After ten days of Mexican sun, I am sad and happy to be home. Vacations are good for the soul. Unfortunately, the rejection mill doesn’t stop because one is taking a break from one’s life.
I got a form rejection via email while I was lying by the pool sipping pina coladas (admittedly, there are worse times to be rejected).
And in the massive stack of mail waiting for me when I got home last night, there were a couple more.
Can I just say (if I haven’t said this already) that snail mail rejections sting less. I think because as soon as I see one, I know exactly what it’s going to say. With email, there’s that little speck of hope that maybe it’ll be a request, which is why it stings when I click on it and it’s not.
I did finish two of the five books I brought. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein has officially won Favorite Book of the Year for me, beating out a lot of other really great books. If you want to read a book with voice, read this book. If you want a book with a lovable protagonist, read this book. If you like dogs or racing, read this book. If for no other reason than because I said so, READ THIS BOOK.
I also read Fangland by John Marks. I have mixed feelings about this one. A literary vampire novel it is. It’s scary, definitely. But it was so weird! Which I think is good, because days later I’m still thinking about it and still creeped out by it. Beautiful writing and sort of a modern retelling of Dracula, though it fizzled a little once the story left Transylvania and headed to New York. Cool ending, though.
I got through a third of Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire before I allowed myself to give up. I was trying to force myself to get through it, but then I remembered I was on vacation and I don’t have to read it. Not for me.
I got through a third of The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacqueline Mitchard. Narrative was a bit heavy and passive for my tastes. It probably didn’t help that I’ve already seen the movie starring Michelle Pfeiffer and that I know how it ends. But I’ll give her next book a shot (the sequel is No Time to Wave Goodbye).
I’m giving myself the weekend to get things organized around the house, before officially getting back to a writing schedule on Monday. I flunked NaNo this year. But it’s okay, the book’s not going anywhere.
Can Christmas really be just two weeks away?