It's out of my hands.

  I've sent the manuscript out to the beta readers. It usually takes me a few days to recover after that. Rapidly cycling moods wear a person out. First comes the exultation of finishing a long project. Next a tsunami of self-doubt and a profound regret that I've exposed my early readers to a story I'm certain is filled with flaws. 
  I've learned to throw myself into research for the next book when my mind starts going down rabbit holes. As a result, I've already learned quite a bit about Marie Antoinette. I'm not going to say much about her because I still have to process everything. You should know, however, the words: "Let them eat cake" never crossed over her lips.
  Cake does sound pretty tasty right now. Especially after getting feedback from the first readers. They loved the story.