Thursday 23 November 2006

OK, I fess up. I'm 42 years old and I don't even know how to program my VCR ... so what the hell am I doing creating a blog? Truth is, I just got my first rejection from a big U.S. publisher who said she really, really loved my book proposal but the fact that I just don't have a "name" in the U.S - or anywhere else for that matter - means she wouldn't know where to start in terms of marketing. Ugggh.

"Have you ever considered creating a blog?" she asked. "Well, er, um ... a blog, you say?" I replied. I quickly checked with a tech-savvy friend, who assured me a blog was indeed the way to go. And now months later - after embarking on a year-long adventure with my hubby and kids - we've stopped travelling long enough to give it a try. And if a techno-spaz like me can do this, who knows, maybe I'll really get my book published.

It’s one thing to craft a survival strategy for travelling with kids from a few brief sojourns here and there. It’s another to create an honest account of an entire year away from everything and everyone this author’s children know and love: the comfort of home, Grandma, cousins, aunts and uncles, friends, a great school and teachers, a backyard ice rink, six chickens and a bunkhouse made with loving care by dad. So I'm hoping my writing and my parenting style – part slacker mom who refuses to do all the “right” things and part keener mom who wants her kids to value independence and discovery – will inspire readers, whether I'm writing from my tent on the shores of Lake Superior or the back of a Land Rover in South Africa.

Wish me luck.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

OK, so I'm a coward. I too have had a few poster mum kind of moments sprinkled librally with moments that have become for the most part, fortunately, the fodder of amusing family legend. But I HAVE NEVER,EVER BEEN BRAVE ENOUGH to consider an adventure of such scope. Way to go you 42 year old Mama! And to think that all your moments..good and less than good will be written down for all posterity!

Nancy Harper said...

Anonymous, thank you for your kind words! I'm not sure about being brave; more lucky, really. But thanks! I hope you stil

Anonymous said...

Good luck, Nanc!

Anonymous said...

Any publisher who doesn't see the potential in your book idea is a fool and/or completely lacks vision and balls.

I have complete faith that you will find the right publisher. In the meantime, keep doing what so many of us parents only dare to dream!

Best of luck! You will succeed.

Nancy Harper said...

Hey Anneliese,
You are a major ego booster - thank you so much! Let me know how all your efforts in Elora are going. See you next year some time!

marie sutherland said...

Hi Nancypants. Enjoying your blogventures and admiring your pioneering spirit. You're absolutely right about women being afraid to stray from the socially accepted path and travel with their kids. Anyway, I've come up with a smashing, surefire way to propel yourself into the realm of the published: DO SOMETHING SCANDALOUS! Make a sex tape, or just get lots of photos taken of your lady garden. It's working wonders for Britney and Paris. Good luck with that. Affectionately yours, the other divine miss m.