When The Manuscript Leaves The Nest

What an exciting couple of days we've experienced with President Barack Obama's inauguration on Martin Luther King's birthday, made even more special and momentous for many reasons. One of my favorite special moments was when President Obama was sworn in on Abraham Lincoln and Dr. King's Bibles.

Whether you voted for President Obama or not, Washington looked beautiful and you had to be proud to be an American today - I was.  I'm not a political person nor do I enjoy talking politics, but I did enjoy the President's speech. President Obama mentioned immigration laws, gay rights, the environment, and doing better.  We have to do better and there is so much more for us to do in this country.

A lot of hard work is ahead of us collectively and individually.  We can no longer believe that we are separate entities.  We are one nation under God.

I know there are many, many wonderful and wise quotes by President Obama and Dr. King I could use today, but this quote by Bill Cosby is appropriate for me tonight.  The quote is fitting for me at this stage of my life - as a writer and future published author.

As I near the end (this thought will probably change tomorrow!) of this editing session of my manuscript, the closer I get to the next stage - finding an agent.  That next step has always been in the distance, not way in the distance future, but not in the next few months. Well, I changed that earlier this month.  I felt ready.  I sent out two query letters and received two replies back for the first three chapters.  To say that I was happy to receive the emails would be a major understatement!  So, now we wait.  My fingers are crossed now.

"I managed to avoid the initial slush pile!", I kept saying to my kitten, Pierre and my Pug, Ozzy who just looked at me, wondering if their special treats were behind my back.  I was over the moon and then some, but I was also afraid.  I AM afraid.  My manuscript, my baby, has left my very safe nest and is out in the world...that's a very scary thought.  I can't protect 'her' and I can't speak for 'her'.  My story, must stand on her own two feet like my two adult children have done and done well!

I created my story. I've fed and nurtured the story and my characters and also cut out people, places and things that would otherwise harm and/or detract from the story line. I've soothed, challenged and tested my story and characters and I feel the novel is ready. Will I find another typo, a misspelled word, or a word in italics that shouldn't be?  Yes, probably. I'll keep reading, tightening and checking that baby until I'm blue in the face. Or until the blue ink in my pen runs out!

It's been an emotional weekend for me and I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight. Tomorrow, it's back to my manuscript and back to the reading and double checking.  And, checking my emails about a couple hundred times a day :)

Today is the anniversary of my beautiful mother Mercedes's passing.  Te amo, Mami.

Peace and love,
Ellie