Today I got the "Thanks, but no thanks" letter from one of the jobs I interviewed for last week. The public school. I really didn't expect to get the job anyway, it was kind of the dress rehearsal for the private school interview. Overall I was disappointed I didn't really rate, but I've gotten enough rejection letters from publishers and agents that my loins were girded for it. While I would have been happy there, I still think the private school is a better fit for me. I think I'll be completely appreciated there. Fingers crossed.

And, just like when I get a rejection for writing, I looked for somewhere else to apply. One in, one out. I found a school nearby that is looking for both a 5th and 6^th grade teacher, so I sent in my resume. We'll see. If nothing else, it makes me feel better.

Remember Lambchop? There was a song on that show "The song that doesn't end." I'm approaching 65K on The Mirror of Yu-Huang  and have so far to go. I mean, not totally. I'm in the climax now, the final challenge. It's getting longer than I ever thought. There is so much to come in the resolution, because a big chunk of the series plotline has yet to be revealed. This is THAT book - the center of the series where everything changes. But there's a book arch, and the series arch, and they converge at this point, and that takes words. I know where I'm cutting a bit, so I'll whittle it down, but it's completely conceivable that the final book will come in somewher around 75K. 

Now I know why Order of the Phoenix was so dang long. It was the middle. Things started changing in Goblet of Fire, but there had to be a book where we left the old part of the series behind and shift the concentration to the series arch, and that was it. The tipping point. Everything after that was downhill. So I get it now. Even at 75K, MIRROR won't be as long as even the FIRST HP book, which clocked in somewhere around 85K. 

But...(sing along if you know the tune!)

This is the novel that doesn't end
It just goes on and on my friend
Somebody
started writing it, not knowing what it was
And now they'll be writing it forever just because
This is the novel that doesn't end....

Oops, didn't update this blog! I have two job interviews next week, one at a public school, one at a private school. For the private school interview I have to give a 20 minute math lesson.

New suit - check
Shiny new resumes updated and printed - check
All my certificates/transcripts/test scores copied and plunked into pretty folders along with resumes- check
Sample lesson plan for each interview - check
Haircut - check
Practicing answers to potential interview questions - check
Math lesson for private school interview - check (easier than I thought it would be)
Coming up with stuff to ask interviewers - check

Anything else I need?

I was considering a manicure, but don't know if I really need it. My nails look pretty good.