Puff, puff, puff...

No, I'm not jogging, don't be silly. : ) The puff, puff, is from the little engine that could, because that's how I feel these days. There has been a lot going on in my life, a lot to juggle, but I'm getting there. Wherever "there" is.

I've been up and down to LA several times this month, a workshop, a graduation, a wedding still to come. It's all good but I'm getting rather tired of navigating Interstate 10. The pooch is doing fine and had no setbacks while I was away, but she was extremely happy to see me return. She's such a good companion, and she worries when I'm not here. Heck, she even worries when I walk over to use the swimming pool.

I've been hard at work to complete my latest manuscript (at least the rough draft) and now can let it sit until my critique partner can read the entire thing. We have critiqued each others chapters as we've written, but the entire read through is yet to happen, and that is the most telling part. Will it hold together? Have I lost any threads? Do I need to embellish the theme? Do any of the characters not hold true to form? All good questions, and I'm excited to learn the answers. While I'm thrilled that the story is finished, I know the real work is about to begin. Writing isn't about writing it's about rewriting. Whew! Just typing that makes me tired.

So, the plan is to get the rewriting done before June 6th. Then I'll let it sit until National conference, where I'll pitch the idea to both an editor and an agent. And I'll keep my fingers crossed that either, or both, request to see a partial. I'm very excited about my appointments this year. Then I'll dash home, take another look at the manuscript, and do a final, final polish, and then send that baby on its way to NYC.

In June I'm taking the Discovery class taught by Lani Diane Rich. I'm going to use that six week course to explore writing something bigger, maybe a single title romance, or women's fiction. There will be romance in the story, because it's a woman's journey and for most of the women I know, romance features in some form or other in their life story. An idea has bubbled around in my head for years. In the past I knew I didn't have the chops to write it, but something tells me it's worth giving it my best try.