The novel marathon begins tonight.   No distractions for three whole days.  I am grateful to be alive. 

Bjork’s “Medulla” is in the cd player (though I may have to switch out to something older, less distracting). The research is over.  The house is clean.  The cellphone is silenced.  The coffee pot is full.  The list of characters and a detailed outline are taped to the wall.  The three-day weekend is here.  At last I am prepared.

The schedule:

FRIDAY  9pm to 12 midnight  –  last-minute research, make ‘final’ decisions on all character and place names, double-check to make sure I’ve got everything, tape everything to the wall, start a quicky trial sketch of scene 1, the holiday party

SATURDAY  9am to 12 noon — draft chapter 1

12 noon to 3pm — lunch with El Caudillo

4pm to 7pm – draft chapter two, the company’s backstory exposition

7pm to 9pm — dinner and, if possible, blog a update

9pm to 12 midnight — draft chapter three, the hero at home, we meet the wife and kid

SUNDAY (see Saturday, only with chapters four through 4 through 7, with just one hour for some homework)

MODAY (see Saturday, only with chapters 7 through 9, and a couple hours to read over what I’ve accomplished)

And then click “save” and “print” and put the whole thing in the freezer for a couple weeks and go back to work and life on Tuesday morning, same as always, only now I’ll have some temporary freedom from this obsession.

I just want to say how much I really do appreciate all my housemates and coworkers for their understanding and excitement and support for this major project in my life.  And I especially want to express my most profound gratitude to mi senor, mi novio, El Caudillo, who without complaint has made all this possible.