Novelty

Because this period of time at my job is a quiet one, during the year, I have spent much time these past two weeks on (electronic) housekeeping, archiving, (non-electronic) dusting. Calendars and year-end procedures are on track, I'm feeling good at work. I'm also finding I have time for other things. In between reading "Lady Audley's Secret" at Project Gutenberg (seriously, kids, give this book a chance), I have also been writing my own.

I haven't posted much on this subject, owing slightly less to most new authors' paranoia that "my idea might be stolen" than to good old-fashioned circumspection, outside my intimate circle. But it is one of the biggest aspects of my life right now.

My work is historical, and I came to it inexperienced. James River Writers blew me away, four years ago, with a Conference that educated me, inspired me, convinced me - "I can do this" - and convinced me I HAD to "do this", too. I started within a month of that event, and have never truly stopped my work ever since.

Research for this piece has been insane, and I finally only felt I had finished it just this past summer. All the way along, I was writing.

The result of this approach, of course, is a bit of disorganization - and the creation of a lot of work, for myself, in terms of "process" as the kids probably call it. I really don't care. It's been a ripping ride, I'm ready for novel #2, the work is still GOOD (even if it is so much work!), and no first novel ever birthed itself easy-like. I'll be proud of this baby when it's out, even as I tend not to be all that maternal or goopily attached to My Words.



So during these past two weeks of time on my hands, I killed off all the cousins my warrior had left to kill off, I wrote a passionately exciting passage with his wife, I found myself pouring out scene after scene previously unattended.

In five days, I wrote thirty-five pages.

This is unprecedented - duh. But d*mn me, I feel good about it.







The fire here is one lit by THIS year's conference, where I met with an agent. And she wants three chapters.

Bless my ex husband for saying he wants to help me kick the tires on this one - and E too, who has been at it for weeks now. Good midwives, even if they are men.

Bless motivation, too.

I'm gonna finish this thing. Whoo!