Guess what I did today?

I signed a contract to have my work published. That's what I did.

And now I lay here writing to you as the pretend candle in the handmade candle holder that my eldest gave me for Mother's Day flickers and glows. I feel kind of like that candle right now. Not quite certain, do I dim or do I glow? Will I shine, or will the light eventually die out...

There's only one way to find out.

So, until fate decides which way I go, I'll sit here and squee in my head and hope with all hope that I won't only be chasing my dream, but catching it by the tail and soaring with it.

Oh god, it hurts... it HURTS!! Cutting out large parts of your novel to make it into a working manuscript has got to be one of THE most painful things ever! (mentally, at least). You know that scene in The Exorcist when the priest is spraying Reagan with holy water and she's screaming "It burns!! It buuuuurrrnnnsss!!!" Yeah, that's me every time I hit delete! My head should start spinning any moment now  *laughs* (listen, you've been warned I'm dramatic - deal with it)

I know there are parts that are superfluous. I know not everyone is going to find the daily minutia of my characters as riveting as I do. I know there are parts people may potentially gloss over...doesn't make it any easier!! Truth of the matter is, I've envisioned these scenes. My characters sat in my head and talked to me, they showed me the rooms of their lives in vivid colour (HD even!) and dutiful scribe that I am, wrote it all down. Now it feels as if I'm erasing important bits of their lives to make the story more marketable. Actually, that IS what I'm doing! *sigh*

But... onwards and upwards. Don't worry, readers, I plan on releasing those scenes as out takes on this blog after the book release! haha   ;))