By Joe Moore
No, I don't mean the day the Allies invaded Normandy. I'm talking about deadline day. Today happens to be the deadline for my co-author Lynn Sholes and I to turn in the finished manuscript for THE 731 LEGACY, our latest installment in the Cotten Stone series.
It's a strange feeling to click on the email send button and watch your "baby" upload into cyberspace. Sort of like watching your son or daughter drive off to college. You take a deep breath as mixed emotions flood your heart. You're glad to be finished but at the same time, there's a feeling of sadness at the thought of ending another long journey.
After all, we've been writing about, talking about, plotting, and scheming about Cotten Stone through 4 books and six years. So far, we've traveled across most of the continents with her, explored the Secret Archives of the Vatican, dark tunnels below the Kremlin, a lost city among the cloud-shrouded Peruvian Andes, the crumbling Anasazi ruins of New Mexico, Dracula's Castle in Eastern Europe, and the heart of the darkest place on earth: North Korea. Along the way, we also explored the science of quantum mechanics, human cloning, and biological and cyber terrorism.
We've watched Cotten grow from a young rookie news reporter fresh out of college into a world class investigative correspondent for the Satellite News Network. Jim Rollins called her a "female Indiana Jones with a press pass", and Doug Preston said she's "a heroine for the ages."
We've seen her face unspeakable physical, mental, and most of all, spiritual darkness--and survive. Cotten Stone has become as much a part of my life, and I'm sure Lynn's, as any of my family or friends are. I miss her already.
For me, it's a mixture of relief and emptiness to return to my computer and get ready to start the next journey. So how about you. As a writer, how do you feel the day you send your "baby" off to the publisher?
8 comments:
Hopeful.
& congrats. Hope it sells a billion copies.
Relief and joy are my primary emotions when I release (and it does feel more like a release than a delivery) the finished MS. I'm exhilarated and exhausted and ready for something completely different. After a break, that is.
CONGRATS to you and Lynn on Number 4.
Nina
I always suffer post partum depression.
Congrats on finishing another!
Sue Ann
Glee and relief, mixed with a tiny bit of trepidation and sense of loss. I'm usually itching to get onto something new, which helps.
Kudos on your successful delivery, and here's to many more!
Thanks to everyone for their feedback and well wishes, especially to Mark for his technical advice and keen eyes as one of our beta readers.
Congrats, Joe!
I'm with Nina. Sending off the work is a real release. Of course, in my case, it is usually followed shortly with the return and rejection. :)
Which means I'm also with Sue. No one tells writers about the post partum depression that comes with finishing a book. I've written two and after a day or so it felt like I got slugged in the face.
Still, no choice but to trek on! You got that right about getting back to the keyboard.
Was it a boy or a girl???
Congratulations on what is certain to be another winner!
Joe, this post, confirms (along with your tendency to volunteer me for arduous tasks) your sadistic tendencies. Do I want to read about your tristesse at sending off a manuscript when I am laboring in the midst of mine? Have a heart, man.
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