Bellaire Gardens
THE RAKE’S DAUGHTER, the second book in the Bellaire Gardens series, has been approved by my editor, and has gone in for copyediting — that’s where a copyeditor checks that no Australian/English spelling has crept in, any typos are found and fixed, no character’s eyes have changed color, and it all makes perfect sense. It’s amazing how small mistakes can be overlooked, despite the number of times I and my editor have read it. (My editor has read it at least twice — before and after revisions — and I couldn’t even guess at how many times I’ve read it.) So thank goodness for the eagle eye of the copyeditor.
After copyediting I get to read it again, and accept or reject the copyeditor’s suggested changes, then the book goes back to be laid out the way it will appear in the final book and I’m sent a pdf proof copy. That’s my last chance to spot a mistake — not to change or improve anything — it’s too late for that. I print off any pages where a change needs to be made, take photos of them with the mistake marked, send them back, and then that’s done.
I haven’t been given a release date yet, and I don’t yet have a cover, or a final back cover blurb.
A few people have wondered about the setting of Bellaire Gardens, where all the heroines live. It was inspired by several large private gardens in London — not the ones you can look at through railings, and get into with a key, or climb the fence as in the film Notting Hill. No, this garden can only be accessed through the back gates of the houses that enclose the garden. You can’t even see the garden from the street — maybe a tree-top or two over the roof-tops, if you’re looking carefully.
Like this garden, which is one of the ones that inspired me. Above is the view from the street — there’s no sign of a garden at all, is there?
And below is the view of the private garden behind the houses. Nice, eh?
Testing to see if this works.
Trying again! It’s so deceiving to see the front of the houses and then that calm, green garden behind. And it’s so large! I’d have never guessed!
Thanks for letting me know you had some trouble accessing the comments, Theo. I think it’s all sorted now. Fingers crossed, anyway. And yes, it’s an amazing garden isn’t it? Apparently there are several in London and more in some other cities.
What a lovely serene place. Being me, my first thought was to wonder who maintains the garden, but I guess if you can afford one of those glorious houses and the garden to go with it then you can afford to pay an army of gardeners as well, or at least your share of it. Looks like this is another book to look forward to.
Yes, and back in that era, I suspect gardeners were a lot cheaper than they’d be now. And yes, the cost of maintaining it would be shared.
Is it possible that you could give your fans (I’m a huge one!) just a little snippet of the characters? I can’t wait to pre-order the book. Thank you so much for sharing your gift.
Thanks, Ginny — when the book is finalized, with a cover and a release date, I’ll start popping up snippets. In the meantime, I’ll tell you a little bit about the next story in a future post.
What a lovely thought that the next book is finished and at copy editing stage. Can’t wait. Those gardens are magnificent, how special to have access!
Thanks, Malvina. It’s a relief to have it in — and now am pondering the next story. It never stops. :)
All the times I visited London when I was an expat, never dreaming of private gardens other than the locked ones I could see in the center of squares! So peaceful.