“There is no end of the ladder.  You just appreciate every step and try not to look down.” 

I would go on more about this particular quote (courtesy of Linz), but today I would like to say the Once ladder is climbed. There’s a couple tweaks to make, a few changes, then it’s off to the printer for a handful of readers. Then, hopefully, on to greater things. And I’m still not entirely thrilled with my final line. But still! Done! And I don’t hate it!

For now, I am walking the hell away from the manuscript and just sacking out on my couch for a time with A Dance With Dragons, which has been sadly neglected while I whittled away at Once. 

Total verbiage is 52,000 words…which I guess is par for course; my stories tend to run 12k over what I initially gauge them. It may end up slightly trimmed, depending on what cuts I make.

It is also something like 95 degrees in Orange. I’ve got both my fans going and my blinds mostly drawn; this is the first time I’ve really “felt” my lack of AC. Ugh. Trying to stick it out until after Labor Day, and if it’s still hot then, I may abandon ship and bum down to San Diego for a couple weeks until the heat wave breaks. Which will take me away from the glory of my desktop and its giant screen, but needs must, people.

Now, the couch calls to me. Cheerio!