Armadillocon 32 - Austin, TX -- Yo ho!

[paragraphs]

I've spent the last two days in a whirlwind flurry of polishing and reworking the first chapter of my fantasy novel, Altered Fates, for the Armadillocon workshop in August in Austin. I very nearly missed the deadline--ho hum, I was feeling lazy, decided to check the website...and SCREECHED! Submissions were due TODAY! This was discovered by me TUESDAY!!!

I yelled to my local writing peeps, they yelled back YOU CAN DO IT! and so I frantically pulled out the first chapter (which used to be the fourth) and spent yesterday and part of today (during work, shhh) adding and deleting and fixing and polishing and screeching yelling pulling hair out getting little sleep... WHEW!!!

DAMN that was FUN!!!

Seriously, I have not had that much fun, been so happy working on anything quite like that in quite some time. My passion for this story has been bubbling overboard lately--this story's time is now, at last. Taken about ten years to get it to this point, but now is the time, yes it is. Working on the first chapter again--time flew, nothing could distract me (even going over it in hard copy at Starbucks last night)and I realized (again) that the reason working on this novel makes me so happy is because it is damn good.

I have something special here, by golly. HAVE had something special for a long time, but evil people and circumstances beyond my control, and stupid attitudes and stubborness on my part forced it aside.

So, anyway!!! Now that that is sent in, I can relax, get back to beta'ing as I'd promised (uh, sorry about the sudden disappearance on that, KL! I went rather nutty!) and tomorrow, I leave early a.m. to go see my sister Leslie in Nashville. WHEE!! Four days of Being Away From Here will be a good thing. I need a break from Fort Worth, work, kids, dogs...scratch that. Not from the dogs.

When I get back I'll have two months to finish ballet boy--I want--no, it WILL be out of here by the time I go to Armadillocon end of August. Happily, two of my FW peeps will also be going. Whee! (they joined me in the panic over getting a chapter ready with less than 48 hours to do it, lol awesome). That'll be awesome wonderful fun, and both are far more familiar with the genre and the people in it than I am, so that will be added marvelousness.

So, here I go! Diving head first into the fantasy genre at long last. I think I am ready for it. Oh yeah.

Comments

[samueljames]

Despite the panic I'm sure it must be good to work on something that's inspiring you. Deadlines can make stuff feel forced sometimes when your brain won't give you any good ideas. Lots of luck with it.

[klgrem.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! Enjoy your time away. :)

[blue-fjords.livejournal.com]

Have such a wonderful time this weekend! And then dive in to writing! Two months for ballet boy and then fantastical awesomeness!!!

[momebie.livejournal.com]

Re-working something like that honestly sounds downright exhilarating.

I'm jealous of Nashville! I've never been to Nashville! Do some line dancing in a stupid hat for me. :p

[alba17.livejournal.com]

Exciting! I'm so glad for you!

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

Wow lj is being bad--I just got notification! HI THERE!

Oh yes I love this story, have for years, but doubted myself and writing in fantasy and whether I belonged there or not. Yeah. I do. :)

I look forward to this magical crazy workshop! It will be crazy fun. LOL.

Sometimes I love the pressure of A Deadline. Same thing at work--I thrive on clock-watching!

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

My sister is determined to make me fall in love with Nashville I think! :)

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

There is absolutely no reason why I can't finish at a nice pace of a mere chapter a week. Breaking it down to nine chapters to finish, and going to make that work.

BY GOLLY!!!

Will miss you this weekend but you will still hear from me, lol pretty sure. Positive. WITHOUT DOUBT!

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

It was! I was on fire! I loved taking that printout and curling up in the chair at Starbucks, rain pouring outside, my Misto beside me... Yeah. I am glad my daughter doesn't mind her mom hanging out at her place of employment! LOL.

LOL I doubt we will do that...at least I hope not. I am not packing my boots! Not that I have boots. I used to have boots. LOL.

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

I am just glad to get away. I wish my dogs were going too but I get to play with her animals at least! Collie, half-husky, cats. :)

[topgeargirl2.livejournal.com]

Have a good time in Nashville and good luck with the writing.

I decided to take a break after posting my first kink_bingo fic.

[talekyn.livejournal.com]

Glad you caught that and made the deadline! Nothing like 'skin of your teeth' to motivate, I guess! Is this the Jax fantasy I've seen part of, or the Wolf thing? Or something I know nothing about?

[pir8fancier.livejournal.com]

Of course you're ready!

[klgrem.livejournal.com]

Not too difficult, I think. :)

[valancy-joy.livejournal.com]

YAY! GO you!!

Have a great weekend away. Running away from home from time to time is a good thing!

And huzzah on the writing. I had a really good day writing yesterday starting my longfic. Which probably means that today will suck :) But positive thoughts. I am so happy with what I did yesterday I kind of hate to sit on it for two months! Impatient am I.

Ok enough rambly rambly... but it's so nice to be able to chat about stuff that I can't really talk about in RL.

:)

HUGS

[fictional-one.livejournal.com]

We all know you thrive under deadlines! Have fun visiting your sister. Wave on your way past Memphis. I'll be that tiny little speck on the ground waving back. OMG! I turn 50 on Monday!