Continued from envelope.......

I HAVE FINISHED MY SECOND NOVEL. Just in case you didn't know. Have already tweeted and face book statused it, but there it is in big capital letters.

I may have scoffed at the capital letters and bold font in Simon Whaley's book (The Positively Productive Writer) but man did it pay off. After only two and a half months I have completed a 112,015 word novel. (Now I had written a few chapters previous to my April start so not all of it was done in the last few months, but I would say around 70% of it. Roughly 75,000 words. Please don't do any maths on me here, it's a rough guess.)

So there. I guess I just proved you can do it if you're anal and disciplined and slightly OCD about it. He he.

I tell you what though, it makes you hungry for more. When I finished on Sunday before the Italy match (poor Italy) I just wanted to start writing something else straight away. It's addictive. But not only that, it's what I want to do and like any job you don't just give up once you've completed a task (well I guess some people might) you get on with something else. There's always something to do! And that's my philosophy.

So yesterday I had the proverbial 'day off' from writing, but in all honesty I took five portfolios home to update for my children. We're having parent teacher meetings all week. (Had 2 on Monday, 3 Today. Got 3 Tomorrow, 1 on Thursday and 1 on Friday. Then 2 when they come back off holiday.) So really I didn't have a day off, I was just writing anecdotes about my kids rather than novels.

But then today I got right back on the bandwagon. I had a consultation at the dental hospital for my looming extraction and whilst waiting for X-rays and then the consultant, I hastily scribbled on both sides of the envelope, plus the actual letter they sent me, in between all the addresses and stuff. I managed to start the opening scene of book three. I waste no time! (Well okay sometimes I waste a little.)

Oh my word, the people at the dental hospital (Eastham dental hospital, Grey's Inn Road) were just lovely. My appointment was at 2pm and I just managed to get out of work at 1.45pm to walk there. (I had a parent meeting at 1.15 that ran over. You know what women are like when they get chatting.) Anyhoo, by 9 minutes past 2 I was in X-ray and then I was seeing the consultant by 2.40 and back at work at 3pm.

Efficient, polite, genuinely nice people, especially the radiographer and the consultant I saw. Kind of restored my faith in dentists and hospitals after my dragon dentist at Kentish Town. I think I'll make the point next time I visit her, of how nice everyone at Eastham was. Perhaps she could learn a lesson or two. Or perhaps she could just try to be less of a bitch, but that could be asking too much.

Then it was back to work for another parent meeting which over ran and then my 4.00pm finish quickly turned into 5.15pm. Yeah, I'm still not sure how that happened. The weird thing was that when I went to book an appointment for the actual extraction, they were like, "Oh, is this Friday too soon?"
Mouth falls open. Er, yes! That's three days away, I need time to process. Time to say goodbye. Besides two of my kids leave that day and I ain't missing that for the World. Plus I have my 'How to get Published conference on Saturday' so the last thing I need is a massive, painful mouth and an inability to eat solid foods.

Originally I'd been thinking a Friday so that I would have the weekend to recover but then when I realised they had appointments so soon (I thought I'd have to wait for ages) I knew that every weekend in July was taken up by something and I couldn't have a massive face and a shit load of pain at any of these things. So I opted for next Tuesday at 4pm, so that way I can still work a whole shift and I'd only have to take one day off on the Wednesday to recover. Dedication! That's what that is! (Or stupidity. You can decide for yourselves.)

So this time next week I will be short two teeth. But as long as they don't actually remove any of the old wisdom, with the wisdom tooth, I should be okay. I'm a tough one. Opted for a local anaesthetic instead of sedation or general. I didn't like the idea of sedation. Sounded a little weird. 'You will be almost asleep and only marginally aware of what's going on around you.' Oh no thank you. I either want to be aware or not aware, but being knocked out completely always runs the risk of never waking up. *shudders at the thought*

And so with a teeth and writing theme for this week, I leave you with the wonder that is my mum. I got home to a Congratulations you've written your second novel card. And no, that isn't a sub-section at Clintons (though it should be) it was a 'just for you' card, adapted inside for it's purpose. How sweet! Sometimes they can really do your head in but sometimes they are just.....your mum and dad. Proud of your achievements, excited for you and there to back you up along the road. I think as adults we sometimes just crave a bit of praise and appreciation. As an educator, that's a huge part of my job, to praise and encourage, but often as adults we don't get that. So thank you mum and A (Of course. Without him I probably wouldn't have 1 book let alone 2) and everyone that liked my status or commented. It's really a great big pat on the back and just makes my little achievement seem monumental.

Off to make toad in the hole for tea. YUM! With mashed potatoes, green beans and gravy. And then have another two portfolios to update.

No rest for the unpublished......Ha ha. Have a good evening everyone, despite the drizzle.