Into the Maelstrom

Remember how Fio had a bad reaction to the pain medications she was given for her most recent surgery?  That it was like she had entered another world, a place in which there were no rules, a place she couldn't figure out how to deal with?  Well, she feels exactly the same way as she stands on the brink of the publishing world.  In fact, she feels like she's looking down into the pit of Tolkien's orc factory.

One reason Fio decided to concentrate on writing was that the career path seemed so clear and regulated.  First she would sit on the couch and write a book, then she would win contests, then she would get an agent, then the agent would find her a publisher, then the publisher would pay Fiorella a boatload of money and publish the book.  But, apparently there's a lot more involved--marketing, monetizing, and mayhem, none of which Fio is adept at.

Pray for Fio.