House Hunting @ MindSay 
Waiting.
A guy from a literary publication contacted me, saying he read an article about me in Rosebud (see chapter 20 for details) and wanted to report the article in his own magazine.
How cool is that? After running around the apartment, arms flailing, blood pumping, I sat at my computer to see what he needed.
I filled out a bio like he asked me to, answered some questions like he asked me to, and then…
Waited.
It's been two weeks since I e-mailed him the answers and I haven't heard back. Is my story going to be in the next publication? Who knows. All I can do is wait.
And last Saturday, the day before my first wedding anniversary, my wife and I went looking for houses. We found one, we liked it, we went to see it again.
We decided to put an offer on it.
So we print out all the documents and spend the evening signing them. One after another after another. Boom boom boom.
I get to work extra early so I can fax everything over to the realtor in time for her to get the offer in by 10. I stick the papers into the machine, I type the number.
Nothing.
I try again.
Nothing.
I pitifully ask for help.
The fax machine is not my friend.
But fortunately we have another, so I try that sucker. And wouldn't you know it, that one doesn't work either. It's an epidemic.
But that's okay, because we can scan the documents and turn them into PDFs and e-mail them over.
If only the person who has access to the fancy printer would get in to work already.
Minutes tick by. I keep trying to fax. It keeps not working. More minutes go by.
And hour goes by.
And finally she's here, and zip, we go straight to the machine. It reads the documents hungrily. We've got ourselves a PDF.
Oh wait, it's too large to e-mail.
We rescan. Three smaller piles worth. Three new files.
Oh, these'll go through the invisible e-mail wires, but veeeeeeeery slowly. So I wait, and I wait, and I see the little "sending" icon on my computer, and I wait.
And I know that every minute that goes by an offer could be coming in from someone else.
But finally the realtor has all the documents! But she has a meeting to go to.
"I'll send this right after lunch."
Uh, my stomach is killing me. That other offer could be coming in right now. The house could be disappearing from our grasp.
But "right after lunch" comes around, and I think the offer is in, and I know we aren't going to get an answer back right away (and if we did it'd probably be an answer we didn't want) but I'm still anxious anyway.
Waiting.
And then the phone rings at 5:00. Boy howdy am I nervous.
But for no reason, because there's no answer yet, because she hasn't even put in the offer yet. There's a line on one of the forms that got cut off, so I have to rewrite my initials and send it through again.
So I do that. But no, we BOTH need to initial. So I forge Kristina's three letters and send it through again.
Okay, that's it, she's good to go. The offer is in.
And now?
We wait.
And I know in that time another offer has come in. I just know it. How could it not have?
But even so…
…we wait.
I could have an article printed about me in a literary magazine, and I could be the proud owner of a lovely new home in Levittown, Pennsylvania.
I could. After the wait.
Before we began this latest venture, nothing bored me more than HGTV. I didn't even watch that much TV. Now, I can happily watch marathons of "National Open House," "What You Get For the Money" and "If Walls Could Talk." I have learned the definition of "short sale" and "radon mitigation" and can distinguish a gambrel from a colonial. I am lodging-obsessed AND I LOVE IT.
We went for our first viewing over the weekend and I would have happily made an offer on the spot; while Eric really liked the house as well, we both figured that might be a big hasty.
As an update to my previous post, my search for a cute garlic keeper was relatively successful! Etsy did come through for me in the end:
While it still has the traditional garlic keeper shape, at least it's not that blah unpainted terracotta.
Anyway, a lot has happened, and to make it easier on you, let's see if I can cram it all into one paragraph:
(Deep typing breath) Something major occurred since getting married. Something besides going on my honeymoon to Italy and Greece. Something besides searching for a house with which to start a life with my beautiful new bride. Something besides getting promoted to Corporate Communications Manager at work. Something besides preparing for my new mother-in-law's surprise 50th birthday party. Something even besides starting my search for an agent for one of my earliest books. Something major occurred since then, and it happened yesterday morning.
I finished my latest book.
Okay, so it took two paragraphs. But only because I thought it was more dramatic that way. You know, as if to say that writing a book was more important than getting married or searching for a house.
But yes, I finished my fifth book. Before getting a chance to send out a single query letter for The Fall of Paris, I wrote the 473 page Running Electricity (working title), and I'm going to forget about that Frenchy nonsense and immediately start focusing on this for my literary future.
Running Electricity follows three people, all with deep insecurities, and it's about overcoming those insecurities. There's also a subplot involving a bank robber with his own insecurities, and the four merge during a heist with a unique, nail-biting twist. That sounds sort of odd, perhaps even a bit clichéd, but somehow, at least in my odd silly warped little mind, it works.
Sprinkled with just a touch of something surreal (to say more would be to give too much away), this book is my first true success at combining pop art with literary art. Something exciting with something artful. The writing is filled with action, suspense, sports, and a love triangle, among many other elements, and it's all wrapped in a tight literary package overflowing with vibrant, transcendent prose.
Throughout writing this book, I actually took on a new technique. I wrote a passage for the story, and then went back and filled in that passage with lush descriptions of things, thereby combining the page-turning story with an enjoyable writing style. I think this new technique actually worked very well, and would suggest others try it as well. I was able to focus on one important aspect (the story) and then focus on the other (strong, innovative writing), and the end result is a flawless combination of both. Again, that's in my opinion, so take it with a grain of literary salt.
