That pretty much sums up the publishing game, at least in my experience. Things can be vewwy vewwy quiet, as my old rabbit-hunter friend Elmer Fudd used to say… and then BAM! Something totally exciting happens.
After a vewwy quiet July and August, I had a busy second week of September launching Killer Chicks with JB and Joann. It’s not as simple as you might think to launch a new site as a trio. It involves a lot of conversation, flurries of email exchanges, conceptualizing, brainstorming, and discussions about branding, marketing, and promotion. Don’t get me wrong – it’s FUN AS HELL. But it’s work, too. Just ask the lovely Joann, our multi-media guru, who created our blog trailer (and if you haven’t watched it yet, shame on you! It rocks!).
Since the summer ended, I’ve also been writing the shit out of my current book. The endeavor of writing a first draft always keeps me firmly rooted at the intersection of “I love my job!” and “Novel-writing is crazy! What the hell am I doing?!”, a special kind of insanity I’m sure all writers feel from time to time (at least I hope so – please God don’t let me be the only one). And right when I thought I had survived the week and had nothing to look forward to but hours of U.S. Open tennis, I get a BAM! right in my inbox.
My contract from Gallery finally arrived. All eighteen pages of it. I’m looking at it right now. Here it is, folks, in black and white – actual PROOF that I am a writer.
So tell me. What phase are you in? Spurt of excitement, or long period of nothing?
(And be sure to check out what the other Killer Chicks are up to. It’s Status Check Monday on the blog!)
Sooo excited you rec'd your contract and are banging out your next book!
I'm lost in the world of endless waiting. Waitint to hear about the revisions requested by an editor for one book and waiting to hear from multiple agents who have the manuscript of another book.
first of all CONGRATULATIONS on making it to the next step and having a break from the lull of waiting. I'm very excited for you and can't wait until your boo gets published!!! It's funny, I was just over at Elana Johnson's blog and she proposes the question of what is it that sells to you, the author or the book itself. She was referring to new authors and the funny thing is, from getting to know you through the blogging world, If there were two books side by side sitting at the book store and both of them had great reviews (and even if the other book's review was slightly better), I would pick yours in heartbeat because I feel I have more connection to you from our blogging and support of each other in this industry (not that I'm really in the industry, yet 🙂 but you know what I mean).
Anyway, I ramble, but right now I am in the spurt of excitement because today I will finish the current chapter I'm working on and then I have the final chapter of the novel!!! I'm totally stoked and can't wait to type that last word (even though I know many words will change through revisions, but you get my drift).
hahahah…"your boo". Ay Dios mio.
JB: Yes, what you're going through with the waiting is its own special, unique brand of Hell. Hang in there!
Melanie: LOL, well, the book IS my boo! Don't worry, I knew what you meant. Yes, it's awesome to be on this side of the fence, but it's interesting how I can find new things to stress over. So happy to hear that you'd buy my boo. 🙂 And CONGRATS on getting to the last chapter of your novel! YAY!
Congrats again on the arrival of your contract! That's got to be a big relief. Yup – long periods of nothing-much-happening with little spurts of happy. Waiting without distractions is a great way to go crazy fast, so I'm trying to make my own happy with the new wip. So far, so good!
Joann: Totally agree that writing is the best distraction. It's the only way to get through the waiting game, I think. Plus, it really is pure happiness, which feels good no matter what else is going on.
I've also been writing the shit out of my current book. LOL. Love that!
I'm a week away from testing the query waters. *Gulp*