Perhaps you’ve noticed that I’ve been absent for a while. In fact, I believe this is the longest period of time I’ve gone without posting since I started my blog three years ago.
It’s been a busy summer. There have been lots of fun times with family, I’ve been tending to my vegetable garden, preserving summer’s bounty, and finishing my memoir.
What?!
Oh yes. I finished my memoir!
Well, it’s finished but not yet finished, if you know what I mean.
I’ve been working with my most-excellent editor on revisions over the summer. Kathleen has been invaluable in helping me refine and reshape my manuscript. In many ways she has also helped me to clarify in my own mind the message I am trying to convey. My manuscript is back with her for copy editing and I am turning my attention toward finishing my book proposal in preparation to begin the query process.
Over the course of the past three years not many people have been privy to the details of my story. Oh, I’ve shared a few pieces with my critique partners, my daughter has read a few snippets, and I’ve read aloud a fair chunk of my work to my husband in recent months. But, aside for Kathleen, no one has read the entire manuscript.
Until now.
With the book declared to be finished it was time to allow my husband to read it in its entirety so over the past week or so, as the two of us sat outside enjoying the unseasonably warm weather, Gerry read my book. Sometimes he chuckled, sometimes he paused and looked at me, sometimes he harrumphed.
And always I asked “What part are you at now?”
I’ve slept fitfully this week. Some nights I woke both of us up with my screaming; other nights I woke only myself up mumbling and talking as a dream slips from sleep to wakefulness. You see the story is not all a happy one and, while I’ve worked through a lot as I’ve written the book and found peace about circumstances, it’s something else to sit beside someone while they read it.
One thing I’ve learned over the past three years is that memoir writing is not for the faint of heart. Aside from the time, sacrifice and discipline that the craft demands, you have to be willing to dig deep within yourself and shed light in those shadow areas you would just as soon leave in darkness, to relive experiences that were sometimes very difficult. The rewards have been many as I’ve learned a lot about myself and I’ve gained insight into situations and people that I might otherwise have not gained had I not taken this journey.
Ultimately I hope Two Hearts: An Adoption Memoir will foster deeper understanding about the complexities around adoption and what makes us part of a family.
So, I am setting out on the next leg of my journey. The journey toward publication. I hope you’ll come along with me.
Hurray, Linda! Congratulations on achieving this significant milestone of finishing your memoir. Best wishes as you continue your journey. I will be following you closely and looking forward to continuing to learn from you. Thanks for sharing and I’m glad you are finally getting some well-deserved sleep 🙂
Blessings,
Kathy
Congratulations, Linda! Finished in italics is great–finished in bold font will follow. I look forward to sharing the next part of the journey.
I hope to see the book in print one of these days so I can purchase it. And I do hope you let me know when that happens. Congratulations on this milestone!
What a marvelous achievement. For so long the shore of being done has been far off, probably not even in sight. Now the journey over the ocean of your life is completed in your manuscript. You begin the trek to finding a publisher.
I wish you every success. And I so encourage you to let all of your readers know when you get a contract so that we can rejoice with you. And let us know–with bells on–when the book is published so we can line up and buy it and then fix a cup of tea and enter your journey.
Congratulations today and always.
Peace.
Linda, Congratulations on this wonderful spiritual marker on the timeline of your life! This is a Scripture which the Lord keeps bringing back to my mind during my writing process…Habakkuk 2:3 The Living Bible–These things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!
Thanks for the encouragement, ladies! It means a lot to me.
Beth, that’s an excellent scripture to consider on the writing journey. So true, because it will all happen according to His perfect timing.
Wow. What an undertaking! I have a snippet of understanding as I’ve been working on something similar – – albeit not as difficult from the sounds of your journey. Thank God you’ve had some sunshine & lush days to enjoy in the final stretch.
Blessings!
Kathleen
Big congrats on completing your book. I love reading about your process and can hardly wait to have the actual book in my hands.