Averil Dean's Blog, page 29

Un-Job

The job hunt is heating up. I’ve got applications out all over town, and all over the surrounding towns, and even some so far-flung that it would take quite an effort even to get to work every day. My wonky work-history is not helping matters. I’ve tried to put my best spin on it, but the fact remains that I have been self-employed for the better part of six years, and it’s not that easy to explain what I’ve been up to without sounding like a flight risk.

People don’t see creative work as work...

Deflower

Here I am again with my stack of pages. All my notes are resolved, all the {more here}s filled. Why can’t I let go? I’ve done my best, haven’t I? I’ve written my little heart out. I’ve produced some work that’s ready to be seen—no bigs, dude. Books are written every day. Only no one’s read a word of this story but me, and now I’m facing the moment of deflowering. Which, as I remember, hurts. I’ve been writing and rewriting an email, filled with preemptive excuses and disclaimers, an elaborate...

Between the Bars

The Silent Wife

I’m supposed to be quiet right now but I just had to say, in my bossiest tone of voice…

Read this.

Suitcase

This morning I’m back at my desk after a couple of days away. I flew out to Denver on Thursday for the MPIBA trade show, where I met my publicist, Emer Flounders; the lovely Heather Foy, Harlequin’s director of sales (I may have inadvertently promoted or demoted her with that title; sorry Heather); Shona Patel, who was signing her novel Teatime for the Firefly at the table next to me, and cracking me up the entire time (and whose husband extended enough spousal support for the both of us); an...

Wet Dreams

Saturday I drove down to Portland to spend some time with my friend Suzy. It was a writerly day, which led (cause and effect?) to a drinky dinner and a discussion of literary wet dreams. We’re not talking reasonable goal-setting here, we’re talking public love letters from Kakutani. We’re talking about the big lists, number one with a bullet and the sort of staying power that would make Harper Lee gnash her teeth with envy. Six—seven!—figure advances. Interviews with Charlie Rose, and Terry G...

Hostage Negotiations

“Keeping the people’s government open is not a concession to me. Keeping vital services running and hundreds of thousands of Americans on the job is not something you ‘give’ to the other side. It’s our basic responsibility.” – President Barack Obama

Mist

Thunder. Hard, thudding down-beats and reverberating growls that move through the clouds like whale song. More persistent and mysterious than the storms we heard in the desert. There the thunder cracked, a dry, electrical snappish sound, bounding over the rocks, the lightning leaving wisps of smoke on the desert floor. A storm in Vegas was spectacular but short-lived. We all would crowd to the windows to watch, we’d step outside to smell the air and squeal over the lightning as though watchin...

For My Lover

Dirty Jobs

Last week I went to my son’s middle school open house. I like the school a lot. It appears to be much more organized than the ones my older kids went to in Vegas, less likely to let a kid fall through the cracks. We all sat in the gymnasium and listened to the principal and the guidance counselors, one of whom implored us to repeat after her: MY. CHILD. WILL. GO. TO. COLLEGE.

Now, I’m going to preface the following opinion by admitting that I’m in the minority here. Most of my writing buddies...