Woohoo! I just finished Chapter Twenty of my As-Yet Unnamed Eszterhaza Novel. I have definitely been on a roll for these past few days, which I enjoy at the same time as I find it Deeply Unnerving. My writing "rolls" are usually followed by deep and dispiriting swathes of writing block...but until that happens, it feels great!

I had the funniest experience earlier, related to my current obsession. Patrick called to ask me to check for mail, I went out to the foyer, and I found three pieces of mail, including one SASE for me. Posted from New York. I stared at it like the harbinger of Doom. It was very, very thin. I carried it with me to the living room (and the phone) with trembling fingers.

"Honey? I got an SASE." (Beat.) "From New York."

"Oh no." Sympathetic pause. "Open it."

I did. As I tore open the top (ready to use my teeth, if needs be), I muttered, "Oh God, oh God, oh God, I hate this, I hate this.... oh. Oh! Oh, thank God!" I started laughing jubilantly.

"What is it? What is it?"

"It's a rejection," I said happily. "But it's only from Realms of Fantasy!"

I have never, ever in my life been so relieved by a rejection.

Maybe later I'll find some space to be disappointed about the RoF reject. After all, it's a nice magazine, and I'd sure like to be published there. But it wasn't the rejection I'd been dreading, and, y'know, I wasn't so sure about that particular short story anyway. It could probably use some revision. And when it comes down to it....

Wow. I'm still high on my relief. More days of obsession to go.....