Some kind of update

I took Monday off work to accompany Jim on an out-of-town trip. It was really good for us to spend the day together. There is plenty to talk about as we have some major decisions to make in the next few days. It seems that for every direction we could go, the cons outweigh the pros. Are we missing something here?!

Knowing I would have an hour or two on my own while he was in meetings, I took along a notebook (but not my outline, silly me). I wrote quite a few pages of notes in long hand, trying to push the edge of what I know about my story, and think I got some good direction. My morning today has been trying to blend the new parts with the former outline, tweaking and poking it where needed. I think I now have (again) a completed outline, ready to go. This *empty space* before Taafa realizes she is pregnant is now full of other developments and tension, and the whole re-melding created an additional nine scenes for the outline. I’m at 40K right now; the projected book total is back at 110K.

To those of you who can write without an outline and not get stuck or overwhelmed, my hat goes off to you. (Not that I’m wearing one, you understand…) It threatens to drown me. I feel like I’ve been thrashing around in the water, not getting anywhere and barely keeping my head out. I guess I still need my water wings.

But first I need a good night’s sleep. Amazing what stress can do to you. In other news, calf #16 was born on Saturday.