So. Miss Missy’s School is done. Not done & done as in published– that’s whole ‘nuther can of worms. But in good enough shape to be read.

Mr. Big Food and I read it aloud in three chunks Tuesday and made edits in blue pencil. Wednesday I made the corrections and worked on The Companion Book a bit.

My illustrator, Daughter C, and her husband, Jordan, and Kat– who will design the stuffed animals when it sells one million copies– and her husband, Tony, got it first. Miss M requested a hard copy. So ~90 two-sided printed pages are on there way to her along with some things for grandson, ‘Phen.

Yesterday I sent out six individual emails with attachments. Enthusiastic responses. Very willing. Looking forward… . The thing is, these are people I’ve known for years and years. These are “Remember when…?” people. And without exception they are all in the same line of work as Mr. Big Food.

Which brings me to you, Dear Readers. I am asking for a couple of volunteers to read and comment on it. I have nothing to give in return except the promise that when it’s published, I’ll send you a signed copy! And your favorite character as a stuffed animal!!!

[Missy is looking over my shoulder rolling her eyes.]

OHHHH! If you have access to children you will get multiple stuffed animals!

Some details to inform your decision below.

Miss Missy’s School Book One: We Need a School, and The Companion Book (which in the published version will be a supplement at the back of the book) combine to about 90 two-sided printed pages (each chapter starts a new page so lots of white space). It took Mr. Big Food and I three hours to read/edit the book only. (Companion is very short.) I can read the manuscript through in 90 minutes, but I wrote it. There is A LOT of short dialog.

The internet tells me individual chapters are readable at the 3rd (early, simple dialog chapters) through 9th grade level. The entire book comes in at 6th-8th.

Target audience? This is what I said in the email: John & I figure that the target market will be home school type kids, children of academics (?), and kids whose parents are invested in their kids getting a well rounded education.

If you’d like to sign on to this adventure, in addition to the stuffed animal, you will receive my never ending thanks.

If you’re in, and have commented here, WordPress has saved your email. If you’d like me to send it to a different address let me know. My real address is booksbygone at the letters GEE-EM-X dot exactly what you’d expect.

Thanks!