I started the rewrite of "Homecoming" this evening.  In two sessions totaling 1.3 hours, I did 903 words.  The rewrite will likely be longer than the original because I’m trying to bring forward more of the setting, which helps to set up some motivation for the activities of the protagonist in the story.  Even so, I managed to eliminate a scene that was completely unnecessary and so things may be a wash so far.  (In the ultimately unnecessary scene, I was trying to put to use some of my experience as a pilot, but I decided that it didn’t add one grain of value to the story and so it’s gone.)

At this pace, I hope to have the rewrite finished by Friday night, get it out to a few people to look at over the weekend, and then get it into the mail Monday or Tuesday of next week.  I’m eager to start on the February story, but not at the risk of sacrificing the quality of this one.