So.
Collected the author copies of my novel hot off the press on Friday. Author copies. Heh.
Boys acted putridly, running around and shouting and showing off and not letting me think.
Chucked the shits at boys.
They cried.
Went home.
Burst into tears.
Rang the mister.
Cried some more. Not a lot he could do given he’s half a world away and I’d miscalculated the time zone and woken him up.
Why didn’t I let my Dad read it even if it wasn’t finished? And not to mention my performance the night before was awful, I don’t know if I’ve ever been that nervous before, what was I thinking I’ve only been on stage six times since this time last year, my script is crap, my voice skipped, my legs shook.
Expensive phone call.
Just at the right moment, my mother-in-law came home, grabbed an author copy from my hand, then sat at the kitchen table and started to read. Every single word from the title page on.
And then when I said thank you to her, I started to cry again, but I didn’t have to explain why, and after she’d held me for a while she started reading again.
I started to find my feet on Friday night and didn’t feel half so nervous, and then met gorgeously lovely friend, drank riesling, talked and laughed and cried.
And maybe my performance wasn’t totally awful because here is our review.
And really, what more could a girl ask?
I feel certain somehow, she said breathlessly, that da creativity at least is all a lot better than what you think.
Yay for you, thirdcat.
xx
Can’t wait until your novel hits the bookshops.
A mother-in-law using her powers for good instead of evil.. you are so lucky to have one! Hugs for you T, and your Dad would be proud of you anyway, even if he didn’t read it.
Oh congrats. What a great review. Would love to see it. Will have to settle for just the book.
Congratulations, author! and deadpan wordplay deliverer. I’m impressed you can manage deadpan with all the emotion busting out of you at present. Dammit, I’m impressed that you’re putting on a show, putting out a book and doing the single mum thing all at once. Is there no end to your talents?
Huzzah. You could win a best use of multiple personalities oscar, you could.
Are ya doin the Melbourne comedy festival? Are ya are ya? Huh?
You go girl.
As the Americans say.
(Except I hate ‘girl’ for grown woman, so that’s spoilt that, eh?)
How exciting, it sounds as though you did a great job! I’m full of admiration as the very idea of speaking in front of a group of actual people has me just about in tears!
Wot Pen said, with extra lashings of admiration.
Nice review TC. I too look forward to the novel’s birth.
well done tc… of course you’d get a good review! as i’m sure the book will
Book… where and when? I need a good book to read, and I’m very keen to do my bit to get it into the Aussie bestseller lists.
Plus, just found your e-mail and have replied, and it was so kind of you, and it has shaken me out of my morbid self-pitying state, and prompted me to contact a friend to see if she wants to come to your show with me, but if she can’t then there’s someone else I would like to ask, and if she can’t then there’s a third friend who might like it. All women of a certain age with primary school children…
Oh, HURRAY. SOunds like a beaut ma in law too.
Hurrah!!
You’re the best! I almost cried just reading that you had the author copy of the book.