Monday, August 15, 2011

Guess Who Finished The Shade Of The Moon

If you didn't guess me, you must be looking for some other Susan Beth Pfeffer.

That reminds me of a little known (or remembered, since I almost forgot myself) fact about Susan Beth Pfeffer (aka me). Way back, I lived in New York City and one reason why I moved away was because another Susan Pfeffer moved in. This is all extremely hazy in my mind (it having been the 1960s), but I think I got a phone call or two from guys looking for her, and I didn't approve of them (they worked in the stock market or something else far too respectable for my 1960s taste). Anyway, I felt NYC wasn't big enough for two Susan Pfeffers, and rather than having a shootout, I packed my bags and my cat and left.

All of which has nothing to do with the fact that I finished The Shade Of The Moon Saturday night, and except for rewriting a small section Sunday morning (which I intend to unrewrite), did nothing Sunday except kill one of two Piles That Will Not Die (the kitchen counter pile; this afternoon I killed The Pile That Will Not Die in the den).

Oddly enough, no matter how often I kill The Pile That Will Not Die, another one takes its place. But for the day or two that my kitchen counter is clear, it's very exciting.

Today I did something planned for Wednesday and read The Shade Of The Moon from page 1 (which I offered up here a while back) to page 289, which you'll have to wait to read until the book is published a year from now. The biggest problem is some chapter or another (I'm far too lazy to look for its number; this is a book with a lot of mostly short chapters) which I completely rewrote and now I have to return to its original form, which is probably in a file somewhere, allowing me to cut 'n paste (my best skill) back in place. Even if I can't find it, I can rewrite it pretty much from memory, so it doesn't really matter, and what makes me glad is I can now use the chapter that follows which I had to eliminate because of the soon to be unrewritten chapter.

If you couldn't follow that, ask the other Susan Pfeffer.

Speaking of page 289 and what precedes it, after I finished the book, I called Princess Summerfallwinterspring, who was so stunned by the sound of a ringing telephone that she forgot to answer in Romanian. I told her the ending I'd worked out and she liked it a lot. Me too, which is a great relief all around.

There are rewrites to do, but mostly of a polishing nature because I really worked on this book (as I'm sure you know because I've whined about it for months now), and then I'll magically transport it to my editor and to my agent, well before the September 1 deadline, which just goes to show something, although I don't know what.

Oh and it's not any kind of spoiler to say that one of the main characters in the book is named Keegan (Connor in the brilliant 12 page synopsis, but changed to Keegan before I began writing because a very big word in the book is community and I didn't want a Connor and a community fighting it out) and yesterday a golfer named Keegan won some big golfing tournament, and if that isn't a good omen, I don't know what is.

The character was much nicer in the synoposis when he was named Connor than he is in the book when he's named Keegan, but such is life.

I'll probably begin the rewrites on Thursday and get them finished by early next week because sometime next week there will most likely be the Official Meeting about my mother and the day that meeting happens, the 30 days to clear out her apartment clock starts ticking.

I admit to being curious about some boxes that have been sitting unopened in my mother's bedroom closet since she moved in to the apartment 15 years ago.

Who knows? Maybe I'll find proof of even more Susan Pfeffers in them!

22 comments:

Jordan G. said...

I'm so thrilled for you... and us! Congratulations. Can't wait to read it.

Nora Durbin said...

Yay! That's great!

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Hi Jordan G. and Nora Durbin and thank you-

I'm still playing around with a few things and will begin the rewrites on Thursday, but it's good to know the book is basically finished (and the next job is not yet begun!).

Bridget Higdon said...

Oh Susan! That's awesome! I really can't wait to read the fourth installment.

Guess what...you still have a quarter of the summer to enjoy! One that consists of solitare and Yankee games!

Congratulations again!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful birthday present this is! Can't wait to read it.

YOUR YOUNGEST BIGGESTFAN! said...

omg done already!? well i bet its a real master peice1

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Thanks tigerlily*, Anonymous, and Your Youngest BiggestFan!-

I'm still polishing things (in my mind at least), but I don't think the rewrites will be particularly painful.

It will be nice when they're all done though!

Abigail said...

Hey Susan!
I'm so happy that you finished The Shade of the Moon!
I was just wondering tho, didn't you orginially start writing it on your own, like w/ any real possiblity of there actually being a fourth installment.... or am I just making that up?
:)

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Hi Abigail-

When I first wrote Life As We Knew It, I had no idea if anyone would publish it.

When I wrote The Dead And The Gone, I knew Harcourt would publish it, but not that there would be a third book.

When I wrote This World We Live In, I knew Harcourt would publish it, but I had no intention of writing a fourth book.

And now that I've written The Shade Of The Moon, I know Harcourt will publish it (although I haven't seen the contract yet), and I have no plans of writing any more Moon books.

I hope that answers your question!

Lisa-Marie Jordan said...

Awesome news! Looking forward to reading it!

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Thank you Lisa-Marie Jordan.

Now if I could only convince Scooter to get off the keyboard, I might start working on the rewrites!

Anonymous said...

OH MY GOD!!! YAY! thank you thank you thank you! i cried with joy believe it or not! you don't know how happy i am! you're amazing! thank you!

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Thank you Anonymous-

My guess is I'll cry with joy when I finish the rewrites (which I really should be working on this very minute!).

Anonymous said...

haha i understand how you feel but i can't help being excited! i've even put up a reminder on my mobile that the shade of the moon comes out in 2012! could you please tell me the exact date lf when the book will be for sale? i don't think you know yet but please tell me when you do :) i hope you finish those rewrites soon but think on the bright side and remember how many fans you have out there wanting to read your book and do it for them! thanks :)

Susan Beth Pfeffer said...

Thanks Anonymous.

When there's a publication date, I'll announce it here. But it won't be for a year or more (and I still have to finish the rewrites!).

Anonymous said...

ok thanks :)

Anonymous said...

hey susan :) some are saying that the book's coming out on the 1 st september 2012.. is that true? i hope not it's a long wait :( thanks and keep up the good work :)

hewitt.mobi said...

Thank you,

Susan Beth. I was captivated by the first three books. I haven't read any books which kept me that held by the ongoing story. If the fourth book is any way as good as the others, I cant wait...:)

sultrypickle said...

I've read several places that The Shade of the Moon isn't going to be published. Is this a true statement? I hope not! My husband and I are both fans of this series and have been looking forward to reading the fourth installment!

Adele said...

Is this the next book in the moon series?

Anonymous said...

omg i cant wait do you know the date it will be published i just cant wait

Unknown said...

I loved all three of your first books and I am EXSTATIC to read this one! Thank you so much for writing these books!!! (: