Friday Fricassee

Happy Friday, dear hearts!

So I keep having all these wondrous plans for the blog, to offer you at the very least an in-house critique round, and at best another Secret Agent contest (in the works!).  But I've been in my revision hut, so the blog is one thing I need to set aside while writing.

Of course, it's all very exciting, because this is my first deadline!  My editor has asked for this revision by February 1, and so far I'm tracking well.  (I think I must be one of those weird people who likes deadlines.) Admittedly, I was a bit tense when I first learned I'd have only 5 weeks to finish.

But I found my stride.  And I'm actually fairly close to being finished.

I've had help, though!  I was blessed to meet Peter Salomon for coffee the day after Christmas, and he uttered words of writerly wisdom to me:  "Just finish one little piece at a time.  Don't look at the whole thing."  Yeah, that sounds logical and apparent, right?  But I NEEDED TO HEAR IT.  Because I was on the brink of freak mode, and I'd lost sight of the proverbial forest.

Peter rescued me.  Thank you, Peter.

Also, my sister has been COOKING MEALS FOR ME.  I can't even.  Twice each week, she's brought me yummy food so I wouldn't have to cook every day.  She knows I hate cooking and she knows that I have to focus on getting these revisions done.  I've thanked her a hundred times, but probably she doesn't realize just how deeply thankful I am--how much her kindness has freed me to write without excess angst (a.k.a. cooking angst CAN I HAVE AN AMEN?).

I'd be remiss not to also mention that my dear husband bought me a new MacBook Air for Christmas.  I've named her Olivia, after the main character in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, and she has made my life easier!  Genevieve, my retired Air, was on her way out.  Aside from my only-working-half-the-time E key, I was having serious memory issues.  I planned on running her into the ground, but Eric decided I needed a new laptop as I embarked on my first official revisions.  He calls it a "business expense", but I call it a thoughtful gift.

So, that's me, really!

Thanks and hugs to those who have subscribed to my author newsletter.  If you haven't taken a peek at my new website, please stop by!

JILLIANBOEHME.COM

And, yes, when you subscribe, you'll receive a FREE AUDIOBOOK, which I wrote and narrated.  (Yes, I love being married to a guy with a recording studio.)

THE WISHING SEED is a fairytale-in-verse for the young and young at heart.  Here are the opening verses:

THE WISHING SEED by Jillian Boehme

In the once-upon-a-time-ness of a land you’ve never seen, 
Where the streams were clear and bubbling and the forests thick and green, 
Stood a cottage in a clearing at the bottom of a knoll, 
With three shabby little windows and a roof that had a hole. 

 ‘Twas the home of Ethan Trowler and his family as well – 
Papa, Mama, seven brothers, and a baby, Annabelle. 
It was crowded, it was noisy, and the furniture was spare, 
But the Trowlers kept on smiling – they had love enough to share. 

Every morning, little Ethan, while he waited to be fed, 
Dreamed of eating cheese and oatmeal with his one, thin slice of bread. 
But the pantry shelves were empty and the flour bin was low; 
“When it’s gone,” thought Ethan, “What will we eat then?” He didn’t know.


And, finally (whew!), I'd also like to invite you to FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM.  Because PHOTOS!  (And not just pictures of books.  I mean, there are those.  And I love books and pictures of books.  But it's much more interesting to look at other things, too.)

So keep your eyes open for an in-house crit SOON, as well as an announcement for Secret Agent submissions (not quite as soon--you have time to get ready!).  And have a glorious weekend!