I thought I knew where it was - roughly. But no, it wasn't obvious. Hiding itself again. But no word can hide forever in the digital age and I did a search on 'be', checking every one of them. Who'd have thought there would be so many? And by a quarter of the way through the book, what a ridiculous word it had become. Be? be? bebebe. Beeeee.... A positive buffoon of a word that no writer in their right mind could possibly think of using. How was I ever to write another book, in fact, because I knew that 'be' would have to show its face.
Found it in the end and exterminated it. And it's turning into an ok word again, thankfully. I can see myself using it... or be myself using it... or see myself being it.... And bees apart, I love the new cover. Here it is:
Love the blog and the new cover looks wonderful. (And, oh God, I have all those proofing proofing horroris ahead of be...)
ReplyDeleteHeh heh. Thanks, Felicity. It's a strange beast is proofing - beware the be. Do you have a publication date yet?
ReplyDeleteLove that snaking curl of smoke on the cover. The artist is very talented. Who is it?
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. It's brilliant. He's B Dziok and he's done all my paperback covers.
ReplyDeleteSo annoying when this happens. I have a rogue full stop in one of my books - no-one else has mentioned it, but I know it's there! Yes, the more you look at a word and say it, the more bizarre it becomes doesn't it? Glad you shed the 'be' in the end!
ReplyDeleteA rogue full stop might not mean much to many, but it's what caused a Saturn 5 rocket to be aborted at massive expense many decades ago. And the knowledge of its existence can be like a stone in the shoe. I spent the last 6 Saturdays signing copies of the de-beed book and now *very* wobbly on how to spell my own name.
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