Beta Reading and Big Things

Once upon a time, I signed up as a beta reader on an online writing forum. I love editing. It makes me feel like I should wear cat's eye glasses, drink black coffee and walk around New York City in pointy black heels. I dream about riding the subway with a red pen and half finished manuscript in my perfectly manicured hands.

Yes, I think about this a lot.

A couple years ago, my dream came true. (Well, minus the NYC bit - and the heels, I can barely hobble in those.) A lovely woman named Alison Kemper emailed me her YA zombie novel, Donna of the Dead, and I got to live out my wildest fantasies in red ink. Donna of the Dead is about a girl who hears voices, a high school crush, and, naturally, a zombie apocalypse.

Two months ago, I got another email from Alison - the first time we'd spoken in far too long - and some exciting news. Her novel, the one that I'd poured over on my laptop before bed, is published.

Alison is such a friendly and open person. She welcomed new ideas and criticism - not that I had much, her novel is as funny and fast-paced as she is. I cannot believe that someone I know - and a novel I've read - is published. This is unreal.

See that up there? That's an acknowledgements page. Scroll down a little to the fourth paragraph, last name. That's me. Little old me, Erika Loggin, has officially joined "the legion of super smart beta readers."

Excuse me while I scream and dance around the living room because someone I know has just done something incredible.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Okay, we're good.

I'm crossing my fingers so tight they've gone numb that one day, one day soon, the publishing world will be full of more familiar names. That more friends will see their dreams come true, and that I'll see my name in print again.

PS: You can put your name forward as a potential beta reader on the absolutewrite.com forums here and read more about Alison's novel on goodreads.com here.