Sa-weet!

Woke up this morning to find a contract for The Gospel of Love: According to Luke in my inbox. Woohoo! What a nice way to end Christmas week.

Deanna asked when she can have the other three, too. So, now I have a nice incentive to get cracking on According to Matthew.

I Did It!

I submitted According to Luke to Cobblestone. Gulp! Somehow, I'm way more nervous about this one than I was about my first.

Haven't written a word the past two days other than edits. I'm getting antsy. Time to start writing again soon, I guess!

The...

END!

It took me an extra day, but that's because it also took me about 3,000 more words than I expected. Here's the final meter for the first draft:

According to Luke


Now, it's off for a round of crits, and I'm taking a break.

So Close...

According to Luke


Obviously, I had to stretch the word meter because there ain't no way I'm going to wrap up in another 150 words. But man, I can taste "The End."

Today, today!

Good Day at the "Office"

Got more than 2,000 words. Three and a half scenes to go.

According to Luke

Tomorrow, another 2,000. I doubt I'll wrap up in 17,500 now, but if I get 2,000 tomorrow and 2,000 Friday, I should be done.

Rock on!

Need a Kick in the Pants

From myself, mainly. I really must do everything in my power to wrap up this story up by the end of the week. Because after that, the kids will be on winter break, and the house will be a zoo. (Whoever said that Christmas is the season of peace on Earth didn't have children!)

According to Luke


I mapped it out and I have four (possibly five) more scenes to write--one sex scene (which I started yesterday), one plot/internal conflict building scene, the black moment, and the HEA/love scene. I might include a scene between the hero and his mother between the black moment and the HEA, depending on whether I decide I need it to show him resolving his internal conflict or not.

If I put that in, my word count will probably end up closer to 20,000. Even without, I think I'll end up closer to 18,000 than 17,500, but I'm keeping the word meter the same to avoid depressing myself (it's always a bummer to add words but see the percentage completed move little or, worse, go backwards).

Slowed Down a Little, but Progress is Progress

As the title says, my production slowed a little over the past couple of days. I only got 1,200 words on Tuesday and 900 yesterday. I blame my heroine for this turn of events. She went and did something I didn't expect, leading to a mini black moment/turning point I didn't really anticipate and the need to write a few additional scenes I hadn't originally conceived. I'm pretty sure she made it a better story by doing it, though, so I don't have complaints.

Of course, because her actions added a few scenes and I was already pretty sure I wouldn't be able to wrap this baby up in 12.5K, so I've had to extend the word count projection significantly. Which makes my progress look much less impressive, sadly.

According to Luke


In other news of the ironic sort, Unbridled (the manuscript I have finally and forever decided to consign to the Magical Mulch Pile) finaled in the Launching a STAR contest. No, I won't be tempted to pick it up again, even if it wins.

Much...

The Muse Keeps Going Strong!

According to Luke


This is the easiest story to write, ever! I'm sort of in awe of how it just flows out of me.

On the other hand, I'm a little afraid of it. As easy as it's been to write, I'm a little afraid that the hero (who is also the narrator) is hard and unsympathetic. I just wrote a scene between him and his ex-girlfriend and even though I thought I set it up pretty clearly that she's a manipulative bitch, I'm still not sure he comes off well.

Of course, real people aren't perfect, so characters in stories probably shouldn't be, either. Still, if his attitude and actions alienate readers (most of whom, I expect, will be women), that can't be good.

I need a read. Anyone?

Go Me

According to Luke


Only a little over 1,000 words today, but then, I did two blog posts and wrote a query letter. Plus, it was mostly sex and that always takes longer than anything else. So I guess I'm excused.

Since hubby will be out of town most of next week, I fully expect to be done with the first draft by Wednesday.

Well, Go-ooolly!

According to Luke


Two 2,000+ word days. In a ROW! I never would have dreamed.

And there'd be more where that came from if I didn't have to cook dinner, do homework with the kids, and watch a football game. (Is it weird that I can't decide whether I want Dallas or Green Bay to choke more?)