Thursday, October 21, 2010

Finished, oh so finished!

Guess what. THE BOOK IS FINISHED! Final draft sent off at midnight! Yippeeeee! During my final read-through/futz, I did a random word-count and discovered that at that moment, the manuscript was exactly 100,000 words, which is kind of like looking at the clock exactly at 2:22 or something. It seems kind of cool, but is totally random and meaningless. So after that I kept checking, for no reason, as the book swung just below and just above the 100K mark, with the final coming in at 100,021. There's a perverse part of me that wants to cut 21 words in copyediting, ha ha!

But the important point is: it is finished!!! I am so so happy! It has been delightful working with Alvina Ling and her assistant Bethany, and that work is not over, of course, there are many phases yet ahead, but the meat of the edit is now ... hm, you start a meat metaphor, and then what? Do you just go with it? The meat of the edit is now chewed. Lovely. I should be a writer, snork snork.

So you know what I did to celebrate? I cleaned the kitchen! Am I wild or what? I cannot be controlled! Don't even try! Ha ha. But seriously. There are things that don't get high priority during deadline times, and I do so love a clean house. *happy sigh*

Obviously the blog is something else that has not gotten high priority! It's been a while since I posted any pictures of the Clementine, so here are some recents:




She's walking like a maniac now, not running yet, not fast, but I am sure that is only a matter of days. Climbs everything. Fascinated by dirt -- future gardener? Knows all her body parts and can say most of the words for them, the cutest being "elbow" which sounds kind of like "bolbow!" and is said with more glee than any elbow really merits :-) She helps us put groceries away and make the bed, handing us each item one by one, very serious about the whole procedure. Loves music like crazy. First thing in the morning, she toddles herself over the Jim's computer to wait for itunes to come up and someone to dance with her. That's the Clementine update, at 14.5 months of awesomeness.

The other day at Kinko's, while we waited for something, we were chatting with a woman, probably in her 60s? Here is a snippet of the exchange:

Her: Is she your first?

Jim: Yes.

Her: Probably your last, too, I guess.

.

.

.

.

What??? What does THAT mean? Do we look SO old? What is WRONG with people? Or did she have some extrasensory ovary perception and know something that we don't? Jeez, man. So rude. A friend of mine, once, was getting a wax or something, and when the person ... waxer? Waxist? asked her age, and she replied "35," the woman said, with some surprise, "You're only 35?" Can you believe that? I mean, someone in the beauty/cosmetic industry, who is supposed to default to making clients feel GOOD about themselves. Man, age sucks, and people are stupid. That's the lesson for today. I was also asked by an old man once at a restaurant if Clementine was my granddaughter!!! This one was a jaw-dropper. Yes, I technically could have a grandchild, but ... really???

Okay, little fingers are after the keyboard now, so I'm off. Great day, all!

24 comments:

Connie Onnie said...

Wait what? Someone asked if she was your grandchild? Was it the pink hair that tipped him off? I saw you at project book babe there is no way that the man could have been in his right mind, or been able to see.

Jeff Hirsch said...

Congrats on finishing the draft! I totally get the weird desire to keep that 100,000 word count. It just feels so...complete.

Oh and even with her fussy face on Clementine is awfully adorable!

Colene Murphy said...

Hurray for finishing!!!

(SHE IS SO FREAKING ADORABLE OMG!)

How rude is that?! Did you want to smack her? Cause I so would want to...wow...the things people think are okay to day...

Shallee said...

Congrats on finishing! And your daughter is gorgeous. :)

Alysa Stewart said...

I think elbows deserve excitement! I mean, just try five minutes without bending yours. Elbows are amazing and so useful!

Alexandra Saperstein said...

You did it Fattae!!!!!! Lets celebrate with a delicious flattened ham asap. Seriously, its yet (another) masterpiece of yours. Hard to believe anything could surpass Blackbringer but its another huge new universe you have whipped up from some mysterious, hiiden nook in that teensy weensy beensy brain of yours.
As for that waxer, as long as one is healthy, I don't care so much about looking older. I actually think people look more beautiful with age. But then yesterday I found a picture of you and I on your mom's front porch the day before you guys got married ten years ago (and I look the same, maybe even a little younger actually) but then I saw you and was like "Woa, woa, woa, omg, what happened here?" But again,it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter.

tanita✿davis said...

