My novel is finished--professionally edited, professionally proofed, cover designed, etc. Now what? I am so confused! I've talked to several publishing companies, and I just don't know where to go with this. It looks as if I'm going the self-publishing route. I've approached agent after agent, and, since I'm almost 69 years old, how much longer can I wait for responses? One of the biggest obstacles in this publishing world is confusion and ignorance of the process. As a retiree, I also don't have unlimited bundles of money. I had a 40-year career in public relations/marketing/media relations, so promoting the book is the least of my issues. But publishing?