Nearly Done!

"The Linen Butterfly" is one step from complete.

I'm going to take some time to read it aloud to my husband next. This will help me iron out any last remaining bits of awkward prose and bad pacing.

Once that's done, I'm going to make any final changes, then I'm going to submit my final draft to DAW books to see if they want it.

I'm making a bold move by submitting my work to a large publisher. I've gone through it again and again trying to make it as polished as possible.

Realistically, I don't expect this to get past the submissions editor at DAW, Peter Stampfel. He's an industry gatekeeper with finicky tastes. That being said, I've done a bit of research on what he wants and I definitely have something that will stand out as a 1 in 1000 submission. The question is, will it be the "one in a few thousand" Stampfel refers to as being worth passing on to the next tier of editors?

Realistically, I have serious doubts. But the praise and support my work has received gives me hope. I'll submit it more or less exactly as I would to my usual publisher and make my cover letter honest but not self-deprecating.

I've developed a habit as a writer of shooting for the moon. I haven't made it yet, but every time I fall short I get a little more stardust on me.