A very patient man

''Posted on the Squeetus Blog March 29, 2006 12:47 PM PST. ''

This is mostly what I've been doing the past two nights: pretending to be doing something else while I'm actually staring at Dean as he reads.Reads  diary of a lady's maid. My first reader. For my new book. My new baby. It's enough to drive a girl insane.

He wouldn't say anything while he was reading, only the occassional "it's good" with an encouraging smile.

Insane.

Last night I sat on the couch, unable to pretend any more, and massaged his feet while he read. Sometimes he'd slowly move the manuscript to block out all view of me, but other times he'd forget I was there, and the paper would lower down, and I could watch his eyes scan the page. Occassionally when he noticed my watching, he'd pull out his pen and pretend to write scathing comments in the margins. K, I know, I'm the most obnoxious wife in the world. (Have you seen Chevy Chase in Funny Farm? That was me, while he wife was reading his manuscript.) I couldn't help it! I was so anxious, and it meant so much, and I'm so fond of this story and the main character, and I couldn't think of anything else besides, He's reading it right now! He's discovering the story for the first time? What does he think?

So, what does he think? Honey? Care to comment? Enquiring minds want to know. I'll tell you that he was very kind about it. But then, he always is. He gave me some great feedback, and I'm set to start on the third draft and make it better. Then I asked him, "How do you rank it with my other books?" Of course, I've asked this question before. I am  that  kind of a wife, after all. Here's what his answer used to be: About  diary, last night he said, "Right now, it's my new favorite." Favorite! Huzzah! Of course, it may just be because it's the freshest in his mind. But that's hopeful, right? I can't wait to see it mature and improve. I have such a lovely dream of the book it can grow into.
 * 1) Enna Burning
 * 2) City of Rivers (he refuses to call it River Secrets)
 * 3) Goose Girl
 * 4) Princess Academy
 * 5) Ostensibly Jane (he refuses to call it Austenland)

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