In all the excitement of the last few weeks, I forgot to mention something else that happened when I met with my new publishers in Sydney. When they asked me about any other projects I’ve been working on, I told them about another (unrelated) YA manuscript I completed at the end of last year. Actually, when I say, ‘I told them about’, what I really mean is, ‘I began to tell them about’, because we all got so side-tracked with the concept behind the story that I never had the chance to expand on what the plot was actually about. But anyway, they were so excited that they asked to see that manuscript too (without really having any idea what it was about) and so when I arrived home that night I sent it straight off.

The moment I hit ‘send’ it was like my brain caught up to what was actually happening and I began having a mini-nervous breakdown. No kidding! All I kept thinking was:

What if they don’t like it?

Which spiralled into:

What if they hate it so much that they wonder why they ever offered me a contract on my first manuscript?

Which further dramatised into:

What if it sucks so bad that they re-evaluate their entire decision?

And then:

What if they decide I can’t actually write?

Before, finally:

What if they think that my stories are junk, my characters are hideous, and that there are so many more competent, capable, and gifted writers out there?

What if…? What if…? What if…?

Needless to say, it was pretty nerve-wracking! Especially when I came to the realisation that I will probably have the exact same thought processes every time I send them off a new manuscript in the future. (And considering the first manuscript I signed with them is part of a five-book series, that is a lot of nervous-thought-time ahead of me! Yikes!).

But… Well… As the title of this post suggests, I have some seriously awesome news: I heard back from the submissions editor today and …

…*drum roll please*…

He loved it!

I’m so stoked – for so many reasons. I mean, the others still have to read it and love it (again with the scary-ness!), but the initial positive feedback is just so encouraging, you know? So, yeah, I’m on top of the world right now. (Actually, I think I’ve been on top of the world ever since this amazing publishing journey began just over a fortnight ago).

So, yes, I’m doing a happy dance right now!