Ruby Queen first draft complete!

It is 10:15pm on the 25th day of NaNoWriMo and the first draft of The Ruby Queen, Book 1 of the Soiled Dove Sagas is finished! 70,000 words and 19 chapters! I am very excited. I will now put her aside for a week or two before I go in for the first edit and hope to have it published after the first of the year. I already have the cover designed and will take copies of that with me to the Holiday Authors’ Event at the Pressroom in Phoenix on December 6, 2014. Maybe there will be presales!
This has been a very exciting adventure for me. I have learned a lot about my writing and myself. I forced myself to write a detailed outline and indepth character studies. I feel like these people are my friends and really care about what is going to happen to them. When I have to create conflicts for them, I hate those nasty characters and feel good when bad things happen to them. I am sad when a character has to die, well, sometimes I do.
I will continue to present chapters to my critique group throughout my editing process, as I have found their input indispensable. I recommend all fledgling authors to find a critique group and listen, study and revise. It can be your personal editorial staff.
Thank you all for listening and offering your support throughout this adventure that has been my very first successful NaNoWriMo.