I wanted to cry

I forgot to mention that after receiving my lovely gift basket from sweet Wendy I went for a bike ride with Jack.

When I got home Marco had arrived back from school and met me at the door all smiles. He then said, "Great news mum. They loved your book."

I realised that he had seen the gift and card and thought that they had been sent by the London agent I had sent MY gift basket to. I almost cried seeing his excited face, knowing I would have to tell him that sadly this was not the case.

A gift box to me

I arrived home yesterday to find a large gift box on my door step full of delicious food and wine. It was sent by a friend Wendy, a fellow mum at Jack's school who had asked to read the first half of my manuscript.

The box included a card saying, "Thank you so much for allowing me the pleasure of reading your manuscript. Truly inspirational! You felt the fear and did it anyway. Well done."

When I rang Wendy to say thank you, she said that it was she that needed to thank me, because she had not read a book for seven years and on the occasional time that she did pick up a book she would fall asleep in the first five minutes."

In the case of my book, Wendy told me that she asked her husband Mike to take one of her three year old twin boys to the park so she could have some one on one time with her other young son. But as soon as they left the house, she put on a DVD for her child and started my book which she could not put down."

I am so touched by Wendy's words. Her enthusiam gives me hope, because I know that the chance of getting published is incredibly slim.

My Baby has Finally Departed

Thursday: I was all set to do my final proof read so I could send off my manuscript, but I could not find my glasses anywhere - I searched everywhere but finally gave up and resorted to buying a new pair.

Then on my way home from the optometrist, I bought supplies at the supermarket to keep my brain motivated during the big editing session, but my card got declined at the check out so that was the end of that.

I came to the conclusion that this was not the day to be sending out my book.

Friday: Well FINALLY I sent off my first draft. It should now be in London along with a gift basket full of Kiwi goodies - this is not a form of bribery, but simply a way of gaining the attention of a very successful agent (pray it works please!).

Now all I have to do is WAIT and WAIT!

Almost Finished

I know I have been out of touch lately, but this is ACTUALLY a good thing because I have been busy writing THE BOOK!

In fact, I am hopefully a week away from sending off my manuscript to agents - YIPPEE!

I have just booked a 2 day course at the University of Auckland called 'The Nuts & Bolts of Writing'. Probably should have done this BEFORE I wrote the book!

Yippee - Jack starts school!

Today is the first day of the rest of my life - Jack started school!

People keep asking me if I am sad - are you crazy? - I can now have some time to myself... pedicures, coffees, walks... oh, and that's right, WRITING!

As you will notice from my lack of blog entries, I have been too busy to write of late...and it's all because of CHILDREN (whom I love dearly of course!)

But now I have no excuses as Jack had his first day of school today; I have to get on with my book.

In some respects I am glad it has taken me so long to write my book, because what I love most about the writing process is the way a book evolves - when I look back to my original draft a year ago, I cannot believe it is the same book.

I keep having to add little bits here and there - partly because I am influenced by many of my friends who have such wonderful words of wisdom, such as the following:

Bill (a grandfather) in reference to my naivety concerning the male species: "Rebekah, you have to realise that when a man's big head gets soft his small head gets hard!"

Caroline (a friend) in reference to my ex-husband's camera being bigger than mine: "Rebekah, just because it's big doesn't mean he knows how to use it!"

LOVE IT!

BORING, BORING, BORING!

A couple of posts ago I mentioned that I had to rewrite the first page of my book because it was basically BORING.

After reading Stephan King's 'On Writing' which advises the writer to show rather than tell, I realised the first nine pages had to go as well. I was telling the reader far too much. It was time to just get on with the story.

Far too busy

Yes, I know I have not written a new post for a long time. I have been so busy with kids' stuff: basketball, parent teacher interviews, soccer, gymnastics, swimming, kindy fundraisers, Jack's kindergarten birthday, robotics... Just to name a few!

Finally I get to sit down today in front of my computer for nearly four hours and hopefully be inspired to write.

One month ago I felt I was about six weeks off finishing my book - the rate I am going it will be six years!