The final steps of any project always take longer than I expect. We managed to cut about 500 words from the secret project and re-edited one last time. I’ve completed four of the five graphics I need to do for the project. We are not totally done, but we are close. If I can finish the final graphic tomorrow, I’ll send it in to the publisher and call it done.

‘A work of art is never finished. It is merely abandoned.’ 

E. M. Forster

I normally take Monday as a down day, but I thought I could get the project to the publisher if I just pushed hard enough. Since it’s been an intense month, my plan is to take my down day on Wednesday and then get back to writing on Thursday.

One of the changes we’ve made to our life is that we instituted reading time midday and that’s been a great thing for us. Many of our early dates were just us reading next to each other, so this feels romantic. It also helps us get through our TBR piles. I mix it up in that hour, sometimes reading completely frivolous romances, other times drilling down into science fiction or fantasy, sometimes a non-fiction book will capture me, and sometimes I read books by friends.

Lately I’ve been reading a book by one of my friends and I’m impressed with it. This is always a great thing to find. Sometimes when I read books by friends they don’t fit my taste and then I don’t know what to say to them (so I usually say nothing). This one is a fantasy novel set in world very similar to the ancient Mediterranean, but with magical creatures and a variety of human-like species. It’s a lot of fun.

That’s my update for now. Please cross your fingers for me to give me luck so that I can finally finish and send in the manuscript tomorrow. Send your good wishes that I don’t find something else that needs to be fixed. Or changed.

I hope your work is moving toward completion with more alacrity than mine. Be well, friends!