The
last month has been a whirlwind. We got through Thanksgiving pretty well. Our
aunties came to share the holiday with us. The five of us went to the graveyard
to pay one last visit to Dad and Aunt Della before next spring, and to see
their new monuments. Very nice and in some ways an eye opener. Seeing my Dad’s
name on a headstone seems unnatural. At times his absence is very real to me
and other times not so much. So we have Christmas, a birthday and New Year’s to
get through and then we’ll be in the clear until Easter and then will come the
first anniversary of his death. The holidays are always the hardest, especially
at the very first. I have to admit, I was dreading Thanksgiving and it went
better than I expected. So I have that to be grateful for.
With
the help of an anxiety/depression program and a new exercise routine, I am
doing quite a bit better. Still have a ways to go, but I think I’m on the right
track. It helps that my sister is doing this too; keeps me dedicated.
Sent
off around sixty some queries to the agents. Most have yet to respond, though a
couple have requested to see the full manuscript. One agent in particular seems
right for the story and she has had my novel for over a month. I want to ask
how she likes it but am too afraid that she’ll reject it then and there. In the
meantime I am polishing my WIP #2, which is even better than the first. I have
more confidence in it than this current one. Hopefully it will be whipped into
shape by the first of the year. Trying to get going on a third project. Do I
start on another story based in this little town? I do have plans for one, but
it is not appealing to me just yet, Believe it or not I am reworking my old
Epic Novel that I set aside almost three years ago. I don’t know why, but the
characters are speaking to me again. The tone is very different, so much so
I’ll have to change the title if I go to send it off. It will be interesting to
see what happens with that. Most of the research is already done and most of it
is still floating around in my memory. So, we’ll see what happens.
The
little Shih-Tzu we adopted has made himself at home. Checkers is a total
stinkpot, eager to tease and start fights. We call him the “Little Hobbit”
because he is so naughty. He has easily worked his way into our hearts.