Murder Most Crafty

So, I'm poking around on Amazon, and look what I find! Murder Most Crafty is a new book that contains 15 mini-mysteries that all have crafts as a theme. It even comes with craft patterns! It kind of reminds me of Monica Ferris' Needlecraft mysteries.
I've never been into mysteries, but if it has crafts in it, I'm so there!

Felicidades,
Kathy :-)

My manuscript has been sent to my agent!

It just about killed me, but I finished my novel and sent it off to my agent last week. I'm chewing on glue sticks right now, out of anxiety of what happens next. I meet with my agent in NYC next week, hopefully he'll have liked what he read! I worked on that book day and night from November-May. I let so many things go - time with my family, sleep, chores, art, money, my health! I gained weight from snacking while I worked so late at night.

But once I sent it off, and even though I know I'll be revisiting the 400 page manuscript soon again, it felt like a two-ton block of clay was lifted off my back. I'm so excited to get back into art and fixing up our house.

Felicidades,
Kathy :-)

They wouldn't let me quit!

Woo, it's been a while since I've been here. A lot has happened!

Biggest thing, I decided to turn my notice in at work. I had been thinking about it for months, and finally I couldn't let the "what if" wondering eat me alive. I don't want to spend another year thinking about "if this will be THE year". It's not going to fall in my lap, I have to go get it!

So Patrick and I crunched all the numbers to make it work. I wrote up a nice letter to my nice editors. And much to my surprise, they offered me a very sweet part-time deal to stay - and do the work I love so much!

At first I felt like a sell out, being a chicken to not carry through. But I believe everything happens for a reason and I'm not one to take things for granted! So part-time it is! Regardless, it is still a HUGE step for me. A risky move. But like my brother says, "No guts, no glory!"

And I still won't be back here for a bit. I'm finishing editing the last 10,000 words of my novel. It goes to my agent at the end of the month. I'm so shaky! What if it sucks? What if he reads the whole thing and tells me "Sorry Charlie, stick with your day job?" Ack! The only way to know is to get it over with and see what happens. If anything, I can die knowing I wrote a 98,000 word piece of fiction.

Well, adios for now!

Felicidades,
Kathy :-)

Pep talk from my friends

Today I hit a weird glitch. Last night I got wind of another writer that sold a book with a similar idea to mine. I FREAKED! I thought it was time to throw in the towel and get back to what should be my normal reality. Not the reality where I fantasize about walking into a book store to be greeted by a towering display of hardbacks with my name on the cover.

I panicked and sent a 911 message out to my literary amigas and got the best advice and support. More than I expected. At the end of the day, I can see I'm really in great shape.

I'm currently rounding down my fourth draft of my novel. Trimming, reworking, choosing new words, inspecting scenes, heightening tension, making the comedy zingier (is that a word?). I hate that it is taking me so long. I'm used to completing my to-do list each night and it kills me that writing this book does not follow those guidelines. Each chapter takes a good 8-10 hours or so to polish. But then I realized - this is actually my seventh or eighth draft - because that's how many times I go over each chapter as I finish it. It's my fourth time going thru the manuscript from start to finish, but I've actually gone through each chapter 7 or 8 times!

Anyway, back to work. I'm on a mission to get this job done, regardless of the outcome. And I want to share some great advice I recieved from these remarkable writers today. Not only to motivate other wannabe novelists like me, but also so I have these words to look back on when it's 2:30 am and I second guessing EVERYTHING and want to cry. I think reading the following tips will snap me back in shape.

"When you're in your darkest moments, you are that much closer to the light. Don't EVER give up."
- Mary Castillo

"Remember, it is your reputation at risk here. Your name goes on the cover of the book. The more work you do on the manuscript now, the greater a chance it iwll still be in print years to come."
- Marcela Landres

"1) Grisham's first book was A Time To Kill. He couldn't sell it. So he wrote The Firm and after that success he was able to sell A Time To Kill as his "second" book.
2) Jennifer Weiner was rejected by 23 different agents
3) JK Rowley was rejected by at least ten different agents and five publishers (all of whom are now in 12 step programs :-)"
Kyra Davis

And thank you to all the others that gave me words of wisdom today. It means so much!!!!
Felicidades,
Kathy :-)