GUEST POST: Grace Kilian Delaney of 'Waking Oisin'
Hi Everyone! I'm Grace Kilian Delaney and I'm excited to be here at Kimmers' Erotic Book Banter to promote my latest novel, Waking Oisin, and to talk about those magical people called beta readers!
So here's the thing, with every story I write, and I've written way more than I've gotten published, I go through this painstaking, hair-pulling process of hunting down beta readers to give me quality feedback.
Beta readers provide an essential service to an author, at least the good ones do. Once I've finished a manuscript and get it to where I'm okay with letting another set of eyes on it, I look for beta readers that are willing to give extensive feedback. If someone agrees to beta for me, it's with the understanding that this is not a free book. This is a work in progress and I'm relying on your impressions of the story to help me improve it. Saying "it was a good read" tells me you enjoyed it, which is valuable, but I am looking for more than a one sentence review.
Ideally, a beta reader will assess the overall story, the flow, if it drags, if the characters stay true to their nature, if the plot is weak, and if there are any things that aren't wrapped up by the end of the story. Also if there is any wording that may be questionable. For example, using the word clean instead of negative when referring to STD test results. I say ideal because not every beta reader is going to be an expert editor, but the more detail and information a beta can give me, the better. For those looking to improve their beta reading skills, a Goodreads member posted this checklist.
Where do I find the elusive magical beta reader that makes me smile and gives me unbiased feedback? Wherever I can! Bloggers/reviewers often double as beta readers (points to KEBB and her wonderful team). Goodreads Beta Reading Group has been a fantastic resource. There are also Facebook groups for beta readers, though be sure to look for those in your genre or sub-genre. Exchanging manuscripts with other authors has been invaluable as well, and I strongly recommend doing this. It serves two purposes: it makes you better as a writer when you are critically reading someone else's work, and it provides a networking opportunity that can turn into a support system. Beta reading has helped me learn and grow, and it is inspiring to be a part of someone else's creative process. I've gained some talented friends and some wonderful contacts through the exchange.
Then there are the betas that want to be paid for their services. Some authors won't go this route. Some will. Paying for beta readers can be a tricky thing. I suggest anyone who is doing this research the person you are paying, make sure they are familiar with your genre and get recommendations and/or a sample of what they will give you for your money. For a novel I am currently working on, I hired an editor/beta reader and she has been amazing. She's gone far above my expectations and has offered suggestions to create more tension between the characters and how to develop their arcs and work the plot into it, where to move sentences/paragraphs to create better flow, and even caught misused homonyms (those evil bastards). I expect more from a beta reader if I am paying them and usually that's in the form of a two to three-page analysis of the story.
I hope that this information is helpful to all those looking for beta readers or looking to beta read.
Title: Waking Oisin
Author: Grace Kilian Delaney
Published: February 26, 2018
Publisher: NineStar Press
Cover Artist: Natasha Snow
Genre: Contemporary Romance; Erotic Romance; New Adult
Length: 176 Pages
Tags: Gay; M/M; Bisexual; Genderqueer; Cross-Dressing; Family Drama; May/December; Tattoos/Piercings; First Time; Lawyer; College; HFN; Kink: Sex Toys, Spanking
About Waking Oisin
Oisin Harrison blames his fiancée’s distrust for ruining their relationship. He blames his father for pushing him into law school. But more than all that, he blames himself for letting other people’s expectations stop him from going after his dream. But dressing in drag with his best friend is the one thing Oisin refuses to compromise.
As Sin, he meets handsome Trenton Fisher, a man who appreciates Oisin’s cross-dressing. Trent upends his world by doing things to his body no one ever has, making him want more than just one night together. That is, until Oisin discovers his hot hookup works at his father’s law firm and is angling for a promotion.
To complicate things, Trent doesn’t seem to recognize Oisin out of drag. Or does he?
Will Oisin and Trent’s magnetic attraction grow to something deeper, or will it threaten to jeopardize their careers and futures?
Waking Oisin contains characters from Seven Minutes but can be read as a standalone.
Click above to read the ENTIRE first chapter!
Original Music by Colleen Grace
Meet the Author
Grace Kilian Delaney resides in flammable Southern California where she spends the wee hours of the morning drinking coffee and writing. She identifies as genderfluid and pansexual, though both are recent labels, and a goal of hers is to create stories that include gay, bisexual, and genderfluid characters. When not writing, Grace composes music, pretends she’s an opera singer, plays piano, and practices yoga, though not all at the same time.
For more from Grace be sure and visit her website!
