Just papers....

It's really a rather strange feeling, sending a manuscript away to be looked at.  And then to tell a big fat hairy lie...sheesh. 

Today I slipped out between the thunderstorms (and we've had some doosies today!) and went to the post office with a manila envelope containing the manuscript and an outline.  Oh, and a check.  I did decide on an editor, by the way...one with a track record.  She's not cheap, but I've been assured by more than one person that I'll get my money's worth, so...yeah.  It was a big check. 

FedEx'ing 250 pages seemed a tad outrageously overpriced, so I decided on the good ole' U.S. Postal Service, Priority mail.  Oh, I could have sent an electronic file to be edited through "track changes" in Microsoft Word, but I've always preferred revising in hard copy.  In fact, at home now I have a few older versions of the manuscript all marked up.  I'm saving them because I hope that some day I'll be a billionaire bestseller and they'll be valuable...or on the off chance that we have a cataclysm and I need stuff to start fires.  One way or another, they may be worth something some day. 

Anyway, I handed the parcel over to the Postal Service employee behind the counter and asked for Priority mail, and then she gave me the ritual queries about whether it contained anything flammable, breakable, perishable, or capable of destroying the entire state of California.  I smiled, and said, "No, it's just papers."  Immediately, I hated myself for that response.  Just papers, my tuckass.  It's six months of my life spent staying up late, getting up early, sitting at the computer all weekend, editing, revising, thinking...yeah, all that.  And more!  This, lady postal employee, is the NEXT BEST selling novel!  It's the best thing since sliced bread, for srs. 

*ahem*

OK, 'nuff of that.  It's been a long road, is all.  I'm excited to be at this point, but I'm also a little apprehensive.  It's just...strange.  Part of me hopes the editor deposits the check, reads over the manuscript, and says "Ohmygod I wouldn't change a thing this is the best ever it's a new bestseller I guarantee it'll do well thankyouforthecheck it's grrrrreat ohmygod!"  The fear, really, is that the editor will do what I'm paying her for to the extreme that the manuscript comes back to me with a big "F" (for "Firestarter") on the front.  I mean, I like it, and Heide likes it, but the editor is, like, well, real. 

OK, OK, that really is 'nuff emoblogging for the day.  I'll just get busy revising Ascension tonight while I wait eagerly for the results.