Always own up to your mistakes

We had the annual Boys reunion this week. Chadwick came in Friday night, and Saturday morning before I went to the airport to retrieve Scott and Paco I asked him if, by chance, he'd brought the Sword and Scabbard manuscript. He said yes, and I did the happy dance before hitting the road. When we got back from the airport, Paco handed me his copy of the manuscript with a bow and a flourish, and of course I sat right down to go through it.

As the week went on, I thought about the fact that Chadwick hadn't given me his copy, but it was too chaotic for me to remember to ask. Yesterday, one of my beta readers called on an unrelated subject. I was sleeping off a headache, but when I got up, I was told that although I'd busted my tail to get the manuscript to her to take on vacation last month ago, she was only on page 32. I groused and grumbled about it and moved on.

This afternoon I was printing Rogue Pawn manuscripts for The Boys to take home. Chadwick came into the office rather sheepishly, ready to run, and told me he hadn't had time to actually read the manuscript, but that he had indeed brought it back. In short, he hadn't done his homework. He's heard me yell at Scott about not getting updates to me and fuss about my soon-to-be-former beta reader, and he was sure I was going to kick his tail for not reading it! The poor guy was here all week scared to tell me that work and home renovation took precedent over reading my book. That's when I realized, I truly am the materfamilias! They all know when Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

It's all for the best. I told him to take both manuscripts home with him, and read Rogue Pawn first because I'm thinking it might make more sense to pitch Rogue Pawn first and let Sword and Scabbard be the sequel for both. Paco wasn't confused, but he knew The Dragon's Lady story when it was in development. Chadwick has, too, but it will be good to get another perspective. Lord knows I'm too close to the series to be objective anymore.

It's good to be the matriarch!