How's the book?

The book is great! It's been a while since I have given an update, so here it is. A few kind and generous readers plowed through my completed first draft and gave me excellent suggestions for ways to make it better. So over the last couple months,  I was busy making revisions. I was surprised by some of the suggested revisions (like about the time I used "dear" when I was talking about the animal—the editor in me nearly cried at such a rookie mistake), but they were all really helpful. In the biz, these first readers are called beta readers. Now you're in the know. I, however, will continue to refer to them as friends and family members.

So the second draft is done, and I'm pretty happy with it.

Hang on. That sentence deserves more excitement. THE SECOND DRAFT IS DONE!!!!! It was a huge feat and it took a LOT of work, and I am extremely proud of myself and the finished product. It definitely didn't take me as long as the first draft, but it was still huge and medal worthy. So, thanks. I'll take one in gold.

There.

Anyway, story lines were smoothed out, the characterization got even better, and the whole thing got a nice polish. Plus, after focusing on certain chapters and scenes for a while there, and jumping around from place to place (coming up with synonyms for the many, many times I used the word "awkward," for instance), it was really nice to give it one last read through from start to finish. It made me remember that it really is a whole entire cohesive book that flows really well.

When I started this whole write-a-book thing, I, of course, had no idea what I was doing and imagined things very differently from how they turned out. In the beginning, I guessed that the book would have about 10 chapters and around 50,000 words. Silly, silly Ashley.

Here are the current stats:

• Chapters: 23
• Words: 80,000ish
• Pages: 272ish

And, if you'll remember from this post, here are stats for these even more important categories:

• Times I use the phrase "sugarbum": 2
• References to Tom Jones or a Tom Jones song: 3

So, yes, there's quite a difference. But now I know what it takes, and I bet I can pump out the next one even faster. (Especially because it's a children's book, but that's neither here nor there.)

So what now? Now I try my darnedest to interest an agent in my book so that he or she can, in turn, sell it to a publisher. You do this by querying (sending an email to an agent, explaining your work and why you're awesome) and receiving many rejections. I have sent out several queries and will send many, many, many more, I'm sure. But I'm excited for the rejections to start piling in because then it will make this whole process feel even more real. If someone can say no, then it's certainly possible for someone else to say yes. (And who knows? For some, multiple references to Tom Jones might be what seals the deal.)

Anyway, keep checking back each week as I share some of what I went through to get to this point and other random stuff I decide to write about. It'll be fun. And comment. If you comment, you'll definitely earn more cool points. And I know you need some.

(You might think insulting readers may not be the best way to keep them interested, but you would be wrong.)

Also, p.s., I don't think I've ever shared the name of said book, so here it is, the big reveal: My first book is titled LITTLE SUN, and you can read more about it by clicking on the title at the top of the page.