A Comedy of Errors

Tomorrow afternoon I leave for four days of writing at the Wisdom House located in the Litchfield Hills. I intended on purchasing a new laptop for this occasion, but have thus far failed in my quest. My venture to different stores turned into the proverbial Comedy of Errors.

It seems every model I wanted is out of stock at the moment. I was shooting for something with the new wireless-N, so the HP dv7t with the 17" screen fit the bill, but everywhere I went: Out of stock. It looks like I'll be heading to the "place with the view" lugging my ancient Dell Inspiron 1100. I'm trying to clean it up right now, running the antivirus and deleting old programs. Hopefully, it still has a little horsepower left.

Book Update: I posted the book trailer on YouTube June 20, and have 35 hits so far. Not bad, or is it? I have nothing to gauge it against.

My agent is looking over the manuscript and may have suggestions for some changes, then off to the printer for 40-50 copies of galley paperbacks to send for blurbs/out to publishing houses.

We're getting close. It's a bit unnerving because I feel like it's do or die with the submissions.

I've tried to pump up the pre-marketing platform by soliciting people to join the mailing list on the website, taking out an ad on Google's adwords, begging friends and students to join, etc.

Hey, I'm a starving artist using an antique laptop. I'm not above begging, right?

Book Trailer Posted

How exciting! When I first approcahed Maria about laying down the musical score for The Mist book trailer, I was a bit apprehensive to add to her very busy schedule. But, since she has aspirations to do this sort of work down the road, she graciously accepted the challenge.

The result: Amazing!

The music fits the visual perfectly.

But don't take my word for it, you decide:

http://www.josephanastasio.com/

phew...

So, the manuscript of The Mist is now edited. It's polished and ready to submit to various houses (Thank you Jim Griffin, editor). When I look at the original and compare it to the final draft, I'm amazed at the transformation and change in the quality and flow of the prose.

Maria is putting the final touches on the book trailer and I'll be posting it shortly to my web site and on YouTube.

I think I have everything done on the pre-marketing plan checklist. I hand everything off to my fabulous agent on Thursday night, and then the waiting game begins.

When I reflect on the last two years, from winning the PEN Award to now preparing to submit for publication, I can't help but hold mixed emotions. The manuscript has only been submitted to two houses thus far, and both were fairly large ones: Delacorte and Little, Brown & Co., so no shame in rejections there. But the work and waiting, not to mention the money laid out for a professional edit, seriously puts me in a hole. But, I guess it's not about the money and time, is it? We write to write. But somehow, even with that said, it seems like we fail if the book never sees the shelves. As a friend once said to me, "most people talk about one day writing a book, but you've actually gone and done it." He's right, I suppose.

I'm hoping the book will find a home somewhere, and if not, so be it.

My attention now turns to a new novel I'm working on, Cemetery Girl. I recently read the first chapter to a group of parents and students at the William J. Johnston Middle School Literacy Luau.

I felt a bit awkward reading it at a public venue because most of the guest authors read from published works, but in the end, I'm glad I did. It proved to be a good opportunity to let the students know that writers write, revise, and re-write, etc., so as a work in progress, I solicited comments and advice when I finished. The first chapter seemed well-received by the gathered kids and adults. Everyone seemed to laugh at the right places, and say, "Oh, didn't expect that," at the close of the chapter.

We'll see where the characters take me.