I Hate Waiting

My life has been very busy of late. This is always a very busy time of year at my day job with the University of Illinois. We're closing in on the end of our fiscal year, so everyone is rushing to spend the last of their budget money before June 30th. That's my job - to spend someone else's money, which I have to admit has a pleasing aspect. It's even more pleasing when I can figure out ways to save them money. This year seems more busy than usual. Perhaps it's my age...

When I come home, there's lots to do there, too. We just finished building a corral in the back yard for our Labradobbie, Tucker. No kidding, it's a corral, complete with split rail fences. He sort of runs like a horse, so it seemed appropriate. We redid the flower garden, finally started a vegetable garden, put more rock in the driveway ... and somehow visited the grandkids and attended our daughter-in-law's college graduation. All while it rained every other day, I swear.

So the days go fast until just before bedtime, when I remember Dawn. Dawn Johnson is my editor friend. She has a sharp eye for what's wrong with a story, what's marginally okay, and what's just plain stupid. She's a terror about commas, which is a problem, because I'm very protective of my commas. ("Back off, lady! They're mine and I'll do what I want with them!") She also counts exclamation marks! And claims I use too many!

Dawn has had the manuscript of my second novel, An American Fairy, for about three weeks. She's the first person besides my wife to see it. I'm scared witless what she's going to think of it. Too short? Too long? Not enough humor? Too much humor? Too much romance? The right amount of magic? And how many typos and word use mistakes will she find? Most important, will she like the story?

So the days go fast and slow. Waiting on Dawn. I hate waiting.

(Check out Dawn's cool blog site, Menopause Press, at http://menopausepress.net/?page_id=21 )