Dear readers,
wow. I’ve been MIA for way too long. To fill you in on why . . .
I’m pregnant!
And I wrote two and a half novels.
One, a cozy mystery, is probably destined to live on my hard drive for the rest of its existence. I began to write immediately (read: 3 days) after my ectopic pregnancy in June, and it was an incredible exercise in escapism that taught me I am actually capable of writing a novel from start to finish. I wrote lavish descriptions of the character’s bedroom and I could have sworn I actually spent a few hours leaned up against her tufted headboard and snoozing on her high thread-count sheets. It was like there was this magic in my brain that I could activate and–poof! I was in another world.
Enter novels #2 and #3: two young adult fantasy novels (meant to be a trilogy, eventually). I wrote the first one in September and October and I’m querying agencies like mad (querying = trying to find a literary agent who will pitch my project to a publisher). After two months of emailing agent after agent after agent and facing daily rejections (ugh), I still don’t have an agent–but I am at least in conversation with an agent about a potential revision, which is encouraging.
Back to the pregnancy bit: I am 15 weeks along, heard the heartbeat for the first time just the other week, and am coming out of the woods of the first trimester into the light of day.
It’s funny, because I have felt so sick, tired, despondent, and enamored with bedtime, that I thought ‘this is way worse than when I was pregnant with Alice.’ And then I actually went back and read some of my blog posts from that pregnancy, and I realized: no, it’s exactly the same.
Do exactly as I do. Exactly as I do.
(Sponge Bob? Coaching Patrick Star on how to open a jar? Anyone?)
Except that instead of wolfing down French fries (which I don’t have time to run out and purchase on a daily basis), I’m wolfing down box after box of Kraft macaroni and cheese. Orange . . . saucy . . . perfection.
Anyway, what a change from where I was in the summer. I’m suddenly a writer passionately pursuing publication, and having a second baby.
Oh, and my husband just successfully defended his dissertation.
WHOA!
God is good.
Love,
The Absentee Blogger that you may not remember, but I’ll jog your memory:
I’m the one with the underwear showing.
View Comments (11)
Congrats! Such exciting things happening... So happy for you!
So happy for you and Adam! Alice is an absolute doll and I can't wait to e-meet baby #2 and eventually come to Chicago to see you all in person!!
Congratulations on the books as well! I'll send positive publishing vibes your way :-)
Why is there not a "like" button for your posts?! I love this one! You are so inspiring, oh my gosh. Huge congrats on the baby and on the books too. That is a mean feat on both accounts! And your undies pic. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAahahahahaha! Love you girl. I've missed you!
Congratulations. This is wonderful!
Congratulations
How wonderful Jenna! Congrats to you all. It's wonderful to be a family of four. If you feel like I did, that this baby will just have to "fit in somewhere" because you already have such a good thing going on with the 3 of you - just know that it all changes as soon as you meet and it's immediately clear you're all one perfect team!
Congratulations, Jenna! Have thought of you many times since your ectopic and am so happy for you. I pray all the "icky" symptoms go away and the rest of your pregnancy goes swimmingly. :)
congrats,Jenna!
We serve a mighty God indeed!....this is all wonderful news!
Congratulations! I follow your blog and was a bit concerned - just hoping that if you were expecting, things were going well.
How exciting on both counts!!! Rejoicing with you over this precious life! And fantastic writing news, that is seriously impressive.