Finishing The Book

The windows have been thrown open to let the breeze cut through the quiet house today.  The dog is lying behind me and I've got a cat curled in my lap.  It's a pretty good day.  I've got Apocalyptica playing on the computer and the washing machine is humming in the background.  My email inbox is empty (for the time being) and my manuscript is waiting.  It's time to get back to the editing. 

I'm down to the last 100 pages and I'm hoping to get the bulk of it done today so I can drop it in the mail to my editor ... AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. Which is kind of funny, because this has been the book of the moving deadlines.  Originally, the book was due in mid-February, then all the deadlines for the other book and novellas got shifted so the deadline for Book 2 got moved, at my request, to mid-April.  And then there was more shuffling, resulting in another move to mid-May.  But it's done now and I am VERY happy with the finished product.

Is it perfect?
Oh, heavens no!  There's no way to get perfect on the first attempt.  Or the second.  But you keep going in, making changes and tweaking things until it all lines up. I think the plot is solid, but I think the problems may lie in some motivations and descriptions.  I'm reaching the point where I need another pair of eyes on the book and a break so I can look at it fresh.  Right now, I'm too close to the book.  I can no longer see the big picture. The fact that I can read the last line of Chapter 17 and still think that not only is this AWESOME but HEARTBREAKING means that I'm too close.

This hasn't just been the Book of the Moving Deadlines.  It is also:
The Book with No Title
The Book that Refuses to Plot
The Book with No Sex ... Oh, wait, never mind, I found it.
The Book with Too Many Plots/Subplots
The Book that Won't @#$^&%# End
But this might also prove to be my favorite book, but then I say that for every book that I finish.

I can't wait for you to meet Gage.  Though, the poor guy is starting to have some doubts himself.  His life seems to be getting crazier the longer he knows me (I can't imagine why).  So, after we finish Book 2, we're going to take it easy for a month.  We're going to plan out some promotional things, complete some interviews (if he's still willing to talk to me), and maybe I'll be able to talk him into working on another book.

I've already got some great things in the works! And don't worry.  I've got some new stuff coming out soon.  In fact, we've got less than two months to go until the next story is released.  THE ASYLUM INTERVIEWS: BRONX is slated for release on July 3. Hold on, it's gonna be a wild ride.