Good Sign

So I printed up my manuscript for my husband to read. He is a stickler for grammar, and is wonderful at catching the smallest error. In the process of writing this book I have gone from 3rd person present tense to 1st person past tense so I know there is a load of errors throughout.

Well, he got so caught up in the story that there are barely any edits! He also told me that he started having trouble putting it down (he can't lie to save his life - so this is most likely true).

Now I know my grammar isn't ideal and I know he is quite biased - so I am choosing to interpret this as just a good sign that I am on the right track

I am also making a mental note that I need to try a crit group again or a hire a professional editor.

What is in a name?

So Rowan Spence isn't my real name - it's what I have decided to use as my pen name. It's making things a little confusing as I am trying to pull together my old stuff and my new.

So why Rowan Spence? Well, Spence is my maiden name. Although I took my husband's name when we got married for love and social convention - I will always be a Spence (as well as an Addington, a Rizzo, a Neel, a Molloy.... you get the picture)

And Rowan? I've always loved the name. I find it beautiful, magical - and I love the fact it can belong to a man or to a woman.

Keeping Up the Motivation

So here I am. I have been working on my book for almost 5 years. What have I gotten done so far? A ton of research, much of it housed on my old website www.pretanicworld.com , a killer library, and a fast paced novella - but not quite a book yet.

Honestly, I thought it would be done by now - but progress has slowed down for the past 2 years. Not from a lack of motivation - but a lack of time. I started a new job...and it went from there.

So I really don't have time to update my website, to write my book and do what I need to for my job. However - I miss writing online. I am hoping I will be able to keep up with the blog and that will help the process to start snowballing in the right direction again.

And turn that novella of mine into a published novel....