My new book, FOREVER, has been submitted to the publisher as of today (Friday, January 18, 2013) and should go to the production department Monday. I must say it’s exciting and a little daunting to face once again the work process which goes into publishing a book. I really thought after having one manuscript published I would be an old pro at it, but no matter how organized you think you are, something goes awry.

Getting an email with a book Submission Form attached should have been an easy thing to do. The form came to me in a read only file. To those of you who don’t know what that means, it’s simply this: I could only read the file, not work with it or write on it at all.  With no luck trying to save it to something that would work, I finally gave up. My submission consultant, Joan, asked the questions over the phone and filled in the blanks for me. I’m thinking to myself, smooth sailing the rest of the way. WRONG!!!!

Next, Author House tells me I need to send my picture and logo; they can’t find the ones they had on file.  I mean, really! Are they kidding me?? At this point I’m trying real hard not to ask the question, “What could possibly go wrong next.” I’ve learned from experience if you ask, you’re in for bigger trouble.

I found the author picture in my files and my daughter saved the day with the logo pictures. Thank you, Lisa.  Buttttttttt, perhaps unconsciously the no-no question swirled in my brain because…

…a black window with white lettering pops up on my screen. It won’t leave, no matter what I do and tells me “not connected to your wireless. Please push wireless button to turn back on.” First, I didn’t know I had a wireless button and secondly, if I did I sure didn’t know where to find it.

By this time my head hurts, my neck is having spasms, I’m trying my best to meet a deadline and I can’t get rid of the dreaded black box.  After wasting what seemed like thirty minutes, but in reality most likely was ten, trying to make the black box go away, I brought in the expert, my husband, Bill. He sits down at my desk, takes a fleeting glance, at least it seemed fleeting to me, and voilà, the box is gone. “What did you do,” I asked. “Pushed the wireless button,” he said. I was sure he had waved a magic wand or something.  “Where the heck is the button?” I wanted to know.  Trying not to smile, he told me.  I thanked him profusely and sat back down at my desk.

I’m sure once FOREVER gets to production there will be more drama but for now, my wireless is up and running, my manuscript has been uploaded to the publishing house. YEA!!!