Counting Chickens

A wonderful and positive email came from an educational publisher today. They sent my manuscript out for peer review and teachers love it. In fact I had to get a big bar of chocolate, I can handle criticism but struggle with praise and the feedback from teachers was great. Not only that, they want me to revise my manuscript and start working on my next book. BRILLIANT or is it? No contract yet? No advance?

I'm excited. I haven't sold my novel but its a step in the right direction. I want to jump up and down and start writing Facebook comments about my publisher BUT, I've been here before. The horrible truth is you're not published until you're in print.

Deals fall over for all sorts of reasons, and I have learnt not to count your chickens. Here are some of the reasons I have fallen at the first jump.

There was a 'misunderstanding' when the publisher made me an offer for my book. I didn't get a publishing contract after all.

The publisher went bankrupt before my book is published.

My editor leaves or and her replacement hates my book and decides not to publish it.

The publisher is having a tough time and decides that they would lose money publishing your book, so cans it.

So no waving knickers in the air .... yet.