Friday, February 24, 2006

An Ending And A Beginning

Finally I typed "The End" yesterday on the short story (8,000 words) it's taken me almost a month to write. Just so you know, that's not normal for me. Usually I could do that in a week--or less. Of course, two of the last four weeks I was sick. But, still.

But you know what? It's done. Just has to go through the critiquing process, do some final editing/revising, then submit it. Hopefully it will be accepted for the Christmas Candy anthology Whiskey Creek Press Torrid is planning for this December.

For those of you who don't know, I live in Arizona. Our winter is pretty much like the east coast's late spring/early summer (because our summer is pretty much like Hell.) As I worked yesterday, I had the door to my patio open, all the blinds up, and watched life start up around me again. The animals have been gone or in hibernation, but they've started to come back. I've got two resident lizards in my back yard, one pretty small, the other bigger but still about gecko-sized. Haven't seen the larger of the two, but the little one's been sunning himself on my back wall. The little ground squirrels are stirring, too. The cute little buggers have dug a few holes, one of which is right by my patio door. Watched one of them sit and chew on mesquite tree pods for awhile. They're rather shy, but as long as I didn't move around too much, he was quite content to sit next to the patio and eat.

My resident morning doves are also back, sitting on their nest. Last spring/summer they had three sets of babies (for a total of five), so I'm looking forward to little baby birds soon.

Yep, life's beginning all around me. And it's time to start something new.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congrats on finishing the story. It's always a great accomplishment to finish any writing piece, no matter how long it takes.

Sherrill Quinn said...

You're absolutely right, Nancy. And it's always a great relief to finish a writing piece, especially the longer it takes. LOL

Anonymous said...

(stares out the window at day 3 of the snow dump). I think I hate you.

Yay on finishing something. Anything!!

Sherrill Quinn said...

Oh, Jenna. Don't hate me because I'm... warm. Besides, you'll have your revenge when you're enjoying your summer and I'm down here in Hell with 110+ degrees.

When I get rich and famous, I think I'll buy a summer place in Canada...

Anonymous said...

Jenna,

Actually I'd love a few days of snow dump. That would mean I couldn't get to the day job and would be able to sit at home and write.

But I'll admit if it snowed in San Francisco no one would know how to drive in it.

I'm actually happy, I finally finished edits on the partial I need to send to an editor. Now if I could get the d**m synopsis done.

Sherrill Quinn said...

Nancy, you go, girl! That's great, finishing the edits. Now for the hardest part, the dreaded synopsis. One of the authors at NCP calls it a "sucknopsis". LOL I think she's got it right!

Sherrill Quinn said...

Yay, Kate on having the edits done! Now, move on and finish the next story and get it submitted!!

For The Trees said...

Ah, Sherrill, the mourning doves...there's that special time in the spring when the mourning doves are calling everywhere in the Old Pueblo. With the clear light spilling on the adobe walls, it makes for a timeless scene. I miss those doves' calling, it was such an evocative sound. Kinda like home, heard when you're far away from home.

And it's not bad there in the summers. You have to remember to take water with you everywhere - even to the bathroom - and sip on it steady. I always enjoyed the summers because the humidity was down in the single digits.

But then again, I didn't mind sweating. It all evaporated so fast, anyway. I had to watch out for sunburn...

Pretty soon it'll be time for the palo verdes to bloom - bright yellow blossoms everywhere!

Sherrill Quinn said...

Yeah, Forrest, it sure does get pretty here in the spring. Yellow flowers on palo verdes and cacti, plus some oranges and purples, then a bit later the white flowers on top of the saguaros. It's just beautiful!

Trista Bane said...

There's no shame in taking longer to finish one work than another. You have to listen to your muse! Congrats on finishing it, and good luck placing it where you want it.

I don't hate you, but I think I've got Jenna beat. I'm not just staring at snow. It's mostly melted muddy, ugly snow, and where it has disappeared, it has left a soggy, nasty mess! Ugh! I hate it.

Sherrill Quinn said...

Trista, if I ever think I miss snow (I grew up in NE Ohio), when I think of the mess that's left behind when it's melting, I get over it. LOL

Thanks for stopping by!

Angela's Designs said...

Sounds like me... but today I was scaring all the local pets and wildlife and feeling guilty about it! I love watching animals.

Sherrill Quinn said...

Annalee, just what were you doing to be scaring the wildlife?!? LOL