I Am Writing a Book and House Update

My book
About 15 years ago, I started writing short stories. Okay, I wrote two and got great feedback. However, I never followed through with the resolve to write a book, including the two short stories as chapters. I was working, going to school, dealing with fibromyalgia and a million other things. Mostly, I am shy, not a good trait for a writer. Since I have met Fred, my friend who published a book last year, he has encouraged me to write more. I forgot the second book I promised to write. My sociology professor said I should write a book about my marriage, dissolution of the marriage, and the horrendous aftermath for myself and my children. I will do that, too. Not now.

Thursday night, I allowed Fred to read my best short story or the one of which I am the proudest. He was smiling such a big smile as he read. He said it was very good or something like that. His  enthusiasm was the best commentary. He was so thrilled with my main character, a teen. In an email he stated--"You have great potential by just the little I read at dinner."

Saturday night, after my fever broke, I did the impossible--I wrote 1500 words. I write short chapters because each chapter is a short story right now. As I go along, I plan to weave them into a narrative. Actually, each chapter is a whole story, standing alone.  Maybe I can be the next Eudora Welty and just write short stories?  If I can continue to write four days each week and complete 1500 words each of those four days, I will have 60,000 words in ten weeks. Fred said 60,000 was the minimum his publishing house will take for a book. That will be a completed novel in less than three months. Fred says getting a publisher to buy the book and doing all the edits will take longer.

The chapters are usually complete on first writing. I rarely go back for additions, but I can. I am not saying they are perfect, just edited and ready to be read. No doubt, I will make many additions and maybe combine chapters.

My house
Despite what some commenters here have implied about my lack of appropriate action, I have achieved a measure of success by my tenacity and by contacting others. Since I have whined so much, I thought I would give you the good news, too. Things are not as dire as they were. I cannot reveal more since things are still not certain. But, my anxiety has gone down a notch. I am not safe yet, nor solvent, so the financial struggle remains. As I was getting the phone turned back on this past week, the guy came to cut off my utilities! I can only divert so much money outward before I start losing needed services! I have not been crying wolf! Since plans are in flux, all could fail! But, that is not in my plans for me.

Your turn
Is anyone writing a book? Short stories? Are you published anywhere for anything? Now is the time to toot your own horn.