There have been so many overhyped storms this winter, it was a shock when we ended up with more snow than predicted last weekend. How much? Close to 10" here in Fort Atkinson. A day or two earlier, they were predicting 1-2" tops. And this morning, the icing on the cake: -9°. The wind chill … Continue reading I’d like a stamp, and make it a double!
Tag: publishing
Selling Out and it Feels so Good
How very weird, relaxing on my recliner, sipping coffee and watching the snow fall outside when every fiber of my being screams, you should be at work! Also weird: how completely relaxed and stress-free I feel at the moment. For weeks, I've been waking up around 4 a.m., my brain immediately kicking into high gear … Continue reading Selling Out and it Feels so Good
And Then There Were Three…
Got through my last full week at Ye Olde Publishing Company and now have just three days to go. Kinda surreal to think about that. I'm in that weird transitional place now—think of it as a corporate bardo of sorts, the Tibetan Buddhist state of existence between death and rebirth. A between-jobs limbo where I'm … Continue reading And Then There Were Three…
Are You Sirius?
When I bought my Kona, it came with a free three-month subscription to SiriusXM. The same happened with my Mazda years ago; the satellite radio company clearly has some kind of deal worked out with automobile manufacturers. I didn't listen to it much in the Mazda, but I've really gotten into it with my Hyundai. … Continue reading Are You Sirius?
How NOT to Get Published
Sometimes, we get really interesting emails from people wanting to collaborate or contribute articles to our parenting magazine. Usually I ignore them, but every once in a while I can't resist the urge to respond. This mostly happens when they bug us repeatedly. You'd think they would get the hint after their first three emails … Continue reading How NOT to Get Published
Lukewarm Off the Press
The fall edition of our parenting magazine arrived this week. When that delivery truck pulls up outside and all the boxes are unloaded from the pallet, it's always a cause for celebration—physical proof of our collective hard work. Some people claim that print is dead, but my boss doesn't believe that. Neither do the businesses … Continue reading Lukewarm Off the Press
Ban My Book…Please!
I think my book is too tame. Don't get me wrong; it's hardly G-rated. There's sex, violence, and profanity. Kidnapping and substance abuse. Desecration of public lands, for crying out loud. But sadly, nobody has banned No Time for Kings. Too bad, because apparently, banned books sell like hotcakes. If you really want to ride … Continue reading Ban My Book…Please!
Widows & Orphans
I continue to learn new things about the publishing industry every day. Like the existence of widows and orphans. We are in the midst of wrapping up the winter edition of our parenting magazine this week, which translates to lots of proofing and editing before we send it off to the printer. My supervisor Slacked … Continue reading Widows & Orphans
The Third Cut is the Deepest
We writers are required to have a thick skin. It's right there in the job requirements, alongside other necessary qualities such as: Cat-centricity. Not to be confused with eccentricity, though that's a common stereotype, too. Hemingway famously owned a white six-toed cat and I have Sydney, so it's gotta be true. Caffeine and alcohol addictions. Surely … Continue reading The Third Cut is the Deepest
How The Number 14 Changed My Life
Do you believe in numerology? Up until recently I’d dismissed it as nothing more than grasping at straws, a desperate attempt at assigning order and meaning to what is nothing more than random chaos. Humans, by nature, look for patterns where there are none. This is how optical illusions work. The idea that there might … Continue reading How The Number 14 Changed My Life
Mark My Words 