One Round-trip Ticket, Please.

I'm surprised I've fallen asleep the last two nights and even more amazed that I slept through the night. I don't even want to blog about it because I'm afraid that I'll jinx myself or anger the gods in some way. But since my blog is about the writing life and my journey from novel-length manuscript to finding an agent to being published, I will. The agent who asked me for an exclusive read last month has asked for my entire manuscript two nights ago! I haven't felt that kind of happy in a very long time!

If you don't write books and aren't aware of how difficult and nearly impossible it is to have an agent reply positively to a query letter, then you might just say, "woopdidoo." I imagine an agent receives hundreds of query letters a week if not thousands, so to receive a positive response is awesome. If you DO write books and know how difficult it is to have an agent reply to a query letter and ask for sample chapters, you can still say, "woopdidoo" and I wouldn't be offended. But, I'm thrilled. The agent did reply to my query letter with three sample chapters and asked for the entire manuscript!

I didn't just hear back, I HEARD BACK. I had to read his email three times before it sunk in. He thinks my writing is wonderful, wished he had the entire manuscript because he enjoyed my first three chapters and he wrote the email from 37,000 feet up in the air on his way to the London Book Fair :) I think that's the most amazing thing! The first thing I did was pray and thank God. Then, I wrote back and thanked the agent! I immediately sent the agent's email to my kids who I knew would be so pleased for me. And then, of course...my computer gave me problems. All. night. long. At that moment, I would have hawked my car for a round trip ticket to London to personally hand the manuscript to the agent! I wasn't able to send my manuscript as a single file for whatever computer reason or something I was doing wrong, it just wouldn't go! But, I managed to fall asleep and in the morning, I worked at it and sent that manuscript three different ways to the agent! I wasn't leaving anything to chance. Done!

NOW the real waiting game begins and the worries, self-doubt and anxiety are back in place. Yesterday, I tried to put it out of my mind and not allow myself any negative thoughts. This will happen, I kept telling myself. I've got an interesting, original story to tell and I've done my homework for years. I've worked on my writing and the manuscript for years. What if the agent doesn't like the rest of the manuscript?? What then??

Well, I'll go right back to reading the manuscript for improvement where necessary and I'll continue writing my second novel.

I suppose the real waiting game is after you secure the agent of your dreams and you wait for a publishing company to pick up your book. More waiting, jangled nerves, nail biting, and patience required there! It's just the nature of the beast, but there isn't just one book in me, there are many. I have a series planned with novel #2 as the first installment. I'll just keep writing and tell the best story I can each and every time. I will keep on keeping on.

So, what does my best girlfriend do after she hears about the lovely email from the agent of my dreams? She congratulates me and invites me to visit her for a few weeks so that I don't wait by the phone and check my emails a dozen or more times a day. My friend is a smart cookie and such a good friend! She knows me well. Of course, I'm taking my laptop!!

 "Your writing is wonderful." That compliment had me 37,000 feet up in the air and I haven't come down since.

Peace and love,
Ellie

We're Having Technical Difficulties

Hi all,

Apparently, there is a little button on the top of the Microsoft Word panel that says "UNDO".   I still can't find it, but my daughter assured me it's there.  That little button would have undone the potentially devastating deleting I did of my entire manuscript two days ago!  Someone will have to show me where it is because I'm not seeing it.

Disaster averted yesterday afternoon, however, when I went back to search for the deleted manuscript and found a copy of it deep in the files!  I'm good!!  I can't tell you how relieved and grateful I was to God and Microsoft for automatically making a copy for me!  Prayers answered.

The saved copy of the manuscript was the most recent copy minus the adverb search and changes I'd done, but no big deal.  I don't mind redoing that, believe me!  I was smiling like crazy when I saw that copy.

This morning it occurred to me that when the power is off in my house, the only way to find out the time is to check my phone.  I realized that with the TV off, the laptop off and having no way to charge my cell phone, the only source of time would be the stove which is off by an hour!  There's gotta be a better way.

I've owned one watch in my life.  I love that watch and it needs a cleaning.  It's an expensive watch, so it makes sense that the cleaning will cost me a few $100's.  After buying a house, I never have a couple hundred dollars sitting around so, the watch sits in my bedroom and I rely on the clocks in the house when the power is on :)

It also occurred to me that if my laptop was lost, stolen or broken - I wouldn't have access to my novel nor could I save changes made.  I now have several copies of the manuscript on the laptop, the hard copy my editor sent me, and I've saved the ms onto a USB thingie, as well.  As a matter of fact, I saved it onto two USBs and one is on my key chain.

Have I checked all the boxes of being safe?  This morning, a friend recommended that I download (burn) the manuscript onto a DVD or CD.  Good thinking!  I would do that if my laptop CD drive worked, however it hasn't worked in years.  It might be time for a new laptop...I've had this one for over two years.  It seems ridiculous to me that laptops don't seem to last over four years.  Why is that?

I suppose I've done all humanly possible to save and protect my manuscript save for saving it on an external hard drive which I own, by the way.  But, I lost the cord to it when I moved two years ago.  I carefully wrapped the respective cords of my laptop, computer, printer DVD player and external hard drive and put them in one box...which, of course, I can't find.  Don't you just love moving?

A friend suggested taking my hard drive to Radio Shack and perhaps, there is a universal cord and battery pack.  I guess that's where I'll be next week.  Aren't you happy I wrote this blog?  Ha ha!

I'm supposed to be working non-stop on this novel and I seem to be dealing with technical difficulties and issues relating to technology!  Stop already!  I just want to write a book and see it published, for goodness sake.

Have a beautiful day.  It's all good :)

Peace and love,
Ellie