Anyone who is familiar with academic publishing knows that it is a slow marathon, with drawn-out milestones and a finish line far out of sight. Which means that I find it important to celebrate the steps as they come.

Here is how it has worked so far for me. I submitted my manuscript for Listening as Artistic Practice: Essays and Invitations to my editor at the University of Alberta Press at the end of last summer. She then sent it out for peer review, a process of seeking out experts in the field to give their feedback on what I had written. This is a generally uncompensated form of service but it is such a vital and valuable part of the process. I am incredibly grateful to the anonymous individuals who reviewed my book and it confirms for me why I, too, agree to many of the review requests that come my way.

In March this year, I received a really excellent set of peer reviews, with high praise as well as a few thoughtful questions and small suggestions for revision. I then wrote a response letter to the University of Alberta Press, citing some of the peer review affirmations that most resonated with me and also explaining what revisions I would undertake in the manuscript, based on the reviewers’ suggestions. The Press Committee, made up of a board of academics from across the university, then met to review all documents and decided to officially accept my manuscript for publication.

I have spent the first part of my summer revising the manuscript–reading and re-reading through everything, rearranging some parts, adding a few things while taking others out. This is where I see that it was helpful for the manuscript to be out of my hands for the last several months: I was able to see my words and ideas with fresh eyes, and they no longer felt so precious to me so completing the revisions was actually an exciting process as I saw how it made the book stronger.

And now I have sent off the revised manuscript and signed the contract on the dotted line. Listening as Artistic Practice: Essays and Invitations will now enter the publication process, with an expected publication date in mid-2027. I can hardly wait!