A small accomplishment...for now

Last night, I finished what I’m calling the ‘final’ (for now) draft of my second novel, Inventing Vazquez. It’s the fifth rewrite, I think, and the draft I feel is strong, tight, and cohesive enough to merit publishing consideration. Yeah, I know every writer says that about his or her own work, but at some point, we need to be able to say, “It’s done!” Even if we all agree that every book is always a work in progress.

But, for the sake of argument and an abstract sense of accomplishment, let me just declare…Inventing Vazquez is DONE…for now. I’m sure there will be more changes to it. Hopefully that’s after I have an agent read the thing and suggest ways of making it more publishable.

That’s the next step, obviously: stepping up my agent search once more. I haven’t sent out any new queries in the past few weeks, but will probably send some out before the week is over. Who knows, maybe the universe will let me score a lucky hit this time around.

Now that I consider Inventing Vazquez a completed work (for now), I’m returning to its sequel, Electing Choi. I have so many crazy, zany ideas for that story, I can’t wait to get to them. It’s already proving as zany a story as Inventing Vazquez (my motto is ‘all zany, all the time’ after all), and I’m particularly looking forward to working with the two characters who have the biggest twists this time around. I’m past page 100 of that novel, so I’m well past the point of “I have an idea” and firmly in the “I’m writing a new novel” camp.

Writing and music are the things keeping me afloat these days. It’s basically only through my writing and my music (my band is coming along nicely, even though we’re now without a drummer) that I’m feeling any real sense of accomplishment these days. I’ve given up hope of ever have anything resembling a career path at work (I work at a company where ambition and drive seem to be liabilities if you’re not talking golf with some exec every day), and conceded that all my best efforts and work will always be rewarded with indifference. My job is to help others get promoted, even though I’m at the second and last step of my so-called career ladder and easy to overlook despite my contributions. Oh well. I consider myself a writer, first and foremost. I can still dream that, some day, I’ll be able to make a decent living out of being one full-time.

I might be taking a trip out to Chicago soon, just to do a little soul-searching and maybe find some new direction and/or inspiration. I’ve felt a little adrift these past few months, and a big, painful transition on the horizon is sure to worsen things.

But I’m grateful for what I have. I thank the universe and my lucky stars that I have the ability to put thoughts down on paper and share stories with people. I thank the universe that I was able to write Inventing Vazquez, and I hope it’ll give me a hand in finding the right agent to help me get this story out.