My mother, Mary Church Bagwell, was in the WAVES during WWII {which is honored in AFDOC.} She was a strong and professional woman well ahead of her time. This post is dedicated to her and to all the women and men who protect the United States of America. 
The year I gave myself to bring A Few Degrees Off Center through the revision processes and get ready to seek an agent is half over! As with any good critique, first I'm going to congratulate myself on finishing the first revision which was a bear! Second, I'm going to congratulate myself for sticking with it. And finally, I'm going to congratulate myself for beginning the last half of the revision process before I hit the 26th week - just made it at 25. See anything wrong with these statements?
Now the weakness: My good writing friend and colleague, Wanda Wood, told me this week - after she looked over some of my ideas for revision - that I had used way too many being verbs and adverbs and slipped into the passive voice when transitioning some sections to past tense. So I started to work changing all the transposed sections before I go any further. A big thanks to Wanda!
Now for the other side of the sandwich - all good critiquers should know what I'm talking about. The last round of revisions is started. Wanda liked some of my new ideas and praised the lushness of my edited scenes. What a way to start the last half.
My mother, an intellegient and well read woman, would have been pround of me for hanging in there. Happy 4th to all of you. Mahala
