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soireadthisbooktoday

So, I Read This Book Today . . .

Editing Fees and Guidelines

 

As my editing jobs have become more numerous, I have updated my Editing Fees and Guidelines. My editing and proofreading includes checking for grammar, sentence structure, misspellings, and pointing out plot inconsistencies, etc. At this time, my base charge is $0.008/word, with a minimum of $50payable via PayPal. Editing jobs I am currently working on, received before May 1, 2014, will continue to be edited at the old rate.

 

 If your manuscript is less than 5,000 words please let me know and we can work out pricing. I prefer to set up appointments for your manuscript, but please, send your manuscripts to me as early as possible.  I can often work them in sooner than they are scheduled, but advance notice is much easier.

 

 I use Microsoft Word 2013.  I use the Track Changes application while I edit and leave the decision as to whether or not to accept those changes to you.  I also tend to leave extensive notes outlining the reason for specific changes, noting uneven or awkward sentence or paragraph flow, or even if I noticed something that just doesn’t feel right.

 

 Full editing is completed in one of two ways.  The first choice is that I completely edit the book and provide you with a corrected copy, highlighting changes and corrections and making when appropriate extensive notes. Your second choice is full editing. I take the book in hand, do all corrections and changes and provide you with print ready copy. The charge for print ready copy is $0.010/word.

 

Please note:  Books from authors who speak English as a second language, hence requiring a great deal more correction for grammar, or books with extensive re-write may be significantly more.  You may send me your book for pricing if you feel there may be extensive work needed on the book. Pricing available upon request.

 

After I have edited a manuscript, I will send it back to you. Once you have made changes, you can always send it back to me for a second pass at no charge. Please note: If second-pass changes are truly extensive, I will reserve the right to bill a second payment for the second pass. I want to be fair to you, but I also want to be fair to myself. Just as writing is difficult, though rewarding, editing a book in a manner that will make you proud of your final product is a lot of work.

 

For available books on which I have worked, please see my “i-edited” shelf on Goodreads. You may contact any of the authors with whom I’ve worked for a reference. I am also very willing to provide you a sample of my work to see if we are a comfortable fit. I can be easily contacted through Goodreads or by e-mail at soireadthisbooktoday@centurylink.net

 

I look forward to working with you!

 

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Black Order

Black Order: A Sigma Force Novel - James Rollins, Grover Gardner Rollins always keeps me awake at night - - - for a couple of different reasons. I am a sucker for Rollins' kind of books. Rollins, (older) Cussler, Preston/Child. They all are based on blistering speed, energy, and thrills. Twists and turns of science and excitement that keep me up at night, and well into the next morning. So much for sleep!

Rollins' Sigma series is one of my favorites of the genre. Sigma Force is designed as, in it's own description, “scientists with guns.” And I do love me some scientists – and scientists with guns? AWESOME! Rollins work is based on real science – in this case, quantum science and the horrors of Nazi experimentation. While not all of the 'science” is real (at this point – who knows for the future?) Rollins lays his novels on a base of solid, tested science. From that base he builds his story, intertwining fiction with nonfiction in a manner that has me note taking and bookmarking in my Nook, then spending hours later on searching the internet, checking what is real, and what is, well, 'not yet real?”

This Sigma Force novel begins, oddly enough, with the auction of five extremely rare books at an auction house in Denmark – books that range from an original treatise of Neils Bohr, to the family bible of Charles Darwin. From there, it builds to an unknown illness in a Tibetan monastery, with a seemingly unrelated storyline taking place in the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve in South Africa. In a flurry of guns, bombs, kidnappings, murder, helicopter, snowmobile and foot chases, evil Nazis and not-so-evil 'used to be' Nazis, we dash, following chapter headings counting off the minutes and hours to an ultimate outcome entwining science, madness, history, and horror in a manner Rollins pulls off in a fascinating ending twist. All in all, “Black Order” led to quite a few bookmarks, a few more 'wish list' entries at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and several hours researching quantum theory and the horrors of Nazi 'science'.

Nazi studies into quantum consciousness and evolution, as described in the book, were developed by the Nazis as a knee-jerk reaction against scientists such as Newton and Einstein – Jewish (while Newton was believed to be Jewish, he actually wasn't) scientists, therefore without value. Not being a Quantum Physicist myself, I had to really pull out the yellow highlighter and spend some serious time on real science websites to check things out. (You don't have to be as obsessive as I am to enjoy the book – that's just me!) What I found kept me locked into my chair all one Saturday and Sunday, researching the theories, the people involved, and becoming more and more fascinated by the concept. Oh, if only I were young again! Once you hit my age it is nigh on impossible to start over as a student, but if I did? Well, I may never be able to sit in a chair at Oxford, studying the nature of the quantum self, zero point energy, quantum evolution and perceptions of consciousness, but hey, I can certainly read – and Rollins, along with books by modern scientists like Lockwood, Penrose, Chalmers and Eccles, as well as the works of pioneers such as Lotka, the theories of Schroedinger and Heisenberg will keep me well entertained for ages. Well, when I am not re-reading Rollins for the thrills and chills!

I didn't even much mind Rollins' toe-dip into the concept of 'intelligent design' as Rollins' take on same is one of observation rather than any theory of some penultimate 'god' figure watching over all. If there is a 'god' it is certainly a scientist, starting an experiment, then sitting back and watching to see what happens, cold, aloof, and totally scientific in its outlook. Rollins' intelligent design, instead, is based upon electron wave-particle interactions (see Richard Feynman's “The Character of Physical Law.” For a 'short and sweet' see http://physics.weber.edu/carroll/honors-time/duality.htm).

All in all, if you like a screamingly fast pace, concepts that will keep you thinking and learning, and a roller coaster of excitement, you can't go wrong with Rollins!

Research topics to consider:

Zero Point Energy, quantum evolution, evolutionary biology and the rapid emergence of higher taxonomic groups (my references were Simpson, G.G., “Tempo and Mode in Evolution” 1944, and “Quantum Evolution” McFaddeen, Johnjoe, 2000), quantum consciousness, wave-particle duality, Die Glocke, Xerum 525, Himmler and the Thule Society, Nazi occultism, Lebensborn, Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game reserve