Will the Light at the End of the Tunnel Stay On Even if the Power is Out?

Hmmm. Something to ponder about as Julie and I cope with book issues.

Being sisters, we deal with things very differently. I'm a morning person, and she does her best work when most of the world is sleeping. While she admires me for my sunshine-y tendencies in dealing with others, I admire her for being honest and to the point, even if it means--oh no!--not smiling. If both of us were combined somehow (maybe Mom and Dad have a secret 3rd child somewhere in the world?) (Just kidding.), we would make one awesome communicator.

Today she actively dealt with book issues (the publisher needed something "fixed") while I only had to mentally deal with the book issues (alternating between feeling the guilt of her spending a couple of unexpected hours before work "fixing" things and wondering if this book will ever be available to the masses).

Luckily, as it turns out, it will indeed be available to the masses...soon. We are told that now that the final approval has been given (and, post-approval, that the "issues" were "fixed", and then that the interior got final approval by a lovely woman at the publishing office), it will be about 3-4 weeks until Julie and I finally get to see it up close and in person.

This has almost been longer than a pregnancy. (But at least with pregnancy, you know there's a maximum time involved before that baby will finally make an appearance...)

I hope we're not longer than another 3-4 weeks; just like a heavily pregnant woman, Julie and I only stand to get crabbier!

Patience is a Virtue...

While some days I just can't imagine that this book is ever going to be finished and "out there", each day gets me a little closer to the light at the end of the tunnel. I have just seen the final proof of the interior and am waiting for a glitch to be repaired from the publisher's end so I can see the final proof of the cover. Once I approve that...my job is done with regards to the publication process. Then the REAL work (for me) begins: Marketing.

I have spent lots of time collecting the business names of vets, pet cemetaries, pet boutiques, rescue organizations, and even a Pet Loss Counselor. I have local newspaper and magazine contact information and even my Old Dominion University Alumni Newsletter. I'll start with sending letters to them and see where that goes. Obviously there will be a link to the book at amazon.com right here, and I'll send the info to everyone in my contact list. Hopefully they'll tell two friends, and they'll tell two friends, and so on, and so on...