I’ve been through “Figs & Pomegranates & Special Cheeses” again with a fine toothed comb. Now I’ve got to rein myself in. I suspect that no dedicated writer is ever perfectly satisfied with the final product, but editing has to stop somewhere.
I’ve been pleased by responses from people who feel as I do that we dishonor our readers if we provide them with careless grammar, spelling and style.
When the book is finally available (in a week-and-a-half or so) you may enjoy the challenge of looking for errors. Please don’t attack the g/G in god/God though. Those variations are deliberate.
One thing I was surprised to find myself doing twelve times was removing the unnecessary use of the word “that.” Since I recently read a critique of the overuse of “that,” I’ve found myself disturbed by it in other folk’s writing as well as my own.
For example, from “Figs …”
“… so that they would never again be as self-righteous as they had been … “
vs.
“ … so they would never again be as self-righteous as they had been… “
Maybe your ears don’t get affected, but mine are much more comfortable with the second version.
One more example, also from “Figs … “
“We wanted to promise each other that we would always be together in the same way…”
vs,
“We wanted to promise each other we would always be together in the same way…”
Well, anyway. That’s what I’ve been up to.
Thanks for hanging in there.
OH MY GOODNESS! I JUST RE-READ MY FIRST SENTENCE. How about “that.” Or is it OK there?
monagustafsonaffinito 
I know nothing of the writing. publishing, editing world yet I have to believe that there will be no book offered for sale that has been examined in such detail.
Good luck. I know it means a lot to you.
Thanks. Frankly, I’m hoping it will come to be a pleasure to lots of folks.
I like it better too!
You are so great! Always there … Thanks
Best wishes to you with
your book. I am in the process of writing my first book and my deadline is set for November. I too continue to read,edit, read, edit…. Luckily, I save every draft, just in case lol!!!
I like your book already — given the care you are putting into it. I’m not so sure that’s common practice.
I’m a firm believer in the value of editing. I’m always amazed how much I can tighten my writing by removing words like “that.”.
What fun to hear this from you. It is obvious in your blog that your writing is skilled and tight. A pleasure to read. (And now we know at least some of that skill is familial after reading your grandma’s wonderful travelogue.)