Monday, March 23, 2009

So...how's the book coming?

I'm a relatively private person, and a relatively difficult person to get to know. Add to that the fact that the past week or so has seen me thrown into a few situations where I've needed to talk to people I've either not seen in 5 years or never met at all. So guess what gets the conversational ball rolling...the fact that I've published a book! Nevermind that very few of these people can claim much knowledge of 'my little hobby' beyond that one truth--it didn't stop them from inquiring,

"So, how's the writing going?"

which segued into:

"When are you going to publish another book?"


There's not really a simple answer for those questions. Unless of course I just rock back on my heels and answer, "Good, good." or "Soon, soon." This never satisfies anyone. So I start in on my spiel, about how I published the first one by myself (not through a vanity press, which I don't think anyone really gets, but ALL BY MYSELF), and how I'm not sure I want to go through all that again. And how it's a tough time in publishing right now and even when it's not a tough time you have to find the perfect agent/editor and still have luck on your side. Nope. Even when I try to sum all this up before their eyes glaze over, they still end the conversation nodding incomprehensively, clearly wishing they'd never asked.

At a birthday party my boys recently attended, the hostess' stepdad (who'd worked for a small press) discovered I'd published a book and promptly sat me down to inform me what I needed to do to get it right the next time. Aye aye aye! (That spelling seems way wrong, but I looked it up!) I couldn't get away fast enough.

This has all taught me that I need to come up with a go-to list of small talk starters before the next family reunion. (And I need to avoid all know-it-all stepdads). Or I could just get on with it and get that second book out there!

5 comments:

Lucy said...

I hate those questions, and I'm not even published yet! And hey, if you come up with good responses that shut them right up, please be sure and share, okay? :)

Keri Mikulski said...

:) I'm with you! My family is always asking me when they are getting my 'new' book and a particular family member refuses to read anything unless it's in book form. :) It's just so easy, right??? :) Walk in an author's shoes. Urgh. :)

Sending hugs.

Stacy said...

I, too, hate that question. Not because I'm struggling with agent searches but because I struggle to get my butt in a chair and actually write.

Sarakastic said...

If it were me I'd say, "ohh the book is coming fine but I need to add in a character that..", then describe an exaggerated, annoying version of whoever just asked the question.

Lara said...

hello, some guys is stealing our blog posts: http://smarticle.co.uk/books/sohows-the-book-coming/! They took also my blog articles and photos - OF COURSE WITHOUT APPROVAL! this thing bothers me a lot, so I decided to let know the other blog owners too! Please, let's do something! Lara @ Laras Welt