The THESIS Is Done... Well, to a certain degree. Rewrites will follow.

Yesterday morning, some time after 2:30 am, I completed my thesis and submitted 50 pages to mentor and 141 pages (that includes cover sheet, preface, revised prologue, abstract and lucky 13 chapters) to the university's BlackBoard. 

I had uploaded a draft version but panicked and officially submitted it. Any changes to be made, I will let the school deal with me being able to re-upload. 

This has been a struggle and has taken plenty out of me. How my favorite writers churn out books seems beyond my mortal ken. Just writing, rewriting, work-shopping and researching has done me in more than any other writing endeavor I've undertaken. No wonder I immediately gravitated towards short stories!  

My novel-in-progress has mutated in a wonderful way. It has metamorphosed from a half-eaten caterpillar to raggedy cocoon and finally a brightly-winged butterfly that is trying to get away from me. I wondered often why writing was likened to childbirth and child-raising and I have caught a glimpse, possibly a hairsbreath sliver of what mothers who have raised children must go through. To see a child one way and watch that child become a completely different individual than what the parent could have imagined.

This story has changed in gargantuan ways I didn't foresee. It has changed me in a shorter time as a writer than those sixteen years of professional writing I went through with my short fiction and handful of art. 

There can be no complete explanation of the changes that have also taken place within me. I feel more courageous, more daring and this contented introvert can risk humiliation knowing she has tried.   

And in the middle of what I coined "Thesis Mania", my writers' guild published a second guest post of mine. I will be uploading the link to my bibliography blog "The Angry Goblin". I completely forgot about this! Oh well. It's there and it does speak about my MFA experience and being an anthropomorphic writer.

All this maternal imagery and changes? Just in time for Mother's Day! :)

Manga can be life...

Since in 'thesis-mode', I have been re-reading a lot of my favorite ‪#‎manga‬ series in order to keep in creative mode to finish even half of this novel.

"Winter vacation is needed... even for this exhausted love affair. The North wind is blowing strong... in the space between us that can't be filled. We can't stay warm anymore just by holding each other." - 'Paradise Kiss Vol. 5' by Ai Yazawa. ‪#‎Ilovemanga‬

Still in Thesis *Crisis* Mode

I'm not making excuses, but last night's packet had already been ready for weeks. Everything was in order until I changed my annotation plans. Absolutely ridiculous. I had two chapters already ready and my annotations set up. Then I changed my theme. *Gag*
My thesis chapters are already lined up (for creative portion) and the next packets will be annotated by three books each. That is all.

A Quick Note--

Let me just say that I am still working feverishly. This is my final term. I'm both frightened and excited. There are many things to put in place. Many side projects to work on and possibly submit. I know that after commencement, I can settle down. But let's get the tasks lists in place. So many goals to accomplish and so much to do. Let's wait and see! I hope you'll still be with me and bring more friends and readers this 2015!

I'm in my FOURTH term!!!

Well. This is it. I am in my fourth term in my MFA program and very excited.

In spite of the early mornings, the commando-style seminars, and the copious amounts of handouts, duo-tang folders and exercises, there have been exhilarating moments and being in the company of what one cohort said "my tribe".

Now my draft has crystallized into a different beast all together. It has been encouraged to stretch and morph. It has been overhauled and redecorated. Now I am in that mode where I will try out the ideas suggested to see if this will lead to a final product to springboard into a final draft.

Yikes, now I am sounding more academic because as I type this, I am in seminar, but I want to have more entries on this blog before this month concludes. There are too many distractions and asides to concentrate on. I am also concentrating on my future before I graduate next term (June). There needs to be self-evaluating even while I don't want to self-evaluate.

Eventually, this will end and I will miss it.