I was recently reading a blog where a writer in South Florida chronicles the writing of her first novel, and I thought now there’s a neat idea I could have considered.

This weekend I finished the first draft of my second novel. My first is ‘the Great American novel’ - you know, literary, and all that. My second is not so lofty. I decided to try my hand at a category romance novel, which I’ve been reading since I was about twelve years old, or so.

For the last year, whenever I got a chance, I worked on this book. Inspired by a friend, I’ve also decided to enter it into the Romance Writer’s of America’s Golden Heart contest. Why not? I may also finally go to a writer’s conference.

So this is how I spent my thirty-sixth birthday. Not so much quiet contemplation of my lack of career success as in previous years, but proactively working to change the future.

We shall see.