Portrait of an Anxious Writer

I’ve been reading author Sandra Scoppettone’s blog each day and getting increasingly anxious. She’s just turned in her latest novel to her editor. Now she’s waiting to see if they will offer her another contract. Sandra is an old pro… but she isn’t taking the waiting well. Her anxiety and impatience is, well, infectious. Reading her blog, I’ve been tempted to call my agent to find out what’s happening with my contract and I’m not even waiting for one.

Saturday, October 22, 2005
Ladies Who Lunch

I just had lunch with my agent.  Besides having a good time, which we
always have, she reasurred me about being offered a contract for the
next two Faye Quick books.

“What are they waiting for?” I knew, of course.

“The numbers.  They need to know what to offer.”

“You mean they might offer less?”

“No.  The same or more.”

I’m home now and I know I’ll never be offered a contract for any book ever again.

Thursday, October 27, 2005
Waiting

I spend my days buying tunes from Itunes to fill up my Ipod Nano.  Get
out my CDs to transfer them to the Ipod.  I don’t write much email.
Haven’t felt like it.  Read.  Not as much as I plan to each day.  Stay
in my pj’s until noon.  Talk on the phone.  Go to the library.  Then
the library cottage…buy books…more books.  Order even more books from
Amazon or through Addall.  Read blogs.

But mostly I wait.  For the phone to ring.  No, I’m not waiting to be asked to the Halloween party.

I’M WAITING TO HEAR ABOUT GETTING A GODDAMN BOOK CONTRACT!

Friday, November 04, 2005
Target Day?

Yesterday I spoke to my agent and reminded her that it was November.
She said she’d call my editor today.   Six more hours to go.  Do
I believe this will happen?  No.  And even if it does that might not
mean my editor is waiting for the call so he can offer a deal.  Or the
deal will be so hideous I’ll have to work at the library.  I guess there
could be worse places here to work.  Now that I think about it, the
library is looking good.

Monday, November 07, 2005
Still Waiting

At 3:40 the phone rang.  I rushed to answer.  It
was the trashman’s wife to tell me the pick up will be on Sat. instead of
Thurs.  It’s now 10:20 pm and that phone call never came.

Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Nothing

No phone call.

No email.

No nothing.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005
The Email

Hello, Agent

I got your voice message.

Hereabouts this week is
jam-packed with launch meetings for next year–both the preparations for the
meetings and then actually giving the presentations; so every minute is
precious.

Once the dust settles next week
and I can get people focused on something other than the launch, I’ll set in
motion the Sandra Scoppettone discussion.  Thanks for your patience.

Editor

Friday, November 11, 2005
Oh, Okay

January the online magazine gave me a great revue.  I sent one to my
editor and one to my agent.  I told my agent I wanted her to be armed when
she talks to the editor.  This is what she wrote back to me:

Hey, thanks for
sending this.  And stop worrying.  love, Agent

I wrote back and said I couldn’t change my whole personality at this point in life.  Laid back
I’m not.  Surprise!