I heard a movie director on a DVD say that once, and I had to chuckle. I used to work with deadlines all the time and can testify to the truth of it. Everything needs one last addition, one last edit pass. You wake up and your first thought is, “Dear bog, did I really say that?” Now that I’m an old hermit and unencumbered with enforceable deadlines, this could have gone on forever but I swear it won’t.
For the benefit of those who have quite reasonably stopped waiting, the … um, well, what we used to call a manuscript, which dates me badly … was supposed to go out yesterday. I quite gave up on trying to get my 20+ megabyte document formatted for ebook publishing on Amazon from here, and have secured help from a pro. So it actually will happen, though I still can’t say when. It didn’t go out yesterday because your humble correspondent actually is a desert hermit – I didn’t have a ride or even money enough for postage*. But I bummed a thumb drive from Ian and have made arrangements to get to a town with a post office on Friday. And of course I’m making a last flurry of changes.
Here’s what I sincerely hope is the final cover…
…courtesy of a generous (and patient) reader who will find his name on the frontispiece.
So yeah – though fitfully, I am actually working on it.
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*My finances are not normally quite that pathetic. But I’ve gathered every penny I can raise and begged a few favors to help with a tire buy, which will happen later this week with luck. Uncle Jeep will get new rubber – and then probably break down completely.
Indeed… and thus the birth of so many sayings like: if it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.
My first husband and I bought a big older Dodge van once. It was cheap because it needed everything engine wise – though the body was good and sound. He was a terrific mechanic and could fix just about anything. He worked on it for almost a year in his spare time and it ran beautifully. Eventually, we put out the money to get it painted white (ideal color for the desert), since it was an eyesore of bondo and rust patches on a horrible red background.
And yep, a few months later someone ran a red light, Tboned and totaled it. Bent the frame, broke an axel, really messed it up. Luckily nobody was killed. We bought another Dodge van basket case and he transplanted the engine… but it just never was the same, and we were not about to spend the money to paint it, even though air/sea rescue orange was not my idea of an ideal color. At least nobody could ever say they couldn’t see me coming!
Best laid plans of mice and men… or something like that. But, you just have to live and take the risk most of the time. Murphy is an optimist…
Hah, you were patient with me when I dropped off the face of the earth all summer. Also wondering if that email account is still acting up and sending your mail to the junk folder. Sorry if I missed anything. If you need any last minute changes or anything let me know.
As far as I know we’ve got it nailed. Though I do know the people I’m sending the package to have strong opinions about covers, and may have suggestions. Personally I like it the way it is.
Sounds good, if you want a full resolution version (4.6mb) let me know!