Starting over

About two months ago I signed up for Holly Lisle's "How To Revise Your Novel" course. I was going to use the extensive back-story from 'Rogue Pawn' for learning purposes, but trying to edit while finishing 'Gracie Mac' was almost an exercise in futility. I've finished week one and read week two, and that's as far as I've gotten.

I just finished the bare bones on 'Gracie Mac'. There is a lot to fill in, but I'm not sure what or where, so I'm going to restart the course with that. It's a matter of printing the 85 pages of manuscript I have so far and the first week's worksheets, and then I can get started on it. I do have an ulterior motive for this. The American Christian Fiction Writers have a new writers contest every year, and I was going to enter 'Gracie Mac.' I only have to submit the first fifteen pages, and I'm not anticipating a lot of change in that section, but I really do have to get it polished up because the deadline is the end of this month.

Finally, I have a deadline that's not self-imposed!


(Yes, Jean, I do remember that you told me to finish 'Gracie Mac' for the course!)

Slow progress

The piano has moved to its new home, and my house is partly in shambles while we repaint the office. The one green wall is now blue; the other three walls will get done in a pale yellow-ish sort of color this weekend. I think furniture delivery will coincide with Alex's spring break, so we may have extra labor handy. I did remember to take 'before' pictures, and if I get brave I'll take some 'in progress' pictures to post.

Other than that, the most exciting thing going on here is the delivery of the heated mattress cover I ordered last weekend. It might not get a lot of use in the short term but will be nice next winter. Now if someone would just make a cooling mattress cover, we'd be in great shape.

I think I'm making progress on Gracie Mac, but I'm not sure. Right now it's more a collection of loosely related scenes. I have two bits to finish before the bones of the story are done, but right now I can't in good conscience call it a first draft. It's pretty bad when you decide you have to edit it to get it to first draft status.

Other than that, it's finally warming up a little, and the water globes in the herbs I'm wintering in my office are empty. Again.