Back to blogging after a marathon session of writing. As I approach the end of the book, I'm clearly more and more motivated to finish; but I believe, too, that the writing goes more quickly because the content -- the long-planned scenes of denouement -- is more predictable. Of course, the children are starving and I'm delusional from sleep deprivation. For example, I'm convinced as I type this that Primus is standing outside my office singing "Hot Cross Buns" at the top of his voice. Oh, he really is . . .
As I complete each chapter, I do a cursory edit (on top of the constant editing that goes with using a word processor instead of my first novelizing tool, a used IBM Selectric, brought over from England in 1983 and run on a transformer in the bedroom of my apartment) and then I fling it to my colleagues in the splendid Sound Shore Writers Group. I mentioned beginning Chapter 16 in my January 19 blog. This was finished (8,700 words) by last Friday, complete with f-word and Finsbury the Ferret appearance, for those who've been paying attention. I just pushed the button to send Chapter 17 (7,500 words), written over the weekend. Well, it was cold out. Current tally: 111,000 words. Or 11,000 words too many.
On to Chapter 18, which wraps up the mystery, although it doesn't quite end the book. I wonder who the murderer is?
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