"Done! Finished! Completed!"

What play opens with those words? I Googled it and nothing came up. It was produced in my high school, and the boy who spoke the line was my boyfriend. I think of that line every time I finish a draft: Done! Finished! Completed!

Never, I know: never done, never truly finished, never ever completed. A novel is forever a WIP: officially that means “Work In Progress,” but I think “Work In Process” is more apt. But for now, for a week at least, The Next Novel is put to rest, sent off through the ethernet to my editor and agent. (Yay, I met my deadline.)

I’ve been working long hours on it daily for well over a month. Mistress of the Sun was published in the spring of 2008, and I began this novel shortly after. Four years ago! I’m exhausted and just a little bewildered. What now?

Now: I’m a proud grandmama! I get teary just typing that. Our beautiful, spirited daughter gave birth to—only last Sunday!—a beautiful (and no doubt spirited) little girl, Alexandra May Sudds. We’re all so in love! Baby-bliss. There’s nothing like it.