Tuesday, September 25, 2012

It's a wrap! -Or- "When I crossed the finish line!" :)

This morning at 9:00 a.m. exactly I typed the very last words of Fly Away Home. I had been writing for two and a half hours straight, and it felt like a flash--that beautiful, dizzying momentum one builds at the end of a tale. I am going to miss Callie and Mr. Barnett so so so much....thankfully that friendless-ness will be postponed a while because I know I have plenty of editing with which to hobnob with them in the weeks to come. I am so blessed by this story. So pleased with the characters, the plot, the tensions, the message...it's a real accomplishment for me. So. In celebration I thought I'd give you a quick Ten Random Facts list about this new-born book!

1. It will be receiving a new name: not sure what this will entail, but Fly Away Home is already a movie so I am renaming the book.

2. First Word: "I'm"

3. Last Word: "Coffee"

4. Favorite Side-Character: Dirigible. He's just a random dude that popped in unexpectedly toward the end of the book and I love him.

5. The book actually ends with the same line that the short story that inspired the book ends with: "...how about coffee?" *smile* :)

6. Total word count: 59, 755 words

7. There was a major plot-shift at the half-way point that definitely hiked up the LOCK appeal.

8. Mr. Barnett and Callie have their own form of verbal sparring (quite literally a form) that occurs multiple times, including in the last scene. :)

9. The theme-song for the book is "Beyond the Sea" by Bobby Darin

10. All the specifically named guests (besides Mr. Barnett, Callie, and one other couple) that go on the yachting outing are real celebrities from the early 1950's...including a special appearance by David Nelson of "Ozzie and Harriet." :)

9 comments:

Chloe M. Kookogey said...

Eeep, I'm so happy for you, Rachel!!! This is a huge accomplishment! When you mentioned that the last word in Fly Away Home was "coffee", I wondered if you were going to end it with ". . . how about coffee?" And then I scrolled down a bit and saw that you did. :) Many, many congratulations, m'dear, as well as several cups of tea — you deserve it.

Elizabeth said...

Oh, congratulation on finishing! It's too bad you have to change the name! It must be sad to done writing this book! But I guess it is pretty exciting! :) Congrats again, m'dear,

Kendra E. Ardnek said...

Congratulations! That "I'm done ..." feeling is so wonderful, isn't it? Yet, a bit remorseful, too ...

Hanna-col said...

Congratulations! I don't comment very often on blogs- I never can seem to think of the right thing to say or someones already said it- but I really do love yours and have been watching your progress on this book. I do hope you get it published so I can read it, because it sounds amazing!

Rachel Hope said...

OH MY GOODNESS !!!! I am so happy for you !
I hope all goes well with your editing process. And I cant wait to read it in the future, it sounds like my kind of book.
Blessings ~ Rachel Hope

Dakota Densmore said...

Congratulations! :D Yet another finished work, eh(HA! I'm so Canadian)? I'm jealous. ;) I'm one of those people with a hundred and three first chapters and no end scenes. ;) hahaha! But perhaps your feeling of satisfaction over your accomplishment will be the inspiration I need to get it in gear. ;D Congrats again!!! :D

Unknown said...

Congrats!!

Abby said...

Wow, congratulations! I've loved following the progress of this novel. I'm so pleased to hear you're happy with it - from the few snippets I've read it sounds wonderful and definitely something to be proud of. Good luck with the editing!

Oh, and I adore Beyond the Sea - it's one of my absolute favourite songs! 50s music is glorious.

I can't wait to read this novel one day!

~Abby

Carilyn said...

Hurrah, Rachel, esp. for #7 !!!