I've reached what I refer to as the never-ending-buffet portion of H&B. Seriously. While I thought I had removed most of the scenes involving food, the hunger strike ended at around page 285. Not only does my heroine go to a few restaurants, other characters show up on her doorstep with takeout! It's frightening how much that woman can eat. I must have been dieting when I wrote this or something.

Although I'm not nearly at the same pace as those unplugged days of yore, I'm still working on those darn edits. And what's helping me get through them is the realization that there will be further edits down the road anyway, so I shouldn't sweat it too much.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm still trying to get the best story possible on the page, but it doesn't have to be PERFECT. In fact, it never will be because there's always something you could do to make it better. I think that's what drives writers to drink.

That being said, part of me is tempted to run H&B by the betas again, but I don't think I'll have the strength to deal with doing another draft before this goes out the door. Book 2 is now demanding some attention and sneaking into my thoughts when I'm not focused on the current beast before me. Oh, that's H&B to whom I'm referring, not the DH. ;)

And I can't wait to start writing that new one, which I've promised myself won't take forever and a day like H&B. Okay, it's only been 2-1/2 years, give or take, but that's not the length of time I want to spend on each book. It's not like I'm a 39-year-old anymore. ;)

I think what I'm struggling with is trying to find a schedule that works for me and my writing. As I'm already writing most of the time, whether for ad copy or magazine articles, it's hard to find a way to continue sitting at the keyboard without doing anything but writing. Would having specific "writing hours" work?

How do any of you crazy people deal with getting solid writing time in without doing it all during the wee hours and weekends?