my glamorous life
Mood:
Tired
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September 16, 2005
Just a bit on why I'm late blogging today and why I'm tired.
Yesterday, worked a full day, more or less 9 to 5 plus 45 minutes or so in the morning from 7:00 to 7:45, my usual schedule. But then I had a Library talk to do, so I left the house around 6:15, drove to the library, schmoozed with the library people, did my spiel with two other authors, then signed books, chatted a while longer, threw my stuff back in the car and drove home, got home around 9:30.
Today I more or less took the day off to visit my mother in a nursing home. It's 2 hours away by car. I was going to take her out to lunch, but when I got there at 11:00 she was eating breakfast (yeah, well, these things happen), so I chatted with her for an hour (same conversation about 4 times), then drove 2 hours back home. Took a nap, then hit my e-mail to find that the urinalysis piece needed some changes STAT, so took care of that, dealt with my mailing lists that I acquired from book buyers last night, did a re-write on a column on molecular genetics, read some more e-mail, blah, blah, blah.
Oh, in case you were wondering about how productive these library talks are, I donated one copy of Dirty Deeds for a raffle and sold 5. There's probably another one to be sold to a woman who couldn't make it. There were about 30 people there, give or take, and I had hoped to sell 10, but 5 is all right, too, given that I had a library event in June or July where I sold 2. I was also given a box of cookies to take home (gee, the perks of this job) and a gift certificate to a local restaurant. No starving writer here. I actually had fun--chance to climb out of the hole I work in and chat with human beings--and my attitude about the promotional stuff has changed dramatically over the years, ie., make the best of it or don't do it. I've got my first Rotary Club talk next week and maybe I'll move a few more books. At least with library talks I hope you make up for relatively small sales with community good will and spiritual good karma. I can use all the help I can get on the karma thing.
Oh, and I dealt with my 3rd quarter donation to the federal government this week. Fun.
Ah, the glamour of a freelance writer.
Best,
Mark Terry
Just a bit on why I'm late blogging today and why I'm tired.
Yesterday, worked a full day, more or less 9 to 5 plus 45 minutes or so in the morning from 7:00 to 7:45, my usual schedule. But then I had a Library talk to do, so I left the house around 6:15, drove to the library, schmoozed with the library people, did my spiel with two other authors, then signed books, chatted a while longer, threw my stuff back in the car and drove home, got home around 9:30.
Today I more or less took the day off to visit my mother in a nursing home. It's 2 hours away by car. I was going to take her out to lunch, but when I got there at 11:00 she was eating breakfast (yeah, well, these things happen), so I chatted with her for an hour (same conversation about 4 times), then drove 2 hours back home. Took a nap, then hit my e-mail to find that the urinalysis piece needed some changes STAT, so took care of that, dealt with my mailing lists that I acquired from book buyers last night, did a re-write on a column on molecular genetics, read some more e-mail, blah, blah, blah.
Oh, in case you were wondering about how productive these library talks are, I donated one copy of Dirty Deeds for a raffle and sold 5. There's probably another one to be sold to a woman who couldn't make it. There were about 30 people there, give or take, and I had hoped to sell 10, but 5 is all right, too, given that I had a library event in June or July where I sold 2. I was also given a box of cookies to take home (gee, the perks of this job) and a gift certificate to a local restaurant. No starving writer here. I actually had fun--chance to climb out of the hole I work in and chat with human beings--and my attitude about the promotional stuff has changed dramatically over the years, ie., make the best of it or don't do it. I've got my first Rotary Club talk next week and maybe I'll move a few more books. At least with library talks I hope you make up for relatively small sales with community good will and spiritual good karma. I can use all the help I can get on the karma thing.
Oh, and I dealt with my 3rd quarter donation to the federal government this week. Fun.
Ah, the glamour of a freelance writer.
Best,
Mark Terry
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