I hope you’ve had a joyous holiday season. There were many good things that transpired throughout the previous year. I look forward to 2024 and embark on the next writing effort. A round of applause for 2023, gone but not forgotten.

There were many good things during the last year, but I have to admit, this constant review and editing of this latest novel, “Tremaine,” was painstakingly done over the last two weeks. What resulted is a much better crafted historical fiction novel…at least in my humble opinion, and I hope you score a copy of “Tremaine ” and walk away with the same opinion. . But don’t take my word for it, my editor reviewed the manuscript with very keen eyes and provided a number of recommended enhancements and downright corrections.

I have finished making all the recommended changes and it is off for copyright approval. This is a time consuming but a necessary step in the process, A key editor comment dealt with Point Of View (POV) associated with a scene or chapter. I loved creating dialogue throughout but there were times when it clouded the idea of “whose point of view is the scene being told?”

It was interesting to learn that my characters flashback to an earlier time, and that comes out in the dialogue. First person deals with the “I or We” perspective; Second person is the “You” perspective; and Third person is a he, she, they perspective. if there are too many lines for characters associated with a scene the reader may be uncertain who is carrying the scene. Who is telling the story!

So, the question from my editor was “You must ask yourself :who is speaking” to determine POV. Okay — I think I fixed all of that and I hope you get a copy of “Tremine” when it is released in February so you can tell for yourselves.

I will have “Tremaine” and my other novels at the Venice Book and Writers Festival on 24-25 March 2024, Blalock Park, Venice, Florida. Stop by if you attend. It is always an interesting experience speaking with scores of authors.

I’m not waiting for the last piece to be complete on Tremaine — already started research and note taking for the next novel in the “I am a Soldier, First and Always” series. Perhaps somewhere in France, the Argonne Forest, and WWI.