Home Sweet Home

Not too long ago, I blogged about the amazing and intense process of revisions and edits. Well, I'm happy to say, that process is over for me, at least for the time being. But rather than celebrate, I've decided to look back in anguish.

I can already tell that there are things about the book I wish I could change. Even though I performed some pretty major surgery when it comes to this particular book, I wish I could perform deeper, more invasive surgery, but I just don't know where to begin. And honestly, even if I did, I'm not sure I have the time to make it happen.

I remember when I first got my rejection letter from Harlequin on this book. It was devastating, because I really felt like (conceptually) this was a book they would love. And while the editor liked my writing, she couldn't ignore the construction errors.

We've talked about this many times.

But I'm realizing in sort of a new way today that my construction errors are still not fixed. I've been doing what I can to learn new techniques, but most of those can only be executed on a new book.

Do I love the book I finished? Yes. I adore the characters, I think the love story is sweet and interesting. Everyone who reads it enjoys it. But there's just something about first books. I always want it to be better than it is. Maybe that feeling will never go away. Maybe it will. Either way, I know I can be proud of the story I'm telling, and how it's being told.

It still doesn't have a title, but that's another blog post for another day. Today, I'm celebrating being done with edits and revisions for awhile, and trying to take a little time to pat myself on the back for finishing.

And now, on to the next project. Eh?