I received the proofreader’s remarks on Thursday and spent most of the weekend carefully considering each and every comment — even doing a little additional research of my own. On Sunday, at six-thirty a.m., I started reading the novel aloud. I finished around 10:30 p.m. that night. I’m somewhat of a perfectionist, so always when I make something, whatever it is, I can see nothing but errors, what I could have done better, and it tears me up to let something go. But when I finished reading aloud Highfell, I felt a profound sense of satisfaction. I’d made something good. I’d done it right. And I sent it off to my editor.
Now it’s off to the typesetter, who’s probably putting it all together as I write this, and then it’ll be off to the printer. And soon enough I’ll hold a copy in my own hands. So very exciting!
And also I’ve already begun thinking about a new project. But right now I’m still in the superstitious, secret-keeping stage of that, so…shhh. Maybe I’ll tell you about it later.