Editing vs Muffling

I didn’t accomplish a whole lot of writing yesterday, not compared to the progress I had been making, but I did finish some long overdue edits this morning and sent them in. I’m not normally that slow about things like edits but there is a story behind it (of course) and here it is:

A few months ago I received edits for a lesbian spanking story (Taming Tildy). A lot of it was grammatical which normally I would have no problem with but the story is written in first person which gives the author a lot of room for things like dialect. Not, it’s not at all like I was writing about some illiterate person who used a bunch of slang. It was just casual and conversational like the narrator was talking to a close firend.

Needless to say, I was hesitant to do the edits and well, a little resistant to them. I’m not proud of this but I felt stuck. Anyway, it got down to the wire and I had to just do it or risk my story being pulled from the antho all together.

Yeah, the sacrifices we make.

So, yeah, 2011.

When this time of year comes around, I intentionally try not to make any hard and fast promises to myself and the universe for fear of it blowing up in my face (ie. me not living up to it) but I do try to quietly revamp and redo various things in my life like the everlasting weight loss thing and the drinking.

Last year, unintentionally, I quit smoking for about six months. You should know that I’m not a pack a day smoker. I don’t even smoke cigarettes. I smoke filtered flavored cigars and only on occasion, but I cut even that out. However, I started up again around my birthday and it got really bad from there.

But, I digress. Next year… I’d really, really like to cut back on the drinking. I want to not depend on it so much for my good times/thrills. I’m even giving it a head start (had only one beer last night) and I think I can do it.

The weight thing… I’ve proven time and time again that I can do it if I just… do it. But, of course, that’s the thing.

I want to get with this natural high stuff. I want to plug in good choices like writing and reading and advocating for my children and their special needs and education.

I’m really happy with my writing right now. I’m really happy with my (gasp) love life. I’m just really happy.

Of course… I’m kinda bipolar, so this might all be a fluke.

Sidebar: I got the weirdest compliment just now. He said to me: “This is the best I’ve ever seen you look.” Just makes me wonder what the hell I’ve been doing with myself the past few years. I always thought I was pretty cute. And for those who don’t know – right now, I’m all but completely bald and I don’t wear make-up. Go figure.

That’s just my mojo…

So, I’ve accomplishsed 2k words on the oral sex story and have started a military story for a super/big/important call with a March deadline.

I still haven’t really started my second couples erotica story, but I do have a title: The Scheme of Things, and I’m really excited about working on it. Here’s a hint: It’s a break-up sex story. Gotta love that.

So, I guess I need to put other projects aside that I still have some breathing room with the deadline and get to the one that’s due this weekend. Easier said than done though when I’m on a roll with all this other stuff.

Going into 2011, I feel oh so confident that I will be more diligent and disciplined where my writing is concerned. Even my husband commented that he was happy I got my “mojo back.” (He’s awakened several times throughout the night to see me knees up in the bed scribbling in a notebook.)

Aah… completely satisfied right now.

Still on a roll.

And I’m going with it. Immediately after submitting my story this morning, I began work on another. Now I’m 1100+ words in on a super hot oral sex story.

The deadline for this one isn’t until January 15th and I’m confident I can make it (although I need to be working on another couples one for January 2nd). I know my ADD tendencies are popping out all over the place right now, but if it gets my ass moving on the writing front, then I’ll take it!

…and it’s submitted.

I worked on the story (which wound up being titled Missing Mingo) well into the night and finally finished it this morning. Five minutes ago, I fired off the email.

What a sigh of relief. I finally feel like I’ve accomplished something after such a long creative drought.

I’m an erotic story writing machine.

So, the name of the story is Making Do (I have to check on the spelling on the latter) but I’ve been working on it off and on all day and already I’m nearly 1200 words in. I think my target will be around 2000, but it looks like I might finish it tonight.

And I reread the call for the umpteenth time and saw that authors may submit two stories and I already have an idea for another story. Since the new deadline is January, I might actually be able to get two stories in, when originally I was afraid I wouldn’t even have one.

I feel absolutely high right now.

…and there it is…

The words are pouring out of me like you wouldn’t believe.

A new story for the last minute extension on the call, but no title. Hell, who needs a title when I’ve got a story that’s engaging even to me (okay, so yeah I’m the author, but still)?

At the risk of sounding dramatic… I’m so happy I could cry.