So I'm in this ditch of time, waiting. My sister and her husband are reading the final version of Xmas Carol.
When I gave them the book, I told them to drop everything and fall into a chair and read until they came to "The End". But did they listen to me? Hmph. No, they have lives to lead. They have things to do. They're busy. I don't understand it. Everyone's supposed to do I want, aren't they? I'm going to check the rules but I'm almost sure people have to listen to me. Anyway, I'm waiting for them to finish the book.
This version is very different from the one they read last year. I'm most interested in getting their reactions to a few plot changes. I haven't said anything about this to them -- and they don't read the blog so we can talk about them all we want. (Fun, huh?) Anyway, I want to see how the new version works for them. I think everything will pass muster.
Meanwhile, I'm spending my time reading the book. I guess I've read it 30 or more times. The funny thing is, I'm enjoying reading it. There was a time when the book had problems and I had to nearly strangle every paragraph to make it work. But no longer. My endless edits worked. I like what I'm reading.
Of course, Xmas Carol is my baby and as long as it's in my possession (in other words, until publication) I'm going to play with it. So yes, I'm still changing things here and there. It's like when you've cleaned your house and made it beautiful for your guests -- but they haven't arrived yet. So you walk through the rooms, straightening a picture here, wiping a smudge off a table there. You're applying the finishing touches and it's a pleasant pastime. It's fun to play with the icing on the cake. That's what I'm doing these days.
And the book sounds just right. You don't know how happy that makes me.
When I gave them the book, I told them to drop everything and fall into a chair and read until they came to "The End". But did they listen to me? Hmph. No, they have lives to lead. They have things to do. They're busy. I don't understand it. Everyone's supposed to do I want, aren't they? I'm going to check the rules but I'm almost sure people have to listen to me. Anyway, I'm waiting for them to finish the book.
This version is very different from the one they read last year. I'm most interested in getting their reactions to a few plot changes. I haven't said anything about this to them -- and they don't read the blog so we can talk about them all we want. (Fun, huh?) Anyway, I want to see how the new version works for them. I think everything will pass muster.
Meanwhile, I'm spending my time reading the book. I guess I've read it 30 or more times. The funny thing is, I'm enjoying reading it. There was a time when the book had problems and I had to nearly strangle every paragraph to make it work. But no longer. My endless edits worked. I like what I'm reading.
Of course, Xmas Carol is my baby and as long as it's in my possession (in other words, until publication) I'm going to play with it. So yes, I'm still changing things here and there. It's like when you've cleaned your house and made it beautiful for your guests -- but they haven't arrived yet. So you walk through the rooms, straightening a picture here, wiping a smudge off a table there. You're applying the finishing touches and it's a pleasant pastime. It's fun to play with the icing on the cake. That's what I'm doing these days.
And the book sounds just right. You don't know how happy that makes me.
