Remember when I wrote that post, the one that began, “It’s DONE! It’s DONE!”?

I can’t even remember how long ago that was, but let’s just say it was a post that suffered from premature optimism. The book wasn’t done. Ha! It was laughably undone. Little did I know, but I had finished a preliminary draft. I passed it around to friends who read it and instantly knew certain things about it that I couldn’t see..mostly that it wasn’t finished.

I considered breaking up with all of them and looking for new friends, but in the end, they were right and I was wrong, and I was grateful for their suggestions. It’s not everybody who will look at a manuscript and tell you that you’ve used the word “actually” about one thousand times, and that they wanted to come to your house and HIT you if they read it even one more time. 

But now–NOW the book is done, and it is even in the hands of my trusted editor and agent, both of whom are reading it. Typically, this results in yet another round of writing and changes, but that’s okay. In the meantime, my characters have quieted down and are living their lives without me paying any attention to what they’re doing.

And I am…well, what am I doing?

I’m trying to remember what it is people do when they are not writing a book for eight hours a day. I feel like someone who has had the engine running for so long that now that it’s supposed to be shut down, I can’t seem to find the OFF switch. It’s a little disconcerting, I don’t mind telling you. If I’m not careful, I may end up doing things like cleaning the house. Also, I need to return to the gym, a place I abandoned when I realized that the two hours I would spend there could be put to much better use writing.

This past week, I did two readings and signings of KISSING GAMES OF THE WORLD. I was a judge at the town-wide spelling bee for adults. I talked on the phone to people I haven’t talked to in months. I took several very long hot baths. I made airplane reservations to visit my stepmother in Florida for later this month. I chatted with a telemarketer. I cooked actual dinners that did not come from a bag. I went and read what everybody I know is doing on facebook.

And today I took a walk on the first spring-like day while everything melted like crazy.

I hate to say it, but I’m waiting for some characters to come and find me. What fun is procrastination if you don’t really have anything you MUST do?