Done (nearly) (with part 1)

My first post this year sheepishly noted that I was beginning to write a novel. Eight months later and with sporadic effort and long breaks, I have nearly completed a draft of part 1.

Twenty-eight chapters. 120 pages. 55574 words. (Does it make me weird that I rather want to cut 19 words? Really?)

I'm going to print it at work tomorrow (on recycled paper) and read it lying down, as I read all books. Then I shall make final corrections and put it away.

I also have finished the analysis and have a reasonable idea of how to present my results on the project which has demanded obsessive attention. So I'm going to try to write a paper tomorrow.

Then there's this pesky talk (though I clearly noted my preference for a poster) I have to give in a month or so. The list of speakers is impressive, which is freaking me out since I clearly am sandwiched between people I think are cool. So there will be much fretting, reading and making of slides between now and then. But at least talk of the novel should pause for a bit!