How I thought it would be vs. How it really was ...

Recently I have been looking back on when I got started and thinking about what I thought it would be like. And thinking about the reality now I am over a dozen books in. My past beliefs and current understanding are not the highly overlapping circles of a venn diagram. This is my experience - results may vary across different authors.

My first book Clever Moo (illustrated by Malcolm Evans and published by Scholastic) came out in 2006. So, what did I imagine would happen?

1) My first published book would fling open doors to publication of further work

2) People out in the world (also known as the general public) would come to know my name

3) My book published here in New Zealand would also get picked up overseas.

4) I had written a book that everyone would want to buy

5) I was on my way

Ahhh, how fresh faced and innocent I was ... And what do I know now I am 13+ books in, in 2020?

1) Each book must cut the mustard and stand on its own merits (which is as it should be really). I have been more rejected than accepted if I consider all the work I have written, and submitted. However I do acknowledge that the door that has been opened is the one where publishers do know who I am and they know that the bookie community knows me too which is an advantage. It helps that I have a history and I have done what I can to make it a good history and I am still hard at work doing what I can to keep it growing. 

2) Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha - lol - gasp - no. This is an uphill journey, for which I have not yet found the right crampons. There is a distant peak, which may or may not be a mirage, that I am aiming for. Who knows if I will ever reach it ...

3) It is not the norm to have your book picked up overseas and if it does happen it does not always mean instant riches (or gradual riches either). 

4) I am still praying I will someday write this book. Tis the holy grail all authors yearn for ... Please note that even if it does happen, 'bestseller' status does not automatically confer riches, or any kind of notoriety or longevity.

5) I wasn't 'on my way' in terms of fame and fortune, but I guess I was on my way in terms of having a writing career. The clash of reality vs expectations has resulted in some disappointments but I am still holding on like a very determined limpet. Maybe those things aren't unrelated.

Mobbed by proxy...

I have not been mobbed yet (maybe after I have spent my winnings and am newly styled?). It is the physical embodiment of Stephanie Meyers creation for whom the fans go wild. Maybe for a writer that is the equivalent of being mobbed personally? I think maybe it is. If Jack the Viking ever made it to some kind of screen I think he'd have a few fans too. And I would be even more pleased that I created him. I am mulling over some more thoughts on Jack and am tempted to give him another adventure even if it never sees the light of day. Maybe he will need his own blog too.

I am nearly finished my latest WIP (nearly 33,000 words). I want to finish it before I go away on holidays. I may post up the first chapter before I go so you can have a read while I'm off drinking cocktails on a sunny beach and trying to keep sand out of the new laptop. A holiday is definitely in order for all of us. At least eldest's NCEA exams are finally over - yay!

Just read on Beattie's blog this morning that Anthony Browne has picked Duck, Death and the Tulip as one of 2009's books. This picture book is like nothing else, is startling, provocative and lovely. It is one put out by Gecko Press and is beautifully produced. Go Gecko!

Went out last night with the remaining members of my old ante-natal group (about six or seven of us still meet up a couple of times a year having first got together before the birth of our first children more than 16 years ago). As always, was nice to catch up and reassuring to know our children are coming up to the same milestones and parental worries. We didn't stay out late but the dog wanted out at 5.45 am this morning and I am out again tonite (critique group christmas dinner - need to go and get the flashing christmas earrings ready), tomorrow night (Paper Plus Gelnfield christmas shopper event) and wednesday night (our company christmas do). Phew, feeling a bit pooped already.

I'd like to be mobbed just once...

Not that it matters but I'm team Edward (although I'm sure those abs are airbrushed on) but I caught a bit of some E channel Twilight doco on the telly yesterday and footage of R Patts trying to walk down the street whilst being mobbed by hundreds of women of all ages all probably wanting to have his airbrushed abs babies made me feel sorry for him for like a whole moment. Then I thought, imagine being famous enough to be mobbed by fans. Does Stephanie Meyer or maybe Neil Gaiman get mobbed when they walk down the street, like R Patts does? If not then why not. I always thought books were sexy.