The fourth novel in the Chronicles of Avilésor series is one step closer to publication! On the twentieth of January, I sent the manuscript to the line editor for the next phase. In this post, I’ll share important updates and exciting news about Lab Rat.
Cover Reveal
Last week, I shared the cover of Book IV on social media to celebrate the end of the beta reading phase, the beginning of the line editing stage, and the launch of preorders on my website.
The front cover features Jay while following the same shadowed half-face pattern of the previous three books in the series.
I experimented with a new Photoshop technique to achieve the texture and color of Jay’s gray hair, and his determined expression is more reminiscent of Axel on the Blood of the Enemy cover compared to the passive expressions of Reese (A Fallen Hero) and Cato (Phantom’s Mask). However, Jay is known to have a knowing little half-smile when he has a plan, so my goal was to capture that intense look.
Publication Steps & Expected Timeline
Lab Rat is now sitting at right around 160k words after additions I made based on beta reader feedback. That puts the novel between A Fallen Hero at 154k and Phantom’s Mask at 194k.
Based on the word count, the line editor has estimated a six-week turnaround time, so I’m expecting to receive her edits in early March.
During these next five weeks, I’m focused on finishing the cover (the front is pretty much done, but the back still needs work), starting to format the interior file, and some other projects that I’ll discuss in the next section.
The line edit is the most intensive part of the editing phase. Once the manuscript is returned to me, I fully expect a LOT of notes, revisions, corrections, et cetera. To be honest, it can be a blow to the ego to see all the mark-ups, but it’s a necessary part of publishing to make sure the novel is high quality. My line editor will check everything from grammar and punctuation to story pacing, detail consistency between the books, worldbuilding feasibility, character development, and more.
So, what does the publication process look like moving forward?
- I’ll spend several weeks (minimum) going through every mark-up on the manuscript. Until I dive in and see how extensive those notes are, I won’t know how long this task will take. It’s always possible that extensive rewrites might be necessary, which would add more time.
- Once I finish editing, I’ll transfer the manuscript into the new hardcover file that’s sized with the proper margins, page sizes, chapter headings, et cetera. I do this in Microsoft Word (which I know isn’t the best program for formatting, but it’s one that’s accessible to me and I’m familiar with), and I have to be careful because Word can be a bit finicky sometimes. I’ll paste the novel in sections (sometimes full chapters, sometimes smaller sections if there’s a character POV break) while keeping an eye on everything to make sure the formatting doesn’t get glitchy.
- With the manuscript formatted based on the hardcover’s dimensions, I’ll have an accurate page count and will be able to adjust the spine of the cover image appropriately so it’s wide enough for the number of pages.
- I don’t let Word go crazy with automatic hyphenations, so I go through and manually approve or reject the program’s suggested hyphenations with the justified margins to make sure the formatting looks good. I also check for potential issues such as ellipses being split between lines or breaks falling in weird spots.
- Once the cover and interior files are both finalized and exported into PDF files, it’s time to upload them into IngramSpark’s database. I’ll also fill out the necessary metadata that allows booksellers, libraries, etc. to catalog and locate the book. This includes the ISBN, synopsis, keywords, genre, target audience, etc.
- It usually takes one or two business days for IngramSpark to approve the files. If there’s a problem, they’ll notify me that I need to make a correction. If there’s not, then I can proceed with ordering a proof copy.
- After the proof copy arrives, I’ll read through the book one more time and mark any issues I find. These could be missed typos, tiny formatting issues, lines that I want to edit, et cetera. My brain processes the writing differently when it’s on a book page rather than a computer screen. I don’t know why, but it does, so I often have some changes that I want to make.
- I’ll go back into the digital file to make the necessary corrections, then repeat the process of exporting the document, uploading it to Ingram, waiting for approval, and then, finally, it will be time to order the first books! I will order the first print run before approving the book for distribution through other retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
So, when will the book be released? Sorry, but I still don’t have a specific date yet. After I finish the line edit, I’ll have a better idea. Realistically, I think we’re looking at late spring or early summer. Just a few more months!!
NEW Materials in Development for Lab Rat
In the January newsletter, you might have noticed that the featured artwork was a little different than usual. Rather than sharing my usual art timelapse video on Patreon like I do every month, I posted a video explaining the proposed layout of Project Alpha as I sketched out the rough concept.
A few weeks later, I posted another video explaining how that original concept sketch had evolved after I made some changes. (These videos are available for purchase if you aren’t a Patreon subscriber. They’re both about 20 minutes long and can be purchased for $3, which is the lowest price Patreon allows me to set.)
If you hadn’t already guessed, that final floor plan is going to be drawn in the same style as the Saros Manor floor plan I published in Book III, which means that IV will have an extra map joining the existing collection.
In addition to the new map, Lab Rat will also include some extras that haven’t been published in the other books:
- Pronunciation Guide
- Character List
- Glossary
All of these new pieces are currently in progress while the line editor is working. I’m excited about these additions and think they’re really going to enhance the series!
