The End...

I'm so full. The mere thought of another granule of sugar touching my tongue leaves me queasy. This is a good thing. More sugar means more pounds and more pounds means more working out and of course, more working out means I have less time to write. So you can see the vicious cycle.

It's been a great Christmas, with lots of time being spent with my little darlings, martini's with friends, snuggles with my hubby and the overall satisfaction that I live a good life. But having said that, I can't wait to get back to writing....

I've finished my rewrite. (YIPEE!!!). I've re-organized chapters and even in this late in the game, deleted scenes. I discovered some important elements that had been left out. Finding the right place to slip them in has been a bit challenging. I've added sensory details where there weren't any before; I've added action in place of tags: I've introduced new settings instead of using the same ones over and over. Now, I need to finish my read-through on my computer and then...(drumrolls, please)...it's the BIG PRINTOUT.

The last time I finished a revision and printed out my manuscript, I fell into a state of depression. I felt the story could have been better. I even rejected an offer from an agent (who said he loved the first fifty) to read the whole manuscript. Might have been a bad move, but I couldn't possibly hand him over the rest of the story when I knew in my heart it wasn't strong enough.

It still might not be, but at least I love it.

The story now involves Dree's mom. Where once she was dead, she now lives on as a disgraced, former national champion gymnast. Her reluctance of having her daughter train as an elite gymnast, at the same school where she herself trained, evolves from an an initial maternal fear for her daughter (life ain't pretty as an elite gymnast and she knows it best) to one of self-preservation. Who knew that the secret she held onto all these years would be discovered by her own daughter?

I feel this is my last run-through. The final edit before the crunch. I feel a deep anxiousness (is that a word?) to get this story out. The old adage "You can't win if you don't play" haunt me everyday. I know Greenwood Girls will never be published if I keep revising, but then again, it will never be published if I don't revise. It's a horrible cycle, but the fact that this story is deeply personal, motivates me to push on with what feels right.

So having said that, it's back to my story....
Wishing you all much luck and the ability to persevere with your first draft, rewrite or edits.