Query Away!

So, it's done! FINALLY!

Seems like I've waited a long damn time to say this... but Pendomus is officially in the query stage! *breaks open champagne and does the snoopy dance*

Snoopy Dancing Xander

I've started stage one of my query process:

1. Hit up the people who wanted to see it after the Moonlight and Magnolias conference last year. 

That means the fantastically funny Jessica Faust from BookEnds and sooper sweet Leah Hultenschmidt from Sourcebooks have the manuscript. Whether or not anything will come of it, has yet to be seen, but I can't wait to hear back. Good or bad.

My additional list of agents to query to is growing and I plan to continue the process this week, as there may be agents more suited to my genre-bending style of writing. (I'm like a ninja, ya know!)

Now that this process has begun, I'd like to start having a weekly blog post about Pendomus. The series itself has a lot going on from world building to character development and even sciencey stuff no one has ever heard of. (Can you say tardigrades, anyone?)

So far, this will be a 10 part series, but perhaps more if my brain conjures up more to discuss... or if there seems to be interest.

With that in mind, I want to kick off this Friday, January 4th, with a blog about tidally-locked planets. What they are, what that damn phrase means, and why it relates to Pendomus.

Are you ready to learn some cool stuff?

Deep breaths before a swan dive

Deep Breaths

I think I need less caffeine. Maybe less stress. More sleep?

All of the above?

Here I am, on the brink of going down to the Moonlight & Magnolia's Conference… and I'm not sure which I am more…

1.) Excited as hell to meet my CRITs gals, meet new writerly people, learn new stuff, pitch Pendomus...

2.) OR scared outta my freakin' gourd!
(Hey, it's coming up on Halloween, cut a girl some slack.)

I'm almost ready for the weekend… and I've learned something:

I am HORRIBLE at creating a synopsis and pitch. 

Wow. 

How can something so little be so hard? Give me a business card to design any day… just don't make me boil down my book into 50 words or less. That's just plain evil. LOL!

The perfectionist in me is screaming that I should feel more secure… be more prepared.

The fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants me thinks it's better if I can allow myself to chill; to be myself and let things fly.

This is my first conference… I know I'm gonna learn TONS.

So, yeah… that's what I'm gonna do.

Chill. Take a deep damn breath...

…and… dive.

In the name of progress… so much for that.

Okay. It's crunch time, baby.

September 29th looms

The Moonlight and Magnolia's Conference is at the end of the month. My Goddamn Deadline blew by (did you feel that?) and after going through and organizing a brand-spanking new outline for the end of Pendomus… 

I realized today----> 

I still have six chapters to finish before then. 

Even after all I've done this week. 

*headdesk*

What in the hell? Have I been spinning my wheels? Evidently.

So, as you can tell, I'm a bit frustrated. It is what it is… 

I think part of the problem is the self-imposed deadline crap. I know I have this conference coming and yet, I always want to be ahead of the game. Sometimes that works… sometimes… yeah, I sit and spin. Psh.

So, I give up. 

Not on Pendomus. Nor getting my poop in a scoop for the conference.

No, I give up any preconceived notions of deadlines. I know what has to be done before September 29th. Rather than giving myself a coronary, I'm making that my new goal.  

Whilst I am at it… another thing I plan to give up in this month of pressure:

Perfection. 

Perfection is boring. Who needs it? I want a book that transcends perfection. 

The only way to make that happen… is to let it go.

Get set… GO!

Let's do it.

I'm officially down to the wire.

In a last ditch attempt to refocus before the big Moonlight and Magnolia's event at the end of September, I'm taking the next two weeks to hyper-focus on finishing up Pendomus.

I've entered the final stages… the last 6 chapters. There's a bit of reworking that has to happen, but I can do it. Especially now that my son's 6 year old birthday party mayhem has passed. (And I survived! Thank goodness!)

Anyhoo...

Unfortunately, it means tossing out my Goddamn Deadline and trading it in for an additional week. (In all honesty, it doesn't seem so bad. I'm gonna consider it a one week extension. HA!)

So… if I go into hiding during the daylight hours, this is why. I'm sure I'll still be chattin' on Twitter in the wee daylight hours or evenings, once my brain is fried.

No more tiptoeing around this sucker. I'm letting go of my fear to finish this and moving forward.

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."  

                                                                                       ~Walt Disney 

Here I go…

Refocus

After last week's crazy vanity escapades, a few new things have come to light…

First: My Mom ended up having emergency surgery this weekend on her right eye. Turns out, her retina detached and if she didn't get it fixed as soon as possible, it would lead to permanent blindness. As I've stated before, she's a visual artist (with her specialty in acrylic painting) and the whole thing has been frightening. So far, the surgery sounds like it was a success, though her eye needs to be monitored for the next few weeks. It could, however, take up to 6 months for her vision to be completely normal. We're all hoping for a speedy and successful recovery for her. Love you, Mom!

Second: While I didn't like the way the subject of my networking usage was broached last week, I've done a lot of thinking and feel it's time to regroup. My Goddamn Deadline is looming just a few weeks away and I'm only entering Chapter 21 (of 32). The ending of Pendomus still has to be reworked (which, to be honest, I am looking forward to) and it needs to be top priority.

Third: There's only a month and a half to pull myself together before heading to Georgia for the Moonlight and Magnolias Conference. (Hey, CRITS gals!) And that alone is enough to send me into a tail spin.

So, with all this in mind, if you don't see me on Twitter or blogging much for the next 6 weeks… Assume this is why. I will be back. Yes, I may even continue the Embarrass Me[me]'s. LOL!

But for now...

The universe has sent a clear message: Time to refocus.

Biting the bullet

Oh dear gawd.

So, after carefully considering the advice from my family, friends, twitter fiends and blog followers…

I bit the bullet.

Tickets are bought. Flight, hotel and car all booked. Looks like I'm going to Georgia in two months.

Heaven help me, this is one of the craziest things I've done in… well, a long time.

Oh, well! 

Wish me luck… or at the very least, pray that I don't end up the crazy girl in the corner eating her hair.



UPDATE: If you are confused, feel free to check out the previous post; Terror Stricken for more info. LOL!