For years now, you’ve heard progress reports about my wannabe mystery novel featuring Jane was moving at a slow crawl, not progressing at all, or temporarily shelved because of other book commitments.

But today–and this really should be accompanied by young men in Henry the Eighth era costumes that include tights standing on either side of the castle door blowing trumpets–the news is quite different. I am happy to announce…

cue the trumpets

..that the first draft of Run, Jane, Run is done, and…

cue the trumpets again

…so is the first revision, and…

cue the trumpets yet again

…so is the second revision, as well as proofreading…

cue the trumpets one last time

Therefore, I am about to send both my agent and my daughter the manuscript for their feedback.

That, dear readers, is a terrifying thought. As I told some former teaching colleagues who are also parents, sending off a novel is like going to parent-teacher conferences, at which you know you will be told that the child you have poured your life and soul into is not perfect.

Hearing those words is like a knife wound to the heart.

Even though you know your child–or your novel–is not perfect. Even thought the weaknesses of your child–or novel–are glaringly obvious to you. Even though the only way to rectify those weaknesses is by asking for help.

Even so, hearing those words is still like a knife wound to the heart.

So if I seem extra needy in a few weeks, you can assume that feedback has been received, that it was not all good, that I am dealing with it, and am spending the few hours of each day I’m not in therapy furiously reworking the novel and/or writing a book proposal.

Just in case my agent believes a publisher might just want to publish it.

In other words, stay tuned. Because as so many of us learned in elementary school, the fun with Dick and Jane just never ends!