Had an interesting conversation with a friend.

One of the few that I imposed the sequel on for critique.

Between the feedback that she gave and those angry reactions I talked about earlier, I have more than enough fodder to go back to the sequel and spiff it up. Really make it SPARKLE.

That’s the word that comes to mind when I think of that moment when a story is done.

When I wrote my first novel Dahling if You Luv Me Would You Please Please Smile, I finished the drafts and sent it off pretty much knowing that I’d written something extraordinary.

Extraordinary is usually enough to get something published.

But getting a manuscript to extraordinary is exhausting.

And even though I knew it still needed a bit of ‘polishing’ I thought it was good enough to get a contract and I’d do the polishing after. ie. I’d make it sparkle.

I even said as much to my editor back then. When I finished the play scene finally to my satisfaction, I thought, Yes! Now it really sparkles! The whole thing. Not just most of it.

It’s a fantastic moment when you get to that point. It’s like you’ve climbed the mountain, and you can reap the reward. A fantastic view!

First let me say, that no matter how many books you get under your belt, (or perhaps mountains you climb–not that I’m a mountain climber!) you can’t help wondering if you can ever do it again.

It’s not even about getting published any more.

I finished a novel that I think is stellar. The story works in so many ways, but as another friend said, it might be too ‘true’ to be published. At least as is.

I’ve polished it and polished it and I don’t want to touch it again, not till an editor with contract in hand wants me to.

But that said, even if it never does see the light of day, I’m satisfied with it. I wrote the ‘truth’, with a lower case ‘t’ as I see it. And yes, I think it sparkles.

The ‘TRUTH’ is really only within the realm of God as far as I’m concerned. We’re just victims of our perspectives moulded by life experiences. And it’s never enough to write a good novel, it has to be marketable, and if this one isn’t that’s okay.

Anyway, getting back to that conversation I had with my friend, I told her how excited I was to get back to revisions on the sequel to Wanting Mor. Armed with her criticisms and the others’, insha Allah, I really know how to make the story SPARKLE!

She was really surprised to think that I’d be excited about revisions.

And when I think about it, I can certainly understand it.

It would be like being surprised at someone wanting to go vacuum a room, or clean a bathroom sink or mop a floor.

She’s new at writing and has definitely learned how much *work* it is.

Ah, but when you get to my point, where I’ve been at this for more than 21 years, and where for so many of those years the only recognition and satisfaction I often got was my own satisfaction that I’d made the story SPARKLE to the best of my ability, whether anyone else in the world could see it or not, then you’re more likely to understand my eagerness to get down to the task.

To scrub and polish that manuscript, to get rid of all the blemishes, to keep the scenes that work and really polish the scenes that don’t, adding new scenes that increase the glitter factor, till I can look back at the whole and find not a dull spot anywhere! Oh that feeling is priceless!

It’s the feeling of a job well done.

It’s satisfaction personified.

Of course it’s exciting!!!

I start tomorrow morning!