I recently opened my “CODEX Beta Readers 2017” Scrivener document and took a look at some of their feedback in response to the twenty questions I submitted when they agreed to read the novel. Some of that feedback is worth quoting here, I think.

Let me start by saying that one beta reader recently told me that she’s re-read her beta copy of the novel nine times. NINE TIMES. I had to take a moment to let that comment sink in — and when it did, I jumped up out of my chair and did a little victory dance around the home studio. To touch a reader that deeply is what writing is all about (for me, at any rate).

Another beta reader (let’s call her Beta #1), in her feedback to the Twenty Questions, noted:

“The book was gripping, I had to put it down for periods of time to absorb what I had read, but I always came back because I had to know what happens next.”

In response to the question “Was the climax of the book satisfying?”, Beta #1 replied:

“NO the climax of the book was not satisfying, it was appalling, the idea that [SPOILER REDACTED] is terrifying. Having said that, you made sure that the climax was impactful in the extreme! I was appalled, and scared and grieving, I very rarely feel so much response to a book. Thank you Laurie, I look forward to the next instalment with fear and delight.”

The question “Would you recommend this book to readers?” prompted the response:

“Yes I would shove this book into peoples hands and demand that they read it! It is compelling in it’s own right and I can see parallels in today’s world that we can learn from.”

Beta #2 felt much the same way:

“Hell yes! It’s an engaging book that is well written with a theme that is unique and well plotted. There’s angst and love and curiosity rolled into one. Overall, a delightful read :)”

Beta #2’s response to the question of whether the book gripped them and made them want to keep reading:

“Hell yes! Everything was plausible (Plus I’m a sucker for Dinosaurs). The tension between characters was well played out plus the use of dialog was interesting. Especially in the beginning, when you were describing how the language of the Greaters sounded to Raoul.”

Beta #3 noted:

“As a reader of classic literature, non-fiction and narrative fiction, this book was outside of my typical genre.  I found the beginning very intriguing, and was quite surprised when the character was drawn into the body of a dinosaur.  It took me a bit to get settled into the story, but once I was drawn in by the character development, rich dialogue and colourful descriptions, I was very intrigued by the story.”

A fitting note to end on, I think, is the short review submitted by the beta reader who has read the MS nine times so far:

“I just finished reading an incredible book. I was honored to be a beta reader for it. When it is published. I will be sure to make a point of letting all of you know about it. It’s singularly one of the best books I have ever read, and I’ve read ALL the great sci-fi/fantasy fiction masters and mistresses. Just. Fucking. Wow.”

And it’s that kind of feedback, folks, that makes eighteen months of intensely hard worth TOTALLY worthwhile.

You can find “The Codex of Desire” on Amazon (ebook and paperback) and on Smashwords (many different electronic formats). Both sites have the preview function enabled, so you can look inside before you buy. 🙂

Yesterday I sat down and went through my handwritten journals to lock down the production timeline for “The Codex of Desire”, in case anybody ever asks me to talk about it someday. And boy oh boy, was it full of surprises!

Turns out I started the MS during NaNo 2015, finished the first draft in June 2016 (with the invaluable help of the “First Draft Finishers” group on Scribophile.com), held a “Thank God it’s done!” party at a local upscale pizza joint with 10 of my closest friends… then put the damned thing aside for ONE YEAR AND THREE MONTHS. (Wow, I do not remember the “fallow” period being that long at the time!) During 2016’s NaNo I turned my attention to another WIP but did not win that particular event.

As for “Codex”, I came back to it in September 2017, reread it twice, and realized to my intense relief that I actually still LIKED it and wanted to continue to work on it. But I quickly discovered what nobody seems to tell beginning novel-writers: that finishing the first draft is only one tiny step in an interminable journey.

I had to slog through the immense task of macro and content/stylistic edits before sending the MS off to my beta readers. When the MS came back from those lovely folks I tackled another round of content/stylistic edits, then a “Fine Art of Killing Words” course with Beth Daniels over on SavvyAuthors.com (immensely helpful for trimming the fat and HIGHLY recommended if she runs it again), followed by two rounds of line edits (during which a chapter I’d removed during the “Killing Words” course was reinstated). I think this is a fitting image to insert at this point in my narrative:

Then, thanking whatever Gods were watching over me that the MS was still holding together, I performed what I thought was the final set of line edits — making sure all the chicken’s feathers were smooth and glossy and in order, so to speak. Then came proofreading, which included (of course) a last inevitable round of line edits. At last — at long, long last — the project was finally wrapped up at 7:11 AM CDT on August 11th of this year.

So in actual writing time that’s seven months plus eleven months, for a total of eighteen months, or a year and a half of hard graft.

Not bad for a novel that ended up at 133K words and change. 🙂

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Coming up tomorrow morning: A very special preview of my next novel-writing project, “Where Darkness Falls”! (“WDF” is the tale of two US government secret agents who each manifest supernatural abilities in accordance with their religious/spiritual beliefs. They must work together to solve the mystery of a series of gory ritual murders in Chicago in the year 2038 — the problem is, one of them is a Southern Baptist and the other is a Wiccan, and they loathe each other at first sight. Can they overcome their mutual antipathy in time to decipher the dark conspiracy behind the murders, and avert Armageddon?)

Exactly what it says on the tin. With a preview of 15% of the novel available for free download!

Go forth! Read! Enjoy! 🙂