Bloody weather. [Welcome to my perfumed garden]

Pissing it down again. ::sigh:: Not like yesterday; yesterday's rain had drama. Yesterday's deluge was an event. This is just grey, rainy rain in the Lancashire tradition and I'm sick of it already.

Especially since I have to walk across three boggy fields* to post my letter, since the Government in its wisdom has seen fit to close our village Post Office, throwing poor Mr and Mrs Savage and their dog Rocky out of their tied cottage and into the wet, cobbled streets.**

Peter Buckman at The Ampersand Agency sounds a very nice chap - though his wanting to see more of my novel could have predisposed me to like him, I suppose. Anyway, a fresh, new, bright n shiny submission with a 'brief outline' attached (never been asked for one of those before. A bastard and a half to write, it was, I can tell you) has been printed...

And here I have to mention the new laser printer. Oh joys, it is so good! No more standing over the Epsom, praying to all the Gods to please print for me, please! Waiting aeons to print a few sad sheets; constant vigilance for twisted pages, blurry script, banding! (argh! Dread banding! Run away!), or for one of the colours to run out, without which nothing will print (even though you're only doing b&w); then you find you don't have any more of that particular colour (though you - unaccountably - have three of every other bloody cartridge) and have to make a run to Phoenix, only to find it's lunchtime and have to wait outside in the car till they re-open at two and... One gorgeous new Samsung (see the shiny! See how he shines!) later - and all 55 pages have printed in thirty seconds! Thirty! Seconds! That's the best 39 quid I think I've ever spent.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, Peter Buckman at the Ampersand Agency who only wants to see the first 2 chapters!

This is wonderful, because I have a real problem with the usual three chapter submission in that chapter three doesn't really go anywhere. It's a bit of exposition, totally necessary to the plot, but not the place you want a potential agent to end their reading because it just... ends, and is all a bit... You know?

I tried cheating once, cutting ch.3 and skipping to 4 (because you really don't miss ch.3 till you hit the last third of the book, which makes no sense at all without that pesky third chapter but in a submission - who's going to know?) BUT - ch 4, though full of action and amusing incident is terribly long and takes the submission way over length.

Now, Chapter One begins in the midst of a riot, then cuts to a bar full of teenage prostitutes, a disillusioned, alcoholic American Communist and a man who looks like Sidney Greenstreet. That's a good opening chapter. ::nods confidently:: Chapter Two has a bitch-fight between a thirteen year old hooker and Stalin Gonzalez, a camp boy prostitute, over my poor, sad, balding hero's attentions. Stalin and his roomie Lazaro then also fight over my hero and some mangoes. That's not a bad chapter either. But then we go to that rather pointless (till later) third chapter. So to be able to end my pitch with Stalin and Lazaro's slap-fest makes my heart sing and my soul soar.

Anyway, it's 40 minutes till the PO re-opens so I think I'll go and make a pot of Lapsang and butter some crumpets before I head out across the rain-washed fields, my little submission held tight in my hands...

It's Thursday, people! I hope you're all grooving to life's rainbow vibe out there in LJ land. have fun. Stay cool and hip to the jive. One day to the weekend, two days to Doctor Who. My wine's already chillin'. I hope you are too.***

*I could walk there along perfectly good, paved paths but it's about a quarter of a mile longer and I'm so pathetically idle I'd rather walk through mud and puddles. I'm really not right in the head, am I?

**Actually, they're re-inventing themselves as purveyors of local, organic delicacies which sounds rather lovely.

***I'm so sorry, there's really no excuse for it, none at all.

May

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18 1
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Now I want to read that novel of yours XD. they closed down the postoffice closeby too, there's a 'postal point' though, but it's at a supermarket and you have to wait inline for this really greasy and creepy man to hand you your package. NOT cool.

[link] [reply]

Ooh! I love greasy, creepy characters. Is he also slightly unshaven? Does he have food on his clothes? *g*

[link] [parent] [reply]

he's reallllyy fat, he nearly can't open his till. XD

I think I'm in love... ♥

ew; you reallllyy don't want to be XD

Hear my LOLZ of Insanity! ::pets white cat with a sly smile::

Fingers and toes crossed that the Wonder of the first two chapters will blow Buckman away. It sounds really interesting for sure.
One day to the weekend... and after three weeks off, this has been the Longest. Week. Evah!

