The End

It's not just the end of the regular baseball season, but also the first big revision on my novel. This time round, I paid attention to structure and pacing and plotting. There are several things I wanted to have happen, but I know my characters better and know they wouldn't do certain things. My critique partner, Jen, was always good about catching them. Some events I made happen by changing the circumstances or raising the stakes. The major events remained the same, but this draft is so much truer to the characters. More organic. I can imagine the lives of these characters well beyond the "The End."

I have loved revising this book and can't wait to revise on a micro-level with language, word choice. I can already see that I need to add more interior thoughts, but I am going to let it rest and ruminate a while. I also discovered that although I began writing this book with one idea in my mind, it is about something deeper, which I wouldn't have understood had I not written the book. I wonder what I'll discover in subsequent revisions.

In the meantime, it's time to pen some of those baseball shorts. I've got half a dozen stories that have been percolating for several years now and methinks it's time to Play Ball!

About the scores: we won the league championship but not the city one. What a great season. I am so proud of my son for playing all these years even though he takes after me (the non-athletic parent). He's had a great time and improved so much and he sure has a good time out there. Just as his Little League career is getting over, my daughter has begun hers. Fun, fun, fun. Perhaps my son will umpire with his dad.

Endings are always the beginnings of something new.

My children will agree. School's out. Summer's here.
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