One of the problems with editing is that it’s harder to quantify progress. I can, however, quantify the number of chocolate croissants (2) I had this evening while working.

Writing-related progress: Worked more on integrating Ash into ALL GREMLINS (C1). Made another pass through the two chapters due to the critique group on ALL ROCS (C2) and figured out a way to twist the knife just a little more, which makes me happy. Misery must be spread around thickly. Still not happy with the very last line, so I haven’t uploaded it yet. Hopefully tomorrow.

Actually managed to get up early this morning specifically to get writing done. There is hope!

Writing-related things accomplished: Characters named and introduced earlier: 1 (Ash), Important plot-things brought in early: 1

One of the great things about having a critique group is that they will fill in the blanks about things as they’re talking. Sometimes they’re right (scarily so). Sometimes they are so wrong that you have to laugh and make sure you didn’t leave out a page somewhere. And sometimes you realize that what was so blindingly obvious to you, the writer, is not obvious at all. In this case I had assumed that almost all of the other creatures were 95+% genetically related to us because they were evolutionary offshoots from a previous bottleneck event. BUT I NEVER PUT THAT IN THE BOOK. So of course nobody else picked that up.

Planned to get up early this morning to work on this, but of course that went about as well as it always does. Oops. I’m going to try again tomorrow…

Writing/editing progress: Quantified what I need to add to ALL GREMLINS (C1) before I send it out into the world. Realized that I needed to give Fred’s almost-son a name, and that led to all kinds of time wasted. The other Namier names that are translated have all been things from nature, so I tried to find something that fit. Finally decided on “Ash” — as a bonus it’s easy to explain without words. (Note to self — never again write characters who have no easy way to communicate with each other.)

Other things: agility tonight with the dogs which is always good for a laugh. Also caught half a second of the dogs playing together before we left, which is the most I’ve seen in the two years they’ve lived together.

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Writing stuff accomplished: Worked on the last page of ALL ROCS (C2). Again. Finally went back and re-read the first chapter for the 793rd time in hopes of finding something to echo. I’m reasonably happy with it now apart from the last sentence.

Real-life stuff accomplished: Ran almost 7 miles. My pace was really slow, but it was the first run in a couple weeks and only the second one in a month, so I’m fine with it. I’d only planned on a 4 mile run, so I didn’t bring water. I need to start getting up at 4am on the weekends. Right…

Photos! The big dog was trying to avoid the camera and the little dog is rocking her static-electricity hairstyle.

Writing progress: Finished rough edits for the final two chapters of ALL ROCS (C2). Namiers killed: 1, Marriages destroyed: 1, Babies saved: 1. But there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Non-writing stuff: Dug out more Bermuda grass from the plants. I suspect this will be a never-ending process unless I’m willing to spray chemicals everywhere, but it gives me an excuse to listen to a book (Carousel Tides by Sharon Lee) while doing something useful.

Writing-adjacent accomplishments: hit the button to make this page public. Yep it’s ugly, but surely I can overcome a lifetime of terrible style choices later and fix this all.

Writing: Read through the last two chapters of ALL ROCS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL (C2) to make notes for editing. For some reason I thought the changes were going to be minimal. My brain is so cute sometimes. Still, the path forward is visible.

Real world things accomplished: Dealt with weather-related pet chaos. Today was very windy, so I spent the day dealing with a mildly anxious Little Dog who wanted to lick the floor right next to my feet as well as extra-screamy birds, all while working at home. The wind slammed the office door on Ripley’s tail  — he wasn’t hurt but he was stuck and starting to panic by the time I could get across the room to open the door again.

Now that we’re already heading toward the halfway mark, it’s time to come up with some goals for May.

• Go live with the website. (This is the “make a list” item of this list.)
• Get the final two chapters of ALL ROCS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL (working title of Curtains 2) out to Yolo Writer’s Cramp for critique.
• Fix the ending of ALL GREMLINS GREAT AND SMALL (Curtains 1). I think I know what to do now — I just need to sit my butt in the chair and do it.
• Make another pass through the query for ALL GREMLINS GREAT AND SMALL.

As much as I want to add more onto that I think I should stop. I can always add a stretch goal later if it looks like I’ve become an overachiever.

Anyone else have goals for this month?