The Seventh Chakra - T-Minus One Furcon (and Counting)

I have reached what is effectively the "endgame" stage for my manuscript of The Seventh Chakra.

My aim is to have my edited, rewritten draft of the novel done before I leave for Rainfurrest--which effectively gives me three weeks to finish up what I'm doing. Work and other life things set me back on my own personal schedule, but now that I'm working with an actual editorial schedule, it's time to get my rear in gear.

While I'm not worried that I won't have enough time, I am going to have to spend quite a few evenings dedicated to working on the book, so most nights in the coming weeks that don't involve prior commitments are probably going to be nights that I focus on writing and editing. It's kind of exciting, in a way, knowing that I've hit what's pretty much the "home stretch" of novel writing. It feels different than the first time, too, but then, the entire novel has felt pretty different, for what it's worth.

I've seen in-progress art for the cover (which looks like it'll be gorgeous, by the way), and the wheels are turning for the interior illos, too. All in all, this really is the stage where, whether I'm mentally prepared for it or not, the book is going to be done, all tidy and ready for its January 2010 release.

So, yeah, I'm excited. I hope that the book turns out well and that people out there like it. From a writer's standpoint, my hope is that it can be a better novel than Thousand Leaves in every regard; from a personal standpoint, I'm just happy to have another story out there to tell that folks can hopefully enjoy.



Following Rainfurrest, of course, begins the period where I get to aggressively self-market and promote myself in the months running up to release. :)