Well it's that time again. A deadline is racing toward me at 1,000 miles-per-hour and I'm steadying myself for impact.
When I signed with Penguin/Berkley, we decided to try two novels in 2010. The first, THE CROSS GARDENER, will be released nationally on March 2. The second should hit stores in the fall, presumably late August or early September.
The first, which I'm very proud of, has been polished and in production since August. The second is -- well -- um -- well -- much of the second is still lodged in my noggin.
If you've followed me or the blog in the past, you know that I work best under the pressure of deadlines. With the exception of CHRISTMAS JARS, every manuscript has been a very late bloomer. Such will (hopefully) be the case (gulp) with the new one.
Since March of last year, I will have written CHRISTMAS JARS REUNION, PENNY'S CHRISTMAS JAR MIRACLE, THE CROSS GARDENER, spent the fall on the road promoting the first two, and finished my fall 2010 release.
I need a nap.
But, sadly, no nap. Unless writing hibernation counts.
As of Monday (1/4) I've said goodbye to e-mail, Facebook, and showering until the latest manuscript is in. I'll spend time at a dear friend's cabin in the mountains of West Virginia, long days at my office in Woodstock, and, if history is any guide, a few nights at a local hotel in protective custody.
This might all sound a little strange. But, actually, with few exceptions, most writers operate this way. Everyone works a little differently, but many of my full-time author chums plug away slowly day-by-day until the agent or editor start pressing, and then they go into Hulk Hogan lockdown mode until the last page is written.
And now it's my turn. I'll try to come up for air as time permits, but it's time to generate high daily word counts and purple prose.
If you've emailed, called, or Tweeted me this week, rest assured I'm not ignoring you. Unless you're you-know-who, in which case I'm absolutely ignoring you and considering a restraining order.
Stay warm. Read a good book. And, as my mother used to say, remember who you are and what you stand for.
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Restraining order huh? :0) Here's praying that the words for your new book come fast and furiously!
ReplyDeleteLove, "the stalker"
:0)
Good things come to those who wait! I will, patiently! Can't wait to see what you create next!
ReplyDeleteHUGSSS from the Hoosier State!
Nicole (aka Nikki!)
This year we received a Christmas Jar. I was feeling rather terrible because my son-in-law will deploy out to Afghanastan this year again, and we could not afford to go see them in TX for Christmas. Their family got the flu, and the trip cancelled. Someone, somewhere, found out somehow and left the jar. Reading your book made us all feel better that someone thought of us all year. We have already started a new Christmas jar of our own. Keep writing, you're good at it and it was a very uplifting book!
ReplyDeleteGood luck! I know you can do it!
ReplyDeleteI'm still plugging away at this whole writing thing myself. In fact, I am going to submit the opening of "Hello, My Name is Alaina" to Mary Kole's YA/MG novel beginnings contest
http://kidlit.com/kidlit-contest/
Grand prize is a 15-page critique! Wish me luck!!
Brim over I to but I about the brief should have more info then it has.
ReplyDelete