The Day After

Yesterday was my FINAL deadline for No Way Home. I have this production schedule spreadsheet tacked up next to my desk that lists due dates and tasks. It begins with turning in the manuscript and ends with "Official Release Day." Some of the tasks are things I owe my publisher. Others are things they're doing or owe me.

We're getting near the bottom of the sheet. There are still a few items left, but those items are things THEY have to do.

The last few items with MY name on them were "typos from the final print PDF proof pages" and "Acknowledgements/Dedication," all due yesterday.

And I met the deadline. Yay!

So No Way Home is out of my hands. Done.

Which makes this THE DAY AFTER.

So what do I do with myself on the day after a big deadline?

Well, of course I keep writing. There's always a next book. But I did my pages early this morning and now I'm looking at my to-do list. It's long, as always, but not urgent. I could update my website (and probably will later today). I could edit the short story I'm re-releasing later this month. I could work on some guest blog posts. But what AM I doing?

I'm watching Leverage.

My current guilty pleasure. BUT I consider this part of my "work." You see, I'm watching the DVDs with the commentaries turned ON.

And I'm taking pages of notes.

I love DVD commentaries. If you've never listened and watched, you're missing something. The writers, directors, producers, and sometimes actors all sit around and talk about the background of the film. And since I love the pace, plotting, and character development of this series, getting a peek inside the writers' minds is priceless. Stuff like "what is the definition of a hero?" Discussions on misdirection and role reversals. And character motivation.

I love it.

So yes, today work looks a lot like Annette with her feet up and a bowl of popcorn on her lap, watching Eliot Spencer kick ass. However please note the legal pad and pen on the table next to her.