As I went to log into blogger, I okayed a comment saying “Thank you for Behind the Curtain” and it hit me– I have such a love/hate thing going on with reviews that I often forget my favorite reviews of all don’t happen on amazon or GoodReads– they happen on Twitter and FB and on the blog or in e-mail, when people thank me personally for a story that touched their hearts.
So, uhm, you’re welcome. Everyone who’s thanked me in person, said something kind about my stories– it means more than you could possibly know. I mean, there are some perks to this profession, I’m not gonna lie. Some days, when Mate takes the kids and I don’t work out, I can go until three in the afternoon without putting on a bra. I mean, dudes, who needs a corporate jet! I’m flying free!! Seriously– there are some awesome things about writing for a living, and some painful things, and some regular, run-of-the-mill hassles that I shan’t bother you with, but I have to tell you that one of the very best things about what I’m doing right now is you guys. After eighteen years of education, where my peers told me that being called a fat bitch was a mark of a job well done, getting told “Thank you!” on a daily basis for doing something I love? It’s even better than going without a bra. *nods seriously* I am totally and completely serious.
So, well, that shiny little nugget totally interrupted what I’d planned on writing about– but since THIS was in the cybersphere today, I figured maybe it meant to be said. (And if you click the link, make sure you have no liquids nearby. It’s very funny, I swear. And TRUE, so very freaking true!)
Anyway, Behind the Curtain came out on Monday, as you may have guessed. So far, folks seem to like it– it’s not as angsty as some of my work, a little angstier than, say, Going Up or Turkey in the Snow. I’m sort of still running on empty– getting those works out on that schedule on top of Christmas and Thanksgiving took a toll and left some damage– but it’s very, very nice to know that the work is appreciated.
And other than that? Well, I wrote a new Amy’s Lane article– in which I left out some of my key steps for keeping a short story short and now feel completely stupid. But, for a partial list, go ahead and check out right here. Anyway, I guess you can’t get everything into a brief article on a deadline– and that gives me something to write about next month! (I’m serious– every first Monday of the month, I text Mary or Gin and say, “Holy fuck! What am I writing about tomorrow?” They usually laugh at me, like that could not possibly be a serious question, and then I cry, because dudes, Mondays are gym day and little person day and what I really want to write about is the as of yet unexplored wine collection I’ve begun to stock in the hopes that having unopened bottles of alcohol will make me appear cool and yet not desperate. But that doesn’t happen, so you get short story pointers instead.)
In other news, I’m working hard on Beneath the Stain, and it’s another song with some rock and roll in it. The fun part is that I’ve gotten to look up some forgotten songs in an effort to tackle some topic. One of my newest and most favorite (and I loved it when it came out eight years ago, too) is K’s Choice, “Not an Addict.” There’s something very seductive in denial, and both my characters in Beneath the Stain deal with that. (For those of you who think I’ve gone Amy Lane Lite permanently, rest easy. When Blackbird Knitting in a Bunny’s Lair comes out, there will be angsty pie to share, and with Beneath the Stain? OI! Is it bitter, my friend? Yes, but I love it, because it is bitter, and because it is my heart!)
Anyway– my kids are tired and un-entertaining okay– that’s a lie. They’re a little entertaining– Zoomboy has found the last of the Christmas candy and keeps asking me if I want to give him a “kiss with his kisses”– btw? Nothing is more disgusting than a 10 year old making fish lips at you. And Squish told me yesterday that my “New Year’s Resolution Protein Shake” tasted like Playdough, and I was like, THANK you! because I knew there was a flavor profile I couldn’t name and that was it! But aside from that, the big kids are embracing their last few days of slackerdom. Chicken goes back to school next week, and Big T goes back the week afterwards, and, well, we are almost back to normal around here.
Of course, by the time we hit normal, I’ll be on my way to Florida for Coastal Magic. Go figure.
But I’m going to leave you with the haunting K’s Choice and Not an Addict. Because, you know, I’m just a writer. I’m not an addict. There’s not a need, or a pressing urge or… you get the idea.
