Editing, editing

My editor at Proxima just sent me back his first pass over Aphrodite's Dawn, and I must admit I was a bit nervous when I opened the first file. As a relatively new writer, you hear a lot of horror stories about draconian editors ripping your literary child to shreds or demanding copious rewrites.

Well, I'm about 2/3rds of the way through reviewing his notes and I have to say its wonderful. There are one or two things I don't agree with, or understand (yet), but every edit adds to the the story in some way, and yet none of them take anything away from the story being definitively 'mine'.

Its a very satifying process so far, and I'm learning a great deal from it.

(And no I'm not trying to butter my editor up so he will be nice to me)

"Aphrodite's Dawn" announced by Proxima

I am delighted to say that Proxima have formally announced my first science fiction novel for younger adults. Here is an extract from the announcement:

"Joseph Mead joins Proxima Books with his contemporary fantasy horror,’Aleera: Tainted Blood’, set in New York, a half-succubus is hunted by a serial demon-killer, or is it the other way around?
R.B. Harkess releases Proxima’s first YA story, ‘Aphrodite’s Dawn’, a science-fiction adventure set inside an ancient decaying asteroid ark; the last hope for mankind.
Both stories will be released either as e-books, or in Proxima’s exciting new e-serial format, during Autumn /Winter 2011. Watch this space for future details."

So exciting to move a step closer to publication, and so grateful for all the help Proxima has been giving me making "Aphrodite's Dawn" such a great read.