Couple, Few, Several, Many

[xakara]

Couple=2. Few=3. Several=4 or more. Many=7ish and beyond.

It's not a hard, fast rule, but for the most part the above is how my lovely private school education broke down the words.

So when I was told that the second editor my short story was passed on towould get back to me in a few weeks, I knew I couldn't get nervous until at least three weeks had passed. Nearly three weeks to the day I got my answer.

I sold it.

I mailed off the contract today after going over it several times and making sure I understood it. At just 48hrs old, the whole thing is incredibly new and lacking in sufficient detail, but it doesn't lessen any of the excitement.

What I do know is that it'll come out early next year...

And we've now covered the portion of things I know. :)

If I don't sound as excited as I should and seem to be lacking the appropriate exclamation points and such, don't misunderstand. I am happy and excited.

It's unconditional and there's no "but", "except for", "if not for", attached. I'm happy and grateful. Period.

I'm just two days passed the *Happy Dance* and onto the deeper gratitude of the situation.

It's not just about the sale and having the publishing credit. Hell, it's an epublisher, I don't even know if they count as a pub credit. What I do know from author blogs and conversations is that they're discerning and not afraid to reject what they feel doesn't work.

That means that during the editing of the story, I'll be getting back valuable feedback to help with every area of writing. The 15,000 words edited for it directly helps the 30K I'm working on now. That 30K helps the 60K I have due weeks from now. The 60K helps the 120K of the manuscript I already have done.

How Fan-frakin'-tastic is that!?

I'm incredibly excited about the editing process and what it can yield in everything else I write. As I result a quiet 'yayness' is what's left of the inital WOO-HOO as I wait to see what happens next.

Keep your fingers crossed, My Four Readers, that it'll come in threes. Hearing back from an agent and placing in the contest I entered would be great. (Even nearly placing where someone gave detailed feedback on the contest entry would be great). I'll also take having this current story picked up right away as well. :D

Speaking of which, it's time for me to go and work on that story a bit. The clock is ticking and my Zen-Groove is flagging in the face of Deadline Stress. I don't have many days left and there are several things to still do and few opportunities to do it all to my liking. Time to knock out a couple of pages so I can rest.

Ramble Done.

Til

~X

Update: I've been corrected and told that at 15K words it's not a short story but a novella or novelette. Well, okay.