When last we spoke, I had just been notified that I was one of the Top 50 semi-finalists for Harlequin’s So You Think You Can Write contest. I told you guys I was going to finish the book if it killed me. And you never heard another word.
That’s because it almost did (if I may speak in a hyperbolic manner).
Over five days, I wrote 30,000 words, and deleted about 15,000 of them (chapter six got re-written three times). Halfway through the second day, my carpal tunnel flared up. Halfway through the third day, I started to get sick. By the fourth day, I was miserably ill. We’re talking 103-degree-fever-ill.
Still, I wrote on.
I wrote, I edited, I put my words up on Google docs for the lovely and heroic ladies of my Writers with Moxie and Determination group (the WMDs) to edit, and then I wrote and edited some more.
And I finished it. Before the deadline, even.
Take that, NaNoWriMo.
When I was done, I realized just how incredibly sick I was. And I was Sick. What followed were two extremely miserable, virus-filled weeks during which my body punished me for every sip of red bull and bite of word-pumping chocolate I had taken (especially those that took the place of actual meals).
And when I finally entered the land of the living again? Well, then it was time to take a road trip to Atlanta for the ConFab conference (during which I most certainly did NOT refresh my email every 30 seconds to see if I’d made it to the Top Ten).
The conference was fab. The news from the Harlequin team was not.
I was not one of the chosen ones. My So You Think You Can Write journey has come to a close. But you know what? I’m okay with that.
It was an awesome experience.
I know now that I can write a romance novel. And I’m pretty sure it doesn’t suck, either. It needs work, yes. Probably lots of work.
But Becky and Mark have not reached the end of their journey. I’m going to revise their story, and submit it… maybe to Harlequin if they express an interest (word on the street is there’s feedback coming). If not, somewhere else.
And if none of the publishers want it? I’m not afraid to go rogue.
Plus, now that I know I can write a romance novel, I’m totally going to write some more. Jessie (Becky’s friend) is already begging for her turn in the spotlight.
There’s also this princess who has to find a prince before she can become queen…
And a vintage clothing store owner with a knack for matchmaking…
Yep, I’m definitely going to keep writing.
And when I’m a bestselling author? You can say you knew me when.