Submitted

I've done it—submitted my novel. Now I know most authors do not get their first novel published, so I am trying not to get too excited. But I feel free, like I've put all this time and effort into this novel, and now it's done, out of my hands.

I am going to have to start on another writing project but which one? I have an idea about an historical novel based on my family history, that I want to start. I have started another YA story based on a dream I had about an invasion in Beechworth. I've also started a dark urban fantasy novella. And I have two more books to write after this novel I've just finished—I plan on it being a trilogy.

I've just finished reading 'Darkness unbound' and 'Darkness rising' by Keri Arthur a Melbourne writer and I just love reading about all the dark creatures that live in Melbourne. In the last one I finished, they were at the Werribee Mansion, I live near Werribee Mansion and I've been there. I wonder if Keri went and had a coffee and tour one day to get that scene right.

My next book is '50 shades of grey' and it arrived today so I will let you all know how that goes.

Less than a week

The 30th of June is the deadline. I think I'll make it. Right now my brain is overrun with than/then hay/hey weather/whether peaked/peeked. The list goes on. I think I know the right word to use, but when I type my fingers don't always type the word I want them too.
Anyway there are a few other things I've been doing, entering short story competitions that sort of thing. And reading, my favorite pastime. Anyway I am procrastinating, I need to get back to writing my pitch letter and my synopsis, eek.

4th draft

4th draft done. I finished it Monday and now my hubby is proof reading for me. I think I'll do a fifth draft as well as I am unsure about one section of plot.
It is such a learning curve and I am realizing I have a really long way to go, but the best attribute a writer can have, I think, is perseverance. I think I have that. We'll see when I have a pile of rejection letters on my desk, or as the case will probably be rejection e-mails sitting in my inbox. So enough with the negativity, I have a deadline, self imposed but still... I have till the end of June (originally it was the end of July) to submit this manuscript to a specific publishing house as their cut off date for unsolicited manuscripts is the end of June, till further notice.
Exciting, scary, yes; but better then sitting on this story and letting it take up computer space.

Hunger Games again

So I've finished the last book in the Hunger Games trilogy. At the end of the first book I was a bit disappointed because they will still being ruled by the Capitol. By the end of the last book I was really disappointed (now if you haven't read the book and want to, don't read further). While the characters are alive and no longer under the Capitols rule, they are broken people. I imagined a happy ending but it was not happy. Katniss is broken—mentally confused. She chooses the boy I want her to choose but it doesn't seem like they are going to have a great life together, more like they are just trying to survive, much like they were before the war.
All that being said I think it was a good read and I think I will see the movie, just need a baby sitter...

Draft 3 is finished!

So it's done and giving myself a deadline really worked. I have finished draft 3!!! And I printed it out, it is the first time I've held a hard copy of my novel and I quite like it!!

Now begins the 4th draft, only thing is I don't expect it to be hard. I think I may even enjoy it!