Kamikaze Woodpecker

It was one o'clock. I finally managed to clear my "to do"list enough to get myself strapped into my writer's chair for some serious demolition editing. I need to go from 82,000 words down to 80,000, so somebody's slow-moving scene was going to go. I felt ruthless. Ready. My characters were cowering in anticipation.
I opened Microsoft Word and ZAP! The power went out!
A walk down the long, gravel drive of ours was met with a stench of burning feathers. It seems one unlucky Kamikaze woodpecker discovered the shocking bad news that hydro poles are not the best places to build a nest. BC Hydro dispatched a team to the rescue. Of course that will take 2 hours. We live in a remote place so I figure 2 hours is not all that bad.
So, plan B? I jumped back into bed, as you would, to finish the Klondike novel written by Vicki Delaney. Vicki will be attending the same Bloody Words conference as me in Toronto in May. More important, Vicki will be critiquing my two novels and will be reviewing them with me. I thought I would do her the same service. Actually,the truth is I wanted to see if she was a writer whose recommendations I would value. Just because you have published something doesn't mean it is "good" by all concerned. A conference I attended in Nelson years ago had a published author of 4 books amidst us students. I tried to read one of them and couldn't get past the first chapter of gibberish. It was terrible! But, I am happy to admit I enjoyed what I read by Vicki and will most definitely listen to any and all advice she has to offer. I will be brave before her. She will not see any lip trembling, blurry, teared eyes or hear any keening. I will listen, take notes and then make a run for my room and the emergency kit that is already packed. Inside is my family-sized bar of dark chocolate, a back -up bar of dark chocolate in case the first isn't enough and a fantastic bottle of red cab sauv. I will feel better in no time. Like taking off a band-aid. We're gonna do it quick- get it off, and then get it on! Make these books happen!