Wild celebrations
I sent off the book last night — my current manuscript, I mean. It’s a draft, which means it’s the best I can make it at the moment. I need time away from it, time to think of other things before I look at it again, and revise it.
My editor will read it and send me back her comments and revisions. Contrary to what a lot of people think, she won’t “correct” it or make changes, but put comments in the sidebar pointing out inconsistencies, parts that aren’t clear, issues she thinks might be problematic, and any questions she has. 
It’s up to me then to revise the book, taking into account her comments. It’s wonderful to have a fresh eye on it: she’ll notice things I’ve missed, or forgotten.
Normally when I’ve sent off a book I celebrate with writing friends, but we’re in serious Lockdown here in Melbourne and I can only have one visitor in my “bubble” and there’s no possibility of meeting at a restaurant, which is what we usually do, because they’re closed for all except takeaway.
The other part of my post-book celebration is truly wild and exciting — I catch up on the housework I’ve neglected in the past few weeks, do my tax, attack some weeds in the garden, attempt for the eighty-sixth time to declutter my house — thrilling things like that.
So, do you want to know how I celebrated this time? Last night after I’d emailed off the manuscript file (in time for 9am New York time, which is where my editor is) I donned my mask and headed out in the gloom of the night, stood in a dark laneway, knocked on a window, and was handed a flat white box by another masked man.
Yes, I got a takeaway pizza. Which I ate on my own at home with the dog looking wistfully on. (Don’t worry, she’d already eaten — proper dog food, plus a meaty bone.)
It’s actually the first take-away pizza I’ve had since March so it is a bit special. (I’ve been watching my weight and avoiding take-out food and trying to eat healthy.) And I love this particular one. It’s a capricciosa, and it has fior di latte (like mozzarella), artichokes, field mushrooms, tender leg ham and olives. It’s one of the few pizza places I know that includes the artichokes and it’s delicious.
I’ll eat the other half of the pizza for dinner tonight — after I’ve celebrated with housework and weeds — they don’t make small, medium or family sized pizzas; just a one-person serving size, but it’s for a hearty appetite.
Do you love pizza? What’s your favorite?
Italian sausage with peppers and onions, yes!
Sounds good to me, Mary Jo.
Is it weird that when I get new books by favorite authors (like Putney and Gracie), I put off reading them for a little bit, even though I’ve looked forward to them for so long? It’s like I don’t want to eat all the chocolates in the box on the day I get them.
Martina, I’m a bit like that, too — I save them up for a treat, for when I really need them. And then I gobble them up in one hit, and then wish I’d read slower.
Not a big fan of olives on pizza, but that looks absolutely delicious! I think I could eat pizza almost every night. We like a round with a thick, soft crust around the edges like yours, with pepperoni, ham, mushrooms and onion and then of course, I must do half green pepper as well for hubs. I can’t eat peppers anymore, they bother me, so I get my half and he gets his.
Can’t wait for the new book. :)
Thanks, Theo — that sounds yummy. Really, I’ve never met a pizza I didn’t like. (g)
Wonderful news and congratulations.
For me: Calzone, but in very specific circumstances involving rainy winter days in older parts of a town, red-and-white plastic tablecloths, and a beer-mug of lemonade.
Thanks, Kathleen. Nice, evocative image. To my shame, I’ve never had calzone. I’m not a big fan of sweet things (except for chocolate) so if it’s a choice between calzone and capricciosa — the savoury wins every time. ;)
Congratulations! Lucky for us to have a new book! Just finished rereading the Married in Haste books and just loved George’s book. Thank you! I love meat lover’s style pizza or I recently made a thin crust ricotta, mozzarella, chicken, sundried tomatoes and onions pizza. It was a nice splurge. Thank you again for all of your great books.
Thanks so much, Kristie — I’m so pleased you enjoyed the “marry in” series, and George and her duke. That thin crust ricotta pizza sounds yummy.
Italian sausage, mushrooms and tons of cheese.
Yep, Annette I do love mushrooms on a pizza.
Aw,man, that pizza looks good! I wouldn’t turn down a slice of yours. Just so long as a pizza doesn’t have spicy peppers or chiles, I’m happy with what you’re having. (Lots of cheese is always a plus.) And it always tastes better when someone else makes or buys it, I say. LOL. Cheers to progress in the writing process!
Thanks Regina, you’d be most welcome to share. I actually like a hot/spicy pizza, though this one isn’t at all spicy.
Forgot to comment on your lilacs last time…we’re heading into winter, so it’s nice to see spring. I ordered a pizza on Sunday…they put extra cheese on it by mistake, but I forgave them and ate it over three days! Something about pizza is true comfort food, and I can’t wait until I can eat it in Italy again.
Oh, Martina, what a disaster — extra cheese! LOL. And yes, it is real comfort food, isn’t it?
Spicy seafood pizza for me!
Loved your insight re the editing process. You’re spot on – that’s exactly what I initially thought an editor did – “correct” it and make changes. And I had this fairy tale idea that once I’d written my novel – they would do all the polishing!
Vicki, I think it’s a widespread belief, and maybe that’s what used to happen years ago. But these days editors are too busy to spend huge amounts of time polishing an author’s writing.
I remember doing an author talk at a library once and I took along an edited manuscript — in those days everything was still on paper. I remember a guy flipping through, looking for all the corrections and not finding them. I explained how it worked, and that I had a revision letter, but I don’t think he believed me.