I am a First-Draft Novelist.

As many of you likely saw on Tuesday...

February 24, 2015 at approximately 1:30pm MST, I completed my novel with 50,091 words on the 30th day of my 30-day writing challenge. I sobbed nearly the entire last day I wrote because a) my story ended sort of sad and b) I was closing the chapter on one of the most adventurously creative months of my life. I preemptively cried for all the nostalgia I knew I was going to feel. And just as I suspected, the nostalgia has arrived. 

Today was my first Saturday since I completed my novel. As I walked home from work all I could keep thinking was "What am I going to do with myself today?" I even asked my friend Lora, writing companion and fellow National Novel Writing Month Champion (go Lora!!), and she shared the same feeling of loss,longing, and lack of identity. It is amazing how quickly I became totally engrossed in the project-- and frightening how abruptly it ended.

I went through past journal entries just to remind myself of things I used to do on Saturday's. There was never really anything all too exciting, but I was reminded to go grocery shopping and make myself food today. Thank goodness I keep track of this stuff, huh?

Luckily, though, I prepared for this feeling of loss: 

You are reading the blog of the Committee Chair of Communications for the Stupid Cancer CancerCon Kickoff Fundraiser event on April 9, 2015. Booyah. I will be in charge of coordinating marketing efforts, email correspondence, fundraiser website content, etc. all leading up to and following this event. I connected with this organization a few months ago when I happened to meet one of the five New York City based Stupid Cancer employees in my coffee shop in Denver, Colorado. More networking awesomeness, right? But yes, I knew I'd be really busy twiddling my thumbs if I didn't get another project to replace any potential post-novel depression. So here it is, my energy and high-strung-ness (as an official novelist I now have permission to make up any words I like) will not go to waste!

Fundraiser communications, full speed ahead!! :)

Also, I have a Stupid Cancer fundraiser page that I would really love your support on. If you are unable to donate at this time, please pass it on to someone who can. Stupid Cancer is doing some amazing things for Young Adult Cancer patients and survivors, I'm honored to be a part of it.