Woot! First draft is done…almost. I have maybe a page of two left of Maggie and Sean’s story. Then I need it to age in a dark cave for a few days or a week before I take it out and start my edits.

I subscribe to Chuck Close’s theory: Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work. But in the process of writing this book, I also realize I can’t always push through my blocks by ignoring weaker aspects of the story. I have pages and pages of unusable material because I thought I could write my way out of a stalled plot point.

Nope. Can’t do it. Best thing to do is to stop and rework the story to make sure it’s true to the characters.

I’m very happy with my story. It’s not dark. I’m not a dark person and can’t go there, but there is some suspense–found out I can’t write about a cop without a villain. I love my heroine and hero. Maggie is a firecracker, but with a core of sweetness. Sean is a bit of an emotional idiot and gave me a very hard time. Actually, he made my life hell for weeks when he fought me, but I now understand why he refused to go to in the direction I was pushing. Now I just want to cuddle next to him. Sigh.

I will work on my cover next. Will try to put the book on pre-order and release in mid-August? Maybe even earlier if I can get through edits quickly.