Onwards and Upwards

Now that I've had more time to get used to the disappointment of the publication date being put back to August, it doesn't seem as bad as it did. I feared that my publishers might have been trying to tell me gently that my book might not be published at all. But, after a phone conversation with them today, I find they are currently working at getting advance copies ready, and so on. It seems that not having some 'book form' copies ready to send out was hindering getting the necessary publicity. They feel that, with the extra time, they can take up more marketing opportunities.

Meanwhile, I'll use the extra time to promote my 'book-to-be' in any way I can. I mustn't just sit back and think, well, August is ages away. Since reaching the age of 21 (many moons ago) I've sometimes found that I've just blinked a few times, and months - even years - have whizzed by.

And maybe when I've put myself through the ritual humiliation of doing talks at my speakers club for another few months, I'll be brim-full of self-confidence by the time my book is launched. Last night I stood bravely in front of a room full of people and struggled through an impromptu talk on 'Would you like to be given a gift of stationery?' The previous week, my longer, planned talk called 'Washing Mice' (don't ask) seemed to go down well. My theory is that if I keep putting myself through this, I will, in time, come to enjoy public speaking more than I would enjoy pulling my teeth out with pliers.

Back to my book. I thought I'd finished all the editing, and now it is being suggested that I expand a section. I won't reject this suggestion out of hand (nor will I stick pins in an image of the editor who suggested it), but I'm not sure it's a good idea to do further 'tinkering' at this stage. I wonder: when does editing stop improving a manuscript and start spoiling it?

So that's it. It seems all is not lost. Onwards and upwards.