Onto the funny.
I received a wondrous email last week. CRACKED was in official "real book" form and a print out of the book (AKA first pass pages) was in the mail to me for a final read through. I squealed.
The package arrived the next day and I ripped it open with wild abandon. More squealing. It was my book...my people...in actual book form. Copyright page, dedication page, acknowledgments page. All there. I grabbed my blue pencil and got to reading the pages.
Then my husband came home.
I ran into the kitchen clutching the pile, laid it on the counter in front of him and said, "Can you believe it? Go ahead, turn the pages. It's like a real book."
He turned the first page, smiled at me with the best smile and said, "I can't believe it." He turned the second page. "I can't believe -"
He stopped. "Oh crap! Kate, I'm bleeding!"
I was so lost in "the moment" and watching the reaction on his face that I had to look down. At my pile. My precious, precious pile.
There were two large drops of blood on the left page and then an enormous smear of blood on the right. In two seconds flat the manuscript looked like a murder scene. I quick grabbed a paper towel and dabbed up the blood. Then I quick grabbed a wet paper towel and dabbed some more. Then I quick grabbed a wet paper towel with some soap and dabbed even more.
And I ended up with this (on five of the pages). Behold the bloody manuscript:
My husband had an unknown-about-cut on his pinkie. He still feels bad. All I can do is laugh about it. He's lucky I love him so much.
Thankfully, Annette (my editor) sent me the pdf file so I could print out fresh, blood-free, crinkle-free pages before I mailed the sucker back.
Oh, and I have a cover. But it's super duper secret. And super duper awesome.
I CAN NOT WAIT UNTIL I CAN SHARE IT WITH THE WORLD!!!
One final note, seriously, thank you to anyone who continues to stop by my blog, read my posts and leave comments. I am grateful.
12 comments:
That's amazing and seriously funny. I can't wait to see the cover!
Way Cool! I can't wait to see the cover and even more, read it! And consider this, you probably put your whole soul into that manuscript and now your husband has left his mark on it. I think that's pretty appropriate. Congrats! So happy for you.
LOLZ.
So cool you got to see it looking like a real book... even if it did injure your husband. lol.
You're funny, Kate. As if we could possibly forget you! Tsk. We all have weeks where we just can't blog. To be honest, I can't keep up with people who post every single day, anyway. I'd never accomplish anything. So I check in once a week or so with my favorites. Probably I'm not supposed to admit that!
And YAY for actual pages of CRACKED! Even if they look as if they've been through a war. What's that quote about blood, sweat and tears? That's what it takes to get a ms published, right?
That is one hilarious story, Kate!
So happy for you that this is really happening.
How exciting!!!
Squeee! Squeee! Squee! About the first pass pages, not the blood ;) So exciting and so REAL!!!
Congrats! Your posts on the process of going from a writer to author are awesome, and inspiring.
Looking forward to read your book.
Juliana: I can't wait to share the cover!
Jared: My soul is definitely in that manuscript. So true.
Read my books: Crazy story, eh?
Lindsay: Now if the manuscript really did hurt him, that would be an even better story! We think he got the cut grabbing something from the trunk of his car. We've analyzed it ; )
Joanne: First, thanks for your kind words. Second, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only overwhelmed blogger!!
Ron: Thank you for your kind words. Hope all is well with you!
Pk: It's right up there with having a baby, I swear!
Heather: Seeing my words in that format was surreal!!!!!!!!!
Indu: Hey, thanks for your kind words.
Yeah! I'm so excited. Can't wait to see the cover. ;)hehe.
Did you have a band aid right there, waiting? :)
So happy for you!!
Ignore that nannyesnovgirl thing, that's just my mom's email adress. It's me, Aimee, again. XD
Okay, so I discovered I really DO have a Google account, after all...well, what'd ya know... ^.^
Anyhoo, yeah sorry, this is late. Like I already said, I only discovered the blog when I went to your under-construction website, so if I comment on old blogs, I apologize in advance. I was just going to wait until the next one to leave another post, but I saw this and I decided it was too comment-worthy. So. Yeah. (Insert smiley)
Meehhh, yes, even in my lack of experience I can agree that life gets in the way of our online visits. Especailly when your a teacher/writer like yourself, or a student like me, with all the homework and jazz. Granted, if I comment on a new entry a day late, I too, choose to blame it on life. ;3
Read the funny story, and I must say, it was definitely giggle worthy. Put a smile on my face. :-) If something like that happen to me, I would probably react in a similar way; forget the bleeding source, what about my mannnnuuusscccrrriiippptttt?!?! Ah yes, the power of love in our documents. ;3 If your husband's leg had been cut off, or his hand was squirting blood like a sprinkler, I'm sure you would have put that first. I would have...maybe... o_o
Kidding. At least it wasn't the galley copy he got blood on...man, that would be something...
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