The other two years I did Nano I was absolutely writing up until the midnight Nov. 30 deadline. This year, I sort of accidentally crossed 50k without realizing. OK, I realized I was close, but I figured I had another session ahead of me. The book itself isn't finished, but I wrote to a pretty good stopping point.
What I'm Reading
Not much since I'm focused on writing. I started Holly Black's The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, but I haven't made much progress with it. I was the first to get it from my library branch, and I'm ashamed to say--a travel mug spilled all over it. The pages are all wavy and stained. Yeah, I'm THAT person who ruined a brand new library book. I kind of feel like buying them a replacement.
What I'm Writing
I finished 50k in SUNSET SUMMER. I'm most impressed that I came up with a title before I started the book. That never happens.
First drafts are tough. I wanted to go back and fix stuff a hundred dozen times, but Nano, got to keep pressing forward. I allowed myself one quick re-read and tweak of each scene right after I wrote it, but no going back chapters. I did have to re-do a couple scenes once I realized I was being too nice to my characters and the ending would never work if I didn't set it up right. So where I left off, I still need an ending, but I should be able to pick that up in a few weeks.
Because I have a revision to get to, and a manuscript to enter into RWA's Golden Heart. Part of why I was so driven to finish Nano is these other projects waiting for me.
What Inspires Me
Deadlines. Seriously.
Other than that, it's a season of giving and I'm glad to see how generous people can be. Tornadoes wrecked entire towns in my state and across the Midwest last week. My workplace has a community service committee at work who researched different reputable charity agencies and my team is donating to relief efforts here in Illinois and also to the Philippines (one of my coworkers is from the Philippines and still has family there--they are all OK). It shifted my focus at the right time from: what can I buy for Black Friday? to: how much and where can I give?
What Else I've Been Up To
Our downstairs was gutted for weeks after a water heater leak. Workers have been in and out, the cat's litter box was relocated into a not-very-desirable area, my home office was stuffed with things that belonged elsewhere, and my living room has been crowded with guitars, amps, and stuff I'm not sure of (though the cat enjoyed climbing the boxes). Now all the work is done and I can have my space back!
Planning for holidays. I'm the potato queen this year, cooking up this fabulous and easy Bourbon Sweet Potatoes recipe, along with mashed. I'm also doing a croissant and brie appetizer which makes me feel fancy.
Additionally, I'm stoked for a new Muppets Thanksgiving special (with Lady Gaga-OMG). It airs Thanksgiving night on ABC! I would attach a link but everything I found had slow buffering video content and pop-up ads. UGH. So just know: MUPPETS.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Please visit the other blogs and check in!
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