Joy!

[matril]

My last post was excessively bitter, so it's high time I posted something pleasant. And I have good cause to be happy right now! A few months ago my husband urged me to send a copy of the first novel of my series-in-progress to someone in our church congregation who seemed like the sort who would enjoy reading it. She and her family were actually moving to another state, so even though I sent her a copy of the book it took a while for her to get through the business of settling into a new home, unpacking, etc. A few days ago she sent me an email saying that she was finally able to start my book, and would keep me posted. Now, this novel is over 300 pages - you could read it in a day or two, perhaps, but only if you did nothing but read. Lo and behold, today she sent me an email declaring that she had finished it! and couldn't put it down until she read the whole thing! She had very positive things to say about it, and not just generic gushing, but thoughtful comments that were oh-so-gratifying. I must confess I did a little happy dance, I was so excited.

Finding readers to comment on/critique my work is one step I've been trying to take as part of the eventual process of submitting it for pulication. And here I am...one step closer. Do I dare? It's not the end of the world if I get rejected; in fact, if I, a previously unpublished author, didn't get rejected by a handful of places at the start, maybe that would be a sign of the end of the world - it's certainly never happened before to any typical new author, after all. ;) And if there's any chance that eventually, someone would be interested and have it published - well, that's one childhood dream I would be overjoyed to see fulfilled.

:gulps: Or I could just keep working on the series for my own (and my family's) private reading and never, ever, ever do something daring.