Actually, that's not quite true.
The idea was born on November 1, 2008 (NaNoWriMo). I wrote about 32k, then stopped. Over the next year, I dabbled here and there at it, added about 10k, then stopped.
November 1, 2009, I started Eternal Spring, which you now know, and I finished that draft in March of this year. Pretty much a few days later, I decided I'd finishing Saving Me once and for all.
I cut down to about 23k and started from there.
So I guess it really took me around 4 1/2 months to write, if you added together the times I actually wrote on it. Once I had my breakthrough with Evan this past Monday, I really hauled ass and wrote 12k in two days. That's a big deal for me. :-)
Anyway!
I'm happy and content, but no great feelings of excitement this time, not like when I finished Eternal Spring. That was the first book I ever finished--the moment where I could look someone in the eye and tell them that I'd written a novel.
With Saving Me, I wasn't going to take no for an answer. I knew I'd finish, I just didn't quite know when.
Don't get me wrong--I'm excited. But more like this:
than this:
I finished writing around 10:30 Wednesday night, and what did I do? I immediately picked up the book I'd been reading (Where the Heart Is) and finished it. That's what I call celebration. :-)
Maybe because this idea's been with me for so long, niggling at the back of my head, compelling me to write it, the feelings are more subtle.
But anyway.
In continuation with tradition, I will be hosting a giveaway to celebrate finishing Saving Me. I'm afraid it can't be as fabulous as I'd like, since hubby and I are still basically poor college students, but I'll do my best. :-)
I'll have more details on the giveaway next week, but I can tell you that the prizes are all going to be writing/revision-related.
PS: Wondering about the name of this post? "Charleston" is the last word of the novel. :-)
Have a fab weekend!
