My lovely New York editor sent me this telegram from the Viking archives, and it deserves re-posting as a reminder to all writers that it doesn’t always go to plan and that even Dorothy Parker wrote entire chapters covered in the wrong words.
Will keep this in mind as I read my ms with a fresh eye, a few last notes on emphasis, and a hopeful heart.
In the meantime, we’re back home at last, having sidestepped blizzards every step of the way, jetlagged and not knowing whether it’s morning or night or which way is up. And would someone remind me why London at mid-day is so DARK?
New York, Maine, Boston, California…America is all so astonishingly beautiful. Just a few too many big fat creeps who (catching sight of our Obama bumper sticker) feel obliged to shout, “Obama! As endorsed by Osama Bin Laden!”
Shouldn’t these people be up in the hills stockpiling spam and shooting Bambi?
Nevermind. I’d point out some of England’s downsides now we’re home, only it’s too dark to see them.
Excellent inspiration. Paper covered with wrong words. That’s exactly how I’ve been feeling. Nice to be in good company. Welcome back!
Just wondering as I read it again, if incompetant spelled wrong on purpose. Doubt it, somehow.
DP is a genius even when being pathetic – who can better “can’t look you in the voice”? More to the point: welcome home, I’ve really missed your blogs!
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Its good to know that even the best writers are human. It makes it easier for the rest of us to sleep at night when we have shut the manuscript monster up in the laptop.
I found your blog after reading your book “How I Live Now”. It was a beautiful novel and something I’m really glad that I picked up. Now with our modern technological society of eReaders and eBooks, I also wanted to say Thank YOU to both you and your publisher for allowing your book to go into an eBook format, and also for allowing Libraries to carry it in their eBook inventory. I despise people that steal books, and that’s what pirating eBooks is: Stealing. Thank you for allowing libraries to spread the book legally. I am probably going to go out and purchase all the print copies that you’ve written now that I’ve gotten a good taste of your writing style.
All the best for the new year!
-April
Welcome back! Having spent Christmas in Spain, where we had at least 3 gloriously sunny days (in between a week of greyness) I too am appalled at the darkness of London upon my return!
)
love the telegram