I’ve finished the first revision pass on IMMORTAL BELOVED, which has been a very interesting project to revisit. The final third is visibly stronger than the middle third; the middle third is visibly better than the first third. I knew I’d learned a lot writing it, but it’s interesting to see it so clearly.
There are still a *lot* of things to fix. Worldbuilding, character relationship development, the poorly handled head-hopping (I don’t mind head-hopping, especially after writing MAGIC & MANNERS, but there are chapters where even *I* don’t know who the main POV character is supposed to be, and that needs to get sorted out), and perhaps some things I took out at an earlier stage that should go back in. (I had no idea I’d taken them out. Apparently the book *did* get revised, at least a little bit, at some stage, but I don’t even know when, and I don’t, in retrospect, know *why* I took those things out. Fortunately I’ve got an earlier draft that I can use to put them back in with.)
I have a deep and irrational and passionate wish to have cover art for this RIGHT NOW. I’ve put the wheels in motion there, and it’ll be ready by the time I need it to be, but I want it NOOOOOOW. I’m so greedy. :)
I’ve now crossed 5 items off the 50 for this year’s Thinks To Do: Work Edition list. Five is not a lot. There are a couple of others that are pending, but I can’t let myself cross them off until they’re Actually Done, Dammit.
I keep going and looking at the publication schedule page and the new site design like it’s some kind of talisman. I don’t know exactly what *kind* of talisman, but I keep looking at it like it’s going to be the answer to something.
So far it hasn’t been. :)