by Anne Glynn
Anne Glynn.com
  • Anne Glynn - Books by Anne & Glynn
  • What's New
  • Books & Such
  • The Newsletter Thing

Glynn is such a doft sometimes

4/6/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
Here it is, time for a new post, and I'm still getting back into the swing of things, you know? When I woke up this morning, I thought, I don't want to make dinner tonight, and then I thought, I don't really want to go to the gym, either, and then I remembered, Oh, it's time for another blog post. And it's not that I didn't have things to write about, it's just that today felt like it should be a very lazy day.
 
Yet here I am.
 
Sitting at the laptop, I had intended to write a post about Chris Enss' terrific success with her book, Hearts West (+ bonus: I once asked her for a favor and she was delightful about it) but then Glynn happened so that idea went out the window.
 
I'd also toyed with the idea of doing a post on beta readers and how to find them (because I've met some very nice people now and this needs some further comment) but that was before the Glynn hit the fan, so to speak. Glynn thinks "the Glynn hit the fan" line is funny, by the way, but he's trying to curry favor at the moment so I wouldn't put too much stock in his opinion.
 
Oh, and the picture above? That's our pint-sized Chihuahua that knows she's a Chihuahua and is quite content to sit on my lap as I pull this blog together.
 
I've drifted off-point but here's the set-up: I was in bed, not wanting to do anything, realized I needed to write a post, and I saw the little envelope symbol that indicates I've received some email. The subject line told me that our second (of two) beta readers was reporting in with her thoughts on our new book. I should have been happy but I felt mildly panicked because...what if she hated it?
 
I mean, yes, the Good Witch liked the new novel but she's a friend and doesn't count. Besides, she wasn't beta-reading, she was just reading. Our first beta reader, Dani B., liked it and shared her opinion openly and strongly, but she's more of a contemporary romance reader and our story is set in the past. Would the novel appeal as much to someone who's used to reading stories that take place in the old West?
 
Happily, the new beta reader, Lee, sent a very supportive email and had very few changes she wanted to see. In fact, there were only three areas of change and all three involved word usage. So I (#1) removed one word, (#2) changed a second word, and then (#3) I went to Glynn for some help.
I told him, "Lee wants to know what the word 'doft' means."
 
"Doft?" he said.
 
"You know, from the book. The line you put in, the one that talks about the 'little doft's eyelashes'."
 
"Oh." He gave me the goofy half-smile that means
he's not sure if he's screwed up but maybe he needs to apologize for something. He said, "I'm having trouble finding it again."
 
"What?"
 
"It was in one of those books I checked out. I think."
 
"There were a lot of books."
 
"
Or it was on the web."
 
"You can't reference it?"
I didn't know what to say.
 
When we're writing a historical romance, we both do our research to stay true to the time frame. Not massive research but we make a strong effort. Even if some bits are fictional (i.e., in the late 1800's, there was no Braxton brand of rifle), we try to pattern those bits after the real thing (in this case, there was a real-life Henry rifle). We keep record of what we found and where we found it in case we need to go back to the original source.
 
This time, Glynn had lost his 'doft'. I reminded him, "If it doesn't exist, I don't want our hero to say it."
 
"I can find it again," Glynn protested.

 
"Even though you couldn't locate it the last time you looked?"
 
"It's on the internet somewhere."
 
A few hours later, the word has disappeared from our manuscript. I've written
beta reader Lee, with apologies, and I know I have to reformat several pages for the print version of the story. Today will not be my lazy day, after all.
 
On the plus side, Glynn is making dinner tonight.


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    I'm on Facebook

    ... but, really, the good stuff is posted here.



    Welcome!

    At the back of my paperbacks and e-books, you'll find this:
     
    A collector of vintage Barbies and younger boyfriends, Anne Glynn currently resides in the American Southwest.
     
    The truth is a little more complicated. I'm Anne and my S.W.P. (Significant Writing Partner) is Glynn. Together, we write as 'Anne Glynn'.
     
    However, I am a collector of vintage Barbies and I have, on occasion, collected the younger boyfriend. Not so much these days.
     
    I'm glad you're here.
     

    Archives

    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    July 2020
    December 2019
    June 2019
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.