Good morning, 2011. A new year. A new home. A new decade. And, fingers crossed, a new year full of exciting stories and challenges and GOOD NEWS and love, love, love.
I wish the same for you all. Bonne année!!!!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Um ...
Not to sound uppity or anything, but a section of the following article has me seeing red. Check out No. 5:
http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/new-year/10-resolutions-you-should-never-make-blog-15-marie-claire.html
And I quote, "[You Should Never Make a NY Resolution to Stop Using Facebook] Facebook is a part of every aspect of modern life, from shopping, to reconnecting with old friends and stalking exes. So go ahead and give in to the urge, everyone else has."
I am sorry, Marie Claire, but everyone else has not given in to "the urge" for Facebook. Some of us have even left Facebook thoroughly unimpressed. Fifteen years ago stalking your ex was rather unfashionable behaviour -- the fact that this is now entirely normal is not, in my opinion, a change for the better.
How about a resolution to get in touch with old friends without using Facebook at all? Is it really all that difficult?
http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/new-year/10-resolutions-you-should-never-make-blog-15-marie-claire.html
And I quote, "[You Should Never Make a NY Resolution to Stop Using Facebook] Facebook is a part of every aspect of modern life, from shopping, to reconnecting with old friends and stalking exes. So go ahead and give in to the urge, everyone else has."
I am sorry, Marie Claire, but everyone else has not given in to "the urge" for Facebook. Some of us have even left Facebook thoroughly unimpressed. Fifteen years ago stalking your ex was rather unfashionable behaviour -- the fact that this is now entirely normal is not, in my opinion, a change for the better.
How about a resolution to get in touch with old friends without using Facebook at all? Is it really all that difficult?
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Black Friday, bring it on
Even though it is Thursday. Still feeling pretty black.
In a nutshell -- everyone said no. Seven rejections! Seven rejections in the span of approximately four days -- man, that has to be about as bad for the soul as the KFC Double Down is for the arteries. I would say that I am incoherently upset -- because that's how I feel -- but here I am, being coherent on the blog, so obviously that's not the case.
Anyway, it's not all bad. I had a great talk with the editor at HarperCollins on Monday, regarding things that we thought I could do to revise the book. Granted, the conversation was at the time more exciting because there was a part of me madly hoping that the talk was taking place in the context of her wanting to give me an offer for publication, but still, she made some good points. And apparently she wants to see the book again when I revise. As does the editor at Random House. Again, good news. They could have said you suck, go away and never come back, and they did not. So that's that.
I have a phone call scheduled with Sam tomorrow morning re: What's Next. She wants to discuss timelines for resubmitting next year. I am guessing probably June/Julyish. I need to take some time away from the book to focus on other things.
Like, say, getting a job. And moving somewhere where it will be possible to get a job, because work is surprisingly scarce out here in the boonies, when you have no driver's license and are dependent on your parents to ferry you everywhere.
Oh, and declaring bankruptcy. Which appears to be another thing I'll need to focus on.
Sigh.
In a nutshell -- everyone said no. Seven rejections! Seven rejections in the span of approximately four days -- man, that has to be about as bad for the soul as the KFC Double Down is for the arteries. I would say that I am incoherently upset -- because that's how I feel -- but here I am, being coherent on the blog, so obviously that's not the case.
Anyway, it's not all bad. I had a great talk with the editor at HarperCollins on Monday, regarding things that we thought I could do to revise the book. Granted, the conversation was at the time more exciting because there was a part of me madly hoping that the talk was taking place in the context of her wanting to give me an offer for publication, but still, she made some good points. And apparently she wants to see the book again when I revise. As does the editor at Random House. Again, good news. They could have said you suck, go away and never come back, and they did not. So that's that.
I have a phone call scheduled with Sam tomorrow morning re: What's Next. She wants to discuss timelines for resubmitting next year. I am guessing probably June/Julyish. I need to take some time away from the book to focus on other things.
