SCBWI Updates

So this conference has been fabulous so far and I've made some awesome new writing friends!

Also, updates on ASTRAL's progress.  I submitted my first 200 words to the First Page YA session and, wouldn't you know it, my page was the FIRST ONE READ.  I tried to write down what the editor critiquing it was saying, but my hand was shaking so much that it might be illegible.  So I'm going to shout this out to the blogosphere -

The comments on my "first page" were that she liked the action, said it was "fresh" and that she would keep reading!  She also picked up on the whole "Sci-fi with paranormal elements" thing, sooooooo I think that means I'm doing my job right!

And I've just come back from our optional group critique section and got some good feedback on Chapter 1 that I'll have to chew on for a little while - BUT mostly good, positive things were said, and they told me that I nailed "boy voice" so I'm super stoked about that.

Like, you have no idea how stoked!

And, because I can't shut my brain down, I've already started plotting out the rest of my book.  I should hit 20,000 words tonight, and I'm now very excited about writing the next 50,000 words!  I mean, I was very excited before, but I was also terrified of not being able to make the rest of it as thriller-y as the first 10 or so chapters.

But it will be, because now I'm prepared.  I'm ready.  And I won't settle for telling their story in any mediocre way.

So, here's to awesome confidence boosters and writer-friends - especially my CP who pretty much told me this already.  I swear, I listened to you before and shall always listen to your sage adivce :)