As I work on my power point and study guide, today, that concludes round one of the author journey. I still have loose ends from round one, but at this point, I find its psychologically wiser to not expect anything more than I have gotten, and to move on to round two.
Round one hasn’t been bad. I’m a published small presser, I’ve received my first advance, and I’ve had some very good advice and promising nibbles from agents.
Here comes round two, mostly focusing on earnest work on the next novels. In the end, after therapy and pills have improved me, but I still have my shadowy days, I will be alternating between the troll YA piece with Grant and my retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. I’m going to write for my own happiness and joy for a little while as the stories develop, and not even worry about their marketability until muuuucchhh later. Because (bwah ha ha!) I *can*.
Of course, I’ll still be around to sling writer hash, pimp my and other people’s projects and works, give you word counts and excerpts, and well, just generally be more upbeat than it has been in my power to be the last several months. (You might not have noticed. Believe me, I noticed.)
Eventually, I’ll be hot to try to take over the world again, and round two will begin. Lay in some sandbags for the assault, people. You have time.
Catherine
