What Now?

I'm not sure what now. I finished the edits to the book, laughed my ass off in the process, and then saved the final file and that was that. I'm happy it's done (for now) and that I have my submissions in to publishers. I didn't work on my other book idea at all this weekend, but I had a great time none the less. I went to see the band Silver Machine at the Emerald Lounge on Saturday night with my sweetheart and some friends. I know the drummer. I've always wanted to say that. Visit their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/silvermachine11, their music sounds like the soundtrack to some trippy sci-fi flick. My favorite thing at the show was probably the girl dressed up like Pocahontas. Don't see that often - unless you live in Asheville, that is. Here it's pretty run of the mill.

I also played some Scrabble and watched some episodes of Deadwood, our current addiction. I'm back at work today and thought of another brilliant book idea: Roll Your Soul in Glue and Cover it in Sparkles. I already wrote the outline for it. Of course, I've got about three outlines right now and no books to go with them, so it's not saying much. I feel good about this one though, sparkly, even.

My lunch break is drawing to a close so I've got to run. Or maybe I just feel like surfing for celebrity gossip, but you don't need to know that. Oops.

Always Helpful. Always Shedding.

Today I will be spending the morning finishing the edits on my book. The edited pages are sitting on top of my printer. Under my cat, Nola. She is always there for me, helping me reach for the stars. Perhaps she's making additional edits. Coconut, on the other hand, does not want to help me with the book. This is where she was while Nola tried to help me.

She's not really this blurry in real life, I assure you.

Back to work!

Let the Waiting Begin

Today I dropped off my two other submission packages at the post office. The other publishers that I'm relishing my talent on are Ten Speed Press in Berkeley, CA and Sourcebooks in Naperville, Illinois. I think it's a good sign that I was able to help a troubled customer that I met at my place of employment who REALLY needed something mailed today - I conveniently was on my way out the door heading there. I'm not sure what kind of sign it is that I got lost trying to find the post office...

Now all I can do is wait for the rejection letters to roll in. Or, if I'm lucky, some other form of communication not involving a rejection. A smoke-signal invitation to an all-night cow tipping party, perhaps?

I do need to finish the edits to the rest of the book this weekend, and then just hold my breath for six weeks to three months, depending on the publisher. I plan to start book two this weekend: This Body Was Made for Snuggling.

Since I'm not feeling terribly creative or funny (my brain usually takes Fridays off), I'm going to stop trying to string sentences together.

This is what I get paid for?

This is what I did this morning. I made a tree that says bored. Which got me wondering, trees are stuck in one place their entire lives. Do they ever get bored? I then lost my train of thought because I was distracted by a man wearing pink plaid shorts. I have noticed that plaid shorts are the trend this year, but I will not be joining the party.

So back to the tree. And my boredom. I tried incredibly hard to find things to occupy myself with this morning. And this time I'm not kidding, I really did. I cleaned out my hanging-file-folder-filled drawer, (Amy, hyphens, see? I can be taught) printed out the phone logs for the phone at the desk where I work, did some math based on some numbers that are work-related but far, far too boring to explain here...and then I ran out of things to do. Until I struck upon the brilliant idea of making a tree out of the word "bored".

Sadly, even that did not end my boredness. I feel like I have had my eyes glazed over by the same delicious sugary coating that covers Krispy Kreme donuts, but without the same happy, tasty outcome.

Work is Fun(ny)

I was asked to make a powerpoint presentation for work recently. It was a very long, boring task. To make it more fun, I also made a presentation for my own business, the NexJen Center of Awesomeness. I figure powerpoint is kind of like an office supply, right? Under threats of death from Amy, co-worker and editor extraordinaire I have posted the presentation here. Where no one will ever see it. Because no one knows that I exist. Behold the wonderment of my creative genius:

One down, two (or more!) to go

Today I mailed off my submission package to Kensington Publishing Corporation. This company doesn't take chapters, just query letters and a summary of my work.

Amy finished editing my book today, so I should be able to make the changes and submit to the other two companies this week.

How will getting a book published change my life? Will I be able to plate my cats in solid gold? Will I be able to upgrade to real furniture (as opposed to hand-me-down and stolen-from-the-curb furniture)? Can I quit my job and write full time? That's the big question, and from my (mom's) research what I can tell is: No. They all say don't quit your day job.

Since I'm a dreamer, I'm still hoping that Bill Gates will realize I am his love child and that he needs to donate large sums of money to me. Actually, my real dream is that I'll get this published and maybe make some money. And that they'll want to publish the sequel featuring other people's artwork and more of my artwork with my witty commentary. And that they'll want me to write more books, which I'm doing right now. I got a firm outline and one and a half chapters of my next book done this weekend. I also have two more outlines for other books. The key is figuring out how to fit art and spreadsheets and other unusual things into my books. I really want this to be my career. I also want to feel free and to be okay in the present space I'm in, not always looking for a way out.

The Missing Author

She returns! I have been going incognito as a beach bum - and unfortunately I was a beach bum on medication, which means I now have a bad rash wherever I got sunburned, I am hot!

I was away for a few days to celebrate my sweetheart's birthday, plus it was an awesome excuse to get away for a few days. I wish it had been a few days longer, but when I got back I got some great news. I'm being published! Okay, okay, it's not my book, but I wrote a column on the same subject matter for wncwoman magazine and I'm going to be run in the August issue!

This is huge for me, bigger than when I got my tattoo, bigger than when I was accepted into the kitten-juggling program at State, I mean, this is awesome! It's not a paid gig, but this is a door for me, I can feel it. Also I feel my rash itching so I better get going....