What's Up Monday

Hopefully, I soon will have time to write blog posts. But in the meantime, here’s another update.

What I’m Doing

Surviving the heat. And wishing for this.

 I'm still applying for jobs. I’d heard the job situation was tough, but nothing is as demoralizing as applying for a job that already has 516 applicants. Yep. For one job.

And I’m getting used to my new fall schedule. Instead of teaching my kids, my baby is getting settled into college, though he’s still living at home (saving lots of housing money). It's one of the wonderful perks of living only a few miles from a major university. 

Finally, I’m beta reading the sequel to Alchemy by Sheena Boekweg, Melanie Crouse and Sabrina West.

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What I’m Reading

I’m nearly done with A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra. I can’t believe how long it’s taken me to finish it. The book is lovely, but it’s hard for a book to compete against the demands of summer. I’m also reading Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor-Easter by Lisa Patton. Having lived in New England and the South, I couldn’t resist the story of a Memphis woman moving to Vermont. I’m lovin’ it. 

Next book, Windthrow by A. B. Keuser.

What I’m Writing

I just finished a big first edit of Reap the Whirlwind. It’s an upmarket women’s fiction. And my word count went from 46,385 to 72,000. Phew! And I should get another 5k after the next revision. I’m one of those crazy people who underwrites. And it’s a scary thing to finish a rough draft and realize, “Gee, I’ve only got about half the word count necessary for my genre.” Gulp.

Next up, editing Whirlwind, part two.