Share This Musing
This week’s Monday Musing is special. I will offer no books I am reading nor interesting links. Why?
The muse is too busy to muse. Deadlines.
My current novel was supposed to be published early this year. Then we decided to move back from Murrells Inlet to Asheville, so we rescheduled it. We’ve returned to the world of movers, contractors, and chaos, so we rescheduled it again. The past few months have been quite entertaining, but things have finally settled down. I made a fresh commitment to my editing team, cover designer, and publishing schedule. Yes, I committed to deadlines.
My story editor will receive the draft Wednesday. Two days from tomorrow. Am I ready? Of course not. I’m frantic. Panicking. Hyperventilating. A manuscript sits in front of me, taunting me, daring my red ink pen to stay away. It’s not done. It’s not ready. I need more time.
But the deadline looms.
I will let this story go. Over the next two months, I will answer questions, fix errors (Oh, yes, there will be errors. Somebody’s eyes will change from blue to green and magic will not suffice as an answer. I’ve tried that one already.), and polish the story. Most importantly, they will constrain my “creative use of commas” (an actual quote from one member of the editing team). The marketing will take over. The novel will go out into the world.
The tale is slipping out of my hands and into yours. As scary as that always is, I have to let it go. If I don’t, I never get to the next story.
By the time the book hits the market, I will be deep into writing the next tale. I already have copious notes and will organize them in the coming weeks. It’s a good story. A relevant story. It needs to be told. It’s calling for me. It needs a conduit into this world.
So does the one after that. The scribbled notes of that one already haunt me. It starts out with a quite literal bang.
The editors will impose deadlines on them too. I’ll try not to move again to throw off that schedule.
I owe you that. So pardon me while I focus on deadlines.
P.S. – I’m still re-reading Stephen King’s ‘Salem’s Lot, the same book as last week. The book is great. My time has been limited. I guess you could say that sucks. (Yes, that is bad vampire humor).
Gratuitous Dog Picture
While I work on my tale, Landon shows off his tail. Yes, the boy needs a brushing, but part of the magic of Siberian Huskies is that they shed more hair than can possibly exist. Seriously, you brush one, and the pile of hair is bigger than the dog. And they need it again the next day. But the other magical thing about our Boom Boom is that amazing tail. It’s as long as he is.
Background title image courtesy Jon Tyson
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Hu-Dad-I hope all goes well with your book and of course I can’t wait to read it!
I just LOVE Landon’s tale-so beautiful. As far as the Siberian’s hair issues-it NEVER ends and don’t know how you manage to keep up with FOUR!! I only have one and struggle to keep him brushed(LOL)!
you know what ‘they’ say… “stop. Breathe.”
how can you keep it all together? WOW.
good luck Hu Dad! xoxo
We are all behind you 110% knowing there is another great book coming our way. Hair Hair Everywhere is our mantra.
German shepherds shed the same. The squirrels and the birds love the dog piles of hair I leave on the lawn. And of course we always tease that they had another dog hiding under all that fur.
And a big thank you to always taking time to do this blog with how busy you are. You bring smiles and sunshine to all of us that read it and we do appreciate you very much. Take a bow now.
Hu-Dad…..I had a move myself. Not from a different place but from a different email server. My old email that I have been with for 12 years just decided to stop serving clients. Seeking a new server has been less than fun, but your ordeals are far more interesting than mine. I’m finally settled into my new place and it sounds as you are also. But I’m with everyone else, how do you do all you do with 4 Siberian Huskys and write books also? I have one Siberian and he is a handful. I’ve been writing the same book now for 6 years and wonder to myself if it will ever get finished. I admire you for all your under takings and wish you and the sibs the very best.