They Always End in Tears

Hello, my pretties!

I am excited to tell you that I've just finished revisions on Silver-Tongued Devil. The manuscript is currently winging its way across the world my critique partner and beta reader's email inboxes. I'm going to take a few days to work on other fun things and then I will also give it another gander before turning it in to my brilliant, beautiful editor who will hopefully love it like a fat girl loves cake. Or if she does not, will be gentle in her suggestions and encouraging in her feedback. Or if that's not possible, I hope at least there won't be yelling involved.

Can I admit something? This book makes me nervous. Not because I think it's a bad book. Quite the contrary. I'm nervous because it's different. I obviously can't share much here since this book won't come out until the end of the year, but I really stretched some creative muscles for this bad boy. It's probably also the most emotional book I've ever written. I bawled six or seven times. And I'm not talking pretty tears. I'm talking full-on ugly cries where I bent over the keyboard and sobbed.

Contrary to how that sounds, I actually think it's a good thing to cry when I'm writing (as long as its the prose causing the tears and not frustration because you're afraid you suck and everyone will hate you). It means I'm tapping into some big stuff. But that's how it goes with writing. If it's not a roller coaster of a journey for me, it won't be for the reader either.

So I hope  you all appreciate that I have shed tears in order to bring you entertainment. Like a sad, sad clown.

The other good news is that I have totally earned a break. Not a long one, mind you. I have plenty of nefarious plans that need tending if my bid for world domination will come to fruition in 2011. But enough of a break that I won't feel guilty catching up on my poor, deluged DVR or spending hours lost in a book someone else has written.

Luckily, I have three books waiting anxiously for me to show them some love right now. First is Beth Revis's Across the Universe. I read the first chapter of this YA Science fiction novel months ago and was totally hooked. It came out yesterday, just in time for me to dive in. Second, is Andrew Shaffer's Great Philosophers Who Failed at Love. It's nonfiction and explores the sordid details of brilliant people's dysfunctional love lives. Awesome! And third is a book I've read before but wanted to reread for the New Year–Steven Pressfield's The War of Art.  This book is a must-read for anyone who struggles with procrastination (so everyone, really), especially creatives. Also, check out Pressfield's awesome blog.

What are you reading right now?