The waiting is the hardest part

It is a difficult thing to give your work, something you have devoted a lot of time/effort/love to, to another person.  It is far more difficult to wait for their feedback.  I have given 7 copies of my book to 7 different people for feedback and I am confident in my selections, however, I wait anxiously for their feedback and I admit it is quite possibly the most never-wracking experience.  I am proud of this book but it does not mean I do not feel there are some rough parts, it does not mean that I do not wonder if somebody is going to hate it, it does not mean that it wouldn't sting a bit if somebody did hate it.  Still, I value constructive criticism and indeed crave it since I want this to be the best possible manuscript that I can put forth to an agent and/or publisher (so that they can then completely deconstruct it as well).  Hopeless?  Nope.  Not by a long shot.  I am FULL of hope for this manuscript.  I believe in the story an the characters.  But in the immortal words of Tom Petty....the waiting IS the hardest part.