Tuesday, August 23, 2011

the virgin saint and his ward

I am back. And I am ready to revisit the Andrew Smith How To Be A Writer conference, with some all-new breakout sessions. I flew home last night, alone. You know how whenever you come back from a trip you always kind of expect to see your house burned down to a heaping pile of charred debris? Well, that didn't happen. I did get an editorial letter from David Gale, my editor at Simon & Schuster, for my first book coming out with them. That will be a topic for a breakout session, I'm sure. Because I don't know if anyone else handles revision and editorial comments the way I do, which is the best way to handle them, even if it does mean waking up with a hangover, naked, in a gutter. There was also a flat from FedEx on my doorstep. It was from somebody at Macmillan. I wasn't expecting anything from them. It was very nice. A great way to make me feel better after saying goodbye to my son and getting on an airplane. Here's what it was:
It was a torn-out page from last week's Publishers Weekly with a starred review for Stick, my new novel that is coming out on October 11. Plus, there was a very nice note attached from Jean Feiwel, my publisher at Feiwel & Friends, and she stuck a gold star through the page, too (which I am wearing as a tie tack today). It was a sad weekend, but it was really a nice thing to come home to.

Thank you, Jean.

10 comments:

Jonathon Arntson said...

"You know how whenever you come back from a trip you always kind of expect to see your house burned down to a heaping pile of charred debris?" I am so glad that I am not the only one!! My family thinks I am crazy every time I say, "Oh thank goodness, the house is still standing."

I hope I get an editor that is half as awesome as yours. of course, she's reciprocating.

hellskitchen said...

You're wearing a tie?

Andrew Smith said...

Want a picture? Yes, I am wearing a tie today. Ha. And pants, too.

Adam Russell Stephens said...

Cool. Really, what else can be said?

K Faulconer said...

Gosh. Thanks, guys. I have Unresolved Apocalypse Issues but it has never occurred to me to worry about the house burning down while I was away on a trip. Cool stuff to come to,though.

hellskitchen said...

I thought perhaps you'd put it on the center of your Zogs T-shirt.

Matthew MacNish said...

I actually literally almost burned my house down once, right before I got on a plane. I'll tell you that story sometime.

Adam Russell Stephens said...

You know what, we should all plan to go see Drew on his Stick Tour, and meet up! How awesome would that be?

Andrew Smith said...

November: Miami and Chicago

October: Orange County and Los Angeles

K Faulconer said...

Adam, what a lovely idea--I'm up for LA if the stars align.