RoW80 Update: Dear time, please slow down…

Well, I’ll cut to the chase about one thing before I get into my RoW80 check in: I didn’t get that apartment I fell in love with. The reason I didn’t get that apartment was because of something stupid I did when I didn’t know any better, that messed up my credit, and will not be cleared for another two to three years from now, which means the odds of me finding an apartment went from slim to none (or very close to). There is a temporary solution that might cause some discomfort for a while, but at least it might save some money. So that should be interesting and I’ll keep my eyes open for a landlord that’s willing to look beyond the numbers and understand that people actually do learn and try to grow from stupid things they’ve done in the past.

Sigh.

Anyway, at least I have an answer and we’ve found a second course of action. Maybe now I can focus a little more on my writing, especially considering I have that whole book coming out in a few weeks and everything. It seems time is going way too fast and I don’t have enough time to do this, though that’s probably just the approaching-deadline-rush. Here’s a look at my goals broken down, nice and neat, for your perusal:

Goal One: Soulless. Man, I hope all these changes make the plots and conflicts seem a lot less stupid. I’ve reached the final two chapters on my rewrite, which means getting into formatting and all the nitty-gritty publishing stuff soon. And trying to squeeze in another edit, more than likely. I’m kind of in a state of astonishment over how much work has been done…and how much work still needs to be done. Twenty days feels both plenty of time and not nearly time enough. Either way, though, this thing is getting out there and it’s just surreal.

Goal Two: Short Stories. With a deadline on the 31st, I’ll also be trying to put together the pieces of a Torn Pages submission, and I’ve already gotten started on an idea for an August 31st deadline, though that one is playing rather similar to my Madeline novel. I’m not sure how much further I’ll pursue it. I’ve been really lazy with this, but it’s allowed until Soulless is closer to being ready.

Goal Three: Heartless. I finally worked through a part in Soulless that would have predicted how I wrote the spot I’m at in Heartless, so I can finally move on with the rough draft. What’s particularly exciting now is that I’ve decided to move something that happens in book one to this second book, so now I get to relive that whole experience over again. I’m really stoked for a lot of things in this book, and I have a feeling it will make anyone who really likes the first book completely lose their shit. In a good great way.

So it’ll be an interesting next few weeks, but at least I’m still managing to magically get some work done despite everything going on. How’s everyone else doing? You can visit my fellow RoWers here.

Happy writing!