Someone on the Dragaera list asked what was up with Hawk. It is tentatively scheduled for September of 2014, but I have a feeling that’ll be pushed back. We’ll see.
I’ve delivered the manuscript. Now it has to be line edited which means my editor (the lovely and talented Teresa Nielsen Hayden) will go over it and say things like, “What the fuck is this supposed to be?” and, “would you mind rewriting this scene so that mere mortals can work out what’s going on?” (Actually, she’ll be much nicer than that, and I’ll agree with 80-90% of her suggestions.)
The geniuses in design (Irene Gallo and her All Girl-Detective Orchestra (tm jenphalian)) will figure out what the book should look like, then commission an artist (I hope Steve Hickman) to create the cover art.
When I get the line edit back, I have to rewrite it so I’m happy with it, and send it back (this usually only takes a week or two; I’m fast with my rewrites).
Marketing has to be told when the book will be released and someone–most likely Patrick Nielsen Hayden–has to give them enough of an idea of what the book is so they can sell it.
Someone–I think Patrick again–has to write back cover copy and maybe the little front blurb. This is something Patrick can just snap off in his copious free time.
Meanwhile, a copy editor is going over the book looking for inconsistencies in spelling and other details (like, making sure I don’t try to include a recipe in which lemon juice is added to milk.* I wouldn’t do that, but if I did, the copy editor would ask me if I really meant it. I’ve had extraordinary copy editors).
Then I have to look over and approve the copy edit.
Production will make arrangements to put the package together, schedule time at the printer, and so forth.
A bound galley (or Advanced Reader Copy) will somehow emerge and be sent to reviewers.
Marketing will accept orders for the book so they have an idea of how many copies to print.
A proofreader will take a last pass at the book looking for any last errors that have crept in or gotten by, and send the book to me to approve the final version.
The pages will be sent to printer to be printed, bound, boxed, and sent off to stores.
Then the most frustrating part: the boxes of books will sit in the book store, probably for 2-4 weeks, waiting for the “official release date,” because if they go on shelves before that, Amazon whines.
Now, I’m not entirely clear on how much of this stuff happens simultaneously, or what the exact timeline is, or what order stuff happens in in some cases; but that’s at least some of what needs to happen.
I am now awaiting the line-edit.
Thanks kindly for your interest, and I hope this helps a little.
*Yes, I know there are recipes that call for lemon juice being added to milk; I’d still expect the copy editor to query it.
