Auntie M is as excited as if she were having a new baby.  Her novel is being printed over the next few days. It feels quite good~Actually, it feels amazing!!!!

Well, it IS a baby of sorts, this process writers go through birthing a novel.  From its inception to the printer, there have been numerous rewrites, workshopping and critquing galore. Since the first draft, there’s even been a change in who done it! Then there’s the business side of a book that most authors fail to consider: working with a copyeditor and book designer on the layout, text issues, and choosing a cover; applying for an ISBN and Library of Congress number; researching (and researching and researching) copyright issues.  It goes on and on to bring a book into production.

The drive to get this in print was the support I’ve received from the members of my writing group, The Screw Iowa gals (www.screwiowa.com). You can check out our website and see how we met, how we got our name, and how the group functions.  You can try our Hooks section, where writers post excerpts of their works and get feedback. You can check out the News section, and blog about books and writing to your hearts content.

At Screw Iowa we like to say we have “the Power of Five” behind us, from editing to encouraging.  We keep each other writing, provides venues and resources for one another, are each others best and worst critics, and try to keep it all honest.

After April 1st, visit member Lauren Small’s press to order The Blue Virgin: http://www.bridlepathpress.com.  And today you can order Lauren’s book, Choke Creek. And you can go to http://www.kitsunepress.com and order another member’s book of poems, Nina Romano’s Coffeehouse Meditations.

Good reads all!