Twas the Night Before the Book was Due

Cara, thanks for tagging me. I'm going to address those questions next Monday (I love answering questions and really want to spend time on my responses). The reason for my delay? That dreaded guy time. Yup, I really don't have time to blog. I'm doing it anyway because I'm anal, and it would drive me nuts to miss a commitment. The reason I'm obsessing about time is 'It's the Night Before my Book is Due!" Yup, tomorrow my third Harlequin is leaving home. I still need to write the ending! (I've passed my goal of 300 pages and am turning the corner at 310 and know that up ahead 320 awaits me).

Today all my time will be devoted to Broken Lullaby.

First, I woke up on time this morning (think 6 a.m.) and polished 25 pages to give my critique group (Why is it I never finish my manuscript in time to get it ALL back from my critique group BEFORE it goes off to my editor).

Then, at 8:30, (after I dropped Mikey off at the babysitter) there was critique group (Pam, there's too much plot and not enough romance - I hate that they're right).

Next, at 11:00 I'm taking the edits from last night (After camping all weekend, I made time to meet my friend Stacy at 8:30 p.m. at Barnes and Noble where she handed back the complete manuscript, okay minus the ten pages that still need to be written, and gave me one last edit)
and I'll go through every page deleting overwriting, deleting unnecessary words, adding more romance, adding more of a faith element, and adding more interspection.

When that's done, I'm writing the final ten pages, and because I've edited (think deleted and tightened) I'll end at 300 pages, which was my goal, and I'll be happy. I'll also email the ending, those final ten pages, to Stacy who will read them and say overwriting, too many unnecessary words, good romance FINALLY, and you managed to tie up your faith element so it's believable.

My critique group (waving at Cathy, Libby, and Connie) will read the last 50 pages and then give me advice to use when I get the revisions.

Finally, I'll print the whole thing out and I'll read it one more time.

During this 24 hour span, my husband will be a single father. Mikey will eat McDonalds (my bad) and I'll rethink the possibilities of becoming the first Maytag Repair Woman. No deadlines there.

Tah tah, I'm off to edit!