(All opinions and statements in this post are my own opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of Aspen Mountain Press. Yell at me, if you wish.)

I keep hearing a statement from aspiring authors that absolutely makes me shudder. There seems to be a belief that spelling and grammar issues are solely the job of editors and don’t need to be worried about by the authors.

It’s true that, when the rubber hits the road, we editors are responsible for correcting spelling and grammar issues. But failure to make your work the cleanest and best it can be possible before you submit it may mean you never reach that point. The editor (or agent) may never even request a full because their appreciation of your story may not be enough to balance the costs and resources needed to get it through the publication process.

The first thing aspiring authors have to understand is that your submission – be it synopsis, partial or full – is your interview for a contract. It’s what you will be judged on. Why would you choose to make less than the best impression you possibly could? Would you show up to interview for a modeling shot with grimy hair and say that’s the hairdresser’s job? Shooting yourself in the foot is not a great start to any venture.

Now, keep in mind that almost every submission contains some errors, that’s normal and expected. But a plethora of easy to find and fix ones tells me (accurately or not) that the author doesn’t care enough to do the very best job possible. That it’s not important to the author. Are they lazy? Are they going to be difficult to work with?

Another thing it tells me is that if I contract this work, it will cost my house more money to get it in shape for publishing than it would an equivalent story that is cleaned up and corrected. The longer I have to spend on it, the longer my line editors or proofers have to spend on it, the more it costs. Publishing is still a business and it’s part of my job to make the best use of my house’s resources as I can.

It also directly affects my ability to appreciate and enjoy the story. Like it or not, each time I see an error, it drags me out of the story and breaks my immersion. Too many times and I can’t follow the story very well and end up not liking it as much as I possibly could have. You don’t want to let mechanical errors get in the way of the story.

I want to strongly encourage anyone who submits a work for publication to utilize the marvels of spellcheck and the eagle eyes of a test reader or critique partner. Make your submission as clean and correct as you possibly can before you submit it and you will increase your chances of acceptance.

Greeting card manufacturers have decided Valentine’s Day is the most romantic holiday of the year. Okay, I’ll almost give them that, but there’s 364 other days that shouldn’t be ignored.

Below is an easy menu that will satisfy all your hunger on any day of the year. Think Tom Jones, the old movie not the actor, and the eating scene. Go for it. These cold winter nights might just heat up for you!

• Warm Belgian Endive and Pine Nut Salad
• Almost Homemade Pizza
• Dry Red Wine – Ruffino Chianti

Warm Belgian Endive and Pine Nut Salad

1 tbs. Dijon mustard
pepper to taste
1 tbs. red wine vinegar
2 - 4 heads Belgian endive
1/2 tbs. lemon juice
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed so the salad isn’t dry
1 tbs. chopped fresh parsley, dried will work but isn’t as bright a contrast

In a medium bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar and lemon juice. Whisk in olive oil slowly until you have an almost creamy consistency. Taste and season with pepper. Set aside.

Cut endive heads crosswise into rings. Remove the hard end of the stems and discard. Rinse in a colander, shaking to separate the slices into rings. Set aside to drain.

In a large dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts. Stir constantly so that they do not burn. Once the pine nuts are golden, throw in the endive rings. When it has warmed just slightly, pour in the dressing and toss to coat. Reduce the heat if the endive is wilting too quickly. You want to maintain some crispness and texture.

If you have guests to impress, throw in the parsley. The sharp green flecks will brighten the dish and enhance the flavor, but the salad is in no way lacking without. Serve immediately. It is best served directly from the pan to the plate. If is put in a bowl, the dressing will settle at the bottom and be difficult to toss again without damaging the endive.

Almost Homemade Pizza

1 (12 inch) pre-baked Italian bread pizza crust. I prefer Boboli
1 cup pizza sauce
1 ¼ cups shredded mozzarella
½ lb. Italian sausage, pinched into dime sized pieces
Fresh Parmesan or Romano to grate over the top
Mushrooms, peppers or what ever else you enjoy can be added

Preheat the oven to the temperature recommended on the crust package. Lay the crust onto a baking sheet of appropriate size. Spread the sauce over the crust. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella. Lay your other sausage etc. on top. Cover the pie with the remaining mozzarella then grate some fresh Parmesan or Romano over that.

Bake according to the crust package directions or until the sausage is no longer pink and the cheese is melted.

The pizza makes a great leftover lunch, but the salad will turn bitter and limp.

Don’t forget the candles, lots of them. Every woman likes to set the mood. Also, omitting forks can be most sensual when you feed your partner small bites.

Have a great Valentine’s Day.

Sloane Taylor ~ Sweet as Honey…Hotter than Hell
Francine on Fire www.aspenmountainpress.com
www.sloanetaylor.com www.myspace.com/sloanetaylor