Life Is What Happens…. by Lynn Lovegreen
“Life is what happens while you’re planning something else.” It’s not clear who said this first, maybe John Lennon? But I agree with it, anyway. Whether you’re a plumber or counselor or homemaker, any role in life, you’ve experienced this at one time or another. It happens to writers, too.
It is now December 2015, and I was supposed to be done with my current work-in-progress long ago, so I could go on vacation and sit on the beach drinking a Mai Tai or whatever to celebrate. But, of course, that’s not what happened.
I have been working on my novel about the building of the Alcan (Alaska) Highway for over a year now. Last fall, my husband and I drove the Alcan on a research trip to clear up any historical questions remaining, and I revised the draft a few more times. Somehow, it just wasn’t jelling. In June, I talked with an agent who helped me pinpoint the problem: I had the wrong hero. So I wrote a new draft and revised that a couple times. But it’s not finished yet.
So my husband and I are on vacation, but the novel is simply on hiatus, taking a break like I am. When we get back to Alaska, I’ll go through it one more time, show it to a few trusted colleagues, revise a little more, and then, maybe, it will be finished. Perhaps if we take a vacation next spring, that will be the celebration trip. Oh well. That’s okay. I’m hoping this extra time will lead to a bigger and better book. Writers are usually optimistic about our work. :-)
Happy holidays to you, wherever you are today!
Lynn Lovegreen grew up in Alaska, and still lives there. Her young adult historical romances are set in the Alaska Gold Rush, a great time for drama, romance, and independent characters. See her website at www.lynnlovegreen.com.
