The proof copy of the paperback edition of The Tunnel arrived today. It’s very cool, I’ve got to say, to hold the physical result in my hands (as you can see from that goofy grin). The idea of a proof copy, I guess, is that final check before it gets properly published. I knew there would be some tinkering with the cover to do, but what I didn’t expect was to open it up and spot a typo immediately. This is after three proofreads (one by me, and one by someone else [who’s not to blame at all!] and another by me). It’s just a silly thing too – an “at” when it should be “as” – which makes that sentence (“And as Morgan was leaving…”) make no sense at all. Guess I’m going to have to proof the whole thing again. I might have to do that backwards. At least I know that the ebook version is correct (checked it just now – I guess I got the paperback proof printed before that final proofread. Silly).
Book in hand, typos… in hand
well, all ashore that’s going ashore, that’s all I got to say!
Or maybe not
I’m glad you were able to spy out that typo. You’ll go through the work of proofing the entire novel again, and that typo you saw will be the only one. The hardcover looks good & and so does the site makeover.
I once had to help another engineer proofread a dozen highly technical research proposals (mine included) and we did it backwards. Three hours later we were worse than drunks… two utterly silly fools, laughing and giggling and making fun of the backwardsness. WE even started declaiming the backwards readings like bad Shakespeare. No one spoke to us for two days. We did get some very funny looks.