The Bouncy Castle in Space

MsJudy

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I'm here, I'm here. Life has been interesting lately--I'm having a major mid-life crisis, and I just needed to take time away from absolutely everything to get my head on straight.

Quickly catching up: Joy! Sheila! BritWriter! How fabulously exciting for all 3 of you! And you, too, Kitty. Surviving 6th grade and exploding pens is nothing to sneeze at.

So, my news:
1) I am applying for a new job supervising student teachers up at the university.
and
2) I have received an offer from an agent.

Can't say more yet, but I'll be back in a few days with details. Right now I'm just feeling stunned and kind of surreal. Having been in such a funk about things, and to have it turn around so suddenly--I'm too busy dealing with whiplash to really process anything.
 

sissybaby

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Yay! Smish - glad to have you back.

Kitty - Flang? I think I've missed that one all my long life.

Joy - LOVE the quilt. The golden snitch is my favorite, I think.

I'm only partly here. Recovering slower from the minor surgery than I expected, but I hate limitations of any kind, so that's part of it. I can sit on the couch for weeks and be happy, but the minute I'm told to sit on the couch I have issues with it. Go figure.
 

JoyMC

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Wow, Joy, that's gorgeous. Are you using it, or hanging it?

Thanks, guys!

Nicola, it's for my daughter's birthday in a couple weeks, so I expect she'll want to use it. I'd love to hang it, but it's queen sized, so I really don't have the wall space anyway.

It's got me pondering another bookcase quilt, though - or perhaps mural. This Harry Potter quilt started as a mural.

But now I'm thinking about a broader kid lit mural or quilt to fit in a tall but narrower space I have available. I'm thinking the titles would be all the different books I love, and the objects would be various different object from different books. A Wonka bar with a golden ticket, a mouse-sized motorcycle, certainly Harry's glasses, some ruby slippers, a pot of Hunny, etc.

So now I'm brainstorming that. I can't figure out what to do for Narnia - maybe Lucy's bottle of healing cordial. Or I suppose Reepicheep himself? Any ideas? I also can't figure out what to include for Little House or Anne of Green Gables. For Ramona, I thought maybe a drawing with the cat Q. I have more brainstorming to do there, but I'd love ideas of kid lit-related objects that would fit on a bookshelf!
 

SheilaJG

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I'm here, I'm here. Life has been interesting lately--I'm having a major mid-life crisis, and I just needed to take time away from absolutely everything to get my head on straight.

Quickly catching up: Joy! Sheila! BritWriter! How fabulously exciting for all 3 of you! And you, too, Kitty. Surviving 6th grade and exploding pens is nothing to sneeze at.

So, my news:
1) I am applying for a new job supervising student teachers up at the university.
and
2) I have received an offer from an agent.

Can't say more yet, but I'll be back in a few days with details. Right now I'm just feeling stunned and kind of surreal. Having been in such a funk about things, and to have it turn around so suddenly--I'm too busy dealing with whiplash to really process anything.

Judy!!!!!!

I was about to ask the dirigible captain to send out a search party for you.

Holy cow, that's fantastic news! Can't wait for the details.
 

jvc

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So, my news:
1) I am applying for a new job supervising student teachers up at the university.
and
2) I have received an offer from an agent.
I've got my fingers crossed for the new job and that is such great news on an offer from an agent. I can't wait to hear all about it.
I'm only partly here. Recovering slower from the minor surgery than I expected, but I hate limitations of any kind, so that's part of it. I can sit on the couch for weeks and be happy, but the minute I'm told to sit on the couch I have issues with it. Go figure.
Sending some healing vibes and special healing cookies your way. Don't give the couch a hard time, it's there for your comfort, so use it and use it a lot. Maybe also switch the television on and watch something good.
 

Britwriter

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Judy!!! Judy!!! Judy!!! JUDY!!!!

