Lola Jaye

 It is exactly a year ago today that I was sat home, lip almost touching the floor and feeling quite low, whilst experiencing the often sang about ‘bad day.’ And then my agent rang and told me that Harper Collins were interested in my book!!!!

HAS IT BEEN A YEAR ALREADY? It feels like only six months ago…

So here I am a year later… And it’s just sunk in that I am also going to be published in AMERICA!!!! I found out a couple of days ago (you know me, it takes some time to register).

And it all started exactly a year ago… no, let me scrap that comment – this journey of mine has been going on for a good few years now. Ever since I sent those three chapters into that publishing house and I got that reply.  Ever since I finished my Masters Degree thesis and thought; I’ve just written twenty thousand words – surly this proves that I can write eighty thousand, right?

So here I am a year later… About to go to my first book launch tonight with a writer friend I hadn’t met in person one year ago (okay, I haven’t met the writer hosting the book launch, but it’s a book launch and I might get some tips on how to do mine!).

So here I am a year later… About to have my book on sale…  in about 68 days.

Blimey, when did that all happen?

… spent at a very lovely spa in Sussex, hired out by my publishers for a really special event. When I walked into my room - I mean suite (!) I immediately got my camera out and started snapping away at the four poster bed where a huge huge paper bag sat with my name on it.  Full of books (including my own!). What a moment THAT was.Lovely food and brilliant company. Amongst the chatter, food and flattering lighting, I managed to exchange emails with a couple of authors and I fear I may have to start stalking them as I have SO MANY QUESTIONS.  Like; ‘What’s it like being a published author? How does it feel? Tell me, tell me!!”  I’ve learnt so much from them already like; I REALLY SHOULD BE WALKING AROUND WITH A NICE PEN THAT MAKES MY SIGNATURE LOOK REALLY GOOD!… Because - and get this - I GOT ASKED TO SIGN MY BOOK FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME!!! It was by an author and okay, it was a first proof, but hey, let’s not get technical. I was asked and I didn’t have  a pen - so I had to borrow the author’s pen which probably wasn’t the done thing (looking around me, I noticed ALL the authors had their own pens!)  So that’s next on the shopping list, unless anyone in my family or friends (hint, hint) feel like purchasing a posh pen for me…Okay, so back to the lovely spa. It was far from being an excuse for me to get pampered and preened, it was about networking, getting to know people, oh and getting preened and HELLO sitting in an outside hot tub in the middle of the Sussex coast! I have been trying to think if it all felt surreal.  But no, it didn’t HOWEVER… there was a famous person who was present as one of the authors; on my table, in the pool, chatting with me… considering I had last seen this person presenting on telly, it still didn’t feel strange at all.  What did feel weird for a few seconds was zoning out during a speech and clocking the sight of my book proofs piled up and displayed all neatly on various window ledges and side tables - now that was kinda surreal.  Like ‘oh, that’s my book…’I did a speech.. and contrary to first thoughts, no one slept!  I got through it and only had to refer to my ‘prompt sheet’ once. hey ho! I had on a pretty dress and my nails were done. I gotta tell ya, when i got back into London, i felt as if i had just been to another world.  Some other universe where i was an author who wore pretty dresses with bows.But I’m back now, feet well and truly on the ground, ready to go back to the day job on Tuesday… WOOOOW!

… and I am still ‘buzzing’ about it. It just hasn’t gone away. Obviously, some days are less mad than most - but it’s still there… And it’s so, so lovely to see the reactions of people who are going through the same thing. Waiting for THAT phone-call.  Being told that hours of work is now going to be recognised by a publisher.  Like the lovely Keris Stainton at  http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/290928/27982550  who has has just found out that she too will soon be published.  I must admit to feeling a little squishy in me tum when I read her reactions! Go Keris!!

… And I have woken up feeling a bit more dreadful (cold, sore throat etc).  Looks like the Cafe will have to wait! Luckily after a quick lay down, I got up restored, the noise from next door, minimal and managed to FINISH THE FIRST DRAFT OF MY NEW BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, please don’t get excited here. It’s a first draft and for me this is a collection of words in some semblance of order with a beginning, middle and end. Almost 70,0000 words I may add. BUT.It needs a mammoth spell check and lots of work and by the time my agent gets her hands on it … But it’s a good start and it’s a lot easier to edit stuff you are happy with instead of trying to think of stuff to actually write.  Hopefully, I’ll add another 10,000 words along the way. So let me get back to it… okay, I’m actually going to watch Home and Away, but don’t tell anyone… 

… at The Day Job, as of tomorrow.A house is literally being built next door to my flat, so to escape the noise, I’m going to go into a cafe to write.  Praps I’ll be like those writers you read about who sit in smart cafes writing into their notebook or tapping into their laptop… I could be like Carrie Bradshaw!!!!  Of course I’ll have to dress chic, (maybe wear a ‘mysterious’ hat?) so that customers will know that indeed, I am a writer…  I have made a ‘plan’ of what I need to complete tomorrow and even though I have  a slight cold, I’m really looking forward to it…Roll on Monday!