Call for Encouragement

So, a few weeks ago I sent in 77 pages of my manuscript to a professional editing group for review. It was scary. When you pay someone for an opinion, you know you're going to get a real opinion, based on your words and content, not so much on whether or not someone still wants to be your friend. So I sent it off, and braced myself for whatever the results would be.

The edit was returned yesterday, and now, I am giddy with excitement. The review was actually positive. Very little editing occurred, and the final comments from the editor were very complimentary. My heart raced. My hands trembled. It felt good. She said the highest praise she could offer my manuscript is that she was interested in what would happen next. She wished she could continue reading to find out. Gah! Well how about we make that happen?! Do you know someone? Are you related to Gerald Lund? Sherry Dew? President Monson? Do you think he'd like to read it?

Okay. Maybe I'm getting a bit carried away. But holy smokes. Now I have to decide what to do next. And that's the scariest thing ever. It seems simple, really. Print it out. Send it in. And wait. Continue breathing, and remember that if the first publisher says no, others might say yes. Say a prayer. Remind myself that if everyone says no, I can't give up and stop writing. Then cry, because really, deep down on the inside I'm pretty sure that everyone IS going to say no, because publishing a book is HUGE, and why on earth would I ever be qualified for that?!

Have you ever done anything big? Something that you really didn't think you would accomplish, but then because you are totally awesome and you put your mind to it, you did anyway? I need some inspirational stories today. So, how bout you brag on yourself? Please? You absolutely have my permission to call yourself awesome at least three times per comment. After all, it's all in the name of encouragement... and everyone could use a little bit of that, right?