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To order a Duffy book, click on one of the covers to the left.
I typed those two words yesterday at the end of “The Vegas Knockout, Round 4, A Duffy Dombrowski Mystery.”
Of course, as you writers know, THE END is an elusive beast. I feel uneasy about being done and I find myself wondering about big issues and tiny ones.
Big issues? Does the plot flow? Does the plot make sense and is it believable? Have I promised the reader anything and not paid off?
Little issues? Did I keep the names straight? Is the gym upstairs or downstairs? Am I making the correct turns in Las Vegas? Is my Spanish okay?
Well, some of this is for copy editors but I know I’m not supposed to rely on others. The goals is to have the tightest neatest manuscript as possible.
Then there’s the haunting refrain in my head “Go over it again, go over it again!” There’s undoubtedly some passive voice I missed, some unnecessary adverbs and plenty of choppy sentences.
Ugh…it’s tormenting.
Stephen King talks about writing with the door closed–that is, not showing anyone. And he refers to writing with the door open–letting others read what you came up.
I think it’s time.
It’s a little scary.
BTW– In this one Duff gets sent to Vegas to be a sparring partner for a Russian contender and gets involved with a legal brothel, the Mexican immigration thing and an evil Elvis impersonator. What do you think the cover should look like?
I think the cover should be the dog wearing an Elvis wig and sunglasses 🙂 and boxing gloves of course. I’ll be first in line when it’s published.
I think the cover should be the Elvis impersonator taking a fist to the face. Who hasn’t wanted to do that? (And no one loves The King more than I do.)
Impersonator striking a classic Elvis pose and Al gives him the (dubious basset)look.
Can’t wait for the new book, btw!
Yes!!! The book is finished!! Any idea when it will be out?? I think a large Al should have a tiny Elvis in his mouth or at least a piece of Elvis.
Yes!!! Finally a new book!!! I think a large Al on the cover with a tiny Elvis by the seat of his pants. When do we expect the new book??
The End – what an amazing feeling that must be!. Deliciously terrifying, like you finally have worked up the courage to moon the class at graduation…you’ve dropped your pants and your letting your tush hang out for all the world to see.
Will they cheer – will they boo…Will they politely ask you to cover up your rear end and get the hell off the stage to a room grown so quiet the crickets say pardon me.
Writing, before you publish is like going cammando…you are baring your soul and your thoughts and your passions in the safety of your own pants.
Publishing is like being pants’ed (is that a word?) while you are going cammando…being pants’ed…willingly…showing the world all you got and then some!.
Good for you guy…(and well done i might add)
I think a really big Al on the cover holding a little Elvis in his mouth would be a great cover. Congratulations on the new book!! Its first on our list of must reads.
Have Al’s ears look like sideburns. Put him a gold suit and have a bunch of the same pictures on the cover. 10,000,000 fans can’t be wrong