The First Step in Publishing

I am waiting now as a professional editor is doing a diagnostic analysis of my novel.  This will determine weak and strong areas, suggestions on rewrites, etc. After the review I will do work on any suggested changes and deletions.  Then move to the book layout and actual printing!

It's hard to explain the mixed emotions that are spinning in my mind.  I wake up in the middle of the night thinking "should I have written this different" or "should I have added that"...I guess you never reach a point you feel like it is exactly the way it should be.

The only thing I know for sure is that much prayer and research went into the overall effort and I know that I could not have written at all without divine guidance.  There were times I would write something that I thought would be fictional and then in research find out that it wasn't.  An example is "Summerland".  I was trying to describe a "fictional" place that the New Age Religion believes exists after death while waiting to be reincarnated and discovered there is such a place they "believe" exists.  Instances like this happened numerous times to the point it got eerie.

Then I realized a few chapters in!  The book was only to be fiction as far as the characters and plot. Everything else was to be based on fact...the facts of what is "believed" by paranormal teachings and the opposing biblical facts.   And my efforts became to expose the counterfeit paranormal beliefs from the Living Truth through fictional characters living out the deceptions that have come upon the earth.

When I started the novel I had no idea where it would lead, where the plot would go or what would happen...until the end.  At the beginning of each chapter I had no inkling as to what I would write until the words begin to flow onto the pages.  It was like I was both writing and reading a book at the same time, not knowing what would happen next.

I honestly did not have any idea how it would end until I wrote the last chapter struggling with Gabriella's destiny.  Will she accept the spiritual truth of God's Word or be caught in the great deception???  The ending surprised even me!