Forgive my Absence...

The kit came with the envelop you see to the left, emblazoned with the words "I QUIT" on it. This was included in the kit just in case myself, or anyone who ever tries to write a novel in a month, give up, bites a bullet, and decides they can't take it anymore. I wanted to include a picture of it because I did not read what was inside until I was done. I read it out of sheer curiosity.

So I've had some time to reflect, to look over what I finished seventeen, maybe eighteen days ago, and of course, to have a little celebration. Wow, there was entirely too much celebration. There are just a couple of things that I would like to say, not as a final post, far from it. This is the beginning of something completely different.

First off, I have to thank all of you for your support and encouragement through this crazy process. Anytime you made a comment on the blog, called and left me a message, or even sent me a large envelope full of gummy bears, you helped me keep truckin' along. Booya to you. I would never have finished this without your help, or without the fear of letting you down. There was so much fear.

I would like to let everyone know that I plan on revising and editing this damn thing, and hopefully, getting it published. I'm sure Penguin books or someone will offer me their whole company as retribution for me letting them publish such a poetic, sweet laden work, so keep your eyes peeled for islands that might be on the market. Should this fail to happen, well, I may just post the damn thing online (maybe here) in word form, and you can send me some Bubble Yum in lieu of payment.

Lastly, peruse these lovely pictures of my triumph, if you will. I will be posting from time to time on here, describing the editing process (THRILLING), the search for agents and publishers, and, please Lord, an announcement that my book is going to be sold. Look back here in about three years for that information. Until then? Look at the pictures, and check out toothpicking.blogspot.com. I had so much fun keeping this blog, I may just start, I don't know, doing what my friend Trey does (dantzlersmith.blogspot.com) and write about shit that interests me. What'd you say? LOTS of people are doing this? Crap. Always late to the party.

Thanks, again to everyone, I love ya'll mucho. To some pictures!

Directly to the left is my 'Mighty Novel Progress Log'. Each day that I wrote down my goal, how many words I wrote that day, and my surplus. If I reached or exceeded my goal, then I put a goal star (indeed, gold) next to that day. A supreme mark of achievement.

Below is my finger, wielding the last star of the month.

To the right, we have the last star, placed next to the final word count (it says July 20th down below, ignore the 13).