It’s not done. I realized this morning, laying in bed, that I need another chapter in between the last one and the currently second-to-last. There are things I don’t have room to fully resolve there and I need more room. So, another chapter to add. Which should fix my problem with the ending not feeling punchy enough. I always find if some critical scene feels too soft, it’s because some point leading up to that moment didn’t get enough build-up.

I’m glad I can see what needs to be done there, but I’m nearly certain this means Wolf will NOT be ready in time for the 2006 Cavemen anthology deadline. Which is tomorrow. I haven’t had the time to put in over the last two weeks due to getting ready to move. It’s just bad timing this year, and I knew it would be tight if I didn’t turn a story in before I had the baby. I thought I could make it, but…looks like close but not quite.

There are advantages to this. Wolf is set in a very complex and interesting world and I’d like to spend more time there. Since anthology stories are not supposed to be part of a series, not entering it leaves me free to go further with this world. Also, it removes the 12K limit and means if I need to go longer to fully develop this story, I can. A Quickie can go up to 15K and if I go over that, it’ll be a novella. Also, it’s likely to release sooner if I submit it alone than if it goes into a 2006 anthology. In other words, missing the Cavemen deadline isn’t the end of the world and might turn out to be very much to my advantage.

I’ll see what I can get done in the next two days, but given the level of activity going on with the move preparation and the amount of work still remaining on Wolf, I’m going to mentally write off making the deadline. I’d rather make sure the story is fully told than rush it, and the Cavemen anthologies are a voluntary deadline. I’m not breaking an obligation by missing it.