Oh, my GOSH, look at that kid's headful (is that a word? Spellcheck says not. Oh, well) of hair!! What a glorious color!! And how bad of me that I love that picture of her fussing! She'll get a kick out of those when she's older.

And how exciting that you FINISHED! YAAAAY!

So much to celebrate. So many stupid people to ignore in the meantime.

Remember: AGE doesn't suck. Every day you're here and you age another day, we, your loyal fans, are SO VERY GLAD. Age doesn't suck. Mean people suck. Remember? ;)

Jade said...

Two things:

1. Congrats on finishing edits!!!

2. Is that the cutest baby ever? I especially love the sad face/tights on head one. Too adorable!

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to read it!

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Congratulations on finishing and on having one of the cutest kids ever. As for those other loudmouth people, I blow them a wet raspberry. forget about 'em.

Amber said...

LOL @ Alexandra

;)

tone almhjell said...

1. Hurrah! Finished! That's fantastic, my dear! I want to read the book NOW!

2. I LOVE grumpy Clementine <3. And elbow? That's fancy. Magnus still sticks with Mamma, Pappa, nomnom and lilla (purple).

3. ....what? Your last kid? What? That's incomprehensible. Don't even think about worrying. You do NOT look like a grandmother. You're adorable and fresh and pretty in pink. Let me rephrase that... Huh?

4. Alexandra is possibly the funniest person in the world.

Crystal Cook said...

Hurray!! Congrats!! And I am SO excited that it's 100,000 words, I love big books (but only the awesome ones, which this one is going to be).

Clementine is darling :) That is such a fun age!

Unknown said...

I had an odd conversation with a co-worker who is only a year younger than me (I am 22), but she acts like a 14 year old. Her perception of the appropriate age of a parent is when the mother is in her early 20s at the birth of her first child. My perception, growing up anyway, was always that parents were at least 30 before they had kids, since that's how my parents went about it, and many of my friends as well. According to my mom, New England has a higher average age for couples getting married (closer to 30), so maybe it's a regional thing somewhat. My co-worker is from South America (I forget which country) originally.

I've come to learn recently that having kids early (early 20s or 20s in general) is more common than I always thought it was, but I don't think it's odd to wait till later.

It's certainly not strange in that waiting means you are most likely more stable (financially, emotionally, etc.) and more mature to *really* handle having a child! You seem like a great mom and those people are pretty rude for commenting on age without even knowing you.

Shveta Thakrar said...

Geez, I'm sorry people can be so rude, Laini! It's amazing what comes out of their mouths when they don't think, isn't it?

And we really do need to do something about the ageism running rampant in our culture. Sheesh. Hard to believe there was a time when elders were honored for their wisdom and life experience!

But on more pleasant topics, congrats on finishing the book; I'm dying to read it.

And Clementine is soooo cute! Her hair's getting long. I love that first picture with all the curls.

tone almhjell said...

...waxeuse? waxationer? waxabond?

tone almhjell said...

...waxoo? waxamacallit?

Marilyn said...

congrats on finishing the book! Clementine is ADORABLE!! so cute!! as for rude people...i once accompanied my Dad while he was shopping for a dishwasher (my stepmother wisely passed on that lovely errand). a salesman approached and said for him to recommend the best machine, he'd need to know a little about our lifestyle. he asked, "do you (two) have children?" i said, "i *AM* the child!" ;)

, said...

OH MY GOD CLEMENTINE!! THAT LAST PICTURE KILLS ME. SHE IS ADORABLE.

COngrats on finishing the book!!!!!

Pen said...

I know everyone else has already beaten me to it but just had to add my five cents: CONGRATS! on finishing.

Feels awesome doesn't it.

Katie Anderson said...

I just finished mine too and the first thing I HAD to do was clean. It felt just like nesting before the birth of a baby. It made me think about how books are frequently called our babies and perhaps before a big book related event, we do actually "nest." Weird.

So glad you're finished! This is one book I can't WAIT to read :)

Clem looks adorbs, as usual.

amy said...

People can be so weird!!! Those are EXCELLENT shots of the Clementine. And Congratulations!

Jennifer Morian Frye said...

WOW, people are....umm....interesting? My husband told our daughter (19) that we should have another when she has her first.....she was not into that idea...AT ALL! : ) I'm 39, not beyond the age yet....but do I want to start over again....again? (our son is almost 11) That's the real question!
I say ignore people in a general way, and HOORAY for finishing books!! Someday.....someday....

And, of course, your daughter is amazingly cute!

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