86,520 Words

Yep, finished it on New Year's day. Polishing now, but 1st two submissions of opening chaps already sent out. Couldn't wait.
A

82,455 Words

I think I might finish the first draft today. There will be some fleshing out to be done afterwards, but I can do that whilst my opening chapters are doing the rounds. I still think it will come out very close to my 90,000 word / 50 chapter target. And it's only taken about four months (not counting school holidays, during which everything stops).

I hope this one will sell but, if it doesn't, I have a firm idea for no.3 to keep me going. And there's still the Norwegian one that I will resurrect at some point, simply because I was enjoying it so much. Not foot-in-the-door material though.

I got a copy of The Golden Notebook for Christmas. I made three attempts at the preface before giving up and moving straight on to the story itself, which is a doddle in comparison. So much repetitive explanation and justification for this and that - how would I react to being attacked as she was? Unlikely, of course, that anything I write will receive enough attention to merit a ten-year anniversary re-print complete with preface by the author, so I doubt I shall ever have to cross that bridge.

(Nearly) two books on from where I started this diary, what has changed? Better to ask what has stayed the same. Same town, same street, same permanently-in-the-red bank balance. Same two kids (although larger), same husband (still utterly lacking in any form of common sense or domestic know-how). I am in paid employment - that has changed. I am a self-employed domestic cleaner, much to my father's disappointment (he keeps asking me when I plan to go back to work, to which I respond: I already have). I still have a cupboard full of trackie bottoms and old woollies, but now I choose to write (in my freezing cold house) wearing a cashmere jumper and a silk scarf which are much, much lighter and more comfortable (I dream of Boden, but accept Tesco). I weigh two stone less, soon (hopefully) to be three. I have fully come to terms with the fact that I will not have a third child. And I suppose the biggest change of all is that I'm actually starting to believe that I can do this - that I have more than just one book inside me - and that I have the willpower to keep plugging away at it until something sells.

Love A x