I've been AWOL for three weeks, but haven't forgotten you. I've missed posting comments, chatting, reading your inspirational posts, being part of the crowd of writers - being a part of all of YOU! But I *have* skimmed your posts. Nearly every day.
The only excuse I can give is that I've been writing! Yes, think of it! I'm a writer and I'm writing!
I finished Armageddon Book Deadline, turned it into my editor and got my editorial letter a week ago.
Guess what? Now it's time for Armageddon Book Revision Deadline. Dum, dum, dum, dum. It's due in 10 days.
Do you feel that shaking? Those are my trembling hands gripping my laptop . . .
The GREAT news is that the line edits are extremely light and the editorial letter is only 2 pages long.
ME: "Dear Gorgeous Editor, I'm afraid the other 10 pages of your editorial letter fell behind your desk."
It took me 2 days to get up my nerve to look at the sticky-note line edits. I end up scrolling through dozens and dozens and dozens of pages WITHOUT A SINGLE MARK ON THEM! Dozens and dozens and dozens more only have a few tense problems, a word change here or there, a left-out comma, period, etc. I'M IN SHOCK.
ME: "Dear Gorgeous Editor, I'm afraid someone has attacked your computer with erasing ink."
GORGEOUS EDITOR: "Don't worry, there are no erasing ink viruses or missing editorial letter pages hiding in my office."
Here is the initial email after she read the manuscript for the first time. I'M IN LOVE WITH HER WORDS.
. . . I've finished reading GHOSTS IN A BOTTLE, and I LOVE it!!! You did such a beautiful job; I can't believe how quickly you wrote this and how polished it is! In fact, it's so polished, that my notes are really minimal. I was sitting in my chair weeping for about thirty minutes as I read the last forty pages.
Congratulations--this is a LOVELY book!!
I'm still walking around in a daze. But I gotta get to work again! Hurry, hurry so it can go to copy-edits. And the official TITLE IS NOW: CIRCLE OF SECRETS
AND I found out that the very talented artist Erin McGuire has been commissioned to do the jacket art. I went to her website and I love her work! I'm so excited to see what she's going to do.
I have set a goal to blog every day this week and share pictures and cool links and stuff. I leave you with this one:
We're having a stare-down. The gator wins. He's got bigger teeth.
The only excuse I can give is that I've been writing! Yes, think of it! I'm a writer and I'm writing!
I finished Armageddon Book Deadline, turned it into my editor and got my editorial letter a week ago.
Guess what? Now it's time for Armageddon Book Revision Deadline. Dum, dum, dum, dum. It's due in 10 days.
Do you feel that shaking? Those are my trembling hands gripping my laptop . . .
The GREAT news is that the line edits are extremely light and the editorial letter is only 2 pages long.
ME: "Dear Gorgeous Editor, I'm afraid the other 10 pages of your editorial letter fell behind your desk."
It took me 2 days to get up my nerve to look at the sticky-note line edits. I end up scrolling through dozens and dozens and dozens of pages WITHOUT A SINGLE MARK ON THEM! Dozens and dozens and dozens more only have a few tense problems, a word change here or there, a left-out comma, period, etc. I'M IN SHOCK.
ME: "Dear Gorgeous Editor, I'm afraid someone has attacked your computer with erasing ink."
GORGEOUS EDITOR: "Don't worry, there are no erasing ink viruses or missing editorial letter pages hiding in my office."
Here is the initial email after she read the manuscript for the first time. I'M IN LOVE WITH HER WORDS.
. . . I've finished reading GHOSTS IN A BOTTLE, and I LOVE it!!! You did such a beautiful job; I can't believe how quickly you wrote this and how polished it is! In fact, it's so polished, that my notes are really minimal. I was sitting in my chair weeping for about thirty minutes as I read the last forty pages.
Congratulations--this is a LOVELY book!!
I'm still walking around in a daze. But I gotta get to work again! Hurry, hurry so it can go to copy-edits. And the official TITLE IS NOW: CIRCLE OF SECRETS
AND I found out that the very talented artist Erin McGuire has been commissioned to do the jacket art. I went to her website and I love her work! I'm so excited to see what she's going to do.
I have set a goal to blog every day this week and share pictures and cool links and stuff. I leave you with this one:
We're having a stare-down. The gator wins. He's got bigger teeth.
7 comments:
What a beautiful letter from your editor. And Erin McGuire's art is stunning!
This is fabulous!
Don't let that gator get any closer...
Thank you so much, Vonna - getting your comment made my day. Can. Not. Wait. To see what Erin comes up with for the jacket illustration. :-)
Hey, Caroline! Thanks so much! Excited!!!
There's so much nostalgia about for the good old days when editors had relationships and CARED about their writers, and I think a lot of people believe publishing's headed for hell in a bucket! I think the circumstances are different now from what they were in publishing's halcyon days, but there are still talented people at those editorial desks. There are still editors who love what they do and can recognize good words when they see them. Thanks for your transparency in sharing this, Kimberley.
Hi Uma, thanks for your note! And oh, boy, I hear you on the good old days. Publishing has changed so much, in some ways for the better, some ways not, although maybe that's just our age showing - LOL!
I feel really, really blessed to be with Lisa at Scholastic. She is a gentle, caring and kind editor, soft-spoken, nurturing, everything I personally need and want so I am lucky.
I hope you're finding love and nurturing at Atheneum, too. I just checked out your book on Amazon and what an AMAZING cover!!! Congrats! I just pre-ordered it and can't wait to read it!
xoxo
Congrats Kimberley!
I'm so excited for you. You have worked so hard for all of this and you've earned it!
Thanks so much, Chrissy!
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