Manuscript Report: Galley Finished and Recent Reads

It's been a while since I last posted (a little more than two months) and there's really no excuse for it. I believe it may have been a mild, or perhaps moderate, case of writer's block because I've never gone that long without posting something.

Did you miss me? Don't answer that! 

It's not like I've been sitting around doing nothing I've read two manuscripts from friends for blurbs to be included when their novels are published. 

I also read another book, mine. 

It was the galley to proofread for any typos or other problems. It's probably the 12th or 13th time I've read the manuscript, which will be a published work on Oct. 1. I'll have another post about it in a week or so that will include the cover. 

As for the galley, I didn't find many things to fix, which is good. And I thought the novel read well — if I say so. I thought my editor and copyeditor did a great job in preparing the novel for readers. 

It will be the fifth novel in the John Ross Boomer Lit series. The most recent was "Make Room for Family," which was released last Feb. 1. Time flies. 

Here are couple recent reads from the young adult market: 

Ken Hodge's coming-of-age story about a boy growing up in Oregon in the decade before World War II. Hamilton Skutt, the narrator, has plenty of tales to tell, with some salty language to go along with his humorous escapades with family and friends. Skutt certainly had a colorful life that brought him into contact with lots of people including a mysterious Mexican who enters and leaves his life, always handing him a card that has him perplexed about what it means. 

Mike Ryan weaves a time-travel novel for young adults that provides history lessons as well. The story centers around Gordon Beckwith, a history buff, who lands a summer job working in the Massachusetts government. He discovers a time portal that carries him back to the Revolutionary War. The story presents interesting characters, mostly young teens, who bring diverse backgrounds as they try to grow and work together. Until the next time . . .