Finishing Another Draft

It has been awhile since I last posted here.  I won't go into too much detail about the reading.  There was a lot that I was disappointed about, but the feedback was pretty good overall - certainly helpful.  I left feeling discouraged but after having it ferment a bit in my mind, I came up with some new ideas that I'm working on now and I think that will really help.  I'm adding a character and making some fundamental changes.  Also, cutting a lot and adding a scene or two and some commentary.  We'll see how that reads.

In the meantime, I had a short visit to Lowell.  It wasn't as long as I'd hoped for.  I took my Dad and he tired quickly and we had to leave.   BUT, I did get to go to the American Textile Museum.  I'd never been there before and spent a lot of time with a docent looking at the machinery and talking about what each machine does.  It was fascinating.  I could have spent all day there.  I'll go back in July and maybe in August.

I'm hoping that I can get this draft done today and out to Julie and Roseann to read.  At any rate, I'm feeling better and excited.

Some pictures:

This first picture is raw cotton.  I love it.  It is, of course, the beginning of the process.

 This second picture is of a picking machine: preparing the cotton and cleaning it.

This next picture is of an old factory that is next to the Lowell Park Visitor Center.  Some of it is condominiums and offices, not sure of the rest.