My biggest boy is TEN today, and these in-your-face neon cookies were his birthday choice…
(those are Z’s, by the way, not 2’s)
Token Writing Post
Despite the fact that this is supposed to be writing blog, chock-full of writing posts, liberally interspersed with reading posts and everyday-crazy posts, it seems that things aren’t quite working out that way. Even after last years BIG news, I’ve barely posted anything writing related.
I’d like to go on record here, saying that this is not because I haven’t been writing–because I have! In fact, just last week I finished up all the edits that my agent suggested I make before she starts submitting the manuscript to publishing houses. Well, I hope I’ve finished. Because there were quite a few of them–significant changes–and it took me awhile to deal with them. I do think these changes have made the story stronger, but I haven’t yet gotten her feedback, and I worry over how much more editing this story will require.
Since starting to write this book, I’ve done the following:
* Cut ~50 pages with the thought of tightening the storyline (suggested by an agent who then passed)
* Rewrote the story in first-person past tense, switching it from first-person present (suggested by a different agent who then passed)
* Added in ~70 pages of new material (suggested by recently landed agent!)
And this is not even counting all the edits and rewrites I did by myself and at the suggestion of others, including contest judges, friends, and a critique partner who seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth.
This book has been around the block.
And still, there is the possibility that there will be more agent-requested edits and, possibly, edits from a publisher, should there be interest.
Whew! That’s a lot to think about.
But for now, I’m trying not to worry about it. I’m taking this time in limbo to brainstorm ideas, character names, and storylines for other projects. So…if you’ve got any great hero/heroine names that you’re not using yourself, shoot ’em over here!
Weekend Update with Alyssa Goodnight
A small sum-up of our weekend…
Friday night we watched Hoot as a family, and it was unanimously voted a good movie. It was a little strange watching Cody Linley as a sun-tousled, barefoot do-gooder after watching him shake and shimmy on the ballroom floor in Dancing with the Stars, Season 7.
Saturday was an all-day Science Fair marathon for my husband and son…and a day of house cleaning, laundry, and distraction for me. Saturday night saw hubby and I watching the last episode of Pushing Daisies, Season 2 (for the first time). Sigh. Why on earth did they cancel that show??? Arrested Development is next on our list of shows we missed the first time around.
Also Saturday, I finished my FIRST EVER Georgette Heyer mystery, received from my parents for Christmas. All I can say is wow! That woman knew how to write dialogue. In fact, I’d venture to guess that 90% of that book was dialogue. Whew! There will be another Heyer mystery in my future.
Sunday, after church, I dragged the family to Target with me to check out eyeglass frames. I’d casually browsed through the new selection earlier in the week and found several I liked better than my current ones, which are about three years old. Hubby and I narrowed the field to two and then the boys all voted. It was unanimous–all three passing over the sensible frames for the whimsical ones, which were not among my early favorites. I’m not even exactly sure how they ended up in the running, and even now I’m second-guessing just slightly. They should arrive within the week, and at that time, I will solicit opinions on this blog. Exciting, huh?
Then late, late last night, or early Monday morning, our heater stopped working. I kept waking up wondering why I was so cold, trying to settle into a warmer position before falling back to sleep. At 6:45 when hubby finally got out of bed, it was 61 degrees in the house! I was wearing a winter hat and scarf when the repairman arrived.
Now, all is good. I’ve been sucked into The Lightning Thief and am eager to get back to it. Happy Monday!