First Royalty Check

I just deposited my first royalty check in the bank today. It arrived along with a royalty statement for January-June, 2007 showing my sales figures during that time period for A REAL BASKET CASE after its March release. The check meant I earned out my advance on royalties in spades and in three months, with more income to come for continuing sales on the hardcover edition and on the January release of the large-print edition. The advance a publisher gives you is an indication of their expectation of your sales, and it's always nice to beat expectations!