How Goes the Book?

It seems that as soon as people find out that you're working on a manuscript for your first book, every time they see you the first thing out of their mouths is always the same, "So, how goes the book?" The tone of each person also matches; a hint of doubt encased in a friendly smile that says, "Uh huh. You'll never finish that thing."

The funny thing is, people seem to have no recollection of asking about the book. I'll see a friend on a Monday night and get the, "So, how goes the book?" question. The next morning its, "Hi Bob." "Hey, William! How goes the book?" Yes, I'm an insomniac but no, I didn't write another ten chapters over night. What is that all about?

Another thing I find interesting is the wording of the comment itself. "How goes the book?" Not, "How is the book coming along", or "Have you been working on the book?" It's always the exact same phrase, no matter the asker. "How goes the book?" Have people been talking to one another? Did someone instruct them to use that wording in particular? Where else in life do we phrase things this way? "So, how goes the job?" "How goes the life?" "How goes your sanity?"People never say that.

I'm to the point of paranoia now that I'm quite sure there is some sort of conspiracy going on. Somewhere, advertised in a medium that I'm not privy to, someone has assembled everyone who knows me to talk about my book. They've all decided that they have doubts about my finishing it and they've all been instructed to ask the same question, then report back to their leader. There only mistake is in the phrasing. I'm on to them and their dirty little game.

"So, how goes the book?"

"How goes the conspiracy?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know about it, Bob. The meetings, the questions, the doubts in your minds. Well, I'm here to tell you that you can report back that everything is fine with the book. I'm almost finished with the first draft of the entire manuscript! You can go and tell them that everything is hunky-dory here in authorville! That's what I mean!"

"You doin' okay? How goes the sanity, there buddy?"

Sure, writing a book is a stressful thing. Meeting deadlines, coming up with ideas, battling writer's block ... it's all there. But to be honest, I think I'm dealing with the stress quite well, don't you?

All the best,

WDL

By the way: The book is scheduled for release in August, assuming that I'm able to maintain my schedule. For all that have been asking, thank you for your inquiries. I appreciate the support. I'll post any further release information on this site as it becomes available. And that, my friends, is "how it goes"!