The end of the novel - mine, actually

It's done. The book I started almost exactly two years ago is done. I finished at Starbucks yesterday at 4:22pm (finishing at Starbucks seemed appropriate, since it's where I met my husband), and was listening to Suzanne Ciani's "Princess" (what I walked down the aisle to - and yes, I am a sentimental romantic). The word count came out at 99,069 - but I haven't gone through and counted up words, chapter by chapter, for a bit since I've done some editing. It's kind of a long task. Involves math.It's crazy to think that this project is finally completed.

Told the husband and the family, then went out and celebrated at BJ's with dinner and a Pizookie. Then we rented "Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer" and I fell asleep.

So I'll print the monster on Monday and do a dry edit next week, then send the whole thing to the four people who've been waiting for it. We'll see what happens from there. But I'd really like a book deal, in part because I'd really, really like to replace my camera :-)

It takes a village to write a book. (Unless you're the weird loner writer type, but I personally think the village ones are better). I've had so many people contributing ideas and insights. It amazes me how involved we can get in the lives of those who do not exist. I often joke that novelists are obsessive-compulsive schizophrenics - we talk to the people who do not exist and then feel compelled to write down the conversation.

It's funny reading old chapters - I started in 2005, so the first chunk is written in the way that I wrote two years ago. Another chunk is written in the way I wrote one year ago. What's odd is feeling envious of your own writing style. I'd read stuff from the middle and go, "this is really clever," and worry that the newer stuff wasn't as great...then reread and be quite pleased with myself...Vicious cycle. Really.

The next project is Click - a comedy about online dating. I did a bunch of investigative research on this one, really put myself into the story. Yeah.

Months ago, I thought I'd be so excited about being done. As time stretched, I came to the point where I thought I'd finish and go, "thank goodness that's all over"...but when I actually came within pages....

It's exciting.

Originally posted October 13, 2007