20,854. Going along. I'm assiduously trying to write only the parts that interest me. I hope that works. What else can I say but I'm up too late?

16,834. Hmm. 10 chapters so far, and I really like it. But I am inherently suspicious. However, I tell myself I'm laying down a skeleton on which I will layer complexity. What's interesting right now is how much I love GML and PE as a couple. GML needs PE so much, and he has much to offer her. So, kind of a bummer if this all turns out to suck majorly and I lose their chemistry. On the other hand, maybe my writing career is over because Kate hasn't gotten back to me on edits for The Spare. Is that because it sucks and she wants her money back? Arrghh! I make myself crazy. Plus, I just want to add that I like having lots of time to write and I hate my job. So there.

11,606 for The List. I'm trying to be very careful about putting things at stake in each chapter. Important stuff has to happen. Today, I plotted out a scene where GML makes a surprise confession to PE of a tragedy in his life. Right now, they feel good. They really do. GML is going to break my heart, he really is.

8,738 for The List. Hey, in four days, I nearly doubled my word count! Of course, as I'm whizzing along, I'm thinking I'll ending up cutting it all. On the other hand, I've been careful about plotting and only writing parts where the two are together. Start each scene without any build up, just get right to the meat of the chapter. Some interesting developments, the bad buy's just posted a henchman as a spy in the heroine's household. Also, I am stressing over The Spare. What if it does suck and Kate asks for their money back? On the other hand, there's a black-out on the whole east coast, and I bet she can't edit my MS in the dark. Joy, I get to stress for days more. Arggh. I can feel the stress boiling away. I only sent out one other Agent query. Haven't checked the PO box for a reply from the one I mailed, and I suppose the black-out is keeping the emailed one from being attended to. Note to self: find out who's in charge so I can ask why the world doesn't run for my convenience.

The List has 4 chapters and 4500+ words. 90,000 to go! Am working away in Deaf Dog. Well, at this exact moment, I'm not, but I will be back at it when I finish this post. I've been working on the rwawebsite survey and keeping track of my search for a new agent. Sigh. I am promising myself that tonight I will have two more letters out (total of 4) I put together a db to keep track of agents, requirements and my queries. News flash - everyone wants you if you have a "voice" and sales like Nora. They all say they're open to new authors - provided you're going to be famous, and since most of you aren't going to be, well, the subtext is don't waste your postage. So I keep reading all this stuff and saying, but I'm really good at this, why don't you want to hear from a writer like me? Doors closed firmly in face. Oh, anyway, The List is going along and that's about all I can say because I don't have enough yet to have a feel for the h/h, other than I thought I couldn't do funny and maybe I can. But, as ever, I started writing actual chapters and darned if my hero didn't turn out to have a broken heart. He really needs my heroine, only he doesn't know it yet. That little flash of Oh! is always cool when it happens.

Ok, I've been busy writing a synopsis for the List and several other things. I've actually gotten pretty far along, but at the same time feel anxious because I haven't been writing chapters. Go figure. I want to get my agent situation resolved, as in have a new one on my side able and willing to give me advice so I can sit and just write. And that's all for today.