The Beta Begins

This week I have reading to do. When my friends and I (aka The Bluestocking Belles) prepare a collection we work at intertwined stories. While each of us writes her own story with its own hero and heroine’s journey, our characters always meet up at at least one shared event and often wander in and out of each others stories. We begin with brainstorming about location, underlying themes and so on. For Fire and Frost we used the frost fair on the Thames the year it froze over. For Storm and Shelter we trapped all the characters in a decrepit inn. The Desperate Daughters were all sisters having a season in York trying to marry off the youngest of them. And so it goes.

Once we wander off to our separate writing caves, we run the risk of confused timelines, differing descriptions, and contradictory views of events. That’s why we have to read each other’s early drafts. We all read at least three; some read all of them. That is Beta1. After comments and, if necessary, discussion, we scurry back and polish out the rough edges. We finish our stories and then do another read. That is Beta2.

This year’s collection Love’s Perilous Road takes place in the South Downs and features a highway robber, Captain Moonlight. There may be two of them; there may be copycats. There will be hold ups. There will be villains (not necessarily the Captain) punished. Meanwhile a house party is ongoing with visitors from London and nearby Brighton. Local gentry will be invited to a ball at the end of the house party. Romance will flourish–ten of them. As you see there is plenty of scope for many stories, and also danger of confusion. Let the Beta Read Begin!

Also this week, I’m writing a proposal to Dragonblade Publishing to republish my Dangerous and Children of Empire series. It will involve some rewriting, mostly of the back matter—new epilogues, historical notes and author notes. When I get that done I have another novella to write. Ask me next week. But first, coffee.