Only three weeks off and you're chomping at the bit? I'd be just getting into a lovely idle stride. (o:

::see me shimmy:: Weekend! Weekend! Doctor Who! The weee - kend!
(I'm so sorry; it's been that kind of a week)

I wasn't too clear, was I? This is my first week back at work after having three weeks off. Believe me, by the end of my hols I was so laid-back I was near comatose.
Sorry your week's been bad, (joins you in Happy Weekend Dance)

OK. Yeah, that's... that's a bad place to be. Sorry. ::pets miwahni::

ah, well, they've forecast rain for our parts, too, but I hope it's not gonna be as bad as you seem to be suffering. Mind you, for this new agent guy, even a trip through the rain seems to be worth it. In any case, I wish you loads of luck with this guy. Maybe three's just not the charm in this case, eh?

And congrats to your new printer. As it so happens we own a Samsung ML 1410, too, have for nigh on 5 years. Prints and does its job like on the first day.

::wishing you a jiving, grooving Thursday and weekend, too, and (since I'm like a broken record that way) HAPPY WRITING!"::

Yesterday was like a hurricane, today it's just kinda meh and par for the course here in the north west. Though, as I wrote that, the sun came out... Gosh...
Printers? Let's compare. Ours is a Samsung ML2010R. I have no idea if that's a good thing or a bad. (o:

re the writing, I'm mostly working on the radio-com but I've been hearing Blair's voice again so I have hopes I might be able to kick-start the old fic again. I've made notes. I'm on it.... *g*

And yeah, weekend's a comin! It can't get here too soon imo.

Have the grooviest of days, anyhow sugar. may the sun shine and vibe jive.

I'll trade you my Texas thunderstorms for your drizzly Lancashire weather any day.

After 12 hours of no power and no air conditioning Tuesday night, I work up Wednesday evening to more of the KA-BOOOOOM!!! kind of thunder and lightning. I lounged around and held my breath until it was time to go to work. Take my weather excitement, pulleease!

And we haven't even gotten any tropical weather yet!

If you want to trade miserable weather experiences, I lived 9 years in Cuba with 10 hour a day blackouts and no ac at all (ac was, literally, illegal). Misery hath a name and it is 'August in Havana'. *g*

Tropical weather is fairly new to these parts but I guess, global warming being an inescapable fact, we'll have to start getting used to it. Everything is very lush and rainforesty at the moment, especially in my garden which hasn't seen the sharp edge of a lopper or a shear for about a year. ::sigh:: i really am going to have to do something about that, aren't I?

::eyes toaster and mug::

But not now. (o:

Oh, I was told that English gardens were supposed to look a little wild. It's the French that have perfectly manicured gardens. At least that's what they told me on my tour of Europe about 12 years ago, anyway:) I do believe you are safe.

Yeah, not impenetrable wilderness that probably has primaeval things living in it. *g* Really, it needs work. Lots of it. ::sigh::

ah sod the rain - the man is going to fall in lurve with your first two chapters - I feel it in me water. And any second now it's going to be the weekend... well Friday anyway, and that counts, and we can wave bye bye to the cursed week that should have been drowned at birth. Really.

Ooh your book is so going to happen. ::beams::

I wish I shared your optimism. I've glanced at their agency a few times, mainly because I like the name (o: but never went for them because they don't seem to do my style of book (they're Georgette Heyer's agents, for example - well, her estate's anyways) but I recently signed up to a site designed to meld agents with writers and according to my particular blend of writerly experience, genre and style, this is the one for me ::shrug::

I'll give them a go. I'll give anyone a go frankly. My desperation is becoming legendary. *g*

The week that should have been drowned probably was, yesterday. man - that rain was something! Something heavy and wet and smelling of rain.

But! Wee-kend! Wee-ee-ee-kend! Yes. Soon be here hon, are you ready? ::bounces like a 2 year old::

Edited for idiocy.

