What’s Up Doc #32: Listen Up! Short Story Collection Compiled

What the heck am I doing?

I have no idea. My pants have no seat and I am freaking out. Not the “I’m tearing out my hair and screaming like a Hyena with a lampshade on my head” kind of freak out. It’s the “staring into space watching the headlights come towards me” kind of freak out.

It has taken two years to gather stories and learn to finish a story. Of course, now my Beta Readers often complain that my worlds are too big for flash.

“Ye gawds, woman. It deserves to be longer.”

“But Mighty Beta Reader, haven’t you noticed it has a beginning, middle, AND an end?”

Beta Reader does not look amused.

“The end is important! That means I finished something…not like that king-sized crochet blanket that’s still half done ten years later,” I say.

Here is where we are:

Stories written and collected — check.

Edited fifty times and still finding stupid commas — check

Pre-Beta “Does this suck and should I burn it?” — check times 3

Remove from Google Docs and split-recompile into Scrivner — check 12 hours

Find stupid transfer errors and delete one-by-one — check with beer

Two manuscripts out for one opinion read and one harder Beta — double check

I am sure you have questions.

Are you going to hire someone to copy edit?

Chaching. Not this time. Unlike the government I don’t have a limitless debt cap. However, if by some magical alignments this collection makes a sum, I shall put aside 10 percent for the next book. A book-book rather than short stories!

What about hiring a proofreader? You need a proofreader!

I am sure I do need one, but there is that problem of chaching. I know everyone says you can’t do it yourself, but there has got to be a way to learn. After all, how do the people who make a living doing it learn!? I am buying one thing and that’s an IBSN

Where are you publishing?

Createspace. Once I figure it out. Formats will be in both paperback and ebook.

Psst. Marketing?

Okay, that’s enough questions for now. Now, where did I put that paper bag?

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