I can’t remember where I heard this saying, but it goes something like this: the way karma works is that when you have something wonderful happen to you, you can count on something else occurring to keep you from fully enjoying that wonderful event/person/thing taking place in your life.
Which explains why I’m not quite jumping up and down about my book deal. My lack of enthusiasm has nothing to do with the books or the writing—I’m thrilled about that. My current stress is coming from the desperate need to find a place to live. I have one week to find a new apartment. At this point, I’m tempted to throw in the towel and move in my parents for a bit, which—since we all get along—wouldn’t be such a bad deal. It’s just one more item on my plate that I don’t need right now, especially since I have to be done writing the second book by December 1st.
As far as the current book goes though, I’m working on revisions, which are due August 1st. My first deadline! Wheee! I’m very excited, even though it’s going to be crazy getting all the work done by then. The book is 400 pages long, and I need to cut 25 pages. In the scheme of things, that’s not so bad, but it’s hard to kill all those little darlings. It must be done, though, so I’m bring out the red pen this morning and am going to slash and hack my way through the first half of the book. Waaaah!
I miss all my friends from Clarion. I don’t entirely miss the sorority house we were all staying in during the workshop, though the evil-girls-who-will-not-be-named who came by to make fun of us added a bit of charm to the place. As did the strange chapter room in the basement which looked like the meeting place for a very peculiar cult.
Okay, back to the stressing out. And revisions.
PS: I saw the Spiderman movie, and highly recommend it.