This book is going to happen if I have to wade over there through the rain and storm and pestilence and BITE someone. ::points at sharp white toothy-pegs::

But! Wee-kend! Wee-ee-ee-kend! Yes. Soon be here hon, are you ready?

Is the pot black? Is the Pope a bloke? Are the olives in the fridge? Oh yes yes yes... I am so ready... Are we there yet? *g*

I have always assumed so. Are you party to some Pope Joan, DaVinci style insider info that you would like to share? ::flutters eyelashes::

So... I'm now imagining the Pope in drag. Hmmm. ::ponders:: OK. It's not beyond my capabilities, but it's quite an ugly picture and not one I'd like to see again, really, unless there's money in it.

And my Le Creuset pots are orange, but I think I'm maybe over-analysing...

Ayeeeeee - the Pope in drag - I think something just broke in my brain.

And my Le Creuset pots are orange, but I think I'm maybe over-analysing...

LOL - just a tad! Here, have a G&T - that should cure it *g*

Will make it better. Not necessarily the best message but it works for me.

As an ex-catholic I'm probably going to hell -- wait, I'm probably going there anyway, but I digress -- for pointing out that the Pope is often in a gownnish type of garment. I don't believe those robes come with pants.

Laurie

Do not fret. (o:

'Just a lot of people mincing around in frocks...' is what my cousin - the vicar - calls the Anglican church.

::giggles and kisses you::

You have no idea how often you make me grin!

I have my fingers crossed for you!

Thank you. I need all the voodoo I can get. ::nods::

Crossing fingers and toes for you. Hope you hear good news soon.

Sending positive vibes to you and the agency. ::+ve vibes::

*HUGS*

Thanks for the good vibes, babe! Nice to hear from you.

"I hope you're all grooving to life's rainbow vibe out there in LJ land. have fun. Stay cool and hip to the jive."

Well THAT was a blast from my long ago youthful past. LOL!

Rock on, Dude! *bg*

It's cool and damp here, but for me this is a REAL birthday treat. Usually, June here is extremely humid and often in the high 20's to the low 30's and we HATESS that my Precioussss, we does. =>}

It's not too bad here, temperature-wise, it's just rather wet - but that's not exactly unusual up here in the Atlantic north west. *g* The world is a jungle, very lush and green and lovely.

'I'm just not diggin this scene maaan.' - I heard that on Ironside last week and I'm still enjoying it. I love hippie talk. There should be more of it. I shall be using it more in future posts - just warning you.

Our garden and yard are very lush this year. Sometimes we have dry Junes, but not this time. It's lovely. =>}

Benjamin is here! I'm feeling groovy, babe. *g*

Oh. That's where the rain went. Sorry you got it all at once though.

Good luck with the submission, I too want to read it!

It's surprisingly dry underfoot considering so much is pouring out of the sky. I suppose one shouldn't complain about the rain- everything is growing like the seeds of doom. It's just so inconveniently wet, on my person, you know?

I too want to read it!
Oooh. Famous last words. heh.

Good luck! I really do hope Peter Buckman loves it.

And yay for a new printer! \o/

is almost the best kind there is. Yup. ::nods::

It's so much fun to press a button and in seconds, there it all is, on the page, not a blurr or a missing sentence in sight. Amazing.

Good luck, kiddo!

Thank you!

Ooh, good news on the chapters! The first two sound delicious, so I hope Mr. Ampersand is suitably impressed.

The use of ampersand reminds me that there was a thread on fandom wank recently in which someone disputed that "ampersand" was a word. It's the decline of Western Civilization, it is...*G*

Fingers crossed for the submission! And have a GREAT weekend!

But surely, that's been happening since game shows, or Big Brother or... something. *g*

Thanks for the good vibes; I shall take your good-luck voodoo and use it only for good. My writerly vibe is in fine fettle right now. Aside from the 2 novels (I really must settle to writing just one), I'm working on a radio-com that I have high hopes for and I've started working on the Academy fic again. Progress is slow, but extant and may bear fruit. I'm keeping fingers crossed.

Are you back from Canada?

Oops. Twitchy 'send' fanger.

You too! *g*