Friday, March 23, 2007

Waiting Game

It’s almost time. Golden Heart and RITA finalists are announced Sunday. Although I’ve managed to forget I even entered it for weeks at a time, my mental radar started pinging today.

Whoop! Whoop! Red Alert! Red Alert! It’s coming!

I’m not expecting much, but I’m still anxious. It would be nice to get that recognition, even if I didn’t win but just finaled. Finaling on its own is HUGE. Heck, entering was big enough for me because I finally had a completed, polished book that I felt was good enough to blow $50 to enter. Good enough may not be good enough, however. There is a lot of competition. I’m the only Playfriend that threw a hat into the ring this year, so I guess I’m the only one all twisted up in knots over it at the moment. It’s a good thing I’ve been able to put it out of my mind because this is such a long process. Enter in November, hear back in the end of March. If you do final, you don’t find out if you’ve won until July... pure torture.

At the same time, I’m not looking forward to getting the judge comments back. At least this one is just a numerical score – they aren’t encouraged to elaborate on why you suck, just that you suck and leave it at that. Oh goody. I’ve actually been trying to decide whether to send my current WIP into a contest or two and honestly, I can’t make myself do it.

Chicken.

Yeah, I know.

So anyway, keep me in your thoughts Sunday. I’ll either be in a hysterical panic because I finaled or a hysterical panic because I didn’t or a hysterical panic because the realtor wants to show my house and the kitchen is dirty. One of these three will most certainly happen and I’m sure it’s the dirty kitchen. DB will see to that.

So...are you waiting for something? A contest entry result? A much anticipated vacation? Chocolate Easter bunnies and peeps? The end of Lent so you can eat meat on Friday's again? Share and let me know how you’re planning to pass the time.

SP

BTW – this writing challenge has been a bust. For all our big talk, I’ve written, like, 56 pages over the course of a month. I’m sure that sounds great to some, but my original goal was 230 pages by the end of March. That gives me, oh, 9 days to write 174 pages and meet my goal. HA!

Zokutou word meterZokutou word meter
44,000 / 80,000
(55.0%)

9 comments:

Problem Child said...

You're closer to your goal than I am...You don't even want to know how many pages I'd have to write in the next week to make my goal.

Sigh. I suck.

Playground Monitor said...

I have several stories out in various places. Plus I'm waiting on a check for something already published. I spend all morning Monday through Saturday listening for the mail carrier.

I'll be out of town and away from a computer on Sunday or I'd be checking every five minutes to see who got calls. Somebody usually puts the finalists on their website or blog and there's a thread on eHarlequin too.

Otherwise I'm also waiting for the end of spring pollen season. It's been particularly bad.

Have a great weekend y'all. I'll be working -- it's clean-up weekend at the campground. I'm going to grab an inside detail like cleaning the clubhouse so I can avoid pollen.

PM

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

You don't suck, PC. You've been writing and revising query letters and a synopsis for your 1st place contest entry that went to an editor! Nothing to be ashamed of there...

Angel said...

Boy, 176 pages huh? You better get typing, lady!!! :)
Actually, I'm envious of your 56 pages, but I'm finally coming along on my plotting. I've got character pictures, basic issues pinned down, and some plotting done. I'll finish up next week once the child is back in school.

Right now I'm anticipating Scotland!!! That's the only hope that will get me through the next two months of moving, scheduling, and transferring everything to a new house.

Lis said...

I'm waiting for a response on a partial and soon as I finish edits (please let it be soon) then I can wait on the full. But I've heard the agent who wants the full is remarkably quick so hoping that's a good thing.

Problem Child said...

Way to go, Lis.

Keep us posted on the response!

Cynthia Eden said...

Well, here's hoping you hear some wonderful news on Sunday! :-)

Jill James said...

I'm sitting here on pins and needles as well, well aware tomorrow is THE Sunday. Good luck to everyone.

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

Oh well. Maybe next year.