"That's the truth that got you out of jail."

I finished the fourth of five volumes in my epic today. This brings the book up to approx. 143,000 words. Yes. I told you it was an epic. It is not a series, to spawn two/four/six more books, mercifully: it is a series contained in one book, almost.
        Yes. That is still too blasted long to query until I've got three NYTimes Bestsellers on my resume. *sigh*
I'm so excited to have come this far, though and be ready to start the last leg...when I have time, in November. ^_^

In the other room, by brother is reworking the production on our song of the Roads poems by Tolkien as I have demanded. Merely in the interest of higher art, which he understands. Our younger siblings are kicked outside to play, not just by us, but by the lovely doomed sunshine of the day.

I go back to work after four days off tomorrow. I needed them. But writing is on the back-burner again as of tomorrow.

( And I blether about YA--Jules? DAW? others if you care to hear about some good ones... )

Inquiries Within

 I posted this over at Absolute Write, too, but don't know how much people are checking out new threads over there. So, if you're seeing double, apologies.

I would love to know if I should continue sending out a fantasy short story (I sent it to a contest, got it back the other day) and would love some critiques on that score. I mean, honest, "You can send this maybe to a non-paying market" kind of feedback, if it's true.

It's a retelling of a fairy tale, running almost 7000 words. It's semi-Victorian feeling fantasy, but not much detailed on that score. While I was working with a pre-existing plot and therefore had one, I'm leery of assuming the conflict is as effective as I hope, etc. Let me know if you have a minute, will have one on November 15th but need it to arrive the witching hour, whatever.