That's all I can say. Wooooo!!!
 

playground

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Finally able to stick my head in here. How's everyone been? Some of you might remember, I brought up a while ago that I am a technical writer for government contracts, so that has been keeping me wicked busy. I've finally been able to make a schedule that allows me to do all the things I want including continuing my writing career. I will admit it isn't so hard for me since I'm only 22, but still, it isn't easy by an means to try to fit everything in, but I must say my stress is no where near anyone else's so I am very grateful for that.

Other than that I haven't been doing much except dating some, editing my billy novel, writing my other one, and working on my billy query and just enjoying my weekends as much as I can. I hope everyone else is enjoying their time.

Just saw you got an offer Judy. Congrats! Congrats! Congrats!
 

DavidBrett

Alas, poor Yorick, he fed me 'nanas
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Congrats to you, Judy - and welcome back!

Also, Smish is back, too! Two greats came in from the cold.

The agent-stage of the PitchWars contest is starting soon for Nicola and myself (Wednesday to be exact, I think). Sixteen agents in total, 14-15 of which who are interested in MG, so the prospects/chances of requests are good!

... Still bloody nervous about it though. And, naturally, nerves opens the door to doubt. What if no one makes a request? That's, like, the equivalent of FIFTEEN rejections in a couple days. I'm literally terrified...

Dave
 

Smish

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JUDY!! Congrats on the offer! Looking forward to when you can tell us more. :TheWave:

And good luck with the new job prospect. :Thumbs:
 

MJWare

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OMG, OMG, OMG! Judy, I can't believe it's finally happened.
Maybe agents aren't just a bunch of stupid heads after all--though it took them long enough, they are certainly thick skulled.

Where's Tim? I'm breaking out the blimp; I'll get it all gassed up for him (that's a pun, in case you missed it). Oh, wait, I guess you should actually acept the offer before breaking out the blimp--and I guess you should really do it yourself--I just to a little over excited!
:snoopy:

Dave, Best of luck with the PitchWars (what's a pitch-war?).
 

sissybaby

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sigh - rejection letter in my inbox this morning. It was a form reject, but very nicely written.

At least it means I submitted something, which I haven't done in ages, it seems.

Hope everyone else's day turns out well.
 

DavidBrett

Alas, poor Yorick, he fed me 'nanas
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Sorry to hear that, Sissy. Form letters are the worst :(

I'm snowed in, so that leaves me plenty of time to addition-redraft EF in time for any agents who want more from the PitchWars contest.

D
 

sissybaby

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Thanks for the hugs and commiserations, folks.

SNOWED IN????? Oh, how I wish.

Of course, I just took three kids to the grocery store with me - supposedly they were there to HELP, since I'm not supposed to do any heavy lifting, and I think a gallon of milk is heavy. I now have a raging head-ache and they are going to all take naps if they don't stay very busy somewhere other than near me.

At least two of them unloaded the car. That was a huge plus. And I'm really not the witch you probably think I am. They all got lunch from Taco Bell and they each got something special from the store.

So glad everything is back to normal tomorrow.
 

Smish

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No snow. No snow. No snow. No snow. No snow. No snow. No snow. Please please please please no snow.

It's well below freezing here, though. And will be all week. Brrrrrrrr.

Group hug for warmth! :e2grouphu
 

jvc

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I was stuck in traffic for hours on Friday because of the stupid snow. Oh, and really stupid drivers who are stupid and drive stupid in the snow.
 

DavidBrett

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Received my second rejection today, this time from Ivan Brett's agent Eve White.

Would usually be more bummed, but nothing can dampen my hopes and spirits for the agent-round of PitchWars tomorrow! It'll be a unique experience, as agents will make requests for EF AFTER reading a sample, and not blind. So I'll be subbing knowing there's interest.

So excited!

Dave
 

SheilaJG

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It's kind of quiet in here. Bounce . . . bounce . . .

I came to bounce because I got my first editor rejection. Sooooo nice to go through all this again, ha ha! It was an extremely kind rejection, with lots of suggestions and an offer to resubmit, so there's that. He said my book had some of the funniest dialog he's read in a while, and many wonderful details. So I'm sad, but not too sad. The waiting is hard, though.