next step

Thanks for all of your excitement about Something Like Fate! I’ve gotten several emails from book reviewers asking about advance copies. Actually, it will be a while until the galleys are printed. I’m just about to go over the copyedits, so we’re still in the process of polishing the manuscript for greatest possible shine factor. If you’re a book reviewer who has a blog or other site and would like to receive a galley of Something Like Fate, you can send me the link to your site and your mailing address next February or March and I’ll add you to the galley list. it’s a bit too early to compile the list now, especially since Waiting for You just came out! Oh, and here’s a sneak preview of books coming out next spring from Publishers Weekly. Mitali from Alley of Books sent me the link because that’s just how sweet she is.

I was doing data entry of contact info we received after canvassing for President Obama’s health care reform petition (which you can sign here) when I recognized the name of an old student. I also recognized her handwriting, so I know it was her. I think she was my student back in 2000 or 2001. It made me think about how we remember the most random things, like what a person’s handwriting looks like even if we haven’t seen it for years, but at the same time we forget some big things. Like, friends from college will tell me about major stuff that happened and I’m all, “Really? I was there?” It’s just so interesting how our memories are filtered.

If you’re anything like me, you are familiar with the frustration of breaking in new summer shoes. My flip-flops have been awesome this summer, but I have a new pair of flats that are a trip to Blister City if I want to wear them for more than, say, two blocks. My usual strategy is to put clear first aid tape on to prevent blisters (more durable than Band-Aids, plus almost invisible). Now I have an even better solution. I’ve been trying to track down Band-Aid Friction Block Stick for a while and finally found it! I haven’t tried it yet, but my expectations are very high. Basically, you just rub it on, step into your shoes, and you’re good to go. I will put it to the flats test and report back.

Okay, time to get ready to focus on copyedits. Just like my recent line-editing experience, this will be my first time going over copyedits entirely on screen. It turns out that the shift from working with paper to getting our green on was a lot easier than I thought it would be. That’s the thing about changes. We’re usually not a fan, but lots of times unexpected changes make your life way better than you ever imagined they would.