An Update from the Heart

So while I've been going through some of my favorite titles with you, I've been busy.

You might remember me mentioning the Golden Heart Contest, and if you don't, you can read about my journey here and here. I will be the first to admit, I was determined and did everything I could to be as ready as possible to be a finalist, from entering at least seven contests back in August to rewriting, having a former Golden Heart winner edit my entry, and then rewriting again.

Well, I'm not a finalist, and after walking alongside you on this journey, I'd be wrong to leave you out of the ending. I knew in the shower the night before if I'm honest. I had a feeling of overwhelming dread I couldn't shake, but alone with the hot water running, I asked myself the following questions:

Will winning change anything? No, I still plan to publish this summer.

Will losing change anything? No. Same answer as winning.

Is this the best book ever written? No, it'd be stupid to think that.

The best you'll ever write? I want to get better, so also no.

Is this the last contest on the face of the Earth? Well, the Golden Heart--

No, is this the last contest ever? No.

Is this the last book you'll ever write? No.

Are you the only one who lost? No, definitely not.

Are you the first person who's ever lost a contest? The last? Nope and nope.

I know the comparison is the thief of joy, but how do you shape up against other winners that you've read? I liked their book a lot. I think they totally deserved it.

And then the small voice in my head dared to ask this question

Will you let this finish you off? Is this the last they've heard of you?

I don't need to tell you the answer to that question. So, in summary, here's where we go from here.

I got my manuscript back from my editor, and she had positive comments and a few ideas on how to make it better.

Next, tomorrow is the first day of April, and I will be writing in Camp NaNoWriMo with a goal of 30,000 words. If you are not familiar with this program, check out my post here.

Once I write 30,000 more words, I will finish the sequel to The Secret About Time, and send it off to my editor for review. Then, I'll rewrite again and prepare for publication. In the middle here, will be work on cover art, advanced reader copies, and probably something else I have written down on a sticky note somewhere around here.

The long and the short of it is that no I'm not a finalist. I'm okay. In fact, I'm better than okay. I'm relentless.

Ready or not, onward!

Kathryn