This is K.M. Wylant, and you're listening to the 119th episode of the wordplay podcast.

My historical work in progress, the deepest breath, has been a roller coaster, as all my books

inevitably are in their own way.

Deepest ups and downs mostly consisted of me believing the book was finished two or three times,

only to read the finish draft, and realize something significant needed to be tweaked.

So you've heard me say it before that it's officially finished, but this time it's for real.

I completed my final read-through of the first draft and slop the seal of approval on it.

I'm much happier with the cohesion and resonance of this

longer version versus the previous one from earlier this year which integrated

flashbacks from World War I into the main 1926 setting.

I'm also, finally, happy with the final few chapters, which would be getting me fits all month.

So now I can breathe the sigh of relief, send the manuscript off to my beta readers, and let my perception and familiarity with the story

cool off for a good long spell before I look at it again.

This moment of completing a first draft is always a moment of mixed emotions.

On the one hand, I'm thrilled to be done with the thing and able to move on to the next project.

But on the other, I'm sad to be saying the first big goodbye to the characters who have lived with and in me for the past two years.

Are all the pieces in place for your climax?

The latest post in the video series on my blog shows how Suzanne Collins did a

masterful job providing her readers a resonant cohesive climax in the Hunger Games.

You can watch the video on my blog at wordplay-K-M-Y-L-N-D. blog spot.com.

New videos are posted every Wednesday.

And now I hope you enjoy this week's podcast. Five elements of a resident closing line.

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