Leigh vs. Laundry: The Happiness Project

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

The Happiness Project :: Week 40

Something incredible happened to me.
I finished the first draft of my novel!!!

Last week I quit cleaning the house
and wrote as much as I could.
I quit playing with my kids
and patted them on the head when they pouted
and told them that mommy had something important to do.

I didn't cook dinner.
We ate sandwiches every night of the week.
I wrote and wrote and wrote
until all the words came out of my head.

In the end,

it took me 11 months

to write 104,924 words.

I've been dreaming of typing the words

"The end" and I can't believe it actually happened.

I called Roger at work the second I was finished.

He was so excited that he stopped on his commute home

and bought a bottle of cheap champagne to celebrate.

After the kids were tucked safely into bed,

we clinked our glasses in our messy house.

Now the empty bottle sits

in my dirty window sill in my kitchen,

next to the bottle of champagne

we drank on our wedding night.

Hopefully the next bottle will be popped

when I land an agent.

The hard work is just beginning.
There will be more drafts,
query letters,
edits, edits and more edits.

I'm not letting any of that stop me.
I have faith that this novel

will be published.

For now,

I will bask in the glow

of my first draft being finished!

Want to join me in my quest
to scout out happiness for a whole year?
Simply post a photo of something that
makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it.
Then, steal my button and include it in your post.
Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.