Estoy Nueces

That's me! A 2005 NaNoWriMo winner! I feel a great deal of satisfaction. I'm glad I finished the book, but I'm especially glad that the ending came out like it did. I was struggling with it for a long while and it still may be improved in the editing, but it is not nearly as lame as the ending of the last book I wrote.

I came home from work last night determined to finish. I finally got to the big THE END and checked the word count and still needed another 1000 words in order to meet the requirement of 50,000 words. That really surprised me because, at the rate I was going, I thought that those last couple of scenes would have filled up a lot of space. Too much dialogue, I guess. So I wrote a throw-away epilogue scene to fill up some space. Checked the word count, still a long way to go. I went back through the book because there will have to be several scenes inserted to make the ending more plausible. But, in a hurry, I couldn't really find the places they needed to go. Finally, I inserted (in italics so I'll know where it is to pull it out easily) a L O N G fantasy sequence where the male character is letting his imagination run wild. Checked the word count and STILL needed another couple of hundred words. More fantasy. Wowee. Checked again and I was five words short. Dammit! Found a place to add "she looked at him quizzically" and I was DONE!! Whoo-hoo. Bells ring! Lights flash! Money pours into the metal box! Well, it felt that way anyway. I think I deserve extra praise for having to have put up with the Y key on this whole escapade. You can't believe how many times I was typing along and the Y key stopped me in some way or another. A couple of times even deleting a couple of sentences that had to be rewritten. A chore, for sure, but better than handwriting or a typewriter, that's for sure.

After my big accomplishment I went on out to the east side to celebrate. The place was jumping. A girl I had met through a friend a couple of weeks ago was there and it was nice to see her again. I had wanted to call her to see if she wanted to go since she lives very close by, but it was really too late to call someone. Glad she came. Sat and talked some to the bartender from the restaurant next door to my office. He was there with a waitress, but they didn't appear to be a date. Also ran into a listener (WAIT! I DON'T WANT WORK TO INTRUDE OUT THERE!) but it was okay.

A blues singer from Mobile got up and sang two songs with the band and she was great! More toward the Janis Joplin style of blues, but more musical and "listenable." Really moving. She was there with our friend Earl and it was nice to see him again, too.

Came home and went to bed and slept late this morning. My head is pounding a bit, although I only had two beers. I think I may go try to find some Mexican food. It has been far too long since I've had any and it can be one of my (many) rewards for finishing the book.

Hooray for me!!