As I mentioned in a previous post, the search has commenced for a developmental editor for SOS United States. While I’m pleased with how the manuscript currently sits, like all books, it needs a qualified editor to review and comment. With the current plan being publication through The Ashton Times, and as I was a publisher for over a decade, the final product must look and read as any book that goes through a traditional publishing house. In other words, it needs to be professionally executed.

The interviewing and selecting of an editor is not one I take lightly. When I was publishing magazines, the editor had to be not only experienced, but also interested in and knowledgeable about the subject. As can be appreciated, an editor that specializes in romance isn’t qualified to edit a political thriller. Sure, they might know the practical side of editing, but if you’ve never been exposed to the genre, you just don’t know what to look for. But perhaps the biggest requirement is compatibility.

I’ve presented the manuscript to several candidates through a review process. While some declined for scheduling reasons, one seemed very interested in the subject and offered some solid thoughts, but wanted a decision on my end right away. It just doesn’t work that way. Another expressed interest, but kept telling me how in demand they were and then didn’t offer any comments one way or another on the manuscript sample I submitted. Suffice it to say, both were red flags. This is like hiring the wrong actor for a part. Yes, they might be able to play the part, but if the chemistry isn’t right with the director, are we going to get their best performance? And so, the search continues.

This past week I received notification that Serpentine: A Cold War on Ice is on course to win a prestigious film festival and awards associated with that win. As the festival hasn’t announced this yet, I can’t formally do so at this point. I mention it here because it continues to give hope that Serpentine could find itself in production sooner rather than later.

For any screenwriter, the end goal is to see your words come to life on the silver screen. When I was doing my weekly social media posts for Justice Is Mind and First Signal this morning, I still remember like it was yesterday the first time I saw those films in a movie theater. For me, there is nothing like the feeling of happiness and pride when you see a project you labored on for years emblazoned on a screen the size of a barn (yes, I grew up on a farm with a very large barn).

Staffing a book is no different than staffing a movie. You want experienced people who not only believe in the project, but want it to succeed. In a movie, we have the opening and closing credits; in a book, we have the dedication and acknowledgment sections. It is there that we give thanks to those who believed in our idea and traveled the journey with us.

Boarding pass.