Every now & then, I imagine easing into this last proofreading phase for my upcoming release, Core Haven, as if I were slipping into a hot tub on a winter day and letting the penetrating warmth soothe my aches and pains.

At other times, I think of this leg of my self-publishing journey as a last chance to examine the speculative fictional world I created for two companion novels through a soft-focus camera lens in a style that reminds me of classic noir detective/crime movies like The Third Man, Double Indemnity, or Chinatown.

Not that I’m ignoring grammatical stumbles or plot holes since I’m also my own editor. I’m just stepping back enough to look at the bigger picture & accept that I really am almost completely done with this project.

My ill-timed strategy of posting the serialized novel form on Kindle Vella last summer to act as an informal beta reader setup didn’t bear fruit. That said, I admit I enjoyed seeing it appear near the top of search lists for a few of its tags, even if the lack of feedback offset that a bit—not to mention the fact that a lot of readers probably bailed on KV not long after Amazon announced its decision to pull the plug on that short-lived platform of theirs at the end of October 2024.

Still, the effort was worthwhile from a self-editing standpoint since the serializing process gave me a fresh perspective and a chance to tweak transitions and such.

Speaking of which, it’s time to spend some quality time soaking in my imaginary proofreading hot tub so I can soon lift an actual glass and proclaim to all those within earshot, “That’s a wrap!”

Keep you posted.

Drew

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I invite you to check out Lee Hall’s excellent video review, especially the first book he includes on his short list of memorable indie reads—uh-huh, that would be Pearl Fields and the Oregon Meltdown.

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