Tuesday, September 8, 2015

And it's off!

My latest revision packed her little bag and flew to New Brunswick yesterday. I pushed through on the long weekend and was so glad I did. I'm sure there is still more to do - a lot more - but I wanted my mentor to see my new ending soon. If he thinks it works I'll go back to refining it - as it hasn't had the polish the rest of the ms has had. I also want to add about four thousand words to bring it up to 80 thou - a reasonably sized novel. I don't want it sold as a YA (necessarily) so don't want to send that message.

Now what should I get up to while it is away? I have a short story that didn't win a contest so think I might start sending it out. I might haul out a hibernating ms - True or Feckless - both have been tugging at me lately. NaNoWriMo is happening in November. Do I want to participate? Maybe. But not with anything new, I don't think.

My life is pretty consuming right now with work. School has begun here so I will be spending many afternoons there, as an outreach counselor. I LOVE the school so this is good news. I'm thinking of ways to magnetize kids into coming and talking to me. They are getting used to me already (I was there twice last week). I usually bring art supplies and just sit and draw until they wander in and then encourage them to join me. Keeping the hands busy allows the heart to open and the voice to speak I find.

I'm having a health problem which is getting me down - it is arthritis - no need to keep it quiet. It is affecting my sleep and mobility so I'm rather freaked out. I might have to get fierce with it - no alternative means here. That means no acupuncturist, no excellent massage therapists, no holistic types. Also no health food store or good gym. Gah. So, as with everything, I'll have to make it up. I do sweats every chance I get, which usually makes me feel initially worse but later seems to work.

I also have a trip to plan. I am going to Ottawa to see my sons, their gals and my newest grandson. I haven't seen him in over a year. I saw the other three that live in Halifax, this summer, and while that isn't nearly enough it will have to do. I look forward to Ottawa, a city that I lived in for a long time. I love the National Art Gallery and also the Museum of Civilization. Restaurants, movies, music! Yay! And I might get one of my kids to take me to this crazy spa for a day. It has 8 saunas, I don't know how many outdoor pools, with waterfalls, steambaths, infinity pools. That might be just the thing. I won't do what I did last time though - jump into the freezing plunge baths. That my arthritis doesn't like - I love it though. Contrast. So, a week with family and culture should be a real boost.

That's it for now. Back to work!

2 comments:

Hart Johnson said...

I love that you love your job--I bet you're an amazing counselor. As for the arthritis, my stepdad uses this pepper cream (like from the holistic part of the grocery store)--has to put gloves on to apply it but swears by it. You could probably order it online.

And the BOOK--YEAH for finishing the edit and a new ending. And 74K is a perfectly respectable adult book unless you are writing thriller or high fantasy. 70-90K for most genres. I think you are in women's fiction domain (family stories usually seem to be unless they are a man MC, then suddenly they are general fiction... but whatever, I don't have to agree with the rules to know how they fall)

Anonymous said...

So happy for you, Jan, that you got your book sent off! Isn't that a great feeling!? I like it that you have other writing projects to keep your creativity flowing while you wait for a response. Sorry to hear about the arthritis. I wish you well as you come up with ways to deal with it.