giddy, it makes me giddy!

I've always loved books. In elementary school I volunteered in the school library and learned how to fix books: repair spines, save torn pages. I'm only now remembering that I used to do that.

And really what I love about being an Associate Editor for Meritage Press is being a part of creating books. Making books makes me giddy!

I'm currently making my way through a read of Jean Vengua's Prau, which will be on sale this Fall.

It's always one thing to read a book on the computer and always another to read it with the feel of paper in your hands.

Also right now, I'm printing out a draft for a friend's novel. I'm tempted to read it having had numerous discussions with him about plot and character development, and he said I could read it if I want to, but then I'm not sure if I want to wait until it's in book form. I'm almost sure my curiosity will get the better of me and I'll end up reading through it. It's a book, I just can't help myself!

Even though I didn't write the book, it's still just as exciting to be right in there, standing this close to the process. The triumph of subtle word changes, of font choices that glide across the page, the oh so wonderful book cover that creates the first allure.

As much as I enjoy writing, I realized just now that I also really love publishing and editing. Grant it, those parts are not as sexy as writing where your name gets to be on the cover, they're more like the down and dirty parts, all the things that have to happen behind the scenes to get us to that point where the books finds its way into your hands.