I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship. - Louisa May Alcott

I am not sure, but I think this one makes 18 full-length novels I've finished. Each one feels different when I type the final sentence in that last chapter.

There is a rush, always. A rush of knowing that ... this story, this trip of imagination, this bout of creativity and restless energy is OVER. It's DONE. There are no further plot iterations to explore for this storyline. There is a happily ever after for someone, anyway, and a sense of "whew."

But this time, I am dissatisfied with the final chapter. I love the final line, but the chapter lacks verve, in my opinion. I know I was finishing it to be DONE with the book before my desk started a trip to Florida without me, and that might be why the "woooosh!" is diminished. It might be lessened because, hey, I'm in the middle of moving my whole LIFE to a place I've never been to and that's kind of overloading the circuitry.

Not sure.

I think the first half of the chapter is okay, really. It needs polishing, sure, but it's a first draft so that's cool. I'll start rewriting probably the first week of August. But the second half...I don't know. I got everyone where they needed to be...but it's rushed.

Maybe that's all it is. Maybe I need to compress the final scene into ONE SINGLE SCENE and not try to incorporate an island-wide search? *sighs heavily*

Vamos a ver.

It is good to be done, though. The sequel is already perking...so stay tuned. :-)