"I could make it longer if you like the style. I can change it 'round..."

I've now rewritten the first 50 pages of "Deadfall Ridge" three times. I'm happy with it. I cut 15 pages or 5000 words.

I've edited the next 130 pages to fit the changes, with about 80 pages left to do.

I think it's better. I know I like the main character more. Hart Davis makes more sense. That's pretty important. I think I like him enough to try another book with him as the main character. I have three books sort of in the planning for what I'm calling, "The Strawberry Mountain Mysteries."

"Deadfall Ridge."
"Butcher's Cut."
"Massacre Spring."
 
I believe this is enough of an improvement to send along to the publisher I originally sent it to. They haven't responded in 3 months, so who knows what's going on. But I'll take the chance that maybe they were on the fence and my improvements will tip the balance. Equally plausible is that they didn't like it and why am I bothering them with a rewrite? Heh.

Meanwhile, I'm waiting another 10 days before tackling the rewrite of "Takeover." (Which is a separate stand-alone thriller.) Even the distance I have now, which is roughly 3 weeks, has given me some fresh perspective. I have a general idea of how I can improve the first 100 pages.

"Snaked" is coming out in 4 days!!!!

"Snaked" is a good book, if I do say so myself, probably my most professional. Cohesion is a proactive publisher. I've got my hopes up a little. They've got some great selling sea monster books, but the authors are better known than me, so there's that.

"Tuskers IV" was supposed to come out on August 1. I think it's a very satisfying conclusion to the saga, and I'm pretty pleased with what has become my Magnum opus.  (I've now asked Ragnarok to postpone it for a couple of months to let "Snaked" have the stage to itself. Or it could pop up any day.)

Onward.