What was I thinking?

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
-- Aristotle (Greek critic, philosopher, physicist, & zoologist, 384 BC - 322 BC)

76,852 / 90,000 (85.4%)

Microsoft Word has a lovely function that allows the user to make comments within a document. I use this to make myself notes throughout a manuscript - things like, "fix POV", "add more description", "make sure this moves the plot forward", and then as I go back through the manuscript, I'll look at those comments and do whatever they say to do. Every so often I'll make a note that when I look back at it, however long later, I have no idea what I meant by it. I came across one of those in the past couple of days. I'm still trying to figure out what I was thinking.

As you can see by the word meter, I wrote approximately 1,000 new words yesterday. Today and tomorrow are devoted to getting this thing finished so JT can run through it before she has to start work on her edits (which should be arriving any day now). Plus, I need to get this out of my hair so I can move on to the other things which are patiently waiting on my desk for my attention.

Two of the four Literary Siblings (i.e. Brett and Sandra) are at Bouchercon, the World Mystery Conference. JT and I hope to be going next year (possibly the year after for me). This conference is a big deal. BIG. There is more to do in four days at one of these things than you could possibly imagine. Or so I've heard. The only conference I've ever been to is the wonderful Murder in the Magic City, a terrific one-day conference presented by the Southern Sisters, the Sisters in Crime chapter in Birmingham, Alabama. I had the honor of participating on a panel in 2005, and these folks know how to do a day filled with great authors (usually about 20 on four panels plus two guests of honor), great books and great fans in a very cozy and relaxed atmosphere. I've met so many terrific folks at MMC the past four years, some of whom will be in my circle of friends and contacts for years. Now, take that and multiply it times four days and times about, I don't know, a gazillion authors, and that's Bouchercon. Just looking at the panel schedule is dizzying. This could be a place to get lost in the crowd so easily.

I can't wait to go.

And to go, I need to finish and sell a book. So what am I still doing sitting here musing?

It's going to be a glorious weekend here in Middle Tennessee. If it's doing the same where you are, enjoy it. And read a book.

=) JB