RV-GO TO RACK AND RUIN CROSSES THE FINISH LINE!

Ah the thrill of victory!! I crossed the 50,000 word line on my National Novel Writing Month project at 9:10 a. m. this morning! Hurray! It's been a real struggle this year since I didn't know "who-done-it" until just this week. It doesn't get any easier. It was like pulling teeth plunking the last five-hundred words into the computer this morning.

Now, that is not to say I have actually finished the novel. Nope. I have somewhere around three chapters to write to finish the actual story. But I have the end written, so all I need to do is stitch things together - then rewrite, rewrite, rewrite.

For now though I go back to work tomorrow to rest up!

P.S. Seattle beat the word count socks off the entire rest of the world for the third year in a row!! Yes, we rule! (Sorry, rest-o-world. Better luck next November.)

BEGINNING WEEK THREE OF NANOWRIMO/ NEW BOOK!

I have written over 32K words now on RV-GO to Rack and Ruin! Over half way done and pushing on ahead - think I may actually have a plot going now. Seattle is see-sawing for the lead with Maryland - this morning they were slightly ahead so we Westcoasters need to up the intake of Starbucks and take back our lead. There are over 115 writers world wide participating this year! Quite impressive.

But it is a small world, when you look at it - I emailed one of the writers from the Isle of Skye in Scotland the other day. She's writing a mystery novel too and I wanted to give her pat on the back for her very impressive word count. She wrote back that she grew up in Portland and always enjoyed taking the train to Seattle! How about that?

Friday was the last Writers Workshop until January. Our new collection of work is done! See photo. The concept of the cover is that you are looking over the backyard fence into an alternate universe - cool, huh? We certainly had great fun putting our little book together.

Tomorrow I go back to work after two week's vacation. Always a bit of trepidation in returning to work. Will I still have a job??? In the present economy companies are going out of business or being bought up faster than maple leaves fall from the trees at first frost! I guess we'll see. I know my boss is probably sick to death of doing my route by now. Especially since the poinsettias are on their way!

CORA JANE IN CORVALLIS

Cora Jane Dooley, my semi-retired waitress, is well on the way to her next adventure. This time she and her Minnie Winnie motor home, RV-GO, are in Corvallis, Oregon, where she has already gotten into more trouble than a woman her age should have to deal with before her first cup of morning coffee.

The word count for RV-GO TO RACK AND RUIN is at 15,776 so far, my goal being to get to half way by next Friday (The finish line on this 50K marathon is midnight on 30 Nov.)

I will be taking a few hours off today for our Senior Writers Workshop - it is second to the last meeting before our Fall break. The project this quarter is to publish a collection of our work for friends and family. We've titled it: THIS AND THAT - HERE AND THERE - THEN AND NOW. If all goes well, I'll be taking it over to Staples for printing Monday! My son, a talented designer, will be doing the cover this weekend. Always exciting to have a new book out! When we have it finished I'll let you know how you can get your copy.

Now, it's back to the novel! Have a great weekend!

HURRAY! A BRAND NEW DAY!

A beautiful new day dawns! We have a fabulous new President! A fresh start."Yes, we can!"

I'm right on target for finishing "RV-GO to Rack and Ruin" by the end of the month. Have 12,502 words at this point. This perfect morning!