'Tis the season for quince jelly, made by my own fair hand. And for an update on Note to Boy. 'Isn't it ready yet?' my faithfull pledgers cry, like impatient five-year-olds on a car journey to Bognor Regis. So I thought I'd explain what's taking so flipping long - and why this is a GOOD THING.
Like all the best publishers, Unbound makes its books jump through many hoops before you receive them. At the moment, Note to Boy is 'in edit'. This means going through processes including a structural edit, in which the characters, plots and themes are put under a microscope by a professional edtior; and a copy edit, to check the flow, continuity and any possible libel issues (eeek!).
Typsetting comes next. Then the manuscript is proofed with a fine-toothed comb (whatever that is) for spelling, grammar, the abuse of apostophe's, excessive use of exclamation marks!!!!! (and brackets) and so on.
That's what is happening now to Note to Boy. Actually, we're at the structural edit stage. While my lovely editor didn't suggest a lot of changes, he has made some excellent suggestions which I am now (when I'm not making jelly or writing updates) working on.
And I haven't even mentioned design!
So that, dear reader, (as Eloise would say) is why it takes so long to get a manuscript out in the world. And that is why, the estimated publication date for Note to Boy is MAY 2020. Put the date in your diary. I hope it will be worth the wait - I'm certainly working hard to make it so - and thank you, thank you once again for supporting the book.
Sue x
PS Don't forget you and yours can still preorder copies from Unbound. 100% is not the limit.