Last chapter

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August 2012 as though I knew one day I'd need a photo aligning to what was then being written.

With the release of Splitting the Sky just days away, I'm deeply involved in the final edits. I've been reading each chapter aloud, and one remains. After that I'll reread today's assignment, then tomorrow I'm not doing ANYTHING writing related, LOL! Need a break before I publish this novel on Monday.

Why read a novel out loud? In part to better relate authentic dialogue. In part to root out nefarious typos hoping to remain hidden. In part to.... Make sure that this story, originally written in 2012 then unearthed last November, is all I want it to be before it goes live. Ages ago, like around the time StS was written, I read aloud my books before releasing them. I got out of that habit, not sure when, maybe when I was publishing The Hawk on its initial go-round. Anyway, it's been quite enjoyable reading aloud, and not altogether quietly. I do lower my voice around my husband, otherwise I try to do justice to the characters, the prose, and the dialogue. And boy have I renewed an appreciation for those who read for audio books!

I have pondered starting a channel to do just that for my own novels, but my goodness lately I feel like time is one of the most precious commodities. Perhaps its my near-obsessive focus on this story, wanting it to be in the best possible shape before Monday. Which is an apt goal, wishing to give readers the most bang for a freebie. All my books are gratis, and if you want to know why, well.... Hmmm, on my Smashwords interview I used to answer that query, but now it seems that question isn't listed. Okay, well, for me writing is a gift, and I can't fathom charging for that blessing. And if you want to know more, email me and we'll have a natter.

So many aspects of this noveling gig; churning out a rough draft, polishing it brightly, garnering a book cover, writing synopses and choosing genres, getting the word out in my very subtle manner, lol. I've been making posts daily on Bluesky about it, then of course what I blab about here. Yet these are minute drops in the enormous bucket that is now independent publishing. And that's fine, again I don't do this for monetary gain or to satisfy more than myself. I do this because 1) I can both for the writing of stories and the availability of online distribution. And 2) because I am led to do this, not merely by an overactive imagination but a spirit of loving creativity that burns through me so thoroughly that I have no choice. I tried giving this up not long after I wrote Splitting the Sky, then again in 2018. Yet here I am, in 2025, still plying a trade that is more than a craft. It's my heart, my soul, one way I breathe. I'm sure my husband is weary of listening to me mumble, but he's also my biggest champion. As I note in dedications, his support makes all the words possible. My faith in Christ does too, smiley face.

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