Friends for Life...

Lately, I've been traveling at night. Sometimes, even into the wee hours of the morning. This so I can visit with some of my most favorite people in all the world… my First Readers. Mostly because I am coming into the "home stretch" of my new inspirational adventure novel, THE PANDORA BOX, and their insights and opinions are invaluable to me. 

Which is why I would like to introduce them to you, and tell you a little bit of how much they have helped me. Their names are Fay and Ken, and they live on the Gold Coast in Australia. Oddly enough, I met them in Alaska, which happens to be one of their favorite places, as well as mine. You see, they happen to be adventurers, too. Another reason why I value their advice on my adventure stories.

In the coming days before I reach the finish line, I will be sharing some of the actual  things they have helped me with. Most recently, going back to hammer out and comb over those important first two pages until they shine. Which I most often do when I get close to the end, as motivations and characters are so much more clear to me by then. Night after night, I would sit down and (virtually) share coffee with these good friends as we looked through a magnifying glass to get rid of the dead parts and leave only what was alive. And PANDORA  is so much better because of it. 

So, my most heartfelt thanks to Fay and Ken, who put up with me at all hours, read everything over numerous times when they really didn't have to, and for some rollicking good laughs when we all worked too late and were still having a good time. Thank you, Fay, for your ever-constant prayers and encouragement (and for sharing bits of the manuscript with strangers and friends, just to get an outside opinion), and Ken, for that all-important perspective that only a man can give on the way men think and do things. You are the dearest and best friends a writer could have, and I will love you both forever!

Find out more about my First Readers Club by visiting my "About" page over at LillyMaytree.com  Or come back tomorrow, when I will be talking about it here on the blog.