From my agent, a generally positive assessment of the third draft of The Accidental Terrorist:

I've read your revision and I'm pretty darn happy with it. I think you've done a good job synthesizing and compacting huge swaths of material into a much more manageable narrative. I'm also happy with the choices you've made in adding flashback material. All in all, this is a strong piece of revision, and it makes me confident that we'll be able to whip this monster into submission shape sooner rather than later....

I'm very happy with the work you've done thus far, and very impressed. It was a huge haul you just went through, and while this new revision won't be easy, you have gotten over the hump. This book is much, much closer than it ever was. Good work.

In the elided portion, he went into some suggested adjustments of voice in the sections leading up to the subclimax and climax, where the writing might have lost some necessary passion, and I think he's probably right about that. But the fact that he likes what I did with this draft is a huge validation and relief.

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This morning before work I finished up the third draft of The Accidental Terrorist. This draft has taken the book from 240,000 words and 1,078 ms pages down to 135,000 words and 573 ms pages. The manuscript is now in my agent's hands, and I'm waiting on pins and needles to see what he thinks.

I've posted a few excerpts from the book, most of them bits that visitors to the old site wouldn't have seen already.

In a strange bit of synchronicity, my agent is also part of an improv troupe, and he's going to be playing a Mormon missionary in their new production. He wrote me today to enlist my help in finding him a set of temple garments. Anyone have any leads?

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