Thursday, February 5, 2009
So, here's the deal. I need to start a daisy chain. I'll tell you and then you tell someone and they'll tell someone and so on and so on... The trick is to PASS IT ON. BUY BOOKS.
So, here's the deal. I need to start a daisy chain. I'll tell you and then you tell someone and they'll tell someone and so on and so on... The trick is to PASS IT ON. BUY BOOKS.I've never had the best timing in the world. I look up into the sky right after the falling star has streaked across the blackness of the night. I had the winning lottery numbers to match this week's jacked up jackpot. Only problem is, I had them for last week's lottery. I turned my head the second Janet Jackson flashed the world at the SuperBowl. I was in Ireland, taking a snapshot in front of the gate to Bono's house, peeking in hopefully, only to find out, I'd just missed him. He'd left the night before to vacation in France. (True story.)
Now, don't think I'm a stalker. I am not. I just happened to be on vacation on that beautiful isle and I just happened to know what town he lived in. And a local just happened to point out his house when I happened to ask.
Same timing in New York. I happened to know the name of his NYC apartment building. (Hey, I'm not sick or anything. This info is readily available on the Internet if you happen to google Bono's residences.) And since it was a famous building, we happened to be strolling by it one afternoon. Being the shy girl I am, I just peeked in the foyer. He wasn't there. I was content to snap a picture standing in front of it. But, the thing is, my family was with me and my Hubby....
Let's just say, he's not shy.
He went up to the doorman of this uber, posh, high-security residence and said, "Hey, is Bono around?"
My children fled in mortification. It's a normal part of their life, running away from the embarrassment that is their parents.
I hid behind a tree.
The doorman offered up freely that Bono had left the day before to go to France.
I need to start hanging out in France more often.
My hubby, thinking this high-security doorman was just covering for Bono in case any crazy stalkers were lurking, (which I am not), asked the second doorman at the second set of doors if Bono was around. He confirmed that he'd left the day before to go to France. As we walked away, this highly discreet doorman, gave a whistle and motioned for us to come back. My heart was pounding in my chest. It was a ruse and this doorman was going to hand me the key to my dreams, to finally meet my other boyfriend. (Hubby knows and understands. I'd do the same for him and Angelina Jolie.) The doorman spoke through the side of his mouth, offering up a consolation prize, "If you wait around, Michael Douglas just called for his car."
I was disappointed to say the least.
My Hubby yelled to our group of kids, and a few of my embarrassed sisters who were huddled far enough away to look like they weren't with us, "Anybody want to see Michael Douglas?"
A voice from the group yelled back, "Is Catherine Zeta Jones with him?"
We glanced at this high security doorman. He shook his head sadly.
The anonymous voice yelled back, "Yea, No Thanks."
And we shuffled on.
And now the mother of all bad timing, it is officially, the WORST time in the history of book sales to get a book published.
Of course it is.
The publishing industry, like everyone else in this economy, has taken an enormous tumble. Publishing, in years of turmoil, has consistently remained pretty solid.
Until now.
I read a lot of agent blogs. I read several publication dailies. I know the market. This ferocious downturn in the economy has shut down book stores, killed book sales, and I guess, made people too depressed to read.
Getting published, in the past, was a difficult accomplishment. Millions of hopeful, new writers are rejected every year while the few fortunate ones through hard work, skill and lots of luck are published and then the world is blessed by a new voice with something to inform or something to make you laugh or something that stays with you for days after you've put the book down. The chances for new voices right now are abysmal. Publishers are focusing on best- selling, proven authors who are sometimes amazing, sometimes commercial tripe.
These are sad days. The world became the world through the written word and there is so much power, education, joy and enlightenment in voices, voices new and those already heard.
If you have a few extra dollars to spare, please, go buy a book or two or a library full. Tell the world. Buy a book. It doesn't matter if it's Chick Lit, Westerns, Science Fiction, or CREATING ORIGAMI FROM TOILET PAPER, (seriously, a real book).
Only good comes out of reading.
In the meantime, I will sit and wait and hope and pray that the next few months bring better news for those of us dreaming of publication. My irreverent and hysterical friend, Debbie from North Carolina, said it best on her Facebook, "Obama, fix this shit already."
Amen to that.
Today's Download: Goo-Goo Dolls, "Better Days." Acoustic Version is the best. Debbie, if you don't mind my borrowing- "Obama, fix this shit already!"
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4 comments:
I agree! If people would go buy a book not only would it benefit writers, publishers, editors, etc., but it would benefit me!! When no one comes in to buy any books they cut our hours and eventually you lose your job :[ buying books supports more people than most people realize!
uber. niiiiice.
one of my 30 or so new year's resolutions is to read more. sooooooo, i bought a new book last weekend, and my best friend let me borrow eat, pray, love - i'm super duper excited! :)
uber. niiiiiice.
one of my 30 or so new year's resolutions is to read more. my best friend just let me borrow eat, pray, love - i'm soooo excited. :)
Right on! The world is becoming increasingly illterate. Sure we can speak, sometimes in more than one language, but are we literate? The youngest generation places "hard copy" reading in the same catergory as knitting. I spend every day of my life working towards a more literate generation. And here's the thing... I don't really mind if they read less than brillant literature, as long as they read, learn, experience things they might not otherwise experience through the writings of a wordsmith. Once you're hooked, you're really hooked.
Warning: Reading is addicitve. Sudden urges for knowledge and self improvement may overwhelm you.
Read on my sisters, read on.
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