THE YEAR OF THE MID-LIST AUTHOR

Good morning and welcome fellow readers and writers to 2010.

This time last year, I promised to be a better blogger.  And like most New Year’s resolutions, my efforts were short-lived.  Too often, I just felt like I didn’t have anything new to say and hated to throw more noise into cyberspace.

But the one thing I can offer you this year is a daily and HONEST peek into a writer’s life — starting today.

It’s Friday, and even though it’s a holiday, I’m up pretty early – 7:30 ish.  Tried to coax my husband to linger in bed but that ploy didn’t work.  Just as well, I really have a lot to do, no time to waste.

First, I’m going to put the final touches on the first 100 pages of my third novel, THE FUNERAL DRESS.  A year and a half ago, my editor told me that I could submit two chapters and an outline for her consideration.

“But I don’t write outlines,” I said.  ”I don’t know where the story is going,” I explained.  She smiled and replied, “That’s fine.  Give me 100 pages instead.”

Seemed like a good idea at the time!  And now 17 months later, I think I may actually have those 100 pages ready to send to my agent for her final review.  I’m very fortunate that my agent is an excellent editor. On the other hand, I sent her 80 pages about two months ago, and she had a lot to say about them . . . and none of it was very nice.  Painful but true.  That’s okay.  You must have a thick skin in this biz.  And now I really feel these pages sing.  I’ll keep you posted.

I also need to work on the copyedited manuscript for THE IMPROPER LIFE OF BEZELLIA GROVE, to be released on August 17th!  The copyedited ms arrived a few days before Christmas and is due back on my editor’s desk on January 6th.  I’m about half way through that.  Anyway, you have to make your changes in colored pencil. So if anybody knows of a really good brand of colored pencil that writes firmly and clearly, please pass it on.

And finally, in between work and watching football, I will be baking 50 or so small pound cakes to be mailed to booksellers from California to North Carolina as early as Monday.  Booksellers will be ordering their summer inventory as early as mid-January so this is a marketing campaign for BEZELLIA which seemed liked a great idea a month ago.  Now that I have pounds of butter, sugar and flour sitting on my kitchen counter not so sure.  But I’ll fill you on that tomorrow.

Have a great New Year’s Day everyone!

Posted January 1, 2010 at 8:50 am · 6 comments · Leave a Comment