Here We Go Again...Eleventh Hour Blues

by Sophie

UNPREDICTABILITY

Oh people, I'm so sorry, but I have only a few more short hours before my manuscript (the third book in the AFTERTIME series, titled HORIZON) is due on my agent's desk. I will be squeezing every second to put the final polish on my little manuscript. Hence, my post today is going to be a bit abbreviated.

This is not an UNPREDICTABLE turn of events. On the contrary, I am learning - a number of manuscripts in - about my deadline process. It involves setting up a schedule for myself, and then *mostly* following it. I'm not a slacker, but I tend to be hopelessly optimistic about what I can get done. I never build in room for wrong turns, missteps, stare-at-the-screen days, and life's little emergencies.

These add up like lint in the dryer until I have an entire fluffy gray pile of excuses, a list of manuscript to-dos (unwritten scenes, plot threads to un-knit, chapter breaks to renumber, and so on) and only a few hours left to go.

The only good thing I can say, as I stare at the clock on my computer screen morosely, is that my family has adapted. They know what to expect now. My sister arrived before lunch with food, took my children away for an entire day (mall! movies! fast food!) and arrived home to do the dishes I've been leaving in the sink. My children forgave me in advance for all the yelling I would do this week, and when I had a tearful meltdown a couple of days ago - and an equally tearful apology afterward - Junior forgave me and said not to worry, she's used to my "drama" and just ignores it.

So the news is all good, but I need to get back to it. Wish me luck!!

BONUS Pens photo of the week: here's me and Adrienne, plus one more special lacrosse fan, watching a heartbreaker of a game Friday night. Wolves lost by one to the mustangs. DAMN!