Mid-Week Windup

So many thoughts going through my head.  I just read Tom Piccirilli's post on Brian Keene's page.  While I don't personally know him, he's another author who is a Facebook friend and was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor.  I lost my brother in law Dennis to a brain tumor and I thought of sending my sister in law Lavenia (his wife) a link to this post, but I didn't.  I was afraid she might find it too painful.  At least if she sees it here, she has the option of reading it or not.

                   Tom's post

 I can relate to this man's words.  Especially the part where he asks not to lose his capacity for thought.  Breaks my heart. 

On Facebook, where I spend far too much time, many authors are doing a thirty days of grateful thing.  I didn't do it because by the time I saw it there were maybe 20 people already doing it and it would have seemed overkill.  But I am grateful.  So grateful.

Right now I'm super busy.  I have a book due 12-1.  I'm only at 60,000 words out of 80,000 needed.  That's about 100 pages short.  It's probably going to be a touch late.  I got line edits on my April 2013 book and then, a few days after that, I got AA's (the final page proofs) on my March 2013 book.  The publisher also needed Dear Reader Letter's and dedications.  Next week is Thanksgiving and while I don't have to clean (Thank God for the cleaning people!), I am cooking for my father for the first time since 1996.  Last year I had the entire family here; this year it's just us and my daughter and dad, but I still want it to be awesome. 

After the holiday, we usually put up our Christmas decor, which takes three days.  And then there's the anniversary and the trip to Vegas, all in the time before this book is due. 

So yeah, I'm a bit stressed.  Though oddly enough, since this is my full time job now, I'm getting work done.  Line edits, check.  AA's, working on.  Dear Reader and dedication, check.  I can only do what I can.  And so that's what I'm doing. 

And I'm damn thankful to be able to do it.