I didn’t mention in my last post that I was planning to go to a writing event on Wednesday. It was the regular monthly meeting of Village Writers and Poets, a group centered in my city that meets more or less monthly. As this meeting is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., I wasn’t able to go while I was working. I knew one of the writers making a presentation, which is why I wanted to go to this particular meeting.

They occasionally have Sunday afternoon meetings. That was the one I attended back in February 2018. The leader asked me if I was interested in doing an author presentation, and we’re now trying to figure out a date.

At the read-around time, since I was new to most of them, they asked me to tell them something of myself and my writing. I tried to explain my Genre Focus Disorder to them, told of myself and my writing. Since I hadn’t brought anything to share, I recited “The Beginning of a Special Day”, the first poem in Daddy-Daughter Day. One thing I told them was that I had a new finished novel and was about to begin the second round of edits on it.

I came home after the meeting and two other errands, went for a 2-mile walk, and fixed supper. That evening, while watching television, I remembered what I had said: “Tonight I’ll start the second round of edits on my most recent novel.” So I went down to The Dungeon, took the notebook with the manuscript, and came back upstairs to work on. I read the first chapter, made some notations. Soon it was bedtime.

Today is a rainy day in Bella Vista, as predicted. I can’t go for my walk. I’ve been on the elliptical three times, though need to do it three more times to get my steps in for today. I decided to make banana bread, the firs time ever. And, I went out to the sun room with a mug of coffee and the manuscript, and began some serious edits. I’m on Chapter 5 now. I just identified the place where I’ll work in a little more backstory for the main character.

This feels good. I wasn’t pleased with the book when I read it through the first time, making simple edits. Some places seemed unclear, not explained well enough. I’m making a few clarifying edits. Nothing major; mainly adding speaker tags, sometimes an extra clause or two to make things clearer.

At the rate I’m going, I could be done in a week. Then a few days of typing, then one more read-through with, hopefully, minor edits. Then it’s ready for publishing. Way behind the schedule I’d hoped for, but still a viable addition to my collection.

What’s next to start, in my multi-tasking world? I want to write letters to my three oldest grandchildren. I think I’ll start that tonight. And, I need to make a list of blog posts I want to make, possibly scheduling them. If I get that done by Sunday, I’ll be happy.