Over the past few months, most of my creative energy has gone to either the million and one things that happen behind the scenes with a book release ( some of which are terribly tedious ), the day job, or writing.
Regarding the day job, I must note it absolutely could not be better, and this is largely the product of having a good boss. Should he retire, I shall miss him like a father. Here’s hoping he stays as least as long as I do. Having a superior actually deflecting bullets and lobbying on your behalf makes a huge, huge difference in job satisfaction. While the additional cost to an employer of hiring competent bosses is roughly nothing over their salary, the benefit to morale and productivity is enormous. And an extra pair of eyes and hands in the tech office helps a great deal, too. So thanks, Allan.
About those points of tedium. In the past week ( at the publisher’s request ) wrote an author bio, a positioning statement, a why-did-you-write-the-book-narrative. Unexpectedly the publisher made very few changes, though it ranked high on the excruciating scale from my standpoint. At this point, just want the book available and time for more writing.
On the very cool front, Ellen will hand deliver fresh review copies to two big figures in the mystery world–both writers I had a remote chance of reaching otherwise. Also an excellent author contacted as a very long shot agreed to read The Last Track, and the actor doing the podcast mentioned an author of note in the sci-fi thriller world ( who oddly enough turns out to be a long time family friend of his ) would probably be receptive to the project. Add in that Ellen has a good relationship with the major review services means there is a real chance at some coverage in the big outlets.
Which will be sweet.
Of the authors contacted directly about the possibility of reading The Last Track and providing a small blurb, all have demonstrated nothing less than a professional, gracious and willing attitude to consider a project from an unknown. It’s the unknown part that makes for a real hurdle in my mind. Clearly their response reflects their integrity more than my charm or ability.
Back in January when the Poet graduated with her MFA in Poetry, I spent time with her class as they wrestled with their final seminars and collections as students. And one thing was exceptional about this tourney with some very gifted minds: the spirit of camaraderie among her classmates. If one poet heard about a contest or new magazine accepting submissions, they let the others know. An adversarial spirit is quite lonely in the poetry world.
Until very recently, I considered novelists less sanguine than poets when it came to their colleagues. Consider the contrast in the following exchanges. When a more successful poet comes up in conversation among her peers, a poet will often say, “Yeah did you read X’s piece in Y? I was impressed. It was good, check it out.” Ask a less successful fiction writer about one they perceive as more “fortunate”, and a possible response is: “Z? Z is great. I hope he gets cancer.”
And thus the difference between a poet and a novelist. Twas that way In my mind, at least.
But based on my experience in the past week, I have to say some novelists are way, way cooler than I thought.
