Best Teacher

What makes holiday weekends so interesting is the speed with which they zoom by. I started catching up on some of my NetGalley review books earlier this weekend–and even posted reviews of them over at Goodreads. (If you’re interested, they were for Reincarnation Blues and Marriage Claws.) Part of the reason I went looking for something new to read was because I wanted some perspective on the edits I’m facing. Do I make this choice or that choice? Do I cut this scene or that scene?

And then I got the new covers for the books I’m working on… and it was all squeeing from there.

😀

(Srsly… Go check out Kelley York’s cover designs. They’re ALL beautiful and I’m so very glad to push business her direction, since she’s professional, timely, and talented… and she’s still in college, so can use the extra income.)

So this week’s image seemed appropriate on a number of levels. Digging into what makes any story work or not takes consideration and time. Digging into my own stories to cut away the bits that hold it back from being as compelling as I’d like… takes even more consideration and time. I know I’d LIKE to finish all the edits on all three books this month. I also know… that’s likely a recipe for disaster.

The other recipe for disaster is apparently pet food. We got recall notices last week for treats we’d long since fed our pups, so I spent some time getting to know Petsumer Reports this week. We’re apparently super-lucky we haven’t run into this issue in the past–and that apparently the batches we received were not ones that could have made our pups sick. Luck is not something I want to rely on in the long term. So I dug into the research available at that site and found a new brand of dog food (for cat owners, there are feline foods as well) called Just Food For Dogs. The company’s story was compelling, so we will be receiving our first shipment this week. I’ll let you know how the furbabies like it.

I also read an article with specific tips to help reinforce mental toughness. It’s a useful reminder as I face the task of setting this round’s goals. (And I’m really happy to report that Tashie hopped up onto the futon in my office under her own steam tonight, so is in her preferred cheerleader position to help me push forward. smile ) For Round 3 this year I’d like to:

1. Finish edits on Dust to Blood and re-release it with its new cover.
2. Edit Blood to Fire and re-release it with its new cover.
3. Edit Fire to Dragon and release it.
4. Walk at least a mile a day.
5. Blog weekly with my ROW80 updates.
6. Keep the sanctity of my weekly date night with hubs.

I suspect that will be more than enough to carry me for the next 80 days. It gives me about 25 days for each book in the series. It means my release date for book 3 is now more than likely in September… but I’d like to not be embarrassed by my first novel anymore. (Notwithstanding all the kind people who read it and liked it in its first incarnation, the pacing was never quite right and I’ve learned some of my weaknesses as an author with additional experience under my belt, so I’d like to do this story the justice it’s earned.)

So it’s back to checking in with the rest of my ROW80 crew to see what they’re aiming toward. I’ll return next week with my report on my progress.