Is This a Good Sign, or What--Part 2

I'd say buy yourself a bottle of bubbly and settle in for the night. Even if they don't take the ms... you've gotten farther than 90% of the submissions they get.

I suggest you look at the amazon ranking of a few STARbooks--sales per years can be calculated from that for sale throught them. STARbooks is reputable but please keep in mind they are not a very large press. Go to your local large chain book store and see if they stock any--it is likely they don't. So this means you are like a movie that is in some theatres but not nationwide release. My utterly subjective rough guess would be that you might sell 1000s a year but 10k would be highly optimisitic. I have no inside knowledge there--it's a guess based on publisher size and genre.

I suggest you ask them directly. An upfront publisher like STAR will be happy to discuss all of these things with you before wanting to see a signed contract.

If you really want to be a best seller you migh want to hold off accepting your first offer--but I wouldn't turn down STAR myself--they're a good small/medium genre-specific publisher.

Yeah, especially as a first timer. Like any other buisness, get your foot in the door someplace. Promote the hell out of yourself (don't rely on your publisher to set things up) then you can work up the ranks in presses.

I do cartwheels for STAR right now. One of the things it gives you... books to sign at appearances.