The third time

Yesterday, my Viking came back. The editors still had a few loose ends they want tied up. Although, it would have been fantastic if I had had everything right on the first time I appreciate the chance to put right the problems they see. There is a problem with foreshadowing. And they were worried that some things might not be clear.
Now I could curl up in a ball, but I really want this story to be strong. I sometimes find the third story to be the weakest. Some of the problems are of my own making as I threw out 90% of the story after the first revision letter. This was mainly because I wanted to and thought it would work better. It has in one way but other problems remain. Sometimes, you just get a book like that and hopefully the pain and suffering on my part will make for a better read. Ultimately it is about getting the best read possible for the readers. It is my name on the front cover and if the read is substandard, then can I ask readers to trust me with the next one? Better to make the changes now.
It is minor tweaks but then I do get to use Iolite as well. Kate Hardy told me about Iolite in December and I vowed if I got a chance, I would add it. It was used as the Viking's Compass -- the world's first polarising filter and used to determine the position of the sun. Determining the position of the sun becomes important when you realise that during the summer solstice, the sun never sets and you cannot rely on stars. Lief Erickson used one to find the New World.
So third time lucky.

In other news:
It was late night fun and games as one duck had not gone to bed. At about 1 am, it began quacking down in the lower pond. So after being nudged by my dh, I rose, pulled my hiking boots and a coat on over my nightdress, grabbed a torch and went out to find the duck. My dh is useless when it comes to putting the ducks away. Luckily the torch helped the white duck to decide that it did eventually want to go to bed with the other ducks and not stay hidden under various bushes or be quacking in the stream. The dogs aided just at the end, but I worried Joss the border collie would start barking and really wake the neighbours. The children slept through. I suspect the duck has a nest and I will have to find it. But climbing down the muddy slopes of the dene in the dark without a very solid reason is not on.