On Wednesday I finished the first draft of the novel I’ve been working on. I can’t be sure, not completely sure, but I think that was the most fun I’ve ever had. Writing it, I mean. From start to finish, it was a blast. Sure, it’s rough, it needs a lot of work, but the story is there. And you know what? It’s good, if I do say so myself. Not great, but good.

If you’re following along at home, you might recall I started writing it about a month ago. I had to take one day off due to my tooth issues mingling with a migraine, but other than that I was full speed ahead the entire time. And every single hour I spent on it was pure joy. Hell, sometimes writing gave me my only real escape from the hideous throbbing in my skull.

It’s the strangest, most wonderful feeling I’ve had in a long time. It may even make my lifetime Top 10 Greatest Feelings List.

Now I’m letting the novel sit, untouched, for at least a month and a half. Probably longer. There’s just no way I could read that book with an unbiased perspective right now. It–and I–need time to chill, and I need to work on something else. Once I’ve got enough distance, I’ll dive into the first round of reading and revision, but not until then.

Still, I’m not at a loss for projects. I have a short story in front of me that I toyed around with a few months ago. It’s a little longer than the average short, and it’s unfinished, but I printed it out, wrote all over it in red pen and now I’m typing it back into the computer. So far, so good.

After I’ve got a fresh (and complete) draft of that story, it’ll be time to go back to my dark serial. For those of you waiting for the next episode, I’m still not ready to give you an exact date, but I think it’s safe to say you’ll see something before Halloween. Maybe even before October 1st.

If I had to guess, I’d say I won’t be want for a writing project until the New Year. I have enough ideas and drafts to keep me busy until at least then. That’s another strange feeling: being able to look ahead that far, see the road, and not get sick to my stomach. Does that make sense? Let me put it another way…

I have enough stuff ahead of me to keep me working continuously, without a break, from now until January 1st. And not only does that not bother me, it makes me furiously happy.

Strange days indeed.