final stretch

Writing a thousand words a day is exhausting, but I am very close to completing The Ghosts in the Castle. It’s raining today and I’d really like to go back to bed, but instead I’m going to run some errands and then sit down at the computer to finish Chapters 8 and 10. Chapter 9 I’ll save for tomorrow because it’s the only section that’s completely blank in my manuscript. I *think* I know what I need to write there, but it’s easier to just fill in the blanks for those other half-written chapters. Charity Russell is doing great work on the illustrations; I’ve selected this image for the cover and think it will look amazing in full color. The interior illustrations will be black and white, but that gives kids the option of coloring them in themselves. Tomorrow night is the season premiere of Vikings…will tune in to the History Channel if I finish this novel, but know I’m not ready to start my Viking novel yet. I’ve got my complete list of manuscripts pinned to the wall; I look at it every day so I always know what’s next, what needs more time, what’s overdue. Looking forward to more holiday writing—and less binge eating—as I finish The Return over Xmas…