
Getting accolades from people who have read your first novel is fabulous. I have had a number of people say they really enjoyed reading the A Suitable Heir, they couldn't put it down and it was excellent.
I never expected that I would make a living from writing or become a best selling author. What I did want was for people to read my book and enjoy my story. With A Suitable Heir I've achieved that goal. WooHoo.
There is a downside to getting lovely feedback.
A Suitable Bride is the second novel I wrote. The first, Valley of Shadows is a massive tome I finished in 1990. It's sitting in a bottom draw requiring a complete rewrite. I may get around to
that task one day, but only if I run out of new material to write.
The problem with both Valley of Shadows and A Suitable Bride is that I started them with a lot of enthusiasm and very few writing skills. They are good stories but need considerable editing and rewriting to make them as readable as A Suitable Heir.
I had hoped to release A Suitable Bride this year but the editing is more extensive and slower than anticipated. I'm ploughing through deleting overused words, confusing sentences and rapid changes in points of view. I've listened to my beta readers and competition feedback added more information in some parts and got rid of too much detail in others. It's nearly there. I also was going to use the above bouquet painting for my cover. It didn't work so I'm working with my graphic designer on a different cover idea. When the book is ready for release it will be the best book it can be and hopefully get some good reviews too.
So, please be patient. A Suitable Bride will be released in 2024 and will be a better book for the wait.
Cheers Elsie King
Looking forward to A Suitable Bride's release. Wishing you all the best with the finishing touches. cheers, Lee-Anne