Tuesday's Stuff and Things

First, the stuff:

The house comes along! I'm wearing myself out but the walls are getting painted, and everything looks great. Though much still looms before me (power sanding, anyone?), the master bathroom is underway - we have a new shower stall! - and I had TWO rockin' hot showers yesterday! Our wood-burning fireplace is being framed in, and everything should come together for the main floor's carpet installation this Sunday. Please send good thoughts, so all of this gets done without too much distress or strain.

I've been fighting the uckies for days. They have no place, and I have no time, so they best be on their way. Since you're already sending good thoughts for the above, would you mind sending more for this? Thanks.

The weather has been incredible the last few days! Here it is November, and we've had sunny days in the low seventies. Can you believe it? If it weren't for the downed leaves, one would question if we're really smack-dab in fall.

And the things:

Avalon has had my manuscript for one month and three days. Really, that's barely even a dent in the amount of time they could take. How much longer will it be? I wish I could guess. It's not been too bad though, putting it out of my mind, with plenty of other things to concentrate on. Will they like Bliss Lake? I remain faithfully confident but, again, wish I could guess. To use a tired phrase: Only time will tell.

I haven't done any work on my WIP, Life After Death, in close to two weeks. I don't like that, and must make an effort to write something, anything. I'm in that phase where it's easier to think about it than it is to sit down and do it. Know what I mean?

I'm currently beta reading two manuscripts. I'm honored to have been asked, and love getting a first peek at fellow writers' works. And I appreciate that they take my writing seriously enough to think I can help with theirs. Thanks for this opportunity, friends. I promise to do my best.

And thanks again for all the birthday wishes yesterday! It was a great day, and I feel like I welcomed 30 with grace and happiness. Oh, and prunes. Yes. PRUNES. Here's my bouquet from the three friends who took me to lunch. Look closely.

PS. Don't forget to VOTE!

Feedback: An Important Factor

I thrive on feedback. I've always known that (and I think it's inherent for writers), but I realized today how true it is.

Early on in the writing of my novel, I fed chapters to my parents and two friends. The most objective, unbiased views they weren't, but the praise and comments they returned to me gave me the boost needed to keep at it.

Somewhere around the middle of the manuscript I slacked off, though, and wouldn't let anyone see my progress. The culmination of my work and ideas came to be too encompassing, too detailed and in need of, I knew, eventual editing. Realizing I wanted no one to see it until it was as close to "perfect" as possible, I opted to keep the rest of the book to myself.

And then this week, out of nowhere, the opportunity for a sort of beta reader (proofreader) presented itself. I'm not sure how detailed the feedback will be, but so far I've gotten great comments. The most exciting? The reader has asked questions of me, of the story; questions that prove she's getting from the plot exactly what I'd hoped the audience would take away - even early on. It fills me with glee! Satisfied and giddy glee! And desire to keep working with my edits, to push forward with my goal.

It's just reassuring, you know? Like, it's proof that I'm still doing the right thing. No matter how much I question my talent, question my potential, this little bit of feedback tells me I'm on the right track.

Feedback, I love you.