Sometimes, the Ashes; Sometimes, the Phoenix
Let’s face it. We plan; God laughs. And She’s got quite an impressive belly laugh where I’m concerned.
THE WEEK BEHIND, THE WEEKS AHEAD: THINGS DONE, THINGS LEFT UNDONE
1. Copy edited manuscript arrived on Sunday evening, a week ago
2. I pushed hard, as is my usual compulsive approach, had finished a line-by-line and sent it to Koehler by Tuesday night.
3. Koehler Books, as is their habit, had it back to me, in layout form (It looks like a book!!!) on Thursday morning.
4. When I saw it I was ecstatic; it’s gorgeous.
5. By the time I got past the title page and was glancing at the Author’s Note, I knew something was wrong. I took a breath and went on a few pages into the text.
6. None of my responses to the copy editor, none of my changes, had gone through. I was looking basically at an unedited, but beautiful, book.
7. I sent a panicked email to John. He called. We both panicked. We settled down and surveyed the damange.
8. The only possible solution was for me to put my copy of the correctly edited manuscript on my screen next to the uncorrected book and do the entire thing over, one word at a time.
9. First I had to upgrade my Adobe Reader and watch a video intended to orient me in their Sticky Notes system that allows editing on a pdf file. I did that.
10. I worked late Friday night and all morning yesterday. Then I got an email from my son asking if I could keep my 7 week old grandson for a few hours so they could run errands. Obviously, the answer should have been no. Seriously? We napped, played, and listened to Nadja Salerno-Sonenberg play Tchaikovsky’s Old Warhorse. This little boy loves music.
11. I worked until 11:30 last night, woke up at around 1:00, worked until 4:00, went back to bed and slept until 5:30, walked to the market at 6:00, and went back to work.
12. An hour ago, at around 10:30 AM, EST, I completed what I now see is NOT the final editing but the editing before the editing before the Final Editing. John says we keep at it until we have it right. I agree.
13. Meanwhile, somewhere back in the dim past–a week ago yesterday–a student from 25 years ago came through for an overnight having just returned from a cousin’s wedding in Bombay. He brought me singing bowls. They are second only to holding a baby for facilitating mindfulness and meditation.
14. Ahead today: several items under the heading of Household Yoga. Maybe a couple more episodes of “Grace and Frankie.”
15. Tomorrow I will make a few personal calls, answer a few emails, and begin the process of marketing by looking over my list of things to do about that. I have a grand marketing plan, thanks to friends in several states where I’ll be scheduled for book signings at book stores and assisted living facilities. I have leads to follow up here in Norfolk. I will do that until the book comes back for more work.
THE WEEK BEHIND, THE WEEKS AHEAD: THE IMPORTANT STUFF
Coming up is a lot of in the world stuff-travel, book signings, people, people, people. Phone calls first-and a lot of them. Then Lord-knows-what.
A commitment to be a good steward of my mental and physical health is vital to balance that energy going out:
1. Early morning walk, 45 minutes round trip through a lovely neighborhood of late 19th and early 20th century homes.
2. A half hour of practice with the singing bowls.
3. The St. Francis prayer
4. Spending time with the baby. I anticipate it’s being wearing but, yesterday for example, after he left I found myself breathing more deeply, aware of relaxed muscles, and utterly focused and energized to work until nearly midnight with no strain or effort.
5. Helping a friend with her writing.
6. Getting to all my meetings.
7. Taking life easy. It’s all good.
