Almost, almost, almost done.

My original goal was to send The Dead Spend No Gold off to my editors for one final copy-edit on the 20th of July, and have it done by August 1.

I got a little ahead of myself and sent the book on Monday, the 14th.  Then I had to be all flaky like and tell them, "Nevermind."

Finishing this book is a little like the last day of school, the last hour of work before a vacation.  I want to finish that term paper, get that pile on my desk cleared, but I'm already daydreaming.

Anyway, I forced myself back to the book yesterday.

I wanted to get some alpine descriptions for the later scenes in the book, so I drove up Cascade Lakes Highway.  It was impossible to get to the height I wanted to get.  I didn't dress for it, didn't have the right kind of shoes.  The roads really don't go there, and I didn't have a permit.  (It did get me hankering to start doing some kayaking up there on the lakes...)

Still managed to take 4 pages of notes, though, which I will be adding to the book today.

Then?  Just some more touch-up and polishing for the rest of the day.  I work tomorrow at the store.

Linda has agreed to let me read the book out loud to her on Friday and Saturday, which will be enormously helpful.  Somehow, when reading to another person, I just seem to catch to much more.  I don't know why that consciousness helps, but it does.

Then I'll send the book off, as originally scheduled, on July 20.

As I keep saying, I'm trying to be patient and diligent and mature about this.