But I really do think the writing is innovative. I did something unique with the characters voices, sort of blending third and first person, and I did a lot to incorporate the surroundings and various settings in a manner that I hope will feel fresh.
I hope this, because I've heard that with each book, a writer gets better. That's certainly visible with J.K. Rowling - just compare the first Harry Potter to the seventh - and I believe that's also visible with me. Just as I've said after finishing other works, and will not say here as well, I think this is by far my strongest, by far my most mature. All the characters' actions make sense, and are grounded in deep reasons. They all have powerful feelings that get fleshed out as the tale goes on. They all participate in their own, interesting stories, and each character's path influences another in some profound way. It also has by far the happiest, most uplifting, most inspirational ending I've ever written, and it's not a cheat. It's earned. And through it, the goal is to help the reader overcome any insecurities he or she might have.
It really is the most like a true professional piece of fiction I've ever written. I feel as if I got all my practice runs out of the way, and this is the first real novel I've concocted. This is it. This is the one.
Now it's just time to get started on that query letter.
Oh, and find a house, enjoy married life, and not lose my cool over my new work responsibilities. But whatevs, I can do it.
After all, I am a novelist. And can't we do anything?
Ok...here is an update. I have finally decided to join the living again for one reason. I am out of PTO (paid time off).
I have missed a couple days of work, and was laid up my entire weekend. Let me share my list of afflictions...I have a sinus infection, which incedentally left my face in so much pain that I thought even my jaw was going to fall off. I have bronchitis, strep throat, and a lovely bout of ear infection with a side of kidney infection. Yes, I am lucky to even be upright.
My youngest son was home from school Monday and Tuesday due to a little strep throat himself. Let me tell you...being sick, and taking care of a whiny, demanding, sick child is no small feat. I have not slept since last night (I know, I know...you need rest to get better) But, it was either get up or piss myself from coughing so hard.
Yes, I know TMI...
Fortunately, my son is going back to school this morning, it is a half day...what sucks is that he is going back to school for 1 day ... Unfortunately, my son is going to be out of school until March 26th due to spring break...yay for him...FUCK for me...that means no sleep, because there is no school or daycare. Robs mom broke her arm from slipping on a fricken glacier in her driveway, she went into surgery Tuesday to pin it back together because it was entirely shattered...they think she will be lucky to have 40 percent function...and that means she will not be able to help for this round...it is pretty bad.
The job hunt continues, as I have every intention of leaving this personal hell. Hopefully, this job comes through that I am hoping to get...we shall see, it will free me up a bit timewise, and I may be able to live like a normal human being again. That would be lovely.
Hopefully, with spring here, things will start looking up...you know...
"It can't rain all the time"
Spring is renewal of the earth...maybe, this year it will be renewal for my family and I.
(THIS IS WHERE THE "RATS" COME IN-I HATE REALTORS AND SALESMEN)
I am house hunting finally. I am looking at this fabulous house that has 5 bedrooms. It is about 3,600 sq. ft. Two stories, 4 bathrooms, 3 car garage, formal living room with vaulted ceilings and a fireplace, Oh...the master bedroom has his and hers closets with a jacuzzi in its bathroom! whoo hoo! There is a "media room" which translates to mini theater (theater and tele not included of course), There is an office, a den and a room that was used as a gym. Yes... I am going to ask them to leave the fitness equipment...it is better than the stuff at the local gym. For the asking price, it should be. Apartment living blows, so hopefully, I will get my dream home.
I was looking at trading in my geo (been my baby for 11 years now) and join the ranks of Americans with Status Utility vehicles (SUV) Try having 3 kids rammed into the backseat of a car about the size of a hotwheels saying
"mom...mom...MOM...MOM...MOM...MOM...hes touching me!!!!!!!!"
I definitely need the space.
I was looking at the "grocery getters" and the soccer team transporters, and the vehicle I want had just as many perks, if not more, than the mini vans or the station wagons...plus, they aren't my style (minis and sw's). I like to be able to look down into peoples cars because I am so high up, (they don't know I see them and watch what they are doing when waiting at a red light.)
Just kidding...
but my ass has been riding on the pavement for so long that something I have to have a ladder to climb into is appealing as hell.
... The one I am looking at is the new Aspen from Chrysler...lots of perks, decent mileage, and it takes E85 ethanol...I havn't bought a brand new car in 11 years...(since my baby geo) I think I am entitled. I will have to look into this if I do get the new job. I am trying to buy a house regardless, but the car will be coming soon...
That about sums me up for the last missing days...just in case any of you give a damn.
Have a good night all...
Nic
Sidetracked by pigs this past weekend! Hubby and I were driving around looking at houses like I mentioned before, when we spied these huge pigs along this back road....so we stopped and hubby gimped over and was petting them. Thats when we spied the sign "house for rent" ...we will be hearing from her tomorrow. We are calling that one the Pig house.. lol.. But anyways.. 2 pig pics, 1 pic of my princess cat, Ditto, doing what she does best and then there is a pic of us after we ate at the Red Robin. Not entirely sure why they have the Lady there, but being new yawka.. I had to get a snapshot.
Love and Laughter,
Dawn
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