j040329 (imported)
March 29, 2004
My first official rights sale for the book went through over the weekend (although technically, the contract hasn’t been signed yet), so all zero of my readers in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Nepal need to get ready. The fat phat man is coming.
The book will sell for four US dollars per copy in those countries. Of that four dollars, the royalty is twenty cents. Of that twenty cents, my agent gets five cents. After taxes on the remaining fifteen cents, I should keep roughly eleven cents per book.
Robyn and I can’t decide if we’d rather build the summer home in the Hamptons or Martha’s Vineyard.
Robyn and I sat in our den Saturday night, watching last week’s episode of The Shield that we’d DVR’d. On the screen, Vic Mackey railed at some poor prostitute about her choices in life. Good stuff, but I was preoccupied.
The Stump and I were playing ‘mousy’, wherein I’d shake his rattly toy mouse at him while he stared at me with big dark eyes. Just when he couldn’t stand the teasing any more I’d throw the mouse and he’d haul ass after it, batting it around for a few seconds before looking back to me. Sometimes he’d bring it to me, but more often I had to get up and fetch the mouse myself.
Cats’re smart like that, you know.
I decided to throw the mouse into the Stump Cave, because Stanley loves to dive onto it and smoosh it flat. Generally, the cave then folds over on him and he enjoys laying there like a kitty taco.
Insert requisite bad joke using “pussy” and “taco” here, please.
“Bessie,” I said, “watch this!”
I winged the toy mouse across the room, putting some serious steam on it. Overcome by excitement, Stanley loosed a short bark and jumped forward to get it, his stumpy little tail wagging fiercely. Boy, did he get it.
With a hollow pop! much like the sound of a cork leaving a champagne bottle, the mouse beaned the Bean right between the eyes, and bounced straight up in the air two or three feet.
Robyn gasped.
Stanley blinked at me, wide-eyed and confused.
My own eyes widened, too, but in horror.
The mouse fell to the ground, forgotten.
Stanley blinked again, then sneezed about ten times in a row. I leapt from the couch and picked him up, terrified I’d given him (more) brain damage. He blinked at me a couple more times, then finally started purring.
Now we cackle like goons every time we think about it.
I have officially started teaching the spud how to drive.
It’s not as scary as I expected. Scary, yes, but not as scary.
Sadly, there are no funny stories to share from it. Yet.
An interesting factoid:
Recently, I asked a subset of readers to read something out-of-character I wrote and give me a one-word feedback on whether they’d want to read more, based on what was presented. Of the responses, roughly 89% were positive and 11% were negative.
I did some more work on the writing in question, expanding it, and started wondering why people answered the way they did, so I asked for more feedback. This is where it gets interesting. Less than 10% of the “yes” people responded to the second query, while almost 70% of the “no” people did. Interestingly, the “yes” people tended to offer a single sentence (or two at the most) explaining their reasoning, while the vast majority of the “no” respondents wrote near-dissertations on why they said no, often offering a line-by-line dissection of my writing.
I feel like there’s a conclusion to be drawn here, but I’m not sure what it is. 
(Note to the “no” people: thank you very much — your detailed feedback was invaluable, and the writing in question is already stronger as a result. Also, just because I feel the need to explain this, that was a first draft.)
(Thanks also to the “yes” people, because I do like to know someone out there appreciates it.)
Oh, and if you’re curious, it’s sitting at 130 pages and growing. I’m looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
I have the mad photo-taking skillz.
Yippee! Your first comment!
And let me say how pleased I am to see a new entry!! I was starving, waiting for another one!
That truly is an amazing camera you have - the crispness of the pics blows me away.
You have me intrigued about your writing… I would love to be on your next “read-me-and-give-me-comments” list.. I promise to respond!! (and try not to be long-winded about it..)
Have a good one!
Oops - forgot to say congrats on the sale of the rights to your book!! 11 cents - don’t spend it all in one place!
130 pages!! Yippee……I know it will be a good book. Hope we can read more?????
Sorry I didn’t get to respond to your reading request. I only recently got out of the hospital and am still on painkillers. Too loopy to review properly.
I too would be interested to see how this latest venture turns out.
Jen: that request went out to everyone on the notify list (hint, hint).
I just recently joined your notify list. I’ve been reading for months and I don’t know why I took so long to do that. Anyway, I’m really curious and would like to see the sample too.
Amazing picture. In the original you can see your reflection in his dark eye!
Ok…I was an original “yes” woman, but didn’t get the 2nd request for detail….maybe that explains the responses if I’m not the only one…I’d love to read more
Sorry Fred. I am a yes woman too. I was too lazy to answer you.
Not that I don’t love you and Robyn or nothing. I am just lazy that way.
I am a little disturbed at the kitty abuse…hehehe
I was one of the yes people, but I didn’t respond to the second request because, well, because I know what I like when I see it, but I’m not necessarily good at putting into words exactly why I like it…
Do the kitties come up to the camera and stick their faces in it because they’re curious about it (although I can’t imagine they have any more curiosity left, as many kitty close ups as we see), or do you just get in their faces and take the pics? I’m just wondering, ’cause their faces all look so wide-eyed and interested. And so CUTE!!! Love the And3rson kitties.
I’m an in-your-face picture taker
Notify list…point taken!! Thanks!
I’m a yes woman too and didn’t get a chance to respond by email on why I liked your story but I’m wondering if I know why I like it! I just like your writing. Will that do? lol I also think Robyn should write a book! Both of you are so talented!!!
Congrats on the book stuff.
I vote for Martha’s Vineyard. ;~)
Fred–
I’m not on your notify list…but I sure enjoy your writing. Please give us a hint as to what you might have in the works, please?????
I took Jen’s hint. Do I find out now?
Unfortunately, the writing is gone from the site. We shall see when it’s done if it ever hits the light of day.
Oh, come on, Frank. Let them read your graphic porn novel!
As long as everyone is fessing up… I am another ‘yes’ person who did not respond the second time. Truth be told, I got a little panicky when you asked for a reason. lol
I didn’t know why I liked it..I just did. I have not read anything, that you have written, that I did not find enjoyable. I like your writing style. Sorry for not responding, but it is sort of comforting to know that I was not the only one!
The notify list still doesn’t like me. :*( This saddens me tremendously. (But, I just looked to see you had broken free of the Topica hell and I’m now subscribed! Much rejoicing, much celebration!)
Excellent pic of cat boogers.