It never fails that I seem to wake up at 4 am with thoughts and ideas for my new book.  4 am is known as the grieving hour so I guess it's only appropriate that this is the hour that I'm haunted by the subject matter of my new book.  Each time I really try to fight it and go back to sleep and swear to myself that when I get up just a couple hours later that those thoughts will remain with me.  But for those next couple hours those thoughts nag at me and keep me from finishing a good nights sleep. 
This morning was one of those mornings. So many thoughts surrounding me, nagging at me, keeping me from going back to sleep.  As soon as I'd think of one thing, another would come to mind.  Finally I get out of bed, grab my printed manuscript, my notebook full of notes, and my red pen and I flip through the pages and write down notes of things I don't want to leave out of the book.  Thoughts of did I include this already or did I leave it out.  Thoughts that I hadn't previously thought of.  One thing this book has done is bring back forgotten memories of times when I myself had been in a dangerous situation. Thoughts of what if things had gone awry? Thoughts of the times where I could have been a flash in the newspapers.  Whether it be in headlines on page 1 or tucked away somewhere in the middle pages that people tend to just briefly scan.  
As I get ready for work and scurry so that I'm not rushing out the door forgetting something and running late, I scribble my notes down in red pen and contemplate on whether or not to call in sick and just stay home and work on the project all day. But I know the weekend is coming and I'll have time then.  For now I just frantically get all the thoughts out on paper in red pen and scramble to put my make up on, take my vitamins, make my lunch, scurry out the door, and race to work with the expectation to fully function with out a full nights sleep and so many other things on my mind.  

Like all good works just when you think you had discovered everything you wanted to discuss along comes new information.  Thursday night discovered new information to expand on my new book.   Spent the day today going over new information to include in the first round edits.  

My new book is complete!  I've finished the first draft.  Crossed that finish line and it feels amazing.  Now I'll be putting the final touches on it and then getting it prepared to send off to a publisher.  Hoping I don't get too many rejections.  But I know that patience and perseverance shall prevail.  This project has haunted me, kept me awake many many nights, broke my heart, rocked me to the core, made me sick to my stomach, and given me hope.  It's been a roller coaster and I've met some amazing people along the way that I hope to meet in person someday.  Without them this project wouldn't have been possible.