Like, say, getting a job. And moving somewhere where it will be possible to get a job, because work is surprisingly scarce out here in the boonies, when you have no driver's license and are dependent on your parents to ferry you everywhere.
Oh, and declaring bankruptcy. Which appears to be another thing I'll need to focus on.
Sigh.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Last night I dreamt that I put my pen away and took up a retail job. As my career. Now -- I have nothing against retail. Or, more accurately, I have nothing against people who WORK in retail. But I worked in retail for ten years, and it's not high on my list of Favoured Professions. Hence why I woke up from that dream with heart palpitations and an ugly taste in my mouth. I would much prefer a future that doesn't have a Black Friday, a Boxing Day, or a Canada Day Blowout Sale. Please oh please.
Tomorrow is D(eadline) Day for the submissions that went out in the middle of November. Eep. EEP. I am, in a word, terrified. Although I am feeling much better about life in general than I was at the end of last week, when I got walloped by a nasty bout of existential malaise (ohgodit'snevergoingtoworkoutandi'mgoingtolivewithmyparentsFOREVERandiwillbeafailureuntilkingdomcome! Etc.) and spent approximately two days crying nonstop.
And then I had a lovely talk with my parents. My parents, who are hardworking and amazing and have never stopped believing in me and in this book. A talk in which they reminded me that everyone has moments in life when they struggle, when they don't know what the future holds. (I also had the same talk -- and broke down again -- with my sister, a day or so later. She said much the same thing, and I sat on the bed beside her and felt like she was holding my heart soft in her hands the whole time.) And then we reflected on the fact that things could be so much worse, which is true. I have so much. I have always had so much. A family that loves me, friends who inspire me every day. So many stories collected over the years. So many opportunities taken and enjoyed. So much life experience! All of which means stories, and words, and more feathers thrown into that canyon, more moments spent waiting for that echo. I am so thankful for all of it.
Either way, these things will continue regardless of what happens tomorrow. This thought fills me with joy. And regardless of what happens tomorrow, this whole submissions process has been valuable, and wonderful in many ways. We've gotten some good feedback, and good suggestions for the manuscript. And should the answer tomorrow be no -- on to the small presses. Or perhaps the American market. And in the meantime, there will be more short stories to write, other essays to explore, and a new life to begin, somewhere else in this country. Montréal? I think so. I think I hear it calling.
So ... let's see what 2011 has in store.
Tomorrow is D(eadline) Day for the submissions that went out in the middle of November. Eep. EEP. I am, in a word, terrified. Although I am feeling much better about life in general than I was at the end of last week, when I got walloped by a nasty bout of existential malaise (ohgodit'snevergoingtoworkoutandi'mgoingtolivewithmyparentsFOREVERandiwillbeafailureuntilkingdomcome! Etc.) and spent approximately two days crying nonstop.
And then I had a lovely talk with my parents. My parents, who are hardworking and amazing and have never stopped believing in me and in this book. A talk in which they reminded me that everyone has moments in life when they struggle, when they don't know what the future holds. (I also had the same talk -- and broke down again -- with my sister, a day or so later. She said much the same thing, and I sat on the bed beside her and felt like she was holding my heart soft in her hands the whole time.) And then we reflected on the fact that things could be so much worse, which is true. I have so much. I have always had so much. A family that loves me, friends who inspire me every day. So many stories collected over the years. So many opportunities taken and enjoyed. So much life experience! All of which means stories, and words, and more feathers thrown into that canyon, more moments spent waiting for that echo. I am so thankful for all of it.
Either way, these things will continue regardless of what happens tomorrow. This thought fills me with joy. And regardless of what happens tomorrow, this whole submissions process has been valuable, and wonderful in many ways. We've gotten some good feedback, and good suggestions for the manuscript. And should the answer tomorrow be no -- on to the small presses. Or perhaps the American market. And in the meantime, there will be more short stories to write, other essays to explore, and a new life to begin, somewhere else in this country. Montréal? I think so. I think I hear it calling.
So ... let's see what 2011 has in store.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)