Nerves are frayed

I guess the feeling never changes.

Nerves are frayed, all kinds of thoughts run through your mind, and your nails never grow long enough to shine with a bright coat of varnish as they're kept bitten to the core.

Yes, it's the feverish anticipation for a response from a publisher. I must admit that I've only submitted one query with a partial in all my years of writing. Yet here I am, checking my personal email several times a day for news. Any news. Hopefully good news!

This sub left my mailbox 15 weeks ago. Now I'm kindly informed by a helpful, successful writer that the cut off time for tentative enquiries as to your ms's whereabouts is 20 weeks! Ouch! My, how much does that test anyone's patience?! LOL

I hope to submit a query for Doubtful Allegiance once I'm closer to the end. This is likely to be by June. No point submitting it earlier, as my daily working life might interfere too much to allow me to devote enough time to guide it to a fantastic ending. But I'm keen to get it out there. And then get on with the contemporary story. Or even delve back into the Scottish Middle Ages.

It's both exhilarating and worrying, knowing a professional is about to assess your baby. Exhilarating because it's something you have created, nurtured and set free. Worrying for exactly the same reasons. None of us like having their work ripped to shreds after spending months, or even years, trying to get it just right, just the way we love it.

I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed. Hopefully, it's good news. :-)