WANTED: Beta Readers - Page 3

ASparrow · 06-04-2010, 03:25 PM

Chapter 1 is now freshened up a bit.

JamesMonaghan · 06-04-2010, 04:38 PM

Just read the new first chapter and one word... wow! An amazing change, reads so much better. On with the rest! I'll let you know what I think.

ASparrow · 06-05-2010, 11:33 AM

Lethe is unpublished again until further revisions are implemented. July 1 will be the final release, ready or not.

Peregrin, the sequel to Xenolith, is in the structural revision stage, adjusting for pacing, tension and timeline. I'm aiming for early September Beta release, full release in early October.

ASparrow · 06-09-2010, 02:26 PM

My trip to Ghana is postponed because my visa was denied three times by the consulate in New York. I'm making attempt number four, but this delay means that I may be in Africa till July 3 or so. I'd like to be around (or at least internet accessible) for Lethe's release, so I may have to adjust the date a bit, though probably only a matter of a few days.

My volunteer Beta readers have been very helpful so far in improving the novel, identifying dozens of errors, particularly in the first half of the book. Reviews have been mixed, however.

ASparrow · 06-11-2010, 11:57 AM

Thanks to omk3, more than 70 additional changes and improvements have been made to Lethe and a new version has been uploaded to Smashwords (accessible only to Beta readers). In addition, a few small sections of dialog have been rewritten or deleted.

I'm still attempting to travel to Ghana and if my visa is awarded , I won't return until July 7, so my July 1 release date looks impossible. I'll be traveling up north in the land of $5 hotel rooms and sketchy internet access. I may have to shoot for July 10.

Early reviews of Lethe have been quite mixed, all across the board. But it's a book that I needed to get out of my system and I'm already moving on to the next. When I release Lethe, it will likely be for a minimal price, if any.

omk3 · 06-14-2010, 12:36 PM

It took me a while, but finally I too have finished reading Lethe

I liked the book, the premise was interesting, the imagining of the afterworld vivid, but for me it wasn’t a page-turner. It’s not that I believe every book should be a page-turner, but Lethe could have been one in my opinion. I’m sure it would benefit from some good editing, to make it tighter and crisper.

The pace picked up towards the end, and some questions were left unanswered. I generally like this kind of ending, where not everything is spelled out, but judging from the often superfluous detail in the rest of the book, I wasn’t expecting such an ending here. In comparison, it almost felt a little rushed.

All in all, a good premise and a good book, but one that could be much better with some changes IMHO.

Thank you A.Sparrow for sharing, and for inviting readers' advice

ASparrow · 06-14-2010, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by omk3

It took me a while, but finally I too have finished reading Lethe

I liked the book, the premise was interesting, the imagining of the afterworld vivid, but for me it wasn’t a page-turner. It’s not that I believe every book should be a page-turner, but Lethe could have been one in my opinion. I’m sure it would benefit from some good editing, to make it tighter and crisper.

The pace picked up towards the end, and some questions were left unanswered. I generally like this kind of ending, where not everything is spelled out, but judging from the often superfluous detail in the rest of the book, I wasn’t expecting such an ending here. In comparison, it almost felt a little rushed.

All in all, a good premise and a good book, but one that could be much better with some changes IMHO.

Thank you A.Sparrow for sharing, and for inviting readers' advice

Thanks for the help and advice! Your input has been invaluable.

ASparrow · 06-14-2010, 04:13 PM

62+ more corrections to Lethe being uploaded to Smashwords as I write.

ASparrow · 06-16-2010, 04:45 PM

Thank you all for your help.

The majority opinion (some conveyed to me privately) seems to be that, while some of you liked it (in some cases, a lot), Lethe is not fit for public consumption, so I'm suspending its release indefinitely. I'll let it stew over the summer and revisit it with a clear head. I'll leave it accessible on Smashwords for a few days longer in case someone late to the fray wants to sample it.

Thanks to everyone who helped with the copy / continuity editing.

On the good news front, I just received a multiple entry visa for Ghana today.

dreams · 06-16-2010, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASparrow

On the good news front, I just received a multiple entry visa for Ghana today.

Yea! Good news. Be safe.

BVLarson · 06-17-2010, 04:22 PM

This is an interesting Idea. I might do it with the fourth book of my Haven series... But I'll have to get around to smashwords first.

ASparrow · 06-17-2010, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BVLarson

This is an interesting Idea. I might do it with the fourth book of my Haven series... But I'll have to get around to smashwords first.

