I don’t normally exercise in the afternoon…but I had someone coming to clean my fireplace this morning, so I didn’t get around to exercising until afternoon. And when I’m exercising, I don’t normally stop to answer the phone. I figure anyone who really wants to talk to me will leave a message.
But today, for some reason, when the phone rang while I was riding the exercise bike, I decided to get off the bike and see who it was. I almost NEVER do that. But I must’ve had some sort of sixth sense about this phone call because it was definitely worth interrupting my exercise for! It was the person from Albert Whitman & Co. who makes the GOOD NEWS phone calls…she was calling to tell me they’re going forward with my series!!!!
I am so psyched!!!! I have always wanted my own series! Always! And I really, really LIKE this series idea…
It’s a chapter book series…they’re doing three books to start with…and they need all three by mid-July! Yes, of THIS year.
So Anna Winkler goes back on hold…for now. But that’s okay! It’s worth it to have my own series.
I’m a little bit nervous about whether or not I can really do three books by mid-July…but like I said, they’re chapter books. And I’ve been looking for things to throw myself into right now to keep my mind off the fact my oldest is moving halfway across the country…what better thing to throw myself into than my own series? I’m going to be too busy to mope in June!
I’ll feel better about making that deadline once I have solid outlines for all three books. If I know exactly where the books are going, I can write them fairly quickly. And that’s going to be the first step…I already have a detailed outline of book one, so now they want me to do the same thing for books two and three…before I finish writing book one.
Hey, once I have those outlines, maybe I’ll feel positive enough about making that deadline that I’ll be able to work part-time on the series books and part-time on Anna? I don’t have any other job besides WRITER and MOM…other people manage to write books while holding down a fulltime job. There’s no reason I shouldn’t be able to at least do the chapter books by mid-July…
I AM SO PSYCHED!!!!!
BTW, Albert Whitman & Co. publishes the Boxcar Children series…they published the first one in the 1940s and they’ve never done any other series (I asked…in case there was one I didn’t know about!). So one could say they have a pretty good track record when it comes to series books!
(Ha! I should be so lucky to have come up with the next “Boxcar Children” series…but why not? If you’re going to dream, why not dream BIG???)
Yay! Congratulations, Dori! That’s terrific.
And if I were on an exercise bike and the phone rang, I’d certainly take the excuse to get off.
Yeah, but it’s awfully hard to get back on…that’s why I don’t like to get off. I’m really not an indoor exercise sort of person…I much prefer to jog or bike, but that’s not always feasible this time of year. And I can’t not exercise.
Woo hooooo!!!!
Congratulations!!
😀
Thanks!
Congratulations! What exciting news. And of course, if you are going to dream, you have to dream BIG!!!
I agree…I wouldn’t want to hit my head on the ceiling, right?
That is wonderful news. Especially to hear that someone is actually selling something in this climate!
I do feel very fortunate…I know there are a lot of writers who are really struggling right now.
YAY!!! and WHOOHOO, Dori!!! How exciting for you! 🙂
Thanks, Marybeth!
Congratulations, Dori! You’re sure going to be busy, but in a good way!
Busy is good…just what I need to take my mind off the start of this empty nest thing. And probably a better idea than trying to get pregnant again at my age! 🙂
Yay again!!! Such terrific news. Congrats!
Thanks again…I guess I know what my goals are going to be for the next six months.
Congratulations!!!
May your series be BIGGER than the Boxcar series! (Dream really, really big.)
Ha! I like that! Thanks!
WUHOOH!
Thanks!
Congrats!!! How exciting!!! I am so thrilled for you!!! You can join the series writers (unofficial, just madeup) club with me!
Hey, I think there should be an OFFICIAL club…don’t you??? 🙂
Sure–we should!! Maybe start up a blog for series authors. I’m for it if you have any ideas.
Series Authors get SERIOUS
Series Author Support
….?
Blog or e-mail list? Either one would be great…I’d definitely participate! I like Series Author Support…
Probably a blog. I have an alternate e-mail I could use here on LiveJournal to start up a new one — unless you want to go for it first. I only know how to do single blogs and don’t know if a “group” one would be different. I’m happy if you want to run with this…or I can.
I’m on a group one…I didn’t set it up, so I’m not sure how to do it. But when I go to post to it (or to my regular blog), there’s a pull-down on the page where I write my post. So I just select where it goes.
If you know how to set it up, go ahead!
How do you want to do it? Will anyone be able to post or will you have to join the community first? Will we post on set days or when the mood strikes us?
I’ll have to think about it. Probably just a blog, but I guess the group thing might work better. Could be fun.
If nothing else, I am already the (do-nothing-little-action) moderator for the series topic at verlakay.com boards.
You…have a series! Yay!
Congratulations!
Catherine
Thanks! Hey, I hope you can make our next Saturday book discussion group…you’re not on the IA SCBWI list, are you? Third Saturday of the month at Capanna/the Wedge downtown, 11:00.
(I sure hope you’re the Catherine I think you are…otherwise you’re going to wonder what the heck I’m talking about!)
I am the Catherine you are looking for.
I have the 21st of February marked in my calendar. I wonder what the book is?
I’m also going to be in Iowa City on the 4th of February, if anyone would like to meet at 6 pm at Capana.
Catherine
The book is the Wild Girls by Pat Murphy.
I’m afraid I’ve already got plans for Wednesday night…another time?
I hope so. It sounds as though I’ll get to meet a couple of folks anyway.
I’ll see if I can get ahold of the book.
Catherine
Re: Hooray!
I probably COULD, but it still feels a little surreal…like talking too much about it could jinx the whole thing. But I will say that it’s a mystery series for beginning chapter book readers.
Dori, That is so terrific! Congratulations!
Thanks!