Hey y’all I’m really excited for this stop because I think Mary
Gray is amazeballs! And I have a super cool post between her and her editor
Danielle whom I also adore and I happen to be her publicist lol. Also it’s kind
of cool seeing the conversation between an editor and her author. There’s also
a giveaway for a signed copy of THE DOLLHOUSE ASYLUM so make sure to enter!
Haven’t heard about the book? Check it out!
A virus that had once been contained has returned, and soon no
place will be left untouched by its destruction. But when Cheyenne wakes up in
Elysian Fields--a subdivision cut off from the world and its monster-creating
virus--she is thrilled to have a chance at survival.
At first, Elysian Fields,with its beautiful houses and manicured lawns, is
perfect. Teo Richardson, the older man who stole Cheyenne's heart, built it so
they could be together. But when Teo tells Cheyenne there are tests that she
and seven other couples must pass to be worthy of salvation, Cheyenne begins to
question the perfection of his world.
The people they were before are gone. Cheyenne is now "Persephone,"
and each couple has been re-named to reflect the most tragic romances ever
told. Everyone is fighting to pass the test, to remain in Elysian Fields. Teo
dresses them up, tells them when to move and how to act, and in order to pass
the test, they must play along.
If they play it right, then they'll be safe.
But if they play it wrong, they'll die.
On to the post!
Mary:
*writes TDA in five freakin' years* *lands an agent* *Agent submits*
Danielle: This story is cool! It can be SO much better! Revise and resubmit!
Mary: *cheers* weeps* *cheers* *edits* *resubmits*
Danielle: Hmmm. I don't know.... to hell with it! Yes!
Mary: *Is in denial (for maybe half a minute) Okay!
Danielle: This title is gross. You need a new
one. Let's brainstorm!
Mary: idk I like the
title...
Danielle: You need
something that produces an image! Or a feeling. And means something for the book.
Good titles matter.
Mary: *thinks*
Danielle: I like the
word ASYLUM,
Mary & Danielle: *think*
Danielle: *tells
roommate about book*
Everyone: *thinks*
Roommate: THE
DOLLHOUSE ASYLUM!
Everyone: *flails*
Mary: *debates the
"The" for days*
Grayman: *convinces Mary
the "the" needs to stay*
Mary & Danielle:
*cheers*
Danielle:
These characters suck! Do these character exercises!
Mary: Okay! *loves every minute of it (ends up using flashback scenes from
these exercises in the book*
Danielle:
More exercises! Also: the audio you recorded for your book trailer is really
cool.
Mary:
*bounces* *writes writes writes*
Danielle:
All of these are exactly what we were looking for. Now we have a clearer idea
of character motivations, what they want, their greatest fears.
Mary:
*beams*
Danielle:
Now, write up a chapter by chapter outline.
Mary:
*groans* *drags out computer* *writes writes writes*
Danielle:
This is most excellent. Now these are the chapters that suck. And this needs to
change, and this is ridiculous, and uh, yeah, we should talk on the phone.
Mary and
Danielle on phone: You need to keep your promises about the body bags. You’re
not making sense. She needs to get into a house sooner. Where? Teo’s
expectations need to be clearer. The virus should exist before to make it
believable that it could happen again. How do you know all this? I need my
mommy. I’m always here!
Mary:
*processes things for a few days before digging in and writing for a few weeks
and turning in the book*
Danielle:
Yes, things make much more sense now. *writes up edit letter* DON’T PANIC.
Mary:
*reads edit letter while breathing into paper bag* Dude, how many pages is
this???
Danielle:
Good effort, though! (By the way, I am a rock star because I wrote up this edit
letter with a fever.)
Mary:
*Panics for twenty-four hours before digging in*
Danielle:
You have one month to basically rewrite your novel! Have fun! Don’t drive off a
cliff!
Mary: *Against
all odds, cracks open and fixes each and every issue while tending and
breastfeeding her baby who isn’t even close to sleeping through the night plus
the older two kids* *gains like a kazillion kilos while pounding away on the
computer and eating snacks* *knows the universe will crumble if she doesn’t get
this right* *Nearly dead, turns manuscript in*
Danielle:
YOU DID IT!
Mary:
*looks around*
Danielle: High
fives, fist bumps! Give me a couple weeks then we’ll do our second round of
edits.
Mary:
SECOND ROUND? But isn’t this really the third, because you had me rewrite it
before you even wrote that first stinkin’ edit letter? *sobs*
Danielle
via edit letter: You dominated the relationship between Cheyenne and Teo, her
voice is different than I expected, but it’s good! You did an excellent job of
“showing not telling.” Now: the manuscript *here* and *here* is much too long.
Mary: You
hate me, don’t you?
Danielle: *pats
back* You can do this!!
Mary:
*begins editing* *panicking, calls Danielle* You know, the universe has just
spoken to me. Did you know there will be people who hate my book?
Danielle:
No one’s going to hate it.
Mary: They
are. Seriously. She’s in love with the bad guy for Pete’s sake. What have I
done?
Danielle:
Are you loving your book?
Mary:
Yeah. You’re helping me make it better. And I do feel the conflict she’s
feeling. It’s the way it has to be.
Danielle:
Doesn’t have to say a word.
Mary:
*bows* Thank you, sensei.
Danielle:
*bows*
Mary: How
many words do I need to cut again?
Danielle: Oh,
I don’t know. Just like 25,000. Should be simple.
Mary:
*stares* *goes into hiding* *doesn’t even know how she takes care of her
children* *becomes estranged from her husband* But I’m doing this! *never
leaves the house; when she does, looks homeless* *turns it in*
Danielle:
*reads* *silence* Yes! We can do line edits now.
Mary: Line
edits.
Danielle:
Yeah, instead of looking at big picture items, now we can tear your story apart
sentence by sentence!
Mary:
*covers face* Sounds awesome.
Danielle:
*joins forces with another editor, and by the power of Spencer Hill, they
highlight seemingly every other word*
Mary:
Thanks guys! I’ll never die of thinking I’m too awesome!
Danielle:
You do realize you sound an awful like Dean Winchester right now.
Mary: *blushes*
Mary:
*fixes each and every other damn sentence and turns it in a couple weeks later*
Danielle:
Great! Copy edits! (That’s not really my thing, because I’m really just an evil
genius who knows how to fix things like character motivations, plotting,
showing not telling, big picture issues, you know, the stuff they pay me the
big bucks for.)
Mary:
Yeah, if you were paid by the hour, you’d be a millionaire.
Danielle:
*groans*
Other
Spencer Hill interns: *pretties up manuscript with comma, period, and phrasing
issues*
Mary:
*hugs them for helping her not look like an idiot*
More copy
editors: *look for issues*
Danielle:
Now we do page passes.
Mary:
That’s where I look at the page? Like that’s something I’ve never done before?
Danielle
and Mary: *read through again, by now completely exhausted*
Danielle:
I think we did it.
Mary:
*collapses*
Wasn’t that awesome??????
Author Bio
Mary Gray has a fascination with all things creepy. That’s why
all her favorite stories usually involve panic attacks and hyperventilating. In
real life, she prefers to type away on her computer, ogle over her favorite TV
shows, and savor fiction. When she’s not immersed in other worlds, she and her
husband get their exercise by chasing after their three children. The
Dollhouse Asylum is her first novel.
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