What Readers Can Expect in Book IV
I’ve already discussed some of the aspects I’m excited about here on the blog and in more depth on Patreon. But, now that we’re much closer to publication, here are some teasers about what fans can expect in the fourth installment of the series:
- Trauma… so much trauma! (Be prepared)
- The origins of Cato’s relationship with his lab-family
- A look at the evolution of “Before” Cato from the prologue of AFH vs. the current version we know throughout most of the series
- More depth into Agent Kovak as an antagonist
- Axel’s backstory and secrets
- Drastic character development that will alter the current dynamic of the lab-family
- More of ECANI’s capabilities
- A scene in Ero’s POV for the first time
- Introduction to the Mirror Realm and Spirit Realm
- New characters and powers
How Beta Readers Felt About Lab Rat
“My mind is blown that I can be so attached to a group of ghosts, but author Sara Noë has built such believable, relatable characters. Book IV, Lab Rat, takes the reader to a much deeper understanding of the Alpha ghosts and keeps you riveted to your seat. The definition of ‘family’ continues to be redefined through the well chosen words of the author.”
“Lab Rat exceeded my expectations; it was a fantastic addition to the Chronicles of Avilésor: War of the Realms series. I found myself crying, laughing, and genuinely surprised on several occasions. It was such an incredible book that I even canceled a movie night just to keep reading, and it was definitely worth it! 100/10”
How to Preorder Book IV: Lab Rat Collector’s Bundle
Preorders are LIVE on my website!
For those who preordered Book III last time, I’m doing it a little differently (and much more efficiently) this time now that my ecommerce website is up and running.
Fans can preorder the Book IV Collector’s Bundle to receive an autographed hardcover from the first print run, the five buttons I designed for the novel, a new bookmark featuring Jay from the cover, and a tea light of the Ghost Realm candle by Old Soul Artisan.
These hardcovers will be numbered and have special stickers to verify that they’re from the first batch of books (like I did with BOTE).
At this time, I don’t know how many books will be in this first batch. For Book III, I did fifty. For Book IV, the number of preorders I receive will help me determine how many to order. The earlier you order, the lower the number you’ll receive. (Example: #15/50 instead of 48/50)
Also available is the Lab Rat hoodie with Jay’s silver eye and the words “Chronicles of Avilésor” on one sleeve and “War of the Realms” on the other. This specialty hoodie, along with many other designs I’ve made, is available on my apparel shop through Spring.
Stay in the Loop
There have been a lot of Book IV updates over the past few months! Following me on social media is one of the best ways to see timely announcements.
If you’re not already subscribed to my monthly newsletter, that’s a great way to get a regular recap of what’s going on.
But if you want early access to content BEFORE I announce it publicly, the best place is going to be Patreon.
I offer three membership tiers on Patreon with varying perks based on the monthly subscription. The Human level is only $5/month but still gives you a lot of perks such as having your name listed in the book acknowledgments, opportunities to win prizes at events, exclusive promotions, event reminders, and early announcements.
My Kálos and Alpha tiers ($10 and $15 per month, respectively) provide even more benefits. Depending on your tier, you can read sneak peeks and deleted scenes, submit questions, participate in polls to influence the books, see the cover in progress while I’m working on it, watch me create my monthly art features in a timelapse video… you can even have a place or minor character named after you!
Patreon is a place for top fans to dive way deeper into the Chronicles of Avilésor than they can anywhere else. These subscriptions also help to support me. I don’t talk about how expensive it is to publish books… but this isn’t exactly a secret either since my line editor has her rates posted on her website. The line edit by itself is going to cost me over $1k. (And that’s less than it cost me for PM and BOTE since those were bigger books!)
That’s JUST for the line edit. I have to juggle a ton of additional business costs, including the hosting service for my websites, liability insurance for my booth, vendor fees to book events (these can range from about $50 to $1500 depending on the event, although I typically stay under the $400 threshold), inventory costs to order books so I have them to sell, and the list goes on. Plus, you know, the general cost of living and paying my personal bills.
Patreon is mutually beneficial because fans get perks and bonus content while also helping to support their favorite creators. $5 a month isn’t much, but it does add up! And it truly does help me continue being able to publish books and create art.
I'm an award-winning fantasy author, artist, and photographer from La Porte, Indiana. My poetry, short fiction, and memoir works have been featured in various anthologies and journals since 2005, and several of my poems are available in the Indiana Poetry Archives. The first three novels in my Chronicles of Avilésor: War of the Realms series have received awards from Literary Titan.
After some time working as a freelance writer, I was shocked by how many website articles are actually written by paid "ghost writers" but published under the byline of a different author. It was a jolt seeing my articles presented as if they were written by a high-profile CEO or an industry expert with decades of experience. I'll be honest; it felt slimy and dishonest. I had none of the credentials readers assumed the author of the article actually had. Ghost writing is a perfectly legal, astonishingly common practice, and now, AI has entered the playing field to further muddy the waters. It's hard to trust who (or what) actually wrote the content you'll read online these days.
That's not the case here at On The Cobblestone Road. I do not and never will pay a ghost writer, then slap my name on their work as if I'd written it. This website is 100% authentic. No outsourcing. No ghost writing. No AI-generated content. It's just me... as it should be.
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