Communicate This!

Living Well

It's amazing how one little communication, be it e-mail or phone can make, and sometimes break, my day.

Am I normal, and is this your experience, too? (Please say yes so I don't have to
commit myself to my local psychiatric facility!)

Two days ago, I got a call back from BAM corporate after I'd called my local bookstore and asked to come in and autograph my books. The cashier couldn't tell me, and the manager asked me to call corporate, which I did. I left a long and involved message on someone's answering machine about my book, me, and the history of the world as I know it.

I thought that was that. Then, wonder of wonders, I got a call back from a wonderful female BAM employee who schedules events at BAM stores. She apologized for not leaving a message on my machine a few days earlier. I was just glad she called back. I learned that she could set up events at the bigger BAM stores by partnering with community organizations---what a great idea! She also told me when and where to do book signings that might even result in the sale of some books.

I hung up feeling as if I'd made a friend, and better yet, made a connection with a PR genius.

Then yesterday, my agent e-mailed that yet another editor had turned down another of my books, and that he may not be able to sell it. The air went out of my balloon in about a millisecond.

Last night, unable to get myself to write a word, I sent out a gizillion queries via e-mail, my favorite communication tool. Immediately I got back three replies informing me, "this is not for me." Okay, at least you're up and working, I thought, but I was still depressed from my agent's comment.

Then came an e-mail just before I turned off my computer companion that sent me into an even deeper depression. She wrote that the beginning just did not pull her in as much as she had hoped, so bye bye.

This after I had just revised the beginning to make it a snappier, more in the middle of the action start. Oh well...

Today, I got a chatty e-mail about my query and how "this sounds like great fun" and other such encouraging comments. Now I'm back on top of the world again. Of course, there is that soft nagging voice in the back of my head...she may change her mind after she reads pages.

I guess I've mastered the art of query letters, but it could be the novel itself that needs work. Back to the drawing, or should I say writing, board.

Before I go, should you yearn for the sound of my voice, you can download my voice video by going to http://home.earthlink.net/~cccwellness. Ah, the wonder of electronics. (Let me know if you find any snafus upon reaching that web site.)

Keep reading and writing...

Carolyn