This is the place to discuss Stars of Fortune, Book 1 of The Guardians Trilogy. Please note that spoilers will abound.
I knew the basics of this book from conversations with Nora, but even knowing those basics, the way the story unfolded, the way secrets were revealed kept me reading faster and faster until it was done.
Please share your thoughts about the book or about this new group of six we meet or their particular talents. My personal countdown until book 2 is already underway. Laura
A note from Laura: this post springboards from a little tidbit I shared about the title of the fall 2016 In Death title (Apprentice in Death) and the resulting “why can’t we have it now?” comments. It’s also a preventative measure for the upcoming Stars of Fortune, book 1 of The Guardians Trilogy, and the predictable “why do we have to wait for the second and third books??” (In the latter case, it’s because book 3 is not yet written.) We’re so lucky that Nora has the discipline and fast pace to give us more than one book per year but that can be lost in the fun and excitement of a new book. So let’s get a peek into what goes into a book beyond the writing.
I think I’ve tried to explain the publishing process before, but I’m going to try again, with–I hope– more detail.
Laura will often announce when I’ve finished a book or the title of an upcoming. Many readers are impatient–and I appreciate that–and wonder why they can’t just have the book NOW. It’s written, after all.
Here’s why.
To begin, my process is generally a three draft deal. When I’ve completed the final draft, I send it to my editor and my agent. I let out a big WOO!
My editor and my agent will read the ms (manuscript). My editor–any editor–will read it through. He or she is the first reader. She–as mine’s a she–will read it to see if it engages, if it holds together, if it’s a good story, and makes sense, does the job. This read isn’t done at the office–too many meetings, too much other work for that–but most often on the editor’s own time. Mine read this last ms. over the weekend after I turned it in. The editor may make notes–have questions. Maybe something doesn’t hold together, maybe the ms needs some more work. If it does, those notes become an editorial letter or discussion, and the writer may have to do revisions. Minor or major, depending.
This triad–writer, editor, agent–all want the same thing. The best book possible. That’s work, and that’s time.
If the ms holds together, or the revisions are done, the editor then reads the ms again for a line edit. That’s line by line, editing. It takes time. It may be a very clean ms, so little has to be done, or it may need more work. Either way, this next step has to happen. Then it must be copy edited, and gets its first proofing after that.
Meanwhile, the editor is working with the art department on a cover. With Sales and Marketing on how the book will be sold in, how it will be marketed. It has to be scheduled, and this book is one among many. Accounts–bookstores, chains and independents, other venders like WalMart, Target, Costco and so on, have to be addressed–so there are book reps who deal with that. Catalogue copy must be written, Publicity has their meetings on the book–what to do there? Back cover copy, flap copy must be written. That cover has to be produced, maybe revised, produced.
None of this happens in five minutes. Or five days. Or five weeks. Or five months.
The book must be printed, produced–audio and e must be produced. If it’s a major book Advance Reader Copies are produced and seeded. And the book must be proofed again, by a proofer and by the author. Any changes resulting from the proofing must be fixed in the final product.
And yes, yes, yes, there are still going to be mistakes that slip through. You have humans, you have mistakes. A lot of people think/say: If I proofed that book, I wouldn’t have missed that mistake. Maybe not, but you’d have missed something else. If you think you’d miss nothing every time, let me just say: bollocks.
In any case. It’s a very labor intensive and creative process, on many fronts. It takes between nine months to a year to reasonably take a ms from completion to publication.
It takes a reader a matter of hours or days to read it.
Nothing, absolutely nothing is ever going to change that gap. Writers can’t write as fast as a reader reads. Editors can’t edit that fast. Publishers can’t publish that fast. That’s reality.
But! There are scads of wonderful books published every month for readers to choose from and enjoy. There are scads because there are writers and editors and publishers working their asses off to make that so.
Enjoy them. And some impatience is fine. Just don’t blame the author, the editor, the publisher when the book isn’t in your hands five minutes after that final draft is done, and the writer lets out a big WOO!
Nora
PS. I did these two galleys back-to-back in the evenings–as like my editor I have too much work to do this task during the work day. That’s two solid weeks of proofing in the evening, after a full work day–and juggling that in between signing tubs of books three days a week.
