Finishing a book is a great feeling, so why was I so sad last night? Well, I’ve written the last Viridian System book, and have to say goodbye to many people I like.
I’ve been fairly useless in the real world for the past week, I was so immersed in the world of my imagination.
First draft of Zanzibar’s Rings
This of course is just the first draft. It is covered with notes to myself, whether the need to check (with the text written already, or with someone knowledgeable). There are several plot points that haven’t made their way in. Some names may be changed. There are places more description is needed. And apart from going through with the spellchecker, I need to go through looking for typos, including names inconsistently spelled, and my favourite over-used or wrongly used words. Plus generally just improve it; tighten up scenes, clarify some things I’ve done too cryptically. It’s currently just over 88k words. I expect it will finish up at around 84k or so.
I’ll set it aside for a month or so, to come at it fresh, and hope to work on it enough so that my beta readers have a copy to comment on by late summer.
At present I’m working on a target publication date of 22nd February 2022.
Pre-order already!
I’ve registered the ebook as a pre-order with Amazon, iTunes, B&N and Kobobooks. It’s listed as $2.99 but that might change (up or down). The date might change, too.
Here’s how the blurb looks now. It’ll be improved, and extended, as we near publication.
A Galactic crisis: the entire comms system destroyed. No waypoints, no navigation aids, no database access… and how will spaceships in flight get home–or to any destination? Dolores is stuck in warp with a very dangerous passenger, Pete gets his shuttle back home on manual. But how come anything in close contact with pure orichalcum fixes itself? Just flying through Zanzibar’s Rings solves the problem–as the Federation’s fighters find, as they descend on the Viridian System to take possession of the planets.
Zanzibar’s Rings by Jemima Pett, expected 22 Feb 2022
Beta readers wanted
I’m always happy to hear from people who have read the previous books and would like to be considered as beta readers.
Beta readers have to pick holes in the plot, spot inconsistencies in the story, generally give a reader’s view in the sort of nice way that doesn’t send me into the depths of despair, and get your responses to me in the right timeframe.
Just leave a comment to if you’re willing below, and I’ll pick your email address up from the system.