August 17, 2010

First, let me begin with the age old "I have some good news, and some bad news." The odd thing is that what I'm going to share is both of those. Clyde is home, accompanied by a very nicely worded rejection letter from Candlewick Press. I would like to add that the letter left me thinking just as highly of Candlewick as a publisher as I did prior to querying them - which is pretty highly. From some of the rejection letters I've seen (both mine and my friend's) this says a lot about the company and the people who work there. I just want to share that because I think it's very important to point out when someone does something right instead of giving the attention to bad behavior. I still want to one day write something that will fit their list well, and intend to hold that as one of my goals.
So I took the time to sniffle and eat chocolate and get that part out of my system.
Now the important part: Why this is such a GOOD thing. Well, that's easy. It means that Clyde is back in my hot little hands. Let me tell you, I am MORE THAN READY to get her in her book! The butterflies have already started fluttering in the pit of my stomach; the list of editing checks has started rolling in my head; the last minute decision on who I'm going through for the physical book is about to be made. Clyde the Undead Dust Bunny is very, VERY close to being born. Just in time for Halloween too - what luck! Maybe that was her plan all along! Characters hijack the story and turn it to their will all the time, ask any writer. Maybe she also took the timing into her own hands. All I know is that I feel a huge sense of relief like someone moved a mountain out of the road I'm trying to go down, and I'm happy.
In smaller (but no less important) update type news: I decided I've got two characters who need to swap books. As I said, characters hijack stories all the time. These two just happened to decide that they would fit better in each others than in their own. Making that adjustment took up my 4 hours of writing time, but I'm counting it anyway. I've been stuck on both stories for a while, this may solve the problem. I did get all of the Sophie's Sneeze projects done and the September newsletter is ready and waiting for the end of September to go into the store.
With all of the real world stuff I've been doing this week, I'm rather happy with the literary progress.
Now it's time to go get ready for labor and delivery! I'm hoping to post price and ordering information by the end of next week! (happy dance!!!!!)