Hello out there! Editing Pens

Deadlines are interesting things, especially when they’re self imposed. I had set a deadline of June to have Amaranth Dawn ready for publication, but you know what they say about the universe and making plans.

And oh, how the universe laughed at me this time.

But it hasn’t been all bad stuff. We’ve purchased a house, renovated it (it has some serious gutting to be done), and moved. We’ve been here two months and are still unpacking and doing repairs. In fact, I got the last doorknob installed only yesterday.

But what does that have to do with editing? Not much, only that my needy house competes fiercely with my book for my time. Not unlike my kids, come to think of it… And in the end, editing a book is worse because the only guidelines are those you make up.

I actually made really good progress with these penultimate edits on Amaranth Dawn, until I hit the last 80 pages. Then I realize that I needed to add several more scenes and pretty much change everything from there to the end. I have spent the last three weeks trying to get Mariah through three days, but last night we had a breakthrough!

I am still hopeful that we’ll be ready to publish by September. *crosses fingers and waits for universe to laugh*

In the meantime, here’s a snippet from last night that I really enjoyed writing. I do feel kind of bad for everything that I put her through. My son told me not to do ‘the evil laugh’ because we’re not bad people, but I replied that I’m an author…

“Reality dashed that dream like a boulder dropped in a still pond. Hopelessness and despair washed over her and found release in her eyes as she turned to her side and wept.”