Rainy Days and Mondays

I've had a week of cold, rainy days that all seem like Mondays. Spiced with broken refridgerators, fritzed washing machines, job interviews, school applications, two (active, unruly) boys to tutor, car-shopping, and the usual stuff at home.

Oh, did I forget completely rehauling a novel? And running out of chocolate?

I've had quite a week.

Thanks to a recent impulse to publish (yes, I get them once in a while) I've been tearing apart my Western, The Hanging Tree. Getting it ready to send out is proving to be incredibly challenging, not least because I have to cut 20,000 words and deciding which of my darlings to annihilate does give one the occasional pain. And it's scary to realize how much I don't know.

Currently, I'm halfway through and am convinced that if I ever see this story again it'll be way too soon.

However, I realize there is a silver lining: Three months ago, the mss of The Hanging Tree was as good as I could get it. Now, I can see flaws, cracks, and the occasional gaping hole. That means I've learned things in three months! I've improved. I've become a better writer.

Which is great.

But I still think I need chocolate. :)