The whole week was devoted to Kid One's college auditions in Chicago and Ann Arbor. She did very well at them all, I'm just exhausted from the travel and the intensity of the week. While in Chicago I did a lot of writing because I couldn't do any sewing. Ann Arbor, I was too tired to do anything except focus on getting us where we needed to be when we needed to be, and on keeping Kid One calm and focused. One more audition to go, in North Carolina later this month. Then we sit back and wait and wait.

I just watched President Obama make his appearance at the Comander-in-Chief Ball, and listened attentively to his speech, and it occurred to me how relevant my latest novel is, and it gives me, perhaps, an extra boost of hope: Branching Out is all about the sacrifices of those who serve, and whom they serve. Maybe, just maybe, I got my timing right this time? Not gonna hold my breath on that, but...I'm just a little bit more hopeful this time around, despite all my self-marketing flaws.

Capitalistic issues aside, I wrote this novel in salute to all my dear friends in the military, End Of Discussion.

To DAW Books: Branching Out. Good luck, book! And good luck, President Obama! I've hopes for you both.

Just got a rejection letter today from Tor, lol. This is not at all a surprise. The rejected book is a real hard sell. It's been around the block enough, I think, that I'm going to trunk it for now.

And thanks again, jenwrites, for tips and advice. I'd forgotten about DAW, and after reviewing their website and present publications, I think that's the best fit for Branching Out, so it'll start its journey there, while I work on another round of agent queries.

Four days ago, a casual comment Kid One made while she, Bill, and I were discussing a point in the WIP, led to a light bulb going off in my mind. I suddenly knew how to fix my novel, Branching Out, which has been lingering in first draft form for close to two years now.

I've always known I was close, but not quite there, with this one. The major problems lay mainly in the opening chapter (surprise! that's where mine usually are), and affected pacing and characterization, and set a wrong tone for the balance of the book. Punctuation and paragraph structure throughout also affected the pace. (Why do I use silly style elements that don't work and not see that they don't work until I put a book away for a long long time?) I believe I've fixed all these issues.

What remains is were to submit this? I've got two novels in the slush at Tor at the moment. Is it okay to send to a third novel to Tor? All three books stand alone and are distinctly different, yet if I send them Branching Out, they would have in their possession two books from the same universe. I could send it to Baen, instead, I suppose, but I'd rather send this one to Tor.

Decisions, decisions.

P.S. The WIP is coming along nicely, too. I'm about 55k into it now, after having had a similar light-bulb-type moment a little while ago. I guess this is my year to get unstuck.

"Heaven Can Wait" debuts this week, and to start Dress Rehearsal 1 off to a glorious start...I have jury duty. :o\

But all will be well, even if it isn't, because there is always Dress Rehearsal 2. :o)

I suppose that's a respectable word count for any given day. Especially considering this particular 2k broke a longstanding logjam.

I'm finally writing steadily in my WIP that I'd pretty much abandoned because of Life. Feels good. Wanna keep at it as long as I can.

I am really enjoying myself, and am so very grateful that I can be here this year. :o)

This was long over due. But I needed the proper motivation. Two novels will be back out at market tomorrow, as soon as I can get postage for their envelopes. Good luck, novels!