Letting Go

I've been writing fiction for about as long as I was able to read it. I remember writing stories (of a sort) by the age of seven. And 23 years later, I actually managed to publish my first short story in a national magazine. I have since acquired several publishing credits, but at this moment--waiting for my first novel to come off the press--I feel once again like a novice. This is an entirely different experience. Last week, I proofread the final galleys and entrusted the rest of the process to my publisher and fate. The baby has finally grown up and, as wobbly as she may be, must now walk on her own. So when you settle down with her and enter the world between the covers, please be gentle.