Further efforts to get on with Ajax dribbled away into spiritlessness. See, he KNOWS that I'm not paying attention; don't love him enough yet.
But a chance article* brought me to the realization that it is still Peryton that hold me in thrall - yeah, that sounds dramatic, but is nonetheless true. The article said, basically, 'Think you're done? Nope. You've got it all recorded, now get serious." So I did. I found and hired a professional editor who, despite a star-studded cast of customers, lobbied hard to get Peryton and did a sample edit of the first few pages, to show what he could do.
What could he do? Those pages - that so many people swore they loved and could find nothing wrong with - came back to me so Track Changed that it was hard to find the black type among the red. And I thought, "THIS is my guy."
Two months and a whole lot of money later, we have an excellent working relationship, and he finished The Hostage and is halfway through The Hunter. Peryton is infinitely better. The adage is proven true again, that you get what you pay for. And, I always add, if you pay enough, you get even better.
* http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/dont-scrimp-on-an-editor
