How I Spent My Christmas Vacation
In just a few hours, the long Christmas weekend will be over and I'll be returning to my regular schedule of juggling my career as a busy paralegal with my career as a novelist.BTW, that's 36 days away.
Since Christmas Eve, I have not left my apartment for even 30 seconds. I haven't unlocked the door or taken the security chain off its hook, not even to go to the laundry room or to take out the trash. I have stayed inside for the past 3-1/2 days, mostly writing. Trust me, I'm not a pretty sight.
But don't feel sorry for me or think my publisher a modern day Scrooge. I had a wonderful Christmas. I had a lovely dinner, complete with leftover turkey sandwiches, called family and friends, opened gifts. I also watched Julie & Julia and The Hangover. Even finished reading a book.
As far as Murder in Vein goes, my goal was to write 60 pages this weekend. The reality was that I wrote and edited close to 40 pages. I even did some further online research. I sent the pages off to my manager and the verdict came back a winner. I may not have written 60 pages, but the 40 I did write were tight and complete.
One thing I've discovered since starting this mad dash to February 1st is that no matter how many hours I work on a book in a day, my brain seems only capable of spilling forth 10-12 good pages, plus edits. Anything beyond that and a fuse blows.
I have another long holiday weekend next week. And, yes, the plan is to come home from work the afternoon of New Years Eve, lock myself inside and pound away at the keyboard until the following Monday. I'm hoping to coax 15 pages a day out of my tired brain next weekend.
Even though it will be New Years, I guarantee alcohol will not be involved.















