Avoiding the Rewrite Because It Might be Hard (Who Am I Kidding? It Will be Hard)

Guess what?
BEFORE So this happened sort of completely by accident, but a few days ago I was talking to one my bestie friends, Cheri P Earl and I told her this idea I had for a book.

“This is how I want it to go,” I said, “and if you want to write it with me, I’d love to share the idea with you.”

So then I told her everything I was thinking (like aliens and Twilight–yes, the book– and things I hate [like-we-all-know-what-but-I-won’t-say-it-here-because-no-one-can-prove-what-I-was-thinking-in-a-court-of-law-if-I-don’t-say-it-but-I-just-think-it, right?] and earth and what’s selling now and how I never understand the marketplace and etc). That’s how our conversations go. Usually I’m complaining. I seriously wonder why I have friends.

After I talked with Cheri, I kind of wrote down a little something something in a  notebook BY HAND while I was sitting in church.

BEFORE BEFORE BEFORE All this time, all this thinking elsewhere, I have a book rewrite in the back of my head. A huge rewrite for the DD because my editor thought the second half of the book (where I tried to have a plot) sucked.

BEFORE BEFORE I just finished another novel and sent it to my agent who sent it off to another editor.

And I did the writing on that first and then second-ish draft AFTER I heard from the first DD editor. I had to get that draft done. Before the revisions on the other book started. Makes sense, right? Right?

BEFORE Cheri and I went to lunch on Saturday and then we talked for a way long time about different things–but a little bit about the new book idea that we want to be three books but how will THAT happen because DD is sitting there, looming there, and it’s been a couple of weeks now and What have you done, Derrick? Nothing! Absolutely nothing!

YESTERDAY I meant to just send Cheri this part that I had written in my little notebook and then I did an extra word here and then another there (I usually DON’T write on Sundays) and wrote something funny here and something a little funnier there–and the next thing I knew someone a lot like Rick Walton (but teen-sized–which I am pretty sure is a lot like the old-size I know now) was tapping on the fictional mobile unit window.

That’s right! I started another book! A funny book! And I can’t wait to dig around in these characters and all this humor and I can’t WAIT to write this ONE thing I’ve been talking about to Cheri Pearl Earl forever. And now I have a beginning! And we all know how sexy a beginning is, right? Right?

NOW Today I’m rewriting the DD.
It’s been sitting in my brain for some time and I need to let what has been moving around in there get out onto paper.

I think I can do it. It’s scary. That’s the truth. The last time I sold a novel before I finished it, I nearly had to run away to the Islands (where ever they are and, by the way, how can you run to them?) to finish it. I swore that I would never do that again. Sell an unfinished book. And then I let Secret Agent Steve talk me into sending the DD out. And he sold it. And guess where I need to go now? The Islands.

Sheesh.

No.

I’m staying home and getting this done.

And the sooner I get it done the sooner I can start on this book with Cheri.

And my other idea of a paranormal romance where everyone loses their lives. Including the super-sexy-everyone-thinks-she’s-the-most-beautiful-girl-in-the-undead-world.

I can’t wait!