Loaded up a new toner cartridge, good for 2400 copies, and started printing the first galley of This Bloody Ground, Volume II of Jesse James Soul Liberty.

My beta-readers have returned their comments after they reviewed the first two-thirds of the book. I was surprised by their reaction. No severe comments, just a batch of good constructive criticism. I already can see how their comments will improve the book.

I thoroughly enjoy this part of the writing process, because the computer words finally leap onto paper to give me a preview of how the book will look, and how big it yet might grow to be.

From here, I can sit with the book in hand, and see how I will accommodate recommendations from my beta-readers and where. Then I can re-write those portions and freeze the manuscript.

After that, I’ll re-read the book again, this time to find where I want to insert all my photos and images. Volume I had 175 of them. I’m trying to keep the number down for Volume II. I want to keep printing costs down, and keep down the wholesale and retail costs for the book.

As I do all this, I’ll be completing the last third of the book and constructing all the back-matter for the end of the book. Then comes the last and most agonizing pain. I hate constructing an Index!

This book will only be a year late in its arrival to the market. But it should make 2015 another exciting year for the fans of Jesse James Soul Liberty.