But today I made soup!
I usually let everyone else chime in about books but last weekend I had a chance to read “Wonderment in Death” — the In Death novella in Down the Rabbit Hole — and in my opinion it’s a particular standout among the 11 novellas under JD’s belt.
The official description for the anthology?
You’re late for a very important date…
Enter a wonderland of mesmerizing tales. It’s a place that’s neither here nor there, where things are never quite as they seem. Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s whimsical masterpiece, ranging from the impossible to the mad to the curiouser, these stories will have you absolutely off your head.
Don’t be afraid to follow them…
Since it’s short and efficient (and marvelous) storytelling there actually isn’t a real teaser to give that won’t potentially spoil the “Wonderment in Death” story. So I’ll set this page up for the discussion now.
It’s in stores on September 29.
Laura
It’s always gratifying to know how excited readers are when a new In Death book comes out. I’m so grateful for the loyalty of the readership, and hope–every time–those readers will enjoy the book.
How fast did you read Devoted in Death? Do you gulp and now need to go back, reread and savor?
This is the place to discuss all things Devoted so be warned: spoilers will abound.
Laura
we could walk back to our hotel room instead of fighting traffic. A new tradition is born. So much more pleasant to have a slumber party, followed by a lazy morning and a drive home–where no one left empty-handed.
ive an extra spray to the pretty purple coneflowers,just blooming, that I know deer so enjoy. The butterfly doesn’t seem bothered by it.
Those are three of my favorite things, and the weekend offered all. It seems a fair reward for a week focused on writing.
While May (after a glitch or two) proved itself bonny indeed, exceptional flowers generally come with exceptional weeds. Roses are especially lush around here this spring, and so is our pesky jewel weed. It’s an easy pull, but when you’re dealing with millions–or so it seems when you’re dealing–it’s just annoying. 
We have another area, mostly shady, and it thrives there. We’re nearly finished with The Project–pictures to come on completion–and this area needed serious dealing as it borders The Project. BW hit it hard Saturday morning during my workout, so since I was sweaty anyway, I waded in. I admit this is an area I often assign to him. Jewel weed can get thick and high and the wading through gives me snake willies. They like the thick and high, and I don’t like snakes.
He’d already pulled a full wheelbarrow of the stuff, so in I went, picking through the yellow flags, lifting up spirea, yanking as I went. Easily another wheelbarrow–and four hostas uncovered. Just fyi, while jewel weed is a PITA, it’s also handy if you encounter poison ivy. Break the stem, run the liquid inside over the skin, and that usually handles that. But still.
That kind of sweaty, monotonous, ache-in-the-back weeding isn’t the pleasure of tending beds, but it’s done.
Our reward for what I think of as monkey work? A trip to Camden Yards for a ball game. While I have fond memories of watching games in Memorial Stadium, The Yard is a glorious place. A long haul for us, but as it happens we pull into our assigned lot right behind Jason and Kat. Excellent timing. We and several others are guests of our broker–an annual tradition. We even hit on a give-away. Score! I now have an Oriole orange Rock The Yard tee-shirt. Woo!
We head up to our box, and there it is–that perfect baseball brown, green, white. And stands filling up with people and plenty of orange. The perfect lines of the infield, the green, green expanse of the outfield–and all the possibilities of the game played on it. Baseball is poetry to me.
The O’s are having a good year, and beat Tampa Bay Friday, so we’ll soon see. While many of our group come more to socialize, the game’s the thing for me, and I get to share it with two of my favorite people.
There’s little more fun than a ball game, a hot dog, and a couple of interesting, enthusiastic (and handsome!) boys. 
I claim a seat next to our host’s sons (their mom is one of our Drunken Spa girls), and we talk baseball. Including the younger one’s Little League team, and how it compares to the O’s. The thrilling crack of the bat on a homer (unfortunately not ours), the balletic choreography of a perfectly executed double play (very fortunately ours), and conversation with boys. Doesn’t get better.
The O’s didn’t do it for us Saturday–it seemed after the second inning they just couldn’t hit a ball out of the infield–but we had a great time.
