Friday Fricassee

If I'm overflowing with happy goo, you'll have to forgive me.  In a moment of more spontaneity than we've been known for lately, Mr. A and I have decided to take a last-minute vacation.

That's right.  A REAL one.  And we're leaving soon!  As in, less than two weeks from today.  (I can't even begin to tell you how much I need to get done before then, both professionally and personally.)

But here's the thing.  The blog won't be going completely dark, because we've got another Secret Agent contest coming up, first week of August.  Thank goodness for automated systems, yes?  So no worries; all will run as planned, and I will have someone else on backup in case of glitches.

So I'll sort of be-here-but-not-be here.  Except for a CERTAIN FEW DAYS, when Mr. A and I will be AT THE SHORE, CELEBRATING OUR MULTIPLE-OF-FIVE WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.  (I'm not sure why the multiples of five make us feel like we have to celebrate MORE; isn't every year a cause to celebrate? Yet there you have it.)  For the rest of the time, we will be visiting my adored parents and probably belly laughing a lot.

I'm a bit teary at the prospect of seeing my beloved ocean so soon.  I'd given it up as lost for this year, and I had learned to be okay with that.  This is an amazing gift, and I don't take it for granted.

I'm a bit sparked this morning, too, because I finished my revisions last night (can I hear a resounding whoop??), and I'm eager to start my final-readthrough-before-dumping-on-crit-partners today.  You all know how good it feels to get to this point, right? And this was the novel I loathed after I'd finished it.  Couldn't look at it for over a month.  Not sure what the psychology of all that is, but I'm awfully glad the tide has turned.

I'm also encouraged because it seems that taking on larger editing projects is something I can manage, after all.  (Isn't it silly the way we doubt ourselves sometimes without having tried first?)  So while I'm going to have to get through the small queue that appeared for my first Premiere Critique offer, I'm certain that I will open this opportunity again in a few months.  Meanwhile, my regular editing (first 30 pages of your completed manuscript) continues as normal.  You can always email me at authoress.edits(at)gmail.com if you have questions.

I'm seriously overflowing with thankfulness and heart-of-a-five-year-old glee today.  My hope is that some of this will ooze through the internets into your heart.  So many of you have offered support when I've been discouraged or frustrated or downright tired.  Today, I'd like to offer you some of my joy.  Writing is hard, life is hard.  When the moments of delight come, it's so important to bask in them--and to spread the happy.

Much love and virtual hugs to you all!  (Except those of you who, yanno, don't want your personal space violated.  Consider yourself virtually air-fistbumped instead.  I mean, not everyone likes to be within touching distance of other people.  I happen to know, for instance, that Adam Heine lives under a table.)

'Til Monday!