This Writing Life--Mark Terry

June 9, 2005
Some days you just can't get hold of people. And some days, they just don't want to talk to you. It may be because it's the early part of June and I'm trying to get hold of academics, who are inbetween terms or on vacation. At the risk of pissing off my brother and his wife and any other academics out there, I'm reminded of author Robert B. Parker's comment that an academic is somebody who complains about a 9-hour work week. But I'm just griping because I've placed a dozen phone calls since yesterday afternoon trying to set up interviews and added e-mails on top of it and nobody's getting back to me in what I might consider a timely fashion (ASAP, in other words, means right away!)

On the other hand, I did get hold of Joe Konrath right away to set up an interview so I can profile him. Joe's the author of the Jacquelyn "Jack" Daniels crime thrillers, Whiskey Sour (excellent), and the upcoming Bloody Mary. If you like hardboiled but extremely funny (yes, a kind of strange combination) and rather gory crime novels, check them out. Well, you can't really check out Bloody Mary yet, it isn't released until July 7, but Whiskey Sour was a great debut. I met Joe at Magna cum Murder and I still owe him a drink, so I guess I'll just have to hook up with him at some other conference. Good guy and I'm looking forward to talking to him.

Whoops! Phone just rang. I blogged too soon. Guy from MIT called me back to set up an interview on microfluidic techniques re. non-viral gene transfer. Okay, okay, I'm just impatient. And heading out of town next week for a business trip, so I'm sort of obsessing...

Yeah, like obsessing isn't a normal part of your modus operandi. Give me a break. I just imagine the ads:

Wanted: Freelance Writers
Only Anal-Retentive Obsessive-Compulsives Need Apply

Actually, I'm not sure that's true, given that there are freelancers who like to waft through their day with no schedules, claiming that to do otherwise would hurt their souls. I tend to raise an eyebrow and wonder how they get their bills paid, but I've always been a bit of a conservative where the "artsy" lifestyle is concerned. Though I'm working on it, really. A little bit of wafting is a good thing. I'm sure of it. And just as soon as I get all these interviews done, articles written, new work lined up, back from Kansas City, etc., I'll try it. Really.

Best,
Mark Terry

:: HOME :: GET EMAIL UPDATES :: Mark's official website :: JA Konrath's Blog :: Eric Mayer's Blog :: Lee Goldberg's Blog :: Freelance Success :: Tobias Buckell's blog :: Paul Levine & other authors' blog :: Pete Terry & Electro-Metamorphosis :: Robert Gregory Browne's blog :: Cabbages & Kings--PJ Parrish's blog :: Murderati--buncha authors blogs :: Keith Snyder's blog :: Rick Riordan's blog :: EMAIL ::

2005-06-09 11:48 AM burning up the phone Previous Entry :: Next Entry Mood: Grumpy Read/Post Comments (3) Share on Facebook	June 9, 2005 Some days you just can't get hold of people. And some days, they just don't want to talk to you. It may be because it's the early part of June and I'm trying to get hold of academics, who are inbetween terms or on vacation. At the risk of pissing off my brother and his wife and any other academics out there, I'm reminded of author Robert B. Parker's comment that an academic is somebody who complains about a 9-hour work week. But I'm just griping because I've placed a dozen phone calls since yesterday afternoon trying to set up interviews and added e-mails on top of it and nobody's getting back to me in what I might consider a timely fashion (ASAP, in other words, means right away!) On the other hand, I did get hold of Joe Konrath right away to set up an interview so I can profile him. Joe's the author of the Jacquelyn "Jack" Daniels crime thrillers, Whiskey Sour (excellent), and the upcoming Bloody Mary. If you like hardboiled but extremely funny (yes, a kind of strange combination) and rather gory crime novels, check them out. Well, you can't really check out Bloody Mary yet, it isn't released until July 7, but Whiskey Sour was a great debut. I met Joe at Magna cum Murder and I still owe him a drink, so I guess I'll just have to hook up with him at some other conference. Good guy and I'm looking forward to talking to him. Whoops! Phone just rang. I blogged too soon. Guy from MIT called me back to set up an interview on microfluidic techniques re. non-viral gene transfer. Okay, okay, I'm just impatient. And heading out of town next week for a business trip, so I'm sort of obsessing... Yeah, like obsessing isn't a normal part of your modus operandi. Give me a break. I just imagine the ads: Wanted: Freelance Writers Only Anal-Retentive Obsessive-Compulsives Need Apply Actually, I'm not sure that's true, given that there are freelancers who like to waft through their day with no schedules, claiming that to do otherwise would hurt their souls. I tend to raise an eyebrow and wonder how they get their bills paid, but I've always been a bit of a conservative where the "artsy" lifestyle is concerned. Though I'm working on it, really. A little bit of wafting is a good thing. I'm sure of it. And just as soon as I get all these interviews done, articles written, new work lined up, back from Kansas City, etc., I'll try it. Really. Best, Mark Terry Read/Post Comments (3) Previous Entry :: Next Entry Back to Top
:: HOME :: GET EMAIL UPDATES :: Mark's official website :: JA Konrath's Blog :: Eric Mayer's Blog :: Lee Goldberg's Blog :: Freelance Success :: Tobias Buckell's blog :: Paul Levine & other authors' blog :: Pete Terry & Electro-Metamorphosis :: Robert Gregory Browne's blog :: Cabbages & Kings--PJ Parrish's blog :: Murderati--buncha authors blogs :: Keith Snyder's blog :: Rick Riordan's blog :: EMAIL ::