I've gotten some great assistance and advice doing this, even (especially) from those who detest my work. It's amazing how many times I can go through a manuscript and think it's free of errors to have a beta make one pass and flag hundreds of mistakes (omk3 found >200 in the case of Lethe and other readers added even more).

ASparrow · 06-25-2010, 04:13 PM

Off to Ghana tomorrow. I'm bringing a complete printout of Lethe with me for final edits. Expect an official release by the second week of July.

omk3 · 06-25-2010, 05:32 PM

Have a nice trip

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06-04-2010, 03:25 PM	#31
ASparrow Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 600000 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Boston Device: Palm TX	Chapter 1 is now freshened up a bit.

06-04-2010, 04:38 PM	#32
JamesMonaghan Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: ipod touch	Just read the new first chapter and one word... wow! An amazing change, reads so much better. On with the rest! I'll let you know what I think.

06-05-2010, 11:33 AM	#33
ASparrow Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 600000 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Boston Device: Palm TX	Lethe is unpublished again until further revisions are implemented. July 1 will be the final release, ready or not. Peregrin, the sequel to Xenolith, is in the structural revision stage, adjusting for pacing, tension and timeline. I'm aiming for early September Beta release, full release in early October.

06-09-2010, 02:26 PM	#34
ASparrow Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 600000 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Boston Device: Palm TX	My trip to Ghana is postponed because my visa was denied three times by the consulate in New York. I'm making attempt number four, but this delay means that I may be in Africa till July 3 or so. I'd like to be around (or at least internet accessible) for Lethe's release, so I may have to adjust the date a bit, though probably only a matter of a few days. My volunteer Beta readers have been very helpful so far in improving the novel, identifying dozens of errors, particularly in the first half of the book. Reviews have been mixed, however.

06-11-2010, 11:57 AM	#35
ASparrow Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 600000 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Boston Device: Palm TX	Thanks to omk3, more than 70 additional changes and improvements have been made to Lethe and a new version has been uploaded to Smashwords (accessible only to Beta readers). In addition, a few small sections of dialog have been rewritten or deleted. I'm still attempting to travel to Ghana and if my visa is awarded , I won't return until July 7, so my July 1 release date looks impossible. I'll be traveling up north in the land of $5 hotel rooms and sketchy internet access. I may have to shoot for July 10. Early reviews of Lethe have been quite mixed, all across the board. But it's a book that I needed to get out of my system and I'm already moving on to the next. When I release Lethe, it will likely be for a minimal price, if any.

06-14-2010, 12:36 PM	#36
omk3 Wizard Posts: 1,454 Karma: 37243 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Europe Device: pocketbook 360, kindle 4	It took me a while, but finally I too have finished reading Lethe I liked the book, the premise was interesting, the imagining of the afterworld vivid, but for me it wasn’t a page-turner. It’s not that I believe every book should be a page-turner, but Lethe could have been one in my opinion. I’m sure it would benefit from some good editing, to make it tighter and crisper. The pace picked up towards the end, and some questions were left unanswered. I generally like this kind of ending, where not everything is spelled out, but judging from the often superfluous detail in the rest of the book, I wasn’t expecting such an ending here. In comparison, it almost felt a little rushed. All in all, a good premise and a good book, but one that could be much better with some changes IMHO. Thank you A.Sparrow for sharing, and for inviting readers' advice

06-14-2010, 04:13 PM	#38
ASparrow Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 600000 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Boston Device: Palm TX	62+ more corrections to Lethe being uploaded to Smashwords as I write.

06-16-2010, 04:45 PM	#39
ASparrow Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 600000 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Boston Device: Palm TX	Thank you all for your help. The majority opinion (some conveyed to me privately) seems to be that, while some of you liked it (in some cases, a lot), Lethe is not fit for public consumption, so I'm suspending its release indefinitely. I'll let it stew over the summer and revisit it with a clear head. I'll leave it accessible on Smashwords for a few days longer in case someone late to the fray wants to sample it. Thanks to everyone who helped with the copy / continuity editing. On the good news front, I just received a multiple entry visa for Ghana today.

06-17-2010, 04:22 PM	#41
BVLarson Author Posts: 123 Karma: 900 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: California Device: Kindle	This is an interesting Idea. I might do it with the fourth book of my Haven series... But I'll have to get around to smashwords first.

06-25-2010, 04:13 PM	#43
ASparrow Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 600000 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Boston Device: Palm TX	Off to Ghana tomorrow. I'm bringing a complete printout of Lethe with me for final edits. Expect an official release by the second week of July.

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06-25-2010, 05:32 PM	#44
omk3 Wizard Posts: 1,454 Karma: 37243 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Europe Device: pocketbook 360, kindle 4	Have a nice trip