PROJECT P IS FINISHED

I interrupt my regularly scheduled review for an important announcement that explains one of the reasons I've been neglecting to post reviews this month:

Project P is finished.

I REPEAT: PROJECT P IS FINISHED.

That's right, I actually finished the first draft of Project P - and in a reasonable time (for me)! I couldn't find the exact date that Project P was born, but I estimate mid to late April of 2012. Therefore, I wrote it in about 15ish months.

That's a record for me, people.

And do you know what finishing Project P means???

No, not that I now have a First Draft to edit and polish and try to sell. Project P still needs so much intricate research done that at the moment I don't want to touch it with a ten-foot pole.

It means that I can start a new project.

And not just start a new project, but start it without guilt.

As most of you know, I get at least one new idea a week. But during Project P, I always felt guilty about working on the new idea when I should've been working on Project P. When I'd finally guilt myself into returning to Project P, it would feel more like a chore than a pleasant job, and I would have to take a break from all writing until the interest returned (which is one of the reasons completing it took so long). But I pushed through Project P with great determination, and now that it's finally finished, I can start a new project - without the guilt!

Needless to say, I AM ALL THE EXCITEMENT.

So what's the new project, you ask? Well, I am currently trying to decide between two candidates:

Project VIN - YA/NA Dystopian/Post-Apoc
I'm a firm believer that NA is a good idea, but not as an excuse to feed more smut to teens. Is it too much to ask for an action/adventure story about college-age characters? I think not! My story: 19yo girl struggles to protect and care for her brother during an alien invasion/war. It's rather epic, if I do say so myself, and I'm All The Flails about writing the first third of the story. I currently pitch it as War of the Worlds meets The Matrix.

Project IM - YA Utopian
Yep, you read that right - not dystopian, but utopian. I have actually come up with a "utopian" novel!!! (I think.) It was taking a backseat after I struggled with the opening scene, but I fleshed out the MC the other night, and then the sequel started plotting itself without my permission, and now it's seriously vying for my attention. I'd tell you the premise, but then I'd have to kill you, so I'll keep it to myself for now. ;)

So those are my choices! I've been poking them (and two other candidates I've already eliminated from the running) the past week while I finished Project P, and now that it's done I'm so excited to start something new I can't settle on one. They both feel like "The Story," so I think I'll start both and see which one elbows its way to the front of the line. ;)

Thank you to everyone here and on Twitter who encouraged me during my struggle with Project P - please stick with me for the new project as well! I'm hoping it'll be the one that finally propels me into the world of serious editing (my Achilles' heel) - and publishing. *crosses fingers*

And don't look at me like that. I will edit Project P...one day.