Do I know stress?

I’ve never been so nervous and stressed out in my life! In March, I was given an opportunity of a lifetime -- to write someone’s memoir FOR MONEY. Yes, cold, hard cash. The story had already been sold to a publisher, so all I had to do was write the damn thing. I jumped at the chance, especially since I was very interested in the story, the woman who went through the experience and heck, who doesn’t want to get published? Not only was it a great story to tell, it was a great publisher! I mean, who doesn’t want to have a hard cover book published by a huge New York City publisher with YOUR NAME on it??

Plus, a nice fat paycheck. The largest amount of money I’ve EVER been paid for ANYTHING, EVER. I’m talking $$$ Ben-JA-mins.
So for six months, I toiled away on this project. Mostly, it was pretty easy. It was a subject I knew a lot about, I enjoyed telling the story, it seemed to flow from my fingers.

Now I’m done.

I just sent the manuscript to the editor. Now I wait to see what she says. This high-powered, I heart NY, high-falutin editor for a big muckity-muck publisher is reading my book. She could hate it. She could LAUGH at me. She could be using the pages to line her cat’s litter box!

Or she could make all my dreams come true. You think I’m sleeping!?

In light of my present state of mind, I give you this...

SNL Gets it Right

I didn't want this blog to get political but in these days, it's hard not to say SOMETHING about the election. At least we can still laugh about somethings..

Book Segregation – An Authors Civil Rights Movement

My lead character is a black woman but will that mean that my book will end up hidden past the front aisles of a bookstore? Why are all books featuring someone other than a white protagonist stuck on the “Ethnic” shelves? Who decides what goes there?
I for one don’t want my books in the ethnic section. Maya Angelou and Walter Mosley get to be on the common shelves, but most others aren’t. I don’t get it. I don’t like the ethnic shelves. I say we protest. Ask your bookstore why that segregation is necessary. Who are they trying to kid?