Sunday, May 09, 2004
Couple of things. 1) Had a brilliant idea about The Heir and how to fix something. Sort of a "duh" moment, to be honest. Instead of GML asking JL to step aside, PE has written a "Dear John" letter to JL, breaking things off because she's been messing with GML. Bad moment between the brothers. This works much better because then I am not left with the problem undercutting the drama of GML's decision to marry PE since GML can play it typically close to the vest when he's arguing with JL. Also, this solves the issue of GML and Lady R which I have added, plus I've converted the PE in London scene to PE with Lady R and a rather uncomfortable situation for all, since GML will be there. Also Major H will call, too. So, GML can watch PE go off the deep end with talking before she thinks and finding herself mired in consequences. So, this will be a bit of work, but all to the good.
Item 2) is actually kind of big. At my local RWA chapter meeting (San Francisco Bay Area) the speaker was Susan Grimshaw the National buyer for Waldenbooks. First, it was an absolutely fabulous presentation. Whoa, do I know better what to do to get my book out the door. However, what matters, really, is that before the meeting, I was getting a bite to eat and there were two women there also getting some food, (unbeknownst to me at the time, they were Sue and a WB Romance expert named Ellen) so, I said hi and all that. They both knew my name and my books. It was pretty clear their recollections about my work were good ones (not, oh, heaven's she's a hack, I hope I can get out of this quick....) which was nice. They, like me, loved the cover for Lord Ruin. True, the cover was great and perfect for the book. They were a bit less enthusiastic about the cover for The Spare -- no doubt the lack of embossing
. Now, here comes the part that is big. After the presentation, I was telling Sue how great and useful the information was (and boy is that true, I will be posting some pages to the website soon) and she very genuinely told me I could do big things in the business. So, this is an affirmation that is extremely significant. What is immediately apparent to me is 1) I need to quit the day job sooner rather than later (erk! and live on what money, how to pay bills???) and 2) I have probably made yet another tactical error in wanting to be further along in my story before attempting to sell it. This is exactly why I need an agent. The agent of my dreams would have bopped me over the head and told me that.
My paper for school is substantially done. Really only polishing left. Tomorrow is my last day of class. Then I will get an agent and figure out how I will manage to write and live at the same time.
