…otherwise, it’s just sparkling fascism.

Oof. Big oof.

I don’t have many updates on the book this week other than that I’ve made a good amount of progress in my final read-through — today I hit page 174 out of 242. If I can keep up this momentum, I should finish up the final (pre-professional-editor) version of it in the next week or so!

When the novel is finished (or as good as I personally can get it), the next phase will be one of three things.

1. Hiring an editor to edit my manuscript (the self-publishing route)

2. Finding an agent to represent me in looking for a traditional publisher

3. Finding a publisher who is willing to work with me without an agent

The above options are listed in descending order of likelihood; plan A is to hire an editor and self-publish. But I do want to explore other options and see what the best path forward looks like for Firebug. If anybody has any recommendations on any of the above options, please let me know!

In other news, I’ve recovered from being sick and have begun exercising again. It was tough to combat seasonal depression without being able to exercise, and I’m grateful to be well enough to dive back into it. Thank goodness for yoga (I went from “these hip openers had better fucking work” to “oh wow I actually do feel a lot better”) and strength training with friends (heya, Thiccems crew!).

Oh also, grateful for EDMR. Cue the waterworks. Big time.

There’s a lot of horrible stuff happening in the world right now, but I’m doing my best to stay focused on my goals. Nothing to be gained from the schmucks of the world getting me down. Joy, as they say, is an act of resistance.

It’s going to dip down to -7º in Pittsburgh tonight. Electric blankets and fuzzy robes have been deployed. Sleepytime tea will be quaffed. A tiny cat will be cuddled. We’re going to make it through the winter.