Sandworms of Dune
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Sunday, March 4, 2007

Reading -- the Occupational Hazard

I admit it, I'm a slow reader. I love to read, and I wish I could turn the pages faster, but I find myself reading every word, imagining every scene. Whenever I try to skim, I just don't get as much out of a book.

Because of my writing output, I find myself reading my own manuscripts over and over -- to the point where I have very little time to sink into a book that *I* want to read.

Two days ago I received the 800-page copy-edited manuscript of Seven Suns #6, METAL SWARM from the US publisher, Orbit. Back in January, I had already received the typeset pages of the same book from the British publisher, so I'd reread that novel just recently. Fortunately I kept copies of all the text changes I made in the British edition, so I've spent most of today comparing each manuscript line by line (with papers spread out all over the dining room table, while I rewatched DVDs of THE DARK CRYSTAL and THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING). Not exactly the "fun" kind of reading, but it has to be done. Due on March 15.

On the same day, Brian and I each received the 500 typeset pages for SANDWORMS OF DUNE, for our final proofreading. I had also just read this complete manuscript (for the eighth time) last January, but now I have to go over it again with a proofreader's eye. I also have another proofer read through the whole thing, and Brian is also proofing it. Because we've had glitches in the past, Brian has asked his daughter Kim to compare the typeset SANDWORMS pages with our final manuscript by checking the first and last lines of every paragraph. (Shortly before publication of HOUSE ATREIDES, we found that the typesetter had inadvertently omitted several entire paragraphs!) Those pages are also due back at the publisher on March 15.

And for the past two months Brian and I have both been rereading HOUSE ATREIDES, HOUSE HARKONNEN, HOUSE CORRINO, DUNE, and DUNE MESSIAH in preparation for the PAUL OF DUNE trilogy. We're meeting together in Seattle at the end of this month to start work on that project.

The next book on my "to read" stack is George R.R. Martin's A FEAST FOR CROWS -- and I'm very much looking forward to it, as soon as I clear the decks around here!

-- KJA