way meant dishonour, exile or death…
— Angela Wauchop,
Published in Issue Nine of Backstory.
Read Angela’s full review here.
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