I finished my novel revision pass yesterday so I have a few days to read it beginning to end, front to back, catching any last little changes before it's off to my editor. This is always the time where I'm suddenly startled into realizing this is for *real.*

It's both a humble and exciting startle:

Wow. I really get to do this? These characters will reach out and maybe find a home in a child's heart? How amazing is that?

And a horrified startle:

What? Wait. We're going to send this into the world? Whose idea was that?!

It's like being at the top of the rollercoaster, realizing there's only one way to go and that's ahead.

So Page One, here we go.