Last report wordcount + chapter count/scene count:
1. Short story: 9996 words (first round of revisions done and turned back in to publisher)
2. NOBODY’S LADY (NEVER VEIL 2), returned to me for first round of revisions: 69,931 words, 28 chapters
Current report WC + CC/ SC:
1. Short story: 10,003 words (second and final round completed! Just waiting on a proofread/publisher approval)
2. NOBODY’S LADY (NEVER VEIL 2), 67,652 words, 28 chapters (As of right now, I’ve been approving deletions to improve wordiness mostly, but I still have more to do and will probably be adding scenes. Revisions are due at the end of the month, too. Gah, I wish I had more days off from work!)
WIP Issues This Month: Work/life/fiction writing balance!! ;-; Heeeelp….
Four things I learned this month in writing: 1. I love fiction editing and writing and really wish I could devote more of my time to it.
2. Supporting other authors is awesome and makes you feel less alone!
3. My first drafts can be very wordy.
4. Revising is a lot of work!
What distracted me this month while writing: More work than I can handle, but I’ve been trying to balance everything. I also went to Chicago twice (check out photos here), once to Lincoln Park Zoo with my boyfriend and once to the Field Museum/Navy Pier with him and his family. (Including a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old! Very cute and energetic!) My boyfriend and I also celebrated our 10th anniversary just yesterday! 0-0 But we were both so busy with work, we didn’t do much besides go out to eat. (But we usually do that on Fridays anyway.)
I also joined “Waiting on 2016,” an awesome group spearheaded by fellow WIPMarathoner Suzanne van Rooyen (our own Emma L. Adams is a member, too) for authors with NA, YA or MG books coming out in 2016. Not just for debuts or big 5 publishers, it’s the first open group of its ilk I’ve had a chance to join. I opened an account on Wattpad while I was at it, so “follow” me there if you have an account.
I still haven’t been able to announce what the short story will be in! But I’m crossing my fingers for this month.
Goal for next month: I HAVE TO finish my first round of revisions to NOBODY’S LADY this week, even if I have a lot of work to do as well. After that, I’m going to finish editing the second book in the Smoke and Mirrors series for my friend Melissa Giorgio. (The first book came out this week! Check it out here!) Then I’ll finally be *free* for a time (until I get more revisions back). I may start working on my YA suspense page-1-rewrite. More likely, I’ll try to get ahead with work instead, though. *sigh*
Amy McNulty 
I hear you on the work/life balance struggles. I’ve no idea how I’m going to get through so many edits over the next few months!
I love the WO2016 group. 🙂 So happy to be a part of it!
We’ll manage somehow! ;-; *cries*
I like that it’s laissez-faire! I don’t feel pressure to do every little thing, and it’s there when I want to participate!
Happy 10 Years!! That’s awesome! 😀 And the museum pictures look so cool! But wow, you’ve been busy! I’m not so bad at balancing everything, but I tend to get a little less productive when I’m busy like that because I just want to relax a bit.
I can’t wait to here about this short story!! Best wishes for finishing up your edits!
Thank you! 😀 Ha, I’m glad no one’s asked why we aren’t married after this long, but we’re a weird (?) couple not interested in marriage anyway.
I need days off like my trips to Chicago once in a while to clear my head, but I feel like I fall way behind when I take time off.
Thank you! I can at least say it’ll be published this fall!
Sorry! I am SUPER behind on WIP Marathon (haven’t even posted my own for July yet, though I hopefully will in the next day or two). Congratulations on ten years–WOW!! That’s awesome 🙂 Hope you had a fun time in Chicago, and in response to the above, I completely agree. Time away to clear the head and get a fresh perspective (not to mention refreshed motivation) is an absolute must for me. So glad you had the chance!
Best of luck for all your editing in August! 🙂
Thank you! No problem! I have a hard time staying on top of reading everyone else’s posts. ;-;
Good luck to you as well!
Congrats on your anniversary with your boyfriend! Loved your pictures too! I’ve always wanted to visit Lincoln Zoo 🙂 Seems like you had a busy month but still managed to get so much done.
Here’s to lots of productivity and rest next month!
When you move back to Chicago, you should totally go! It’s free! 0-0
Yeah, I wish I’d gotten even more done, though! Thanks! 😀
Points 2, 3 and 4 – absolutely agree! 🙂
Congrats on your anniversary and all the travels sounded lovely. Good luck with edits and I hope you get to announce the short story soon! Still can’t wait to read that one 😉
Thanks for the #WO2016 shout-out too!
Thank you! 😀
Of course! I’m stoked about it. Thanks for creating it!
Work-life balances seem to be hard for everyone right now. Just means we’re all in it together. Can’t wait to hear the short story news! 😀
Yeah. ;-; Good luck to you as well! Thanks!