Comma-tosed

When one chooses to tackle the task of writing a novel, one discovers how long it has been since high school English. I was embarrassed and humbled by the amount of information I had forgotten, or just didn't learn because I was too busy staring at my "hot" English teacher.
My first nemesis, the comma. As my book was edited in sections (4 sections to be exact), I put too many commas in section 1. Next, I didn't put enough comma's, in the right places, in section 2. Finally I sent an email to my editor and said, "no mas." I was comma-tosed. I would just send her the stuff and she could stick em' where....she liked. So I finally surrendered my ego and found an English Fundamentals workbook at a used book store. It actually helps me sit a little higher in my office chair.

According to dictates commas are used in the following manner:

1. Before and, but, for, or, nor, and yet when they join the clauses of a compound sentence.
2. Between the items of a series. A series is composed of three or more words, phrases, or clauses of equal grammatical rank. "The man charged through the door, down the steps, and into the garage.
3. Between coordinate adjectives preceding a noun. "The dark, cold, drafty classroom."
4. After most introductory modifiers, especially if they are long and not obviously restrictive. "Unless the flood water recedes soon, we're in trouble."
5. Between any two words that might be mistakenly read together. "After we had washed, Mother prepared breakfast.

Now, had I been so enlightened previously, I could have just emailed my editor and said "Look, I know what I am talking about. Just pick a sentence and make it work."
Oh...life can be so simple sometimes.