I’m not one to celebrate a lot of bookish milestones. In fact, I’m not one to celebrate milestones, period. I’m pretty happy to let birthdays slide by without notice. Holiday traditions I can take or leave. That’s a shame, really, if I think about it. Growth comes from reflection. Meaning-making does too.

December 11th is a memorable day in my family’s history. For sad reasons, not good. But it’s a day of undeniable reflection and of much-needed meaning. So this year, on December 11th, when I received both sets of first pass pages (from the US and the UK) for charm & strange,  I decided it was a milestone worth marking. It’s the last time I’ll get to see the manuscript before it’s a book. Before it’s no longer mine.

So here’s a snapshot of the US manuscript in all its messy marked-up glory. I love it. The interior design is beautiful. Stark and moody, just like the cover. Just like the story.

Okay, back to proofing I go!

bookish things