I’ve now returned the edited ms of Consorts of Heaven to my editor. I found a number of further typos, most of them minor, but one letter can make all the difference: for example, butter is made in a dairy, not a diary. In case these references are giving the impression I’m writing fantasy, I should also mention that the final change I made was to add in the visual effect of atmospheric re-entry; the spacecraft in question is very hi-tech, but I decided those on board would still see something odd when they came down from orbit.
The week away from Guardians of Paradise was actually a good thing, as it gave me time to work out how that book ends. I knew that I had to resolve some existing plot, set up some future plot, have a big fight, and wallow in a barrel of angst. I’ve now got straight (well straighter) in my head how much is resolved and how much left hanging, worked out the location of and exact reason for the fight (turns out there might be two fights, or possibly one fight and a hot pursuit), and pined down the extent and nature of the angst. I also have a killer last line, though whether it will still be the last line, or a killer, when I get that far remains to be seen.
So, my garret is now strewn with the various scraps of paper I’ve used to work out the above over the last week. I know enough to get on with it now, but not so much that I don’t look forward to some surprises. I also know, slightly annoyingly, that there is no way I’m going to finish this book by Xmas.
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