Life hasn’t been kind to MTM. Between his collarbone (he’s out of the sling but not back on the bike), my eye (coming down off steroids is maddening, I tell you) and my book things (WHYOHWHYOHWHY ISN’T ANYONE BUYING MY BOOK??????!!!!!!?????? I scream as I bang my head into his intricately prepared dinner and stab myself with my fork), we aren’t the easiest couple these days. His every sexual overture is met with me grabbing the computer and shouting, “IF I JUST TWEAK THIS THING RIGHT HERE, TWO MORE PEOPLE WILL DOWNLOAD MY MEMOIR!!!!!”
Which is why you might notice a gap in my event calendar.
MTM planned it that way.
Because I’m such a public appearance whore…..I say yes to everyone but him……..especially when there’s money involved.
From Wednesday, February 11 to Tuesday, February 17, I’ll be, um, giving MTM the French Tickler. And other things. He’s taking my electronic devices and dragging my butt someplace else.
Not only will I be completely off prednisone, but I will also be deprived of the one activity that has consumed my every waking thought.
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In your state of heightened anxiety and go-go-go-osity (it’s a word), some wine and a getaway sounds like just the thing you need.
I’m going to have to make a road trip this summer and get my books signed. (I say books because I’m ordering Not Without My Father this week, because it’s predecessor is lonely on my bookshelf without its companion-piece)
I also understand you’re doing a sort of coffee-table book of photography from the walk — is this true?
Yes, the photography book is almost ready. Easy for the publisher to put together. Hard to get the go-go-go-go writer to pen an intro……….
Why, the old fashioned way, of course, by getting MTM “back on the bike”.
HA!
enjoy your break and it might help you feel better when you get back – enjoy, enjoy )
Thanks, Beth. I plan to do nothing but enjoy.
You’ll figger it out!!
https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqII5EtlUzwwA14r7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTBzMmQ2MHUwBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMTc-?p=doin+what+comes+naturally&vid=fd6e9acbb4f8a8f5c57cd43a3f2eb36a&l=3%3A29&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608056018244668512%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dfz8PpSHvBfQ&tit=Anne+Get+Your+Gun+-+4.+Doin%26%2339%3B+What+Comes+Naturally&c=16&sigr=11b2hk041&sigt=11leo9cff&sigi=11ri649l5&age=1269385514&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av&hsimp=yhs-fh_lsonsw&hspart=avg&tt=b
Ah, yes. Perfect. 🙂
Eat a baguette and drink some French wine. Then just follow where the heart leads….
Looking at our schedule, we’ll mostly eat.
Kick back and enjoy the ride. I’m sure there has never been a writer who with their last breath said “I wish I had written more.” Well…maybe but it’s best to take a break.
And I’m in a frenzy of getting things submitted beforehand, though the steroid withdrawal doesn’t make for much frenzy, I’m afraid.
I’m sure that once the tickling commences, worries over book sales will fly out of your head. Have fun!
Those worries are never far. Always a challenge to find new victims. Ha.
It’s the yoga pants thing again, Andra–why everyone else gets the best of us (you know, in real clothes) except our families, who see us raging in yoga pants. (Oh wait, is that just me???). In your case, don’t wear any clothes and you should be ok. Step back, relax, and enjoy the cabaret. Have fun!
I promise to wear clothes when I go out, Dina, but otherwise…………no yoga pants.
You won’t really be unplugging, just kinda changing plugs. (Hmm…that doesn’t sound exactly right.) The other evening, I was sitting, doing nothing, feeling guilty about not working on novel edits when I realized: “Hey. I’m done with the edits. Things are submitted. I don’t HAVE any edits right now.” It slowly dawned on me that I needed to balance my obsession with conversation (check), making love (check), reading for pleasure (check), playing music (check), and just sitting and wondering about the next story (check). It’s good to put that heavy iron back in the fire and wander off. It’ll be there when you get back. And it will be hot and ready to wield.
You’re absolutely right, Jim. It’s hard to find balance between promotion and creation. They use different parts of the brain, and they require opposite skills. I can’t just flip a switch between one and the other. At least, not yet. Maybe I’ll get there someday.
Yes, I suspect you’re right. The promotion part of my brain, I think, was removed at birth. My mother often wondered if I was simply left here by some alien craft. Sometimes, I wonder too. You’ve told me I might be able to regenerate it. We’ll see. The need would have to arise.
I don’t need to tell you….you got this girl! My man is making a memory with me….he’s going to the ballet with me. Now that’s love right there folks. That’s love!
Mike is a keeper, Lori. I hope you’ll post an update about the ballet. Which one are you seeing?
Mosaic/Rubies/Pirates!
Ha – I wondered when MTM was going to get you off the hamster wheel 😀
This has been planned for a while. I’m really grateful to be forced to step back for a week. I’ve got all my posts scheduled and whatnot, but I’ll likely be sporadic online.
Sounds like we, your loyal court, need to promote your books more. You quit worrying about anything except MTM for a few days. That’s an order!
My loyal court promotes and promotes, and I’m very, very grateful. It’s busting into new territory that’s hard. It takes time and a different sort of creativity.
Review going up of your latest tonight. 🙂
Go and relax and love each other. Jim’s right.
I don’t know how much I’ll actually relax, but I’m looking forward to being gone. 🙂
I am proud (jealous) of your accomplishments.
I have always thought that I would have hire a go-go girl like yourself to flog my work.
Now I am shocked to find that there are (not enough?) readers with a dime out there.
I should feel better but I don’t.
Let me offer a suggestion that I am contemplating but which you are in a position to achieve (just don’t forget me if…).
Have you considered an Mp3 download or CD of you (or some starving actress) SPEAKING your book? Â May pics on a CD/DVD?
I wanted to do thus with at least my poems but I have not the organizing and energetic talents you embody.
I can barely find time to compose as I drive to and from my job.
Just a pitch for justice since you are a real nucleus for humanity.
I howl outside your tent at night…
I had a long comment for you, Alan, but I think I’ll just pen a new post. Short answer: I’m doing much better out of the gate with the memoir than I did with the novel, but it’s always uphill. I sold a record number of books last week, which was exciting.
However, it will always be freaking hard to convince people to buy a book. They have to hear about it a billion times before they will click “buy.”
An audio version of Not Without My Father is coming in March. Audio of To Live Forever is coming in April.
Cope? Ummm, OK, as a single woman withOUT a cute guy by my side, I really can’t relate. Geez, Andra, just go and be with your man. Enjoy. Relax. Pay attention to HIM! 🙂
He likes your thinking, Mary.
Have a fantastic time away with filled with tickle parties and no yoga pants, Andra!
I may need my yoga pants, given how much I plan to eat……….
You won’t have any trouble coping, I’m confident. Turning “off” to others and “on” to MTM will be wonderful…enjoy!
Thanks, Debra. I’m looking forward to it.
You are funny — and fun. Have a good time off!
He is such a wise man. I am sure he will make it worth your while (with recovering collarbone and all). You GOT THIS. Be mindful with your man and step back to enjoy every minute and take it all in. Life will return to normal in a blink of a prednisone-less eye! 🙂
Woman, you’d better have turned off the marketing. Eat, drink, walk, love… Make a memory. Ahem 😉
Glad y’all are healing up.
I was looking at a workflow chart for celebrated writers, artists and musicians. It appears William Styron devoted himself to plenty of sleep, eating and leisure and fitted in work where he could. A slightly trite reading of the graph, but encouraging:)
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