How I'm doing it - ie the writing/editing process

People often ask me how I manage to write, teach and parent - all at the same time. When they learn about this project, they are gob-smacked.

Well, here's how it's working for me: I wrote out the chapter summaries for the whole book because I knew the story.

I wrote the first 35,000 words and then edited them. They went to my publisher, my mentor and my lovely girls who read with knives and roses while I went on with the story. I now have a lovely pile of comments for the first third of the book.

I've written the 2nd third as SFD (shitty first draft) and am about to trawl through it fixing terrible clunkers. AT THE SAME TIME, I am continuing with the final third of the book.

Next week, I hope to post off the 2nd third to the above and finish the SFD of the end of the book (though, quietly, I have written the last four pages already).

Aim to meet with team end of Jan to discuss 2nd third and I will give them the final bits, which they will pull to pieces in a loving way (eh, guys?)

Despite going back to school, I will then collect all comments for the first two parts and begin fixing all my terrible bloopers.

The manuscript is due mid- March so hope to have all comments and tweaks attended to by then. God willing (and let me tell you He has been most encouraging and generous in his provision).

I guess it helps that I wake too early and manage to stay in bed until 5am whereby I get up and do my 2000 new words a day. (Oh, and clean the kitchen).

See, we writers are NOT normal people.