Clarity at Last

I'm sorry for the long silence. My new managing editor gig is great, but has been consuming. The good news is I like it. I'm also prepping for the BEA (BookExpo America), the big publishing convention at the end of May. Whenever it's on the West Coast I go with my publishing buddy. I met my friend 22 years ago when she was a sales rep. About eight years ago she became an agent -- a perfect fit for her. My intention is to come home with the contacts that directly lead to the sale of my second novel.

I've talked about feeling stuck around the novel, and I knew that part of the reason was concern about hurting my father. (The novel is loosely based on my search for the little sister my parents gave up for adoption.) Last month, I finally had a conversation with him about my concerns and sent him the manuscript. To my delight and surprise, he loved it. I realized that the real hold-up had been that I needed distance from the ms. so that the main character no longer was me. As I printed it out for my father, my eye would catch lines, and I fell in love with the main character, felt a deep compassion for her that brought tears to my eyes. That's when I realized what had been holding me back. Now, nothing is. I'm ready for the novel to go out into the world. And I'm excited about what will come. (Still superstitious, I'm knocking on wood.)