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Two little words. Only six letters. Oh, but they sound so lovely. Look so smart sitting there on the page. Yes, today I typed THE END! I finished my Young Adult manuscript that is an ACFW Genesis Finalist. The title for the contest is AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, and I’ve never been crazy about it—it just not too catchy, you know? Ta Da! The new title, and one I hope will hook my intended young adult audience—MUDDY WATERS. This is much more fitting with the mystery twist that drives the story and all the trouble my teen protagonist gets into. Can’t say anymore about that right now.
Having a first draft done is not to say I’m done. Next come the edits, numerous passes for all the weasel words I’m so fond of using, checks for passive writing, layering in more of the five senses, 
checking the tension in each and every scene, and reading it aloud for awkward sounding passages. I actually enjoy the rewriting more than the original draft and am looking forward to making the words sing.
To celebrate, we ordered pizza for supper and took Zelda for a walk. Not earth-shattering, but my load feels a little lighter tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll be back at it.
What’s the latest “big news” you’ve had? It doesn’t have to be writing related. Here at the café, we celebrate ALL our accomplishments. Let me know.