Great googley moogley I did it!

Yes, I just said great googley moogley.  I found the phrase very fitting to announce the fact that I finally finished the first draft of my book Dangerous Illusions.  Now I'm sure most of you aren't aware of the significance of this achievement so I'll give you a little back story here.  I started Dangerous Illusions seven years ago (No typo there. It was 7 years)  When I wasn't taking care of a baby and two very young children, I was throwing up or sleeping, because I was pregnant again. (I was always really sick during my pregnancies, which later resulted in four jaw surgeries.  Anyway, back to the story)

So, a total of 3 years, two more babies, and two moves later, I had my five munchkins (my oldest had just turned five), and I had finished a scant twenty pages on my manuscript.  Very depressing, might I add.  As my youngest got a little older and began to have a bit more of a predictable schedule ( she had kidney reflux and had to have a daily antibiotic for a year....it made her sleepy and take lots of handy naps)  I was able to increase my writing up about 170 pages.  Then health problems hit and the writing stopped for a time.  Once all was squared away, I had begun my inspired work Heart of Karelia (Which is by far my better work, but has also been more difficult to write.) 

So, there you have it.  After being pushed aside for so many years it has been my focus the last month or so and I finished it!!!!  Now I am working on the editing and revising parts.  I have a few beta/alpha readers lined up ready to rip my manuscript to shreds. (lovingly of course)  But I wanted to make sure I got at least one run-through edit done before placing it on the chopping block.  I wanted to make sure I had time to get the book reviewed and have time to read through the critiques and implement them before my May submission deadline. I took a week and a half breather from it and went to St. George with the ladies. ( that is an entire other post) And now I'm ready to dive in again. Thus, I gave myself until this weekend to get it Beta ready.  Now I ask myself, am I being a tad overzealous?  I mean, just a week, really?  I guess we'll see if I do it with my sanity still in tact! Thank goodness I don't have to teach Gospel Doctrine this week in church. Phew!