Day 1500: Furnace Troubles

Every time I reach a milestone number on the blog, I consider wrapping it up.  What keeps me going is that the blog parallels the book.  It's one more motivational tool I've used to keep me going.

I worked seven hours on the titles and query research so I didn't even go outside.  One of the tidbits I learned today is that editors may not even consider a book that is over 100,000 words.  Mine is 265 pages, or approximately 130,000 words.  I don't know how I'd cut sixty pages worth of content if asked to do so.    Each new perspective I read is helpful and directs me toward a more effective query.    My plan is to take it to two more Penelope meetings for their input and finally send it out by March 15, just before we go visit Colin and April. I've spent over seven years on the book, so five weeks on the letter is not out of line.   I'll only get one shot, so it has to be right.

When Steve got up this morning, the furnace was making a new clicking sound, like it was switching on and off.  He called Casale's and they came within an hour.  It turned out to be a switch that was malfunctioning.  It's fortunate he was paying attention, because it's likely we'd have lost our heat later in the day.  The furnace is original, twenty-seven and a half years old.  In 2017, we're going to replace it with one that's far more efficient.