Kick the tires?

Oh, hey there.  I didn't see you.  Probably because I'm writing this long before you'll ever read it on a computer miles away from you, but that's just splitting hairs.  I know it is has been a while since I've updated, but don't worry; it was time well spent.  I've been acting as a stay-at-home dad and getting into it a little better, I've been writing my novel in my spare time, improving my guitar playing, brewing excellent beers, and going on dates with my wife.  Something had to give.  I decided to focus on my novel before I continued the Murphy's Law Story.  I will get back to it, for all five or so of my readers.  I'm sure I count for at least 2 of them.

I find myself getting jealous over my friends, though I really shouldn't be.  I have many friends who either have become published (and not just online or in ebooks), or are about to be published.  I SHOULD take this as an incentive to continue writing and as hope that I, too, may actually get published someday soon.  Instead, I tend to think, "Why them?  Why not me?"  Yes, I have an English degree, and most of my published friends don't.  2 of them, however, do.  Somehow, it is the other friends that make me more jealous, almost as if you aren't deserving of authorship unless you earned an English degree.  I know this is not true, but it is hard to suppress feelings like this, which circumvent logic.  And when I think of my English degree friends, I tend to find myself looking at my writing in a self-deprecating fashion.  If their amazing work is what it takes, what chance do I have?  Again, no logic involved here.  Hopefully I will get over this petty jealousy and use it to kick me into high gear.

At the moment, I am at about the 49k word mark in my novel.  I was hoping to finish it by November 1^st, but that is looking less and less likely.  This Sunday, my wife and I are playing the music at a celtic service at church.  I may have been playing guitar for 6 years, but I always think I suck at that, too, so I will likely be spending every spare moment I have between now and then working on the pieces we will be playing.  Then there's Halloween to prepare for, the Nanowrimo party, etc. etc .etc.  So, since I will not be finishing the rough draft in time, I will finish it by the end of Nano, and start on the first revision!  After the first revision, I will be ready for some proof-readers.  Hopefully this will be done by the time Christmas rolls around, but we'll see.  Of course, after that, I need to look for publishers or agents, research how to make it into an ebook, start some self-promotion and networking…. you know, act like an author.  Really, an author is just a car salesman without a car.  At least, in today's age it seems like that.  "I see you've got your eye an a 2006 Urban Fantasy.  Quite a good body to this story, though when you first start it, it might be a little jumpy.  Care to test it out, spin through a chapter or two?  What format do you like?  I prefer the Kindle Fire, myself, but nothing beats a good-old vintage hard cover.  Just look at that spine, steady as a rock.  So, whadaya say.. $9.99 for the whole thing?  I'll even make you a deal and throw in a poem or two."