I'd go ahead and cite it, TB and then if it turns out it's unnecessary, it can be removed in copyedits.

I'm very close to finishing my current revision. Then it's just clean-up, not a minor task, but the novel is definitely winding down.

I also wrote the 1st draft of the first chapter of my next novel.

Meanwhile I continue my commuting misadventure. Chapter 6 wasn't bad actually. Chapter 7 though ::shakes head::. I think this morning was an actual account of the author's researching of vampires of this book. It was like reading the narrative of someone reading a Wikipedia article. This was right after a though description of eating a bowl of cereal. Why are you detailing this mundane crap for the reader? Oh, god why?

I realized I can keep cleaning up chapters after the first few are scrubbed down. So very soon, I expect at the beginning of the year, I'll be moving along to synopsis writing and query letter making. Rejection time is closing in fast.

I'm still very close to the end of my current revision. I put up a description of my novel for my blog and I'm wondering if that could be the basis of the pitch in a query letter. I'm trying to sum up the whole thing in the first sentence and then go into a longer description. I don't feel real good about the first sentence or the use of the word 'Soon' but it's a start I suppose. Trying to come up with this stuff ties my stomach in knots.

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Aimee never intended to be more than a crafter of magical devices, but when she sets into motion events that threaten everything she knows, she must find the strength within to overcome crippling betrayal and fight back against the ancient power of the Mountain.

While disobeying orders, Aimee discovers a mysterious artifact that is a key to controlling a magical construct forged from an entire mountain. Soon, she must flee the safety of the Barriers that protect human lands under the leadership of her mentor and headmaster of the Mystic Academy, Lord Morgen. They discover the corrupting magic of The Dead Mountain is already at work and she and her companions must hurry to rein in its power.

However, Aimee discovers her allies and enemies are not as simple as she first suspected. She finds herself abandoned and facing a new master of the ancient magic, the hostile lands of the wild, and a forbidden lover who suspects her of murdering his kin. Aimee doesn’t believe she has a heroic bone in her body, but fate isn’t consulting her.

The Dead Mountain is a 123,000 word fantasy tale of cliffhanger chapters stuffed with fast-paced adventure, romance, and betrayal. It’s a story in the tradition of epic fantasy but with a female hero who relies more on her wits and determination than on swinging swords and slinging spells.

Aimee doesn’t believe she has a heroic bone in her body, but fate isn’t consulting her.

I love this sentence and would lead off with it.

It is a pretty great sentence.

Thanks. I've got one sentence down at least.

I'll thread bomb a little.

I'm not sure fate is quite accurate since there really isn't some big predestiny thing going (there's a prophecy but it turns out to just be a misinterpretation of the text and has no validity whatsoever) but I think it's close enough.

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I've discovered that there are enough unintentionally funny moments in Twilight to give at least some entertainment value on my commute. I sort of love that Bella apparently has an actual supernatural ability to be in danger. At first I thought this was just the characters joking in dialogue, but no, it isn't a joke. I have to admit the book is bad in more bizarre ways that I thought it would be. I find myself very curious as to when a plot shows up, not really yet, but I'm only ten chapters in.

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I'll throw out the link my draft of chapter 1 of the new novel 'Shore of Night' if anyone wants to take a peek/kill off a few minutes.

[link]

First draft of global warming book finished. 92,000 words. Contracted word limit 85,000 words. Will edit and get to beta's and editor as soon as possible.

I think fixes for overage is fairly straightforwards

1) I tend to write long and become more succinct in editing. So just editing for quality without worrying about word length should help.

2) Some of the appendixes have hot air that should be removed just as a matter of quality so again that should shrink.

3) Once stuff is out to editor and betas, the citations are a mess in formating. Straightening that out should get rid of extra verbiage.

4) I'll see what fixes done is response to editor and beta notes do to word length.

If by the end of that four step process the manuscript has not shrunk to 85,000 words as side effect of quality improvement then I'll worry about specific efforts to shorten.

Typo, I meant to say earlier that I think I can beta, particularly if it's something I can do while escaping my family at Christmas. I wouldn't be the average reader, since it's in my area of expertise, but I might be helpful.

eta: One of my skills as an editor is finding shorter ways to say things, so if it turns out you need to shorten, I can probably help. (I'm much better at shortening other people's stuff than my own.)