Thursday, July 14, 2011

Writers is smart


The congratulatory emails started Tuesday morning.

I wasn’t sure why I was being congratulated, but I’ve found it’s sometimes best to play along until I figure out what the hell is going on around me. When you spend as much time as I do being clueless, you learn to operate that way.

Finally, I gathered enough puzzle pieces to figure out that someone had written something about me in the September issue of Writer’s Digest magazine. The mystery was enough to send me scrambling over to the library.

I tried to explain to the librarian what I was after, but my words came out in a jumbled torrent of excited adjectives and the occasional “holy crap!” That’s probably why she seemed intent on keeping her distance as she led me toward the magazine racks and pointed out the latest issue of the publication.
 
I leafed frantically through it, cursing at the thin pages and dropping the magazine twice.

“You’re sure it’s in there?” she asked.

Translation: Are you sure you’re really a writer? Because I think of writers as being kind of smart. Like at least smart enough to operate the pages of a magazine and maybe even read the sign on the front door that says pull instead of standing there like a moron shoving at it.

Or maybe she didn’t see that.

Anyway, I finally found the page, and jumped up and down a few times squealing. The librarian didn’t jump or squeal, but she did offer to photocopy the page that listed Making Waves as one of “10 Notable Debuts.”

I should point out that when I attempted to tweet and Facebook that headline, it took me three tries to spell “notable” right. 

Anyway, here’s part of the article. I won’t show you the whole thing, because obviously the good folks at Writer’s Digest want you to buy the magazine. Hey, I want to buy the magazine. As soon as my local bookstore gets it, I plan to buy at least a dozen copies.

I might even learn to turn the pages by myself.

15 comments :

Linda G. said...

So. Freakin'. COOL!! You rock. :)

Nicole Basaraba said...

Congratulations that's amazing! You need to celebrate.

Sarah W said...

First of all: librarians don't judge, and the majority of us can't comprehend the little push-pull door signs either:

"But it says, Pull!"
"Sarah, that's the sign for the other side--you're reading it backwards through the glass."
"Sooo . . . you're saying I'm a genius?"
"No."

Second: WOOOOO-HOOOOO!!!!!
Tawna, this is so awesome!

Missy said...

Way to ROCK IT!!!! cannot wait to read it. I was out of town on Friday for the contest to win an ARC so I'm on pins and needles!

Matthew MacNish said...

The WHAT I LEARNED part is weird. I wonder what that means.

Anyway, who cares? Congrats, Tawna! This is so awesome.

Unknown said...

Congrats honey!! :)

Kristie Cook said...

Way too awesome. You're my hero. Congrats!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh. This is so awesome!!!! How exciting!

Teri Anne