It's been a busy last few weeks. Two weekends ago, I was in Canada (for the first time ever) on Gabriola Island in B.C. for a haiku weekend. It was fabulous, especially the double rainbow/ sunset/ lightning show on Saturday evening. I'm eager to return to the area, even though it takes a while and a few ferry rides to get there.



Last weekend, I was housesitting for the wonderful poet, Lana Hechtman Ayers, and her husband. With such a beautiful view of the water, it's a wonder I got any work done, but some I did.



Which brings me to this coming weekend. I'll be down in Portland for the Willamette Writers Conference (my 3rd). And yes, I will be pitching "Nullum Desiderium" Book One. Only I've been having a crisis of titles, so I am now tenatively calling it "The Pawn of Faery" to keep from confusing folks with the Latin. I also rather like "Beck & Call" as a snappy title, but maybe that's just me. Any opinions out there? Anyway, wish me luck. I will be glad when it's over, because like most writers, I prefer writing the stories to trying to sell them.

Well, the subject line just about says it all. This afternoon, I finished the rough draft of "Nullum Desiderium: Book One." There is sparkling apple cider chilling in the fridge, along with more than a few bottles of beer (it is a long weekend, after all, and the weather is gorgeous!).

I just finished printing out the last two chapters. The word count is 53,195, which probably means more than the page count of 154 pgs. since I type in 1.5 spaced Cochin font. But it is slowly starting to sink in that I'm done. Of course, it'd probably be more satisfying if I hadn't just received a letter from my cousin suggesting something I could possibly do to help out the sagging Janine parts. As brilliant an idea as it is, I'm trying not to think about it and just enjoy the sense of completion.

Of course, after I let it sit for a few days (a week??), I need to dive into the revision. I'm submitting the first 20 pages to the Willamette Writers Conference to receive an advanced manuscript critique with Mary Rosenblum and that's due June 19. Then I need to revise the rest of it and start getting a pitch ready for the conference in August. No rest for the wicked.

OK, the weather is too nice and I've been spending waaaaay to much time with my laptop lately. Heading outside. Haiku news later.

Golly, has it really been 3 weeks since I last posted? Have you been wondering if I've been abducted by aliens or run off to a remote corner of Scotland with Russ and the cat? Well, nothing so glamorous has been going on. I've just been writing.

And writing.

And writing.

April was my month to complete a rough draft of "Nullum Desiderium: Book One." It's May now, and although I didn't finish yet, the end is in sight. So I'm extending the deadline a week, and we'll see how close I come. After that, it's time for a brief break to get enough distance from it so I can dive back in with editing, particularly the first 3 chapters. I'm turning in the beginning for a manuscript critique by Mary Rosenblum at the Willamette Writers Conference in August. http://www.willamettewriters.com/wwc/3/ I'm also pitching it (for real this time) to several different agents there, so I need to get an amazing pitch ready by then, too. No pressure...eek.

But I have been having a great time writing. Truly. This is why I'm a writer, because this is what I love to do. All day long. If the weather is warm enough to sit outside and write (which it has been a handful of times), then all the better.

My alter-ego, haiku poet, has been suffering from neglect a bit, though she did get to indulge in the fabulous Field's End writing conference on Bainbridge Island last month. http://www.fieldsend.org/ Thank you to Michael and to Lana for letting me tag along and for filling my head with poetry!

Speaking of poetry, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the incredible tanka symposium that is happening this Saturday at the Mercer Island Library from noon to 5pm. The link will do it more justice than I will, but if you have ever wondered about tanka and are in the area, please do attend. There will be cookies! http://sites.google.com/site/haikunorthwest/Home/2009-events-2/tanka-symposium

OK, enough for now. Time for some rhubarb crunch and vanilla ice cream.