Friday, 2/23/24 - I spoke with a publishing company based in New York that I'd had been in communication with for a couple of months and signed a contract with them!  It hardly seems real but I am going to be published by them.  Until they get the finished manuscript out to the public, I will continue to sell my self-published one.  

They also want first look at book two when it is finished, so they may offer me a contract for book two also.  I don't have to sign with them for book two, but if all goes well with book one I would hope for even a better contract for book two.