The Queen's Albatross

[The Queen]

Three rewritten chapters down - not sure how many to go, as they've had me cut out so much, probably to hold over for another volume, some day. Whatever. Hope to be done with this by the end of this week.

[Drunk Monk]

good luck with finishing it all up!

[The Queen]

DONE. Proofers have it now. Once I get finished with their feedback, it's back to the education department, where it will no doubt sit and wait for several months again, doing nothing until they change their minds yet again. Or maybe it won't - maybe they'll finally get their acts in gear and get it published.

[Drunk Monk]

Both of our albatrosses are taking flight in March. Greatness comes in pairs.
I just returned a bikini too.

[The Queen]

You thought it was dead, right? So did I, but apparently not. The Queen's Albatross is threatening to transform into a Phoenix -- no, that's not right; it wasn't burnt into ashes, it was just hidden in a hole where others hoped it would be forgotten: that's it, it's attempting an escape from the oubliette.

This textbook I've now been writing and rewriting for what, nearly three years was the victim of internal warfare between the Support & Training department (which provides products, supplies and services to professional court reporters as well as students) and the Education department (which provides products & supplies to students). The Education manager doesn't like The Queen, and doesn't want The Queen's Albatross as part of *her* product line. Her official stated reason is, get this: The Queen's punctuation is based on a different style manual than she would prefer. Uh-huh.

Sigh. Anyway, my boss is pushing once more to resurrect it and wants it available in time for the General Release of Version 12 of our software (February 22nd). My only task in the process is modifying part of one chapter to fix the installation instructions to conform with the new version; final editing and putting it into Publisher is up to someone else. So... cross your fingers. Maybe 3rd time is the charm and I will finally have my book published by March of 2011.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

Sounds like the Education Manager needs a little visit from DOOM.

[The Queen]

And of course, by March, 2011, they meant July, 2011. My own personal Lucy is claiming that she'll have a final version for me to approve by end of day today, and then once I approve it, it goes to the printer, because they want copies to take to the national convention which starts on July 27th in Las Vegas.

I'll believe it when I see it.

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

Isn't that metaphor for our times? We all have our personal Lucy's.

[Drunk Monk]

with diamonds

[The Queen]

The "final" was sent tome this morning. I've finished proofing, suggesting final formatting corrections and changes. I'm starting to get excited. I probably shouldn't.

[The Queen]

They just sent me a copy of the cover art. Good Lord, is this really going to happen? Feeling like I'm about a step away from kicking the frickin' ball.

[Drunk Monk]

what does the cover art look like?

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

Bad 90's clip art.

[The Queen]

I'd show you but it's not hosted on a web site anywhere, so I can't insert the image here.

[The Queen]

The Queen's Albatross has taken wing. They've got the publisher's proof copy of "Fundamentals of Case CATalyst" on display at the convention and several schools have already ordered copies. I'd be even more excited if I got royalties for copies sold, but I'm just happy it actually exists.