“Oh Crap” Mode

I’m there again, in “Oh Crap” mode. I realized yesterday (July 5th) that I had a bunch of stuff I needed to turn in to my editor by July 1st to go with the book coming out next March. And I hadn’t done it. Oh crap.

I did send the Dedication, and the “pronunciation guide”, but I haven’t updated the map, or the glossary, or the List of Characters, and I didn’t have a blessed thing to go on the eHarlequin/Luna website for a “web extra.”

I only had to turn in One extra, instead of two, like last year. (I wonder if they want a “Writing Fantasy” article again…) And pictures aren’t allowed. Strictly text. They suggested deleted scenes or excerpts from the next book or–anything related to the book. And I had this idea for a short story, about the first meeting between Kallista and her bodyguard. I looked all through the letter about the extras, and found nothing about a word limit, so I sat down this afternoon (after another morning battling Bermuda grass and collapsing afterward) and wrote the story.

It came out to 1487 words–not bad for someone who has serious trouble writing short. Then I got an e-mail from the editor. I only get 800 words for the story. Ack! I have to cut over 600 words from the poor thing.

Then I got another e-mail. I only get Six Hundred (600) words! How in the world can I shorten by over half???

Well, I got yet another e-mail. The editor wants the short story really bad. Maybe we can put it on my personal website, and something really short–like the Adaran calendar and the stuff that goes with it–on the e-Harlequin website. I sent her the story. Now I have to figure out how to present the calendar, and actually do it.

Plus update the map. Plus check the ms. to make sure I have all the important characters in the list. Plus look for strange words for the glossary… And copyedits should be arriving sometime the end of this week.

Busy? Who me?