12:24 p.m. - April 13, 2004
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If Home Depot or Lowe's were open 24-hours, I wouldn't need to sleep at all. Installed new showerheads in the bathrooms this morning and I am now in shower heaven. Slight bit of exaggeration (warning! warning!), but I was nearly knocked over by the water stream. Just what the doctor ordered, a constant thrum-thrum-thrum against my head, water hot enough to make me wince, thankful I live alone so I can shower with the door open and sing along to the radio.
Just off the phone with Barbara-the-Editor covering last-minute details about my trip out: I cannot call this crunch time; it is nuts-in-a-vise time. Well, I guess those are the same thing. We argued again over my photo being on the rear cover - no no no no no NO - and it is scary to learn that publishers have marketing down to a science. People are more inclined to buy something if an attractive person is somehow connected with the product (no surprise, really), and this applies to books as well. I didn't feel like arguing with her about my level of attractiveness being unfit to grace the first run of 15,000 books. Yes, that's right, 15,000, and nearly all are already pre-sold. The second run will be in October or December.
I worry about the web site and my name being all over the place. I'm already a privacy freak and too late to write under a pesudonym. Just as long as nobody makes the connection between a book and those erotic stories, I'm fine. Speaking of, I got an email from the woman responsible for creativity at the magazine inquiring into another shot. I don't think I would unless it's made clear they can't tamper, touch, edit, or fuck with my story. The one that was published last fall was eviscerated and I do not appreciate that. I say leave me an my erotica alone and we'll get along well.
This is my writer's bio, rough-form:
a) One (poetry) chapbook to my name (1998);
b) Edited literary journal (1995-1997);
c) 8 individual works published in 6 different forums (1999-2003);
d) Two (poetry) awards (1998, 2002);
e) One erotic short story (2003);
f) First book of six total (2004);
g) Four solo poetry readings (1998, 2003, 2004).
Is this bragging? I don't mean it to be such. I am proud in a half-contemptuous manner. One day I will feel comfortable enough with my writing that I won't care, and then the good stuff will come out.
