So I’d promised myself I’d finish my Shades of Rome revisions before Monday, and when I’d only written 700 words over a period of three days, I was kind of doubting that it was going to happen. But I was DETERMINED, and so Sunday–thanks to copious amounts of chocolate and naps–I pulled off another 7k, and that, combined with recycling a scene or two from the old version, got me to the end. *WHEW* And OMG, it’s done!!! And I’ll be sending it to my agent very soon!!!! And then after the holidays it will go back on submission!!!!!!

The book is a lot better this time around (The Spouse has confirmed it, so I know it’s not just me). It’s also not the most historically accurate historical fiction ever made (it’s kind of like Xena, except more like Supernatural), but I stayed as accurate as I could, plus it’s based on stuff that really did happen, even if the parts about ghosts and stuff maybe didn’t so much happen. (If you’re just tuning in, or, like me, you can’t always remember what everybody’s book is about, Shades of Rome is a paranormal YA about Julius Caesar, age 16, having to team up with Cicero to save Rome from an army of ghosts. There’s also some feisty romance, though not between those guys.) It’s a fun book and I kind of thought I’d never get through revisions, but, lo and behold, it is DONE.

I have to say, there are a lot of things that you “get over” in the world of book publishing, but finishing a book (or even hefty revisions of a book) NEVER gets old. It’s always the most awesome feeling in the world.

Now I’m onto my middle grade detective book, which doesn’t have a title. Except I’m kind of scared to work on it, and even though this is November and is nano month and avoiding writing because I’m scared is really lame and goes against the spirit of nano, it is, nevertheless, still hard. I have 5600 words in it so far, which is about 1100 words more than I remembered having, so helpful writing elves must have taken pity on me and stuck an extra scene in there one night, but however it happened it’s good to have accomplished more than I thought. I mean, I thought I had 4500 words, and since it turned out I had more than that, it’s *like* I wrote those 1100 words, so I might as well pat myself on the back and close up the file for the night.

Um, yeah, no. (Kids, don’t be like me. Or at least don’t be like me when I’m pretending finding 1100 words is the same as writing them. I mean, I did write them, just not recently.) I don’t know why I’m scared to work on this book. Mostly I think because it still feels like a new project, and it’s awesome.

But on the bright side, I must actually think I’ll get to work on it soon, otherwise I wouldn’t be blogging about it. Instead I’d be all, “Oh, guys, I’m TOTALLY working on this book. I’m, like, going to make so much progress on it. Progress like YOU WOULDN’T (read: shouldn’t) BELIEVE!” So the fact that I’m like, “Waaah! Book scary!” is probably a good sign.