Friday, March 8, 2013


Another deadline made on time. Last Friday I received the copy edit of the first book in my new series, Yarn to Go. My editor said she needed back by Friday, the 8th. Thursday night I was ready to send it back to her.

I am so spoiled with sending manuscripts back electronically. Not too long ago, I would have been rushing to FedEx to ship it off overnight. All I had to do was attach the file to an email and hit send. Or so I thought. I hit send and the file began to upload and then stalled. I canceled it, expecting to just try again, but I got kicked off line and when AOL went to restart, I got a message saying it couldn’t connect with our DSL line and offered to do dial-up. Dial-up? That’s like ancient history now.

Dial-up always took forever. And then you got kicked off. And downloading or uploading something with dial-up. I don’t know if you could even do it.

I wasn’t happy with my laptop’s suggestion and figured it’d just go off AOL and then back on and try again. This time AOL didn’t offer me dial-up and actually went oline with our DSL connection. Sure, I’d be able to send the email with my copy edit attached, I went to mail waiting to be sent and tried hitting send again.

Let’s just say after 45 minutes of watching the file stall over and over again, I began to get annoyed. As I said, I’m spoiled sending manuscripts electronically. I am used to only having to hit send once and watching the file upload in the blink of an eye. So, this was driving me nuts.

I tried a few more times and then gave up on my laptop and wondered if it would be any better sending it from my desktop computer. Wonder of wonders, it was. No offer of dial-up this time. The file upload in a flash just the way it was supposed and went off through cyberspace.

How impatient we have all gotten. If I’m online and I click on some news story and it doesn’t open immediately, I’m done and move on.

And now finally, I have the cover of Yarn to Go to show off.




8 comments:

Linda O. Johnston said...

Great cover, Betty! And I sympathize with the internet issues. I usually have trouble with mine when it rains but so far (fingers crossed) this time the LA rain hasn't affected it.

Betty Hechtman said...

Linda, I didn't think about the rain. You are probably right.

Planner said...

I'm glad you were able to send off your manuscript, despite the frustrating Internet problem. You're so right that we are spoiled and expect everything to work--and fast, too.

Love the new cover! Watch out--there's blood dripping from a knitting needle!

Betty Hechtman said...

Planner, I'm glad you caught that blood dripping off the knitting needle. I was afraid it might be too subtle.

Chrystle Fiedler said...

Beautiful cover! That's one of the best part of cozies!

Cyndi Riccio said...

Sympathize with the tech glitches... and the cover is great!!!

Betty Hechtman said...

Chrystle, you are so right. Cozy covers are the best!

Betty Hechtman said...

Rosalee, even with the glitches I'd sure rather use a computer than a typewriter.