Good morning, yon bloggerville.
Thanks for all the congratulations on Friday, and over the weekend. Many of you asked what happens next. Well, now I get to work on revisions. Michael definitely had the tallest order in terms of plans for the book, so I have a lot of work ahead of me before it's ready to go.
I feel like last week was a week of speed-dating, where I had a five minute date with each agent. Now we're in the getting-to-know-each-other stage, where I try to put on my best face (I keep it hanging in the closet for special occasions, so it doesn't get too wrinkly), put my best foot forward (the trouble is attaching it... my best foot tends to be a little squeaky) and finally I keep a breath mint handy for all of our phone calls.
In anticipation of the time I'm gonna have to put in, Sam went on Craigslist and bought the boys Nintendo DS's that actually work. (We had ones that didn't work before, and they couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about. We told them they had to use their imagination to picture what was happening on the screen, and if they were bored, it was because they weren't being creative enough.)
Over the weekend, Kid B walked into the living room, looking like this:
In his left hand the broken DS, in his right the new one, a bottle of milk balanced precariously between his wrists, and still in his underwear at 4:00 p.m. on a Saturday.
Let the neglect begin!
Good luck with revisions! Saying he's got a "tall order" sounds daunting, so I hope you and your kids survive the ordeal.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't think any of us writers get mother of the year. It's like you have to choose one or the other: mother of the year, or career. But the career gives you more money to pay for future counseling, right? ;)
Nikki- Good point. I like to think any little bit of money I make will go right into a therapy nest egg for my boys.
ReplyDeleteWow, sounds like a lot of work to go! Good luck Brodi, we know you can do it! Hopefully soon we'll be seeing this book on the shelves.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure any of the "career" moms could qualify for mother-of-the-year. There is a point that one's brain just cannot keep track of things and then add in the brain damage that occurs by having kids. It's amazing a mother can actually hold a job and keep the kids fed, entertained, clothed (as your picture shows) and happy. Seems to me your doing a fine job!
Una- Kid B was definitely happy, and at least I had underwear on him, right? Thanks for the vote of confidence!
ReplyDeleteA phrase comes to mind: Throw me in THAT briar patch!
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that he has lots of suggestions for improvement is a good sign--but don't be afraid to stand up to him!
Meanwhile, have Sam listen to the most recent Writing Excuses podcast. Dan's wife, Howard's wife, and Aprilynn Pike's husband take over the 'cast to talk about the trials, responsibilities, and joys of being married to a writer.
I listened to it right after I had a discussion with my husband where he explained to me how worthless fiction is in the real world. (Yes, I brought up the parables--apparently, they have value because he thinks they really happened. I tried to explain that their reality is irrelevant, since the point is the principle taught, but I don't think he agreed with me.) He's still supportive, but he just doesn't get it. NOT a reader.
I think my comment didn't quite emphasise enough how supportive my husband is. He lets me read (though he encourages occasional sleep), he lets me write, he sent me to the writer's conference without complaint, and he does whatever he needs to to help. But he does it because he loves me and understands it's important to me-- not because he understands that fiction is important, in and of itself. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is a priceless picture! Good luck with all the revisions.
ReplyDeleteRobin- Parables are fiction? Where have I been... Your hubby sounds very supportive of your affliction. (I like to think of our obsession with writing as an affliction).
ReplyDeleteCam- Kid B cracks me up.
Oh no, Brodi, you've got it all wrong. When we're writing, I like to think we're teaching our children independence. 'Neglect' is such an ugly word. :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the revisions. That sounds like hard work ... I mean fun. Yeah, fun, that's it.
ReplyDeleteI love the picture of Kid B. Bottle of milk: $5; new working DS: $100; Kid B with his old DS, new DS, drinking a bottle of milk, still in his underwear at 4:00 pm on a Saturday: Priceless!
So funny because it's true!! I think I just posted about not being the mother of year on my blog last week sometime too. Oh well! Good luck with the revisions. If you ever need a Thai food break, I'm totally up for it. :-)
ReplyDeleteNicole- You're right. We should get medals! Or at least a couple of gold stars.
ReplyDeleteJenni- Priceless! I love it.
Sara- Mmmmmmmm. Mangoes and Sticky Rice. There goes my productive day...
ReplyDeleteI KNOW! I crave it all the time now. It's got to be healthier than brownie sundaes though... right? RIGHT?? ;-)
ReplyDeleteSara- Just keep telling yourself that...
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh you're so funny Brodi - Congrats on the new agent - so awesome. I'm not making mother of the year either.
ReplyDeleteI've been telling my hubby we should get the kids DS's for Christmas. He's not quite on board with this idea. I think this whole conversation is backwards.
ReplyDeleteLove the picture! Good luck with the revisions. If ya need a self-proclaimed professional reader, I'm your gal!
Mary- Maybe next year we'll win that elusive award.
ReplyDeleteDebbie- Yes, DS's are life savers at our house. It's how we get Kid B to sit on the pot for any length of time.
I never thought of a DS as a potty training device... Hmmmmm...
ReplyDeleteUna- it's mandatory. Trust me. It's either the ds, or I have to tap dance to entertain him on the pot. And my tap-dancing sucks.
ReplyDeleteThat will be a great picture to show his future dates. It shows he knows how to multitask.
ReplyDelete