Awesome Barb!

I've decided to cut off 48 before the next little bit, so that makes me done with 48 for this time around. Not exactly done, I'll need to do some fixing up.

It does mean I'm into 49 now. I didn't want 48 to go unusually long and I realized I was trying to stuff too much into too few words in order to fit events into 48.

I have a bad feeling this means 56-57 chapters instead of 55 and may 135k instead of 130k word count. Still getting close though. I hope there's a lot to tighten in the next revision.

I just have a little fixing to do in 49 and I'm well into 50 hopefully I'll have both of them wrapped up by mid-week.

That will get me to 51,52,53 which are a block of related chapters.

Then 54,55 which will set up the conclusion and 56, 57 will be the conclusion. Then a short epilogue and the revision is done. At that point I'll probably be down to 135k wc. Still too much, but down 43k from the rough draft.

I finished the rewriting for 50, now I just need to clean up 49 and 50 before moving onto 51.

Moving ever closer.

I'm at 22k words left for 7 chapters. Since my chapters are almost all less than 3k, I should be able to keep it under 135k even if I go to 58 chapters.

Fixed up some stuff on 49 and 50, but I still need to do a read through before calling it closed on this revision. I lost a couple hundred words during a fixing, so that's always good.

Haven't heard from the reliable beta exchange person in a while, and the last I heard of the less reliable one was in December just to let me know she's still on board. The potential third one I heard from when he sent out a big batch e-mail begging everyone to wire him money so he could get back from London. I don't think that one will work out.

I finished up 49 and 50. I've started figuring out 51, again, there is massive rewriting. Right now I have to figure out how an argument between two friends is going to go. Ultimately, the story doesn't ride on the outcome, but the argument has to happen and there are a lot of factors in how one of the characters approach it.

I'm feeling good and bad about things as I wind down this revision. On the good side, I'm feeling like the next revision won't be a total rewrite. Not that there isn't plenty to do, but I'll be working off the existing draft. On the bad side, the characters and setting are probably too flat. I've also been told I do too much telling.

I'll need to work on those areas, probably hunt down emotion words to deal with the telling. However, I worry about just not having the ability to kill the flatness.

I keep thinking of adjustments I should make to 51. It will help if Valeia reassures Aimee everything will be okay, which totally should happen anyhow.

Hopefully, I can fix things up to read okay. I think the story holds up well if I can get the writing part up to snuff.

I'm unstuck in 51 now, though I think maybe there should be more anger in the scene. I might try to throw in a bit more before moving on, but at least I now know how I'm moving on to the next bit. There's a lot of rewriting in this 51,52,53 stretch. If I were writing a trilogy instead of a book, this is a part I'd likely expand out quite a bit. However, it is only a book, so I've got to keep things condensed.

Third rejection:

I’ve finally had a chance to read Sam. He’s a charmer of a character, and I really liked the first half of his story. After that it started to feel a little too earnest to me, and the lovely tone that the author created in the first half disappeared to some degree. I don’t think this particular project is for me, much as I enjoyed reading it. I’d be happy to see more from Allyson Beatrice, though, if you don’t find a home for Sam. She’s a talented writer, and I’ll bet she’s got some interesting things up her sleeve. Thanks so much for letting me see her first novel!

Bleh. Fifteen more to go...

Dude, that's a fabulous, fabulous rejection. Do not be discouraged! Mark that one in your file for the future. A rejection asking for more from you in the future means your next submission will be tantamount to solicited work.

Sorry Allyson, but it sounds like there are more chances.