I figured Sunday for an easy day, but it doesn’t turn out that way. BW is doing his part on The Project–the man just has to have his hand in. But he’s, as requested, gotten me a big bucket of compost out of the compostor. That’s good, rich, heavy stuff–heavy enough I have to drag the tub rather than carry it while I side-dress about a quarter of the beds. As he’s still fiddling, I decide to wait for another bucket–shoveling it out would kill my wrist at this point. But I can weed the trouble spots I’m working on bringing back.
Happily, everything I transplanted is holding–and I’m hoping for the promised rain so I don’t have to drag the hose. It’s been a hot week, and one good soak from the sprinklers aren’t enough for these newly relocated guys.
My man’s still fiddling. I switch to inside, do a couple of loads of hauling up fall and winter sweatshirts and sweaters, bringing down spring and summer tanks and tees. He’s moved onto the next task on his list, which isn’t my compost, but okay. I, too, have other chores.
My last of the day (gardening day, anyway) is pleasure. I cut and arrange a little vase of flowers. And BW and I have ourselves a drink on the patio before dinner–and before the welcome rain.
I’m hoping The Project, and the shed refacing will be done this week. That would be a really nice way to welcome June.
Now a question. Does anyone know the name of this perennial? 
I planted it years and years ago–have divided, transplanted, given away countless clumps. It spreads beautifully, grows pretty much where I plug it, and blooms in pretty yellow every June. But I can’t remember what it is–and have failed in my searches through books and on the internet. I hate not knowing the name of what blooms in my gardens.
Note from Laura at 12:36 pm on Monday: Sheryl provided the answer in the comments — Yellow Loosestrife. Thank you for all the suggestions! I always knew Nora’s readers are the most interesting, well-rounded people and you all just proved that.
And lastly, as requested, here’s Homer. 
Nora
I have many things to be grateful for in my life, many joys and blessings. One of the brightest blessings is my girl pals. One of the biggest joys is the chance to spend a week a year with a group of them.
Every spring we come here to the spa for a week of fun, pampering, conversation, laughs and competition.
We’ve been pretty lucky with the weather this year, and today is about as perfect as days get. Sunny and 70s. Even in morning chills my pal Jo and I gear up and do a long walk to start the day, come back find our pals in the center lounge here and reconnect before everyone heads off for whatever’s on their slate for the day. Jo and I, and sometimes one of the others do some yoga, etc in the big suite. Then that’s it for work. Absolutely done.
Laura’s knee’s better, but better yet with some acupuncture here. Mary Kay got a fabulous make-up lesson–with several of us as spectators. We have been rubbed, scrubbed, polished–including toes. Which are all adorable.
We don’t go out to dinner. That would mean real clothes, maybe make up. We do room service, (and Mary Kay arranges for ice cream sundaes THREE evenings during the week. Yay!) which is a kind of theater, then get down to the tournament.
The competition is fierce and fun and foolish. It’s pretty perfect, too. At this point in the week we’re down to the two leaders–my Kat and my Sarah–great, good friends and roomies here. We have to have the tie breaker tonight. It’s going to be a fight to the finish to see who’s crowned (and we have one) this year’s Drunken Spa Girls Queen.
Right now, everyone’s off doing something. Kat and Nicole took a walk (they biked earlier in the week) Mary and Mary Kay are having some lunch, Laura’s heading to a treatment. I think Sarah’s about finished with one. Jo’s going to take a nap before hers. Jeanette–her daughter–had to leave us today as HER daughter’s wedding is just a couple weeks away. Pat and Elaine? I think they went to the gym.
By four or five, we’ll all gather up again, for wine and the rundown of our day–and the final contest for the crown.
Activities are great, and they’re fun. Treatments are just glorious. But what ties it all together in a big, shiny bow is the friendships.
Save those bows, treasure them. They’ll always shine.
Nora
Finished up The Liar and dying to discuss? This is the place for comments about Nora’s annual hardcover.
I’ll start — one of my favorite parts of the book were the texts between Shelby and Griff, especially when they pertained to Callie.
How about you?
Laura
