The next challenge

I figured out a way to write more love poems for my book. I wrote some new material to put in there, which I thought was pretty good. My nephew read one of the songs I'm putting in there and he really liked it, too. He'll probably be mad about how this song will go into a poetry book and not turned into a song, but, eh, there will be others. There will ALWAYS be others.

But now I have another challenge: The dedication. I need to dedicate this book to someone. Someone who I love. But....well, there isn't anyone. I do love someone, but that's a "fantasy love." I don't KNOW him. It would be silly to dedicate the book to him when I don't even know him! LOL Oh. Might even weird him out... Yikes.

Well, anyway. At this point, the dedication reads "dedicated to the one I love." Wow, how's THAT for an all-purpose dedication?? I figure it could work because it makes the book more personal for SOMEONE else. I really see this book as a gift book. Something special couples could share. Heck, even some of those poems could be used for weddings! And, if I'm lucky enough, it could be published just in time for Valentine's Day. But, anyway. I made the dedication a general one and right now that doesn't LOOK right to me. But maybe I will change it later on? I don't know. Maybe before it gets published, I can change it, possibly in the event that my personal life changes. Who knows what will happen.

Regardless, I finished finalizing the manuscript today. YAY!!! I was VERY HAPPY about getting it done. It is officially "ready" to submit. I don't remember how to use "page break" to ensure the formatting stays the way it's supposed to be, but the publisher will figure it out, anyway. (Luckily, I have that comfort with THIS particular publisher to let this formatting oversight slide.) But, yes, it's ALL DONE and READY. It's 70 pages long, with 60 poems in all. IT'S READY! IT'S READY! IT'S READYYY!!! LOL Sorry. I wanted to run around in the front yard yelling "It's done! It's done!" Haha. My neighbors KNOW I'm a writer and that I've been working on it, so I don't think the sight would freak them out all that much. Haha. But, I didn't do that. I DID IM my nephew, though, with those exact words. Haha I was HAPPY!!! Yay!! ANOTHER poetry book OUT the door! Sweet!!

I have been TRYING to get this book published for so long. I mean, the original manuscript was put together in 1993! This is partly why I wanted to add new material to the book. And now I have the chance to get it published. Even though I know the publisher, I realize he might still reject the book. So, I'm doing some serious finger-crossing it all goes well. If it DOES get rejected, at least I'll have it ready to start vigorously shopping around.

After I printed out the book, I wanted to take a break from the computer stuff. I still had to proofread my short story that's getting published soon (the editor emailed it to me as a PDF), but I had just finished this huge project and wanted to lie down for a little bit. Besides, I was SO TEMPTED to send it off now and I knew I couldn't do that. I had to look it over ONE LAST TIME to check for typos or if I missed anything.

And it's a good thing I did because, as I was lying on the bed and looking at it, I realized I'd forgotten one thing. My NAME on the title page!! Whoopsie....