I got an email from my editor on the YA project. There are two editors—one I’m working directly with and another who is calling the shots. You may remember that I turned in the fifth draft of the manuscript in October. Since then, it’s been a waiting game. About a month ago, I received word that we had a final release window: Summer 2025. I received a promise that the launch date wouldn’t change again. The idea was the manuscript would be completed by me and turned into copyedit by April and we’d have a finished draft by May. The completed draft by May is important because they can print advance review copies and get blurbs and reviews and start stirring up attention before next summer.

Yesterday, I got a hopeful and apologetic email. It looks like we might have the edits by Monday, the email said. However, my edits would be due April 16—not even a month. Then within the hour, I got another email. False alarm, the edits are not ready and aren’t forthcoming. At this point, I’m just receiving the emails and watching the emails like it’s a movie.

All I know is at some point in the future, I’ll get line edits on the novel. My deadline will not be sustainable and I will not have sufficient time with the notes. And whenever I turn in my edits, there’s no telling what will happen next. There will be definitive information one day. Sadly, today is not that day. Ha!

Onward,

—K.