Where I Am

Well, isn't it just like me to pop back in from my long vacation, write one blog and disappear again. No wonder I don't have many followers; they couldn't find me even if they wanted to. Now I am going to hit you with another legitimate excuse for my absence. Remember, this blog is supposed to be about my journey out of full-time motherhood. And this journey seems to be all about the twists and turns my life is taking as I set out to re-invent myself.

As many of you might remember, last year I took on the challenge of writing a 50,000 word novel in thirty days. As crazy as that might seem, I actually did it and am now the proud owner of one proof copy of a novel that has yet to be fully edited (or read) by anyone. What's even crazier than taking on such a challenge, you might ask? How about signing up to do it again?

For the next twenty-four days, (minus work hours and Bears games), I'll be sequestered in my basement, pounding on computer keys hoping to catch lightening in a bottle one more time. At first I thought I should quit while I was ahead. After all, I proved that I could do it. I'm sitting here with the proof, rough and unread though it may be. So why would I want to go through that torture again?

There isn't a simple answer but I think I came up with a few:

1. I need a project to take my mind off the fact that my vacation is over and winter is
about to make its appearance. Both events are making me pretty damn blue.
2. I work better with a deadline. My undisciplined nature would never take the easy
way out and write a novel over a rational time period, like oh, say, the other 335 days of
year.
3. (Most importantly) I want (need) to prove that last year wasn't a fluke. I want to write
a completely fictional, fun novel in a totally different genre. Maybe then I'll truly believe
I can make something out of this "hobby" I've pursued for the better part of my adult
life.

I'll try to check in once in awhile but, like I said last year, I have to write almost 2000 words
a day to meet my goal and, unless my husband is willing to go thru the next month with dirty clothes and an empty stomach, my free time has to be in the pursuit of those relentlessly unforgiving 2000 words. So, please bear with me and wish me luck. I'll come up for air when I can. This business of re-inventing yourself ain't easy.

Thankful

Yesterday was one of the best Thanksgivings ever. The food was fantastic; everybody pitched in and brought a few dishes including a few that we had never had before and the fresh turkey purchased at Costco didn't have any of that chicken broth injected into it or hormones and antibiotics fed to it before it had the bad luck to land on our dinner table. Of course, his bad luck was our good fortune. He was absolutely delicious; he tasted like what I remember turkey tasting like before the executives at Butterball decided we all wanted 15% sodium solution added to our yearly feast.

In case you might think I'm dwelling too much on the food, there was much else to be thankful for in our household. Our daughter, who's been struggling with some tough emotional issues, is doing much better. She spent the entire day with her family and we were all the better for it. We ate early and spent the rest of the time playing games and talking instead of mindlessly watching football (not that there's anything wrong with football; I'll be watching my share this Sunday).

Last but not least, I'm almost done with my novel. It may not be great (yet) but it is almost done. The crazy challenge I took on almost a month ago to write a 50,000 word novel in one month is nearly over and I can hardly believe it. I did something I never imagined I could do - I surprised myself. At my age, that's really something to be thankful for.

26,140 To Go

This is my first blog in almost two weeks and I'm not sure when you might see the next one. As I mentioned in my last post, I'm firmly enmeshed in the insanity of trying to write a 50,000 word novel in thirty days. All I can say is, it's amazing what you can do when you really put your mind to it. When I told my husband that this is the hardest thing I've ever done, he asked, "Harder than childbirth?" I had to think about that one. While there are some similarities and I wouldn't want to compare the pain of the two endeavors, I will say in childbirth's favor, it was over in one day. The birth of my novel is taking thirty, long, tiring days of labor and I'm still not convinced there's going to be a baby at the end of it.

Still, I'm plodding through. Through writer's block, characters spouting trite dialogue and a plot that's going in circles, I press on. I can almost see the finish line but I know that some speed bumps are waiting to knock me off track. If all else fails, I can always resort to typing my washing machine manual into my book. The challenge says 50,000 words. It doesn't say they have to make sense.

Wish Me Luck

This may be my last blog for a little while. I'm about to embark on the craziest/bravest/dumbest endeavor in my life. I've signed on with thousands of others around the world who are going to attempt to write a novel in thirty days. A yearly event, National Novel Writing Month, has been taking place every November since 1999. When I first heard about it, I was intrigued. Could I really do such a thing? And if so, what would I do with it? Procrastination, forgetfulness, and fear took over and year after year went by without me giving it a try.

So, here I am. Out of excuses and determined to succeed. The NaNoWriMo website is full of ideas, tips and support for all of us who are crazy enough to think we can do this and the local writers I've met at the kick-off events are all committed (or should I say should be committed) to helping each other survive the month. It all starts at midnight. So if you don't hear from me for awhile, know that I'm burrowed down with my laptop and a Diet Coke, trying to prove I can produce a written product longer than three paragraphs.

In the meantime, I will check in with any updates or frustration. But if I have to come up with an average of 1667 words a day, very few of them will be here. Wish me luck. I'm going to need it.