I didn't win the Quill Award.
Wait a second while I remove the razor blades from my wrists...
Okay, that's better. The keyboard was getting sticky from the dripping blood.
Meanwhile in a desperate effort to salvage the final dregs of my pathetic career, I read an article in the Author Guilds Bulletin on writing a blog. My eyes were immediately drawn to this part:
" ...a well-written, thoughtful blog with a unique perspective may slowly gain readership."
I'm far too modest and thoughtful to notice how well-written my blog is, so I checked out the unique part. I read every single blog on the internet (okay, maybe I missed one or two), and mine is the only one that says bad things about George Bush! I got that unique thing down pat.
When I wasn't reading every single blog on the internet (give or take), I spent the past week cleaning my apartment in preparation for Rosh Hashanah. I was quite excited to find there was actual furniture under all that dust. I also kept busy making up Rosh Hashanah resolutions. I made so many of them, it'll take me until Jan. 1 to break them all.
My personal favorite resolution (because it didn't call on me to eat less or stop spending money like a drunken sailor) is to be agreeable. My How To Be Happy Page A Day calendar specifically suggested that I be agreeable, and who am I to argue. So to get a good head start on the new year (which doesn't actually start until tomorrow evening, but why wait), I've written a very agreeable Rosh Hashanah song. Feel free to sing along.
Happy Rosh Hashanah To You
Happy Rosh Hashanah To You
Happy Rosh Hashanah Dear Slowly Gained Readership
Happy Rosh Hashanah From Sue
If that isn't well-written, thoughtful, unique and agreeable, I don't know what is.
Within the past couple of days, I've gotten requests (more than one, less than three) for the audio book of Life As We Knew It, with Emily Bauer having done such a great job as the reader. I still have more than I need, so if anyone wants one, just send me an e-mail via that neat little Lycos link to the left. I'll be going to the post office sometime next week, most likely, and I'll be happy to send them off then.
Have a happy and healthy new year. May the entire world see better days.
14 comments:
Who beat you for the Quill?
And don't sweat it :). Just think, there are plenty of writers that didn't get the Quill, or didn't get nominated at all, and they likely won't be writing anything again. You on the other hand have your foot firmly planted in the door.
Just write your other book and put it out there. Life As We Knew It was freaking awesome, so I expect more greatness from you!
Sold was the winning title, and it was the book Barnes & Noble had highlighted.
Thank you for your kind words. I loved being nominated and I still intend to walk the red carpet and have a great time at the award ceremony.
I listened to LAWKI on CD (did you get the e-mail I sent about my family listening to it on the way to North Carolina?)and, like you, am very upset that it didn't win. You wuz robbed!!! (Although, truth to tell, I didn't read Sold).
This was a tremendous book, and actually made me go to the library (is that a bad thing to say to a writer looking for royalties?) and find more of your books. The only one they had was Who Were They Really which I enjoyed and actually learned a thing or two about my favorite literary characters.
I'm looking for A Year Without Michael, which I hope to read after I finish Harry Potter 7. (I've somehow managed to hide in a hole and don't know the ending. My kids, who took forever to read it and pass the thing on, have been dropping hints. Luckily, I have selective hearing - just ask my wife.)
Anyway, please keep writing and don't bemoan the fact that you didn't win the Quill. From where I'm sitting, what you've accomplished so far looks pretty darn good.
I'm going to assume I didn't get your e-mail (although I don't know why I wouldn't have) because I'm actually pretty good about answering e-mails, and in addition, I have no memory of it.
So send it again if you're so inclined. And thanks for your message. I'm glad you liked Who Were They Really? It was the only non-fiction book I've ever written, and I had a great time doing so.
Susan,
I loved your book and enjoy reading your blog (I imagine you already have quite a following.) However, I was very disturbed by the beginning of today's post. I have mental disorders and have self-injured in the past (No more) and found that your comments would make a great trigger (to cut for those who still do.) Keep up the great blog and books so I can keep reading both
Thank you Terziah.
Humor is a defense mechanism, a way of releasing pain and disappointment. Sometimes (and for some people) it works. Other times (and for other people) it's hurtful and inappropriate.
I'm impressed by your strength and your courage. I'll try to learn from both.
Hi! I'm from Australia & I love your book a lot! It would probably be one of the best books I've ever read! & so far I have re-read it five times (LOL) and I've only had it since July.
by the way, the Australian cover of the book (including the back of it) looks much different from the version shown on amazon. I don't know if you have seen it though... maybe I should scan it for you but I reckon that it looks much more awesome than the American version. Haha.
& yeah, I read every entry from you & check often to see if you have posted. Keep on posting & all that because your blog is quite interesting! & I can't wait until your new book is released!
see ya later!
Ohh also, not only is the Australian cover different, also the way the book is set out is different as well. We have no chapters in the Aussie version - its set in seasons. Meaning, when the book is set in Fall, the part will be called Fall... ect. Interesting. Haha, I just noticed that because I was looking at the amazon version.
by the way, does the American version of the cover have the stars shine/glitter on the cover? LOL. I know, how random! x_x
Wow! Eight comments! Think how totally boring this would be if you had won the Quill. Just a bunch of people who know you saying congratulations.
As they say at the Oscars, being nominated is an honor and winning isn't everything. Maybe it isn't anything. Has anyone ever bought a book because it won a Quill award? I certainly never have. But at least you get a red carpet evening out of it and a new dress.
glen,glen.....The Year Without Michael seems to be out of print so borrowing it from a library does not rob the deserving author of royalties. Hopefully, her success with LAWKI will wake the publisher up and they will re-release it. It is still a very timely book and an excellent one. It can still be purchased secondhand.
Happy Rosh Hashanah to you Miss Susan Beth Pfeffer and best wishes for a prosperous and interesting year to follow. And may there be a 10th comment! Or if the comments are backlogged because you are not online during the High Holidays, many more than 10 from your slowly gained readership.
Hi Caroline-
My guess is the Australian version of Life As We Knew It is the Marion Lloyd/Scholastic UK version. Mine is a paperback with a great cover design, similar to the American cover but with a girl standing alone with trees in the background, and definitely glittering stars in the sky.
My editor actually requested chapters for LAWKI; they weren't in my original version.
It's great to know LAWKI is being read in Australia. Thank you so much for your comments.
I should think that you would be more respectful of terziah's post and change the entry. Razors? Slitting wrists because of not winning a book award? That's not humorous by any stretch of the imagination.
Even if one is not suffering from emotional illness, who would want to read this sort of thing? There are thoughts and feelings best not put on a blog that can be viewed by all ages, world-wide.
"Meanwhile in a desperate effort to salvage the final dregs of my pathetic career..." !!! I've read here, that you will soon have your 75th book published. You've got a lot of nerve, (and, apparently, a desire to shoot your career in the foot), to make such a statement.
Have you lost all perspective?
Dear Anonymous:
I'm sure you realize that Ms. Pfeffer did not say anything in her blog that was meant to hurt anyone or send them off the deep end. It was a tongue-in-cheek statement and, if you read her riposte to Terziah, you can see that she apologized for it, although, in my opinion, she didn't have to.
Move on, my friend, and save your 'outrage' for a cause that really matters; there are plenty of deserving windmills for you to tilt at.
If you don't like this blog, don't read it.
It's that simple.
I have actually read all but one of the nominated books (green glass sea) and I was ABSOLUTELY rooting for LAWKI.
Thank you.
It was a thrill to have LAWKI nominated and a pleasure to know people were rooting for it!
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