A Novel Thought…

November 29, 2017

Fashion blogger Cee Fardoe of Coco & Vera sits near the Eiffel Tower in Paris wearing Christian Louboutin Pigalle pumps and Paige Hoxton jeansFashion blogger Cee Fardoe of Coco & Vera stands under pont Bir Hakim in Paris wearing a Marled blouse and Celine Audrey sunglassesPortrait of Winnipeg fashion blogger Cee Fardoe of Coco & Vera sitting at Place Trocadero wearing a Cupcakes and Cashmere leather jacket with Celine Audrey sunglassesCanadian fashion blogger Cee Fardoe of Coco & Vera walks in front of the Eiffel Tower carrying a Celine trio bag and wearing Paige Hoxton jeansOutfit details on fashion blogger Cee Fardoe of Coco & Vera, including a Celine trio bag and Christian Louboutin Pigalle pumpsFashion blogger Cee Fardoe of Coco & Vera sits at Place Trocadero in front of th Eiffel Tower wearing Paige Hoxton jeans and a Cupcakes and Cashmere leather jacketCupcakes and Cashmere jacket (c/o Shopbop)
Marled blouse (c/o) (similar)
Paige jeans (c/o Shopbop)
Christian Louboutin heels
Celine bag
Celine sunglasses
La Vie Parisienne earrings (similar)

It’s been rather longer than I intended since I’ve talked about my novel. Admittedly, there have been times when I have avoided the subject simply because I’ve had nothing new to report. (And because having nothing new to report usually means I’ve been procrastinating yet again.) But this time, my avoidance of the subject hasn’t been by design. In fact, I’ve worked diligently for months on round after round of tedious edits, the kind that make me want to renounce writing entirely.

The truth is, writing isn’t at all glamourous, and anyone who tells you otherwise has read too many books written by the Lost Generation. It is as much about the story as it is about nitpicking over punctuation and repeatedly hesitating over the perfect adjective. Actually putting the story down on paper is the easy part – at least for me. It’s everything after that is real work.

But it looks like another period of real work is finally coming to an end. Last week, I hired a graphic designer to create two covers – one for the new edition of After the Shots and one for the novel that will follow it. If I am disciplined (and, admittedly, this is never guaranteed because it is entirely too easy not to hold yourself accountable when there is no one else to do it,) they will both be released in mid-2018. The fact that four years have gone by since I published my first novel seems almost unfathomable, until I remember that I spent nearly thirteen years working on it. When I remember that, the fact that I finished the second in less than four seems almost heroic.

The idea of publishing a second novel feels a bit surreal. The fact that so many copies of the first one, that so many copies of anything I wrote, are out in the world, still makes my knees wobble a bit. It doesn’t even really matter to me if anyone likes it, which sounds silly, but it’s true. It’s the fact that I did it that matters. I wrote a book. I published it. And soon, there will be another one.

6 comments so far.

6 responses to “A Novel Thought…”

  1. Writing a book (let alone two!) is HUGE! I completely relate to the sometimes awfulness of the editing process but, like you, I am super proud of the accomplishment that goes with actually getting a book written and published. It’s a big deal!

    Courtney ~ Sartorial Sidelines

  2. Melanie says:

    A cool style! I like the combination of jacket and heels totally :-*

    Melanie / http://www.goldzeitblog.de

  3. Cee, you do not give yourself enough credit. Your writing skills are superb! You’re so eloquent. Your thoughts are always so clear. Besides your exquisite fashion sense, I also come to your blog to read your thoughts. I’m so happy for you! You are very deserving. I will definitely purchase both >.<
    http://www.averysweetblog.com/

  4. Leena says:

    Loved the first one, can’t wait for the 2nd. That sorts out my Christmas presents for my ‘reader’ friends for 2018. 😄
    Congrats!

  5. Lyddiegal says:

    Taking on the task of a novel is huge, finishing it even bigger, and the achievement is that you have now become a part of the world in a way that will last forever, which is really incredible.

    I also find it admirable that you can hold on to your Paris photos for such a long time before posting them. I think I would find myself far to anxious, I’d need to post everything right away. But perhaps because your style now feels so season less, it works.
    http://www.iamchiconthecheap.com

  6. Lorena says:

    The closest thing to a book I have ever written was a thesis and I can only imagine all the hard work that goes into an actual book. All I can say is that once you’ve got your first one out the second one should not be that difficult… its clear you have the art of writing.

Cee Fardoe is a thirty-something Canadian blogger who splits her time between Winnipeg and Paris. She is a voracious reader, avid tea-drinker, insatiable wanderer and fashion lover who prefers to dress in black, white and gray.

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