Done

The Sandsifters first draft edits are done. Now it is time to pass them to a professional for copyediting. I need to start researching agents and publishing houses and thier guidelines. Get a "Writer's Market Guide" so that when the professional editing is done, I will know where and to whom I wish to send it - maybe make a list so I can quickly resend after a rejection.

Also had some ideas for the second novel and wrote 400 words on that. Bringing in some ideas I put forth in the newly added prologue of Sandsifters to incorporate in the second novel.

Other than that - Mr. Ips. told the MIL that he would come down in the Aug. 15-17 vicinity to fetch her since she can't seem to fly by herself and I am still feeling resentful. The creativity I felt on Illuminators has shriveled with the news of her coming and I am trying to regain what little equanimity I possess to help me find my creative center and come back to writing. I wish I were a steadier sort of person with stable emotions. I wonder sometimes what my life would be like if depression didn't rob me of six months a year. Mr. Ips says I might as well wonder what it would be like if I were six foot tall with the shape of a model. I suppose he's right - in a way he has accepted that SAD is as much a part of me as my height and eye color; certainly he's accepted it better than I have. I still sometimes hope maybe I can just kick it or cure it like a habit or a disease. But researchers have found that SAD tends to be more genetic, more of an overall a whole body system environmental reaction than regular depression is - which is why drugs don't tend to work.

My aunt is in from Connecticut this week - I'll probably be heading to the parents in a couple of days. She is one of those really positive, soul-motiviating people who leave you energized after talking with her - so this should be a fun visit.