Dis/inhibition: I tackled all of my editor’s substantive comments except the ones related to race. This is a tricky area. I want to take my time considering what she has to say, understanding that she isn’t a person of color, either, and so whose instincts matter here? Her comments have certainly given me a lot to think about, and there will be some rewriting, mostly to change back things I had already changed before she read them, and to rewrite some stuff I was never that comfortable with anyway.
New story: I finished chapter 3 and sent it off to the Sculptor. Last weekend, I took a break from it to start thinking through what I want to do in the next few chapters. I am tackling this story like I did The Destroyer: I have a general idea where I want the characters to be at the end, but I only outline a few chapters in advance of the one I am writing, and even that is subject to change if I get a better idea.
This week’s goal: make some progress on chapter 4.
Author Nancy E. Shaffer 
good luck. the matter of race is always a touchy one and there will always be someone there to tell you you’ve done it wrong
Yeah, I’m stuck between comments which suggest I have “white-washed” my colored characters so they’re not genuine enough to their heritage and wondering if her alternative suggestion is too stereotypical.
and that is a very difficult place to be. good luck
I tend to follow my own instincts on my Native American character just because she is based on my Paiute/Ute ex-girlfriend.
smart move and the Native Americans in Machiavelli Moon were based on two of my ex-boyfriends
It would be nice if I could actually get her to read all 150,000 words and let me know what she thinks. Alas, we stopped talking a few years ago.
ditto
Sounds like you’re taking things in the right order. I think at some point you just need to decide you’ve made your best effort & go with it. There’ll always be someone who’ll never be satisfied, no matter what you do.
It’s the particular people who *might* be dissatisfied that worries me.