Well, my book Hamilton's Pond made it through its first big hoop: the editor. As far as she's concerned, it's a go! Now it's off to the review committee. I'm not sure what that means--whether it's something of a formality or yet another potential obstacle. At any rate, I'm glad to have news. Now it's wait, wait, wait again for the reviewer feedback to come in. That should be several more weeks.
I'll be interested to see whether any of the reviewers question the use of the word "asphalt." I hadn't thought of it before, but today during an email exchange with my editor, I decided that the word was perhaps a bit old for children the ages of my intended audience. I did "field research" on three subjects ages 5, 10, and 12. Neither the 5-year-old nor the 10-year-old knew what the word meant. The 12-year-old did. (Incidentally, the 12-year-old is my son.) I suggested "tar" as a possible change from my own text since I talk only of how somethings smelled--not what it actually was.
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Jonathan (four-and-a-half) might know what asphalt is because we frequently read "Building a New Road" from Richard Scarry's What Do People Do All Day? (Manda credits RS's Best Storybook Ever for Owen's vocabulary.) Or he might call it "blacktop" because that's the word Bruce has used about the road destruction/construction going on near campus lately. I'm not sure whether he knows the word "tar."
ReplyDeleteIf the editor and review committee are who I think they are, it's not just a formality. But put the emphasis more on "potential" than on "obstacle." In my experience, the committee usually reaches the same conclusion as the editor. Most recommendations to reject merely confirm her suspicions about questionable submissions that weren't clearly yes or no decisions. Sometimes the committee will have further suggestions for revision though. And the editor (and her boss) aren't obligated to follow the committee's recommendation at all; they seem to view it as important but not binding feedback to consider.
Not sure why I'm so loquacious today. I'm breaking my own unofficial rule against posting comments.
That's good information to have. Thanks! Glad you broke your rule.
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