Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Exams are done

Yesterday P had her final exam, another History paper with three essays. She was pleased with it, thought the questions good, and was happy with what she did. I wasn't working, so picked her up, we got DVDs and burgers and sat on the couch from about 3pm watching Freaks and Geeks. I had heard about this show, knew about it, but never investigated. P watched it about 3 years ago and had told me that I should watch but I didn't. Until yesterday. I like it.

We also got some movies. She wanted depressing, tragic stuff, so we got Atonement, Bright Star and Legends of the Fall (we've seen all of these; they are revisits).

I'm struggling with reading at the moment. I'm waiting for the contract to come through. My agent rang me yesterday - an unscheduled phone call. It was on the work phone and I answered in my professional voice, which was a funny moment. She laid out how things will move from here. About the contract, about how my relationship will work with the publisher, a timeline for next year, working backwards. I told her I'm away mid Jan to mid Feb and we agreed it would be best for me to do any edits before I leave. Even to approve proofs, I'm not sure how quickly it will all move, especially at this time of year. We talked about the advance, and how her commission works (which I knew anyway) and how she will hand me over, really, to the publisher so J (publisher) and I can establish our working relationship without agent V in the mix. But she's there if I need her, have any questions etc. SO I'm happy about all that, I did have some questions but I like being clear.

Today I'm calling an old teacher who is published and established and is going to give me some advice. It's important I know the 'score' she said, and 'at the beginning'. I kind of wonder what that means. She's been a published author since the early '90s or even late '80s, so I'm hoping she doesn't have a lot of negative stuff to say (I don't think so) but I'm also hoping she can give me some practical advice, which might help me avoid making some mistakes. Especially things like: How Not to Piss Off the Publisher, also How Not To Be a Complete Pushover.

*

So the next few months are going to be busy. Which is exciting but also a bit scary because I'm pretty tired. I'd like a quiet summer but it's not going to happen.


10 comments:

sarah toa said...

No need for bras now Melba!
This is all great news!
Asking a friend and mentor about the intricacies of pub/writer relationships is a really good idea.
Best of luck for Mum and Daughter's illustrious futures x

squib said...

Well done, you! Very exciting and no small feat

Melba said...

Hey thanks guys.

Yep, getting the low-down from people will help prepare me. Still a bit stunned TBH and wondering if it's really going to happen. Seems kind of surreal.

Book_Moth said...

Oh my goodness! Congrats! Eagerly awaiting more news.

Your old lurker,

Bookie in NYC

Alex said...

I'm a bit late, I know, but still wanted to say congratulations and well done. So, are they interested in publishing something you've already done, or do they want you to write something new, or both?

***

I saw Freaks And Geeks when it was new; that's got to be more than ten years now, isn't it? I've still got it on a hard-drive somewhere. Liked it, but don't remember much, other than I liked that the teens in the show seemed more like teens and less like twenty-something fashion models, like with similar shows. I also came away with an appreciation for Linda Cardellini, who happens to be one of the main voices on my favourite current cartoon, Gravity Falls. So, nice to see she's still working at least.

Melba said...

Thanks Bookie, nice to see you here. Glad you still lurk.

Thanks Alex, too. The book is for my second one (not the one you read). For fiction, publishers need a completed manuscript, they don't commission fiction but might for non-fiction. They'll also be interested in seeing my other stuff (in time) so I'm pretty rapt about that too. It's an in.

Freaks and Geeks is pretty old, about 14 years? And yes the teens are really normal looking. It's different I like it, but there's only a season, we're about half way through.

phoenixmummy said...

Well, I'm a bit late too, but wow, congrats Melba, am so happy for you. It must be surreal as you say, you've been wanting this for so long. Congratulations again. xx

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Melba said...

Thanks Jo! I am really happy.

Thanks Cheap Tap.

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