That's not how it works, through, Amy. I figure, Kate will get back to me in early October, then if we're good to go, she'll try and get it out before publishing goes hibernating for the winter. And even if all goes well, I don't expect to know one way or the other until the new year if anyone will buy it.

But, you know, I STILL HATE WAITING.

Oh, I hate it, too, believe me. I waited almost five months to hear the editor at Harlequin is giving the zombie book to her superior. I'm just saying, try not to dwell! It only makes it worse.

I just admire Gud and Allyson and the rest of you who have actually finished books. I've never gotten to the point of knowing what my editing style on my own books would be.

My only equivalent would be the long, heavily researched magazine articles I've written. With those, I usually start with a version that's about 10 times as long as it needs to be, and then throw away words until it's the right length. I don't think I'm a very good beta reader of other people's stuff, because I have trouble thinking of it in big terms, like what's not working about this character or whether this scene should be elsewhere. What I think I'm good at is close editing: finding better words; making the subject and object agree; fixing punctuation; and omitting needless words.

OMG the zombie book!!!! LOVE!!! Did I ever write back? I didn't, did I? Awful, self-absorbed bitch I've been.

You didn't.

::weeps into hankie::

I'm excellent at close editing, too, Ginger, but I have to do it separately from big picture editing. I do that first, then look at the little pieces.

Well then I must. I'm in the middle of a science book, right now, almost done!

Um, if it's still wanted. I'm a zombie afficianado, afterall.

Please, send away. I like praise feedback as much as the next person.

::languishes in corner, victim of own genre and general slackertude::

For the record, from earlier, Word 2007 standard formatting includes extra space after a paragraph.