Ta-da!

You know that feeling when you finish a great novel, or fantasy series, or Netflix binge? That sadness akin to grief that these characters are going away? That driving away from the weekend and into the workaday week feeling? It takes a good, full day for me to wallow in my post-fiction hangover before I am ready to face the real world or jump into another story.

I started feeling that satisfying loss after writing the climax of the story. I knew there were several more chapters to write, but it still felt like I was saying goodbye. I hoped to tie up all the loose ends more quickly that Tolkien did in LOTR (the ending of which goes on and on and on...). The feeling only lasted a day. Then I attacked the final chapters. And here we are!

First draft, done.

After I go through as much of my "FIX" file as I can, my next move is to wrap around to the start of the series and reread Haven, Queenswood, and Storm so that I can figure out how to merge together and finish that opening volume in the series. I stumbled upon the ending to that book a while ago. I hope I can remember enough of my plan to make it happen. I'd estimate I have only 15,000 words to go, so my goal is to post another report like this before summer is over.

The best part is that I'm excited to keep writing. I wish the next month could stretch on and on and on... I'll just have to enjoy the time I have.