Friday, January 18, 2013

Monday Monday

Everything that was grim last year at this time has subsided and been replaced by new hurdles.  So much growth, change and knowledge transpired in the past twelve months.  One thing I've done is look back at those I have known before they became success stories.  They didn't concern themselves with issues outside their idea which became dreams.  Instead, they marched forward pouring passion into it and going the extra two miles to make it become real.

That's where I am now.  My Cabin 108 dream has consumed me and won't let me go.  Other serious issues loom, yet they have taken a backseat until I finish this mission.  Makes me crazy waiting for my editor's response to my second draft.  So much rides on it and the the timing of making my book a reality.  Let there be no more massive rewrites and delays.  Show me the finish line.  

To stay busy, I started a Facebook page to shamelessly self-promote myself and my novel.  Pleasantly surprised by the response, you can check it out here.  I also needed to address home and auto insurance and decided to switch carriers.  Yesterday I met my new agent and pre-sold a copy of my unpublished book.

Yep, my idea, my dream, my passion and purpose is wrapped up in making Cabin 108 a success.  This afternoon, I got a note from my editor saying she expects to deliver my re-edited manuscript back on Monday!  This going to be one long weekend.  Till then this will be my theme song


Thursday, January 10, 2013

The Journey Moves On

With the holidays behind me, I put on my tool belt and locked myself in Cabin 108.  An imagination carpenter, this rewrite was a major remodel.  I tend to write like people talk.  "It was just us" is improper English; it should be "It was just we" or "It was I".  Who the heck talks like that?  Seems to me the written word should reflect the spoken word and not the other way around.  What a job.

Today, I finished the project and my second draft is now in the hands of my editor for inspection. I embraced most of her suggestions, resisted a few, and the story is now tighter, more developed in character description, growth and story line, yet I stayed true to the message.  Now it's hurry up and wait for my editor's response which will probably take two weeks.  I am already over budget with editing costs, but it's a critical piece of the process if my name is going to be attached.

I have no idea how many hours I have put into this project from start to finish, but I will feel no guilt selling each copy at full list price.  There is no doubt there will be a third draft, but my hopes are high that the issues will dwindle with each ensuing revision.  Proud of myself for getting this far, I have invested too much to give up now.  This is my baby and another milestone has been reached!

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Word Repairman

With the holidays behind me, I locked myself in the cabin and got serious with my second draft.  Unlike the Maytag repairman, I have been busy switching out parts, adding, deleting and altering words all over the place.  Took awhile to get comfortable with the Track Changes program in Word, since I had never worked with it before.  The process has been fun, had two chapters done before Christmas and have nineteen done with two to go.  Feel like an imagination carpenter doing a remodel.