Where did the week go?

Honestly, I can't believe that it's Friday already. It's been one of those strange weeks where time seems to have sped up, while my to do list has remained frustratingly high.

I have discovered that drinking beer while writing about it is not the best idea. When I started off it seemed like a good idea, particularly since I was drinking one of the brands I was writing. I started to get tipsy, and realised that my sentence syntax was starting to get muddled up. Fibromyalgia decreases your alcohol tolerance, so I had to stop after one bottle. I am a one drink woman or, in other words, a cheap date. I'm never going to make it as a stereotypical Irish writer who writes Jameson-fuelled prose.

I was feeling a little down about my writing, though my rejections haven't upset me it's hard to get emails and letters that are passing on your work without thinking that maybe this isn't meant to be. However, I got one rejection letter that said they would have taken me on a few months ago, but their client list is now full. They may have just said that to let me down gently, but it definitely beats a form rejection. My partial request came from an agent that I hesitated about querying, because they're such a big name. The odds are still saying that they're going to pass on me, but even the fact that they asked to see my work will give me a boost that should take me through the next round of querying.

Speaking of querying, Ravensborough is going out this weekend. So fingers crossed.

What do you guys do when you get discouraged?

One Day More!

I love the musical Les Miserables, and I love the song One Day More. And I'm in a very dramatic vein today, because my edits for Storms in Teacups will be completed today. One more day of edits may be less dramatic than one more day until revolution, but hey I'm excited.

I'll spend the next few days putting together my pack for each agent, because each agency wants a different collection of things. Some want query letters. Others want email submissions. Most want a cover letter, synopsis and sample chapters. Some want stamped addressed envelopes. Others want email submissions. Then there are some want you to include CV's (resumes) and short biographies. What is certain, is that no two agents want exactly the same thing.

So on Monday, I will finally send the novel out on query. Hopefully I won't get too emotional in the post office sending it, because I'm not sure Irish postal workers are equipped for a crazy woman crying like her baby is heading off for its first day at school.

Oh, and happy Bloomsday everyone!

Last Minute Inspiration

So, I had a plan to send my novel out to agents on June 1. I overshot that, realising that I still needed to tie up some loose ends. Unfortunately, the loose ends have taken a longer time to sort out than I thought. I was all set to finish up this week, when I had inspiration for another couple of scenes. Fine, grand. But, these scenes have since taken on a life of their own. They're now fully formed chapters, with a subplot, and I felt like crying yesterday when I realised that if I wanted to write these chapters properly, then I was going to have to do some research.

And if it wasn't bad enough that my own book seems to be conspiring against me, there have been other things getting in my way.My mother-in-laws sixtieth (and the accompanying hangover) took up most of my weekend. My hands are cramping up again, and I'm getting shooting pains in my wrists. I have news articles to write, and a husband who keeps trying to persuade me to watch the latest episode of Game of Thrones with him. I've made little or no progress with my two works in progress, and if that wasn't bad enough I have another novel that I need to get out on submission before the end of June. Try as I might, life just seems to get in the way.

What about you? What things get in your way when you try to write?