Well, just a moment ago I mailed yet another version of The War I Finally Won (sequel to The War That Saved My Life) off to my people, and I thought, I've been down this road before. Several times.
But yesterday when I was talking to my college-freshman daughter, I thought, I've never been in this situation before.
I've been a mother nearly twenty-two years. Until two weeks ago (two weeks ago yesterday, but who's counting?) I always had children at home. Ok, once in a very great while they'd go off to their grandparents without me, but not often. I remember when my son was a newborn, and I was starting the ritual of bath and changing him into pajamas and reading him a story before bed, and it was such a departure from my usual after dinner routine (do dishes, read or write), and it was sort of a shock to think that my routine was going to be changed FOREVER, every night for the rest of my life, only it wasn't really, I just didn't know it then.
I've been a writer longer than I've been a mother. I've had this sweet end-of-the-manuscript feeling many times before. Heck, I've had it seven times on this novel so far alone. It's a really good familiar feeling.
So everything's a little swirly right now. I didn't blog right when I dropped my daughter off, because it didn't feel right, and then I didn't blog since then because I really really needed to get the revision finished before I hop a plane to Los Angeles (that's true!) and now I'll be back blogging regularly because I've got lots of stories. I've got another pass or two on this novel, too, and I've got phone calls to make to my beautiful children, and I'm hanging out at the fork in my road, one path well-travelled, the other new, only I'll be walking them both at the same time. It's good.
But yesterday when I was talking to my college-freshman daughter, I thought, I've never been in this situation before.
I've been a mother nearly twenty-two years. Until two weeks ago (two weeks ago yesterday, but who's counting?) I always had children at home. Ok, once in a very great while they'd go off to their grandparents without me, but not often. I remember when my son was a newborn, and I was starting the ritual of bath and changing him into pajamas and reading him a story before bed, and it was such a departure from my usual after dinner routine (do dishes, read or write), and it was sort of a shock to think that my routine was going to be changed FOREVER, every night for the rest of my life, only it wasn't really, I just didn't know it then.
I've been a writer longer than I've been a mother. I've had this sweet end-of-the-manuscript feeling many times before. Heck, I've had it seven times on this novel so far alone. It's a really good familiar feeling.
So everything's a little swirly right now. I didn't blog right when I dropped my daughter off, because it didn't feel right, and then I didn't blog since then because I really really needed to get the revision finished before I hop a plane to Los Angeles (that's true!) and now I'll be back blogging regularly because I've got lots of stories. I've got another pass or two on this novel, too, and I've got phone calls to make to my beautiful children, and I'm hanging out at the fork in my road, one path well-travelled, the other new, only I'll be walking them both at the same time. It's good.
I am looking forward to reading The War I Finally Won, I just finished The War that Saved My Life and I really enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteThank you
Just finished _The War that Saved My Life_ with my kids yesterday. It was brilliant, beautiful, and masterfully sensitive in your handling of Ada's feelings and her growth. Just lovely.
ReplyDeleteIn the same way as I appreciated _The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time_ for giving me such a visceral insight into autism, I very much appreciated Ada's story for giving me insight into what it's like to suffer from anxiety attacks.
Anyway, I loved the book all around, and am so happy to hear that there will be a sequel!