Wearing my favourite shoes today, because I just got my revised book back from the editor! And while there’s red pen decorating the page, it’s not too bad.
Now for the hard part – going through the changes, and getting it into final book shape…
Category: caffeine
Celebration Time
The barista always knows how my day is going, based on order. Today I got a “long black? Congratulations!”
And congratulations is right, if I do say so myself. No need for a mood-boosting mocha today, because I finished the first round of editing for the current book. And damn, but I love this story!
Now only five more edits to get through…
(Are you on Twitter or Instagram? I love hanging out with fellow readers and writers. http://twitter.com/AuthorLibby and http://www.instagram.com/authorlibby/)
Bribing The Muse
The first round of editing is always a tough one. You find lots of silly mistakes, rushed conversations, cardboard characters… But that’s fine, that’s why we edit!
Except yesterday my muse ran away. One particular paragraph needed a major overhaul, and I was blank.
So I did what any good writer does, and set out to bribe her. I got a mocha, with marshmallows of course, and sat down in the sun to clear my head. Staring up at the blue sky through this tangle of branches, birds singing around me, my brain unfocused… I may have napped for a bit.
Today I sat down in front of the WIP, and the muse has returned. The troublesome paragraph was sorted in about five minutes flat!
So if all else fails, bribe the muse. Every time.
(I love hanging out online with fellow readers and writers. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorlibby/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/AuthorLibby)
Baby, I’m Giving You Up
Do you know what’s great? Food.
I’m not really picky about it. Candy is my biggest weakness, followed swiftly by baking. Then comes the other usual suspects; pizza, anything you could serve for brunch, and all forms of caffeine.
So when I have to choose between food and my vanity, believe me, I’m torn. Because I’ve just found out that dairy is triggering the eczema that’s plagued me since I was a teenager.
Do you know what dairy is in? Everything delicious.
And do you know how difficult it is to switch from lattes to long blacks when you’re trying to finish a book? (Great success there by the way, but more on that later.)
The worst part is that dropping dairy has worked. So now I have to stick with it. Although I’ve gotta say, my skin in general is glowing. So if vanity wins, at least it wins big time.
Have you given anything up lately? Also, does anyone have good recommendations for dairy-free treats?
The Not-So-Sweet Life
Every now and then I’ll be persuaded to go on a health kick. The guilty culprit this time is my husband. He’s given up sugar and caffeine, like some sort of sadist. Who does that?! They have to be the top two best things in life!
Now, while you can pry my coffee out of my cold, dead hands, I do have a problem with my sweet tooth. I’ve been a sugar fiend since I was a kid. Probably one of the few way to ensure good behaviour from me when I was younger was to bribe me with candy. Actually, that’s still one of the few ways to ensure good behaviour from me.
So, fine, I’m also trying to reduce sugar. No cheating allowed – my beloved diet coke is also gone! The first two days were a bit tricky, but now I’m finding I’m coping with the help of a lot of sweet fruity herbal teas. Surely that alone means I’m a bit healthier?
Have you gone on a health kick lately? Or even given up sugar? If you have any tips for sustaining it, help a girl out!
P.S. Am I the only one that now has this tune on repeat in my head? It’s also the song we played when my husband and I were cutting the cake on our wedding day. Still get mushy when I hear it.
Libby Cole 