Monday 21 September 2009

THAT WASN'T MEANT TO HAPPEN + THANK YOU

Further to my last post about permission not to write and motivation and stuff, my agent has lost her normal excellent judgement and decided that my reluctant first two chapters of my very difficult WIP are "bloody good writing". This is very bad news as I had hoped to doss around for the next few months. I'd suspect she'd been drinking if it wasn't for the fact that it was rather early in the morning and that she's never shown any other signs of a drink problem. Maybe that's the problem  -  not enough.

Also, I'm going to even busier because Mrs Smith and I have plans for world domination. Mind you, her most recent suggestion indicates that she's been drinking, too. Does this happen to everyone I have dealings with? It's really rather sad. There's me remaining stoically sober and everyone else is hitting the bottle.

But I really wanted to say thank you to all you wonderful blog readers because, as one commenter [Rebecca] on the last post said, "I love that the commenters provide a fascinating discussion even after the post is done." You all help to make this blog worth writing, and I hope worth reading. See, I'm going all sentimental in the extremity of my stress. That and having had an accident yesterday while out walking and coming into painfully close contact with the branch of a tree which really shouldn't have been there. I now have two large cuts on my forehead and two on my scalp, which took a bit of explaining and ouching when I had my hair done today.

But, wonderful as you blog-readers are and contributory as you may be to the value of this blog, I warn you, if I ever make any money from it you're having none of it. Not a sou.

Meanwhile, I would like to give you advance warning that in recognition of your collective wondrousness and that there seem to be no deluded idiots amongst you now that the troll has gone back in its cave, I am going to invite you to a virtual coffee morning this coming Friday  -  25th Sept. It's unofficially part of the Macmillan Biggest Coffee Morning in the World and is in aid of Macmillan Cancer Nurses.

I'll tell you about it tomorrow [when I've worked it out]  -  and any of you with blogs are hugely welcome to join in and do the same or similar.

Meanwhile, meanwhile, I hope my agent is having a large glass of wine this evening. She doesn't deserve it but I prescribe it for her. Gah, agents!

12 comments:

Rebecca Knight said...

Ooh, I love coffee, virtual or otherwise :)!

Also, congrats and condolences on your agent loving your chapters. Good luck!

Jane Smith said...

Your agent is a wonderful woman, and knows her stuff. I bet those first two chapters are stellar, and that a big part of you is very pleased that she reacted in the way that she did.

As for me, I'm mostly sober, and plan to remain so. I have plans to make.

Moving on to more serious stuff: I think that it's the comments AFTER my blog posts which make my blog at all interesting. I've thought about turning my blog into a book--I've even had a couple of publishers suggest that I do so--but as yet, I'm not convinced that it would be a good thing to do. I like the discussion: it's what keeps me blogging.

(And I missed the trolls, which part of me is sad about. A good dose of internet excitement is always fun. Let me know next time it happens and I'll wade in with my best wellies on.)

Sally Zigmond said...

We all know you're a fabulous writer even if you don't so stop fishing for compliments--your agent obviously has good taste and as for that ms Smith, don't believe a word she tells you.

Having some recent memories of wincing and ouching, I winced and ouched in sympathy to hear of your argument with a tree-branch. Remember to wear shoes that match the bruises: you must have a purple and green pair somewhere.

Finally, with reference to your previous post on habit breaking, I'm delighted to say that thinks to you, I am now finally getting to grips with the first chapter of my WIP. More like a cake that forgot to rise, I have brutally excised the soggy bits and added more raising agent and now I'm flying (well all right, chugging) through the first draft.

David John Griffin said...

Hi Nicola, I've cheered up since my last comment; despondency fled while I was writing a decent chunk of my WIP today.

Very pleased for you that your agent loves your WIP and I know that you're not at all considering this as bad news really!

Picking a fight with a branch sounds most ouchworthy, sympathy there. At the risk of you considering I'm starting a "my injuries are worse than yours" game, I'll mention that in February, while driving a hired van, the engine cut out and I was hit by an 18 ton lorry. 30 stitches in the head, whiplash and heavy bruising. Do you feel a bit better now? ;)

"Gah, agents!" Hmm, who needs 'em? Oh, yes, we all do!

Mary Hoffman said...

Congratulations on your agent's views; I'm sure she must be right. And commiserations on the tree branch incident. I am always covered in bruises because I bump into sharp corners of furniture a lot and bruise like a peach but I can't usually remember doing it because it happens so often!

Sorry not to be with you at your virtual coffee morning but I shall be in Athens. (Good reason, no?)

Nicola Morgan said...

Rebecca - see you on Fri then.

Jane - do be quiet and please don't hit me with any more absurd ideas, sober or not.

Sally - hooray for your lightly risen first chapter! Hope it's not fluffy, though.

david - seriosuly ouch. A couple of months ago we were hit by a simlar porry (maybe even the same one) on the motorway and were lucky to escape alive. No injuries at all, just extreme shock and all those horrible "what ifs" - yours sounded much worse and I hope you've dealt with all the mental stuff too. It's not easy.

Bookmaven mary - not sure how to show gritted teeth in a comment, but [through gritted teeth] hve fn in athns ... No, do have fun, really!

catdownunder said...

Thought for the day: It is better to climb trees than collide with them.

Ebony McKenna. said...

I'll have to be on the decaf, owing to the fact it will be Friday evening here and I may need some sleep later on. Maybe.

Thanks to your heartfelt posts, I have given myself permission not to write during the school holidays (it's only two weeks but I think I'm in a bit of a slump too and the kidlet and I need some fun).

More power to you.

Anonymous said...

What do we get to eat? I'm hoping for home made scones. Warm, please.

Catherine Hughes said...

Oooh, yes! I've done this sort of virtual get-together before and it promises to be veeery interesting (and quite hard to keep up with!)

I'll be around - looking forward to it!

Anonymous said...

Well of course your agent loves your chapter, silly Morgan woman. As for suspicions of inebriation, it's all in your head. We all know the only drunk is the beagle, and I'm seriously thinking of signing her up for AA.

I know what you mean about the comments section. It's a lot like the Q&A session after a seminar. My best seminars are when people pound me with questions. Great stuff. And so are you! Even if you are sporting some bruises. The idea is to walk with one's eyes open...

Gwen said...

Congratulations Nicola. I look forward to Friday.