When you read about a writer getting such and such advance, they don't get it all at once you know. Well a few do, but most don't. First you get a chunk when you sign the contract. Then you get another chunk when you delivery your manuscript and its accepted by the publishers, the D and A check. And I delivered my manuscript on July 1, 2009 and it was accepted by my publisher not long after. This means it will be published sometime in the future. Don't know when yet. But here it is, a few days before Halloween and I'm still waiting on my D and A cheque. Some things never change; you write, send it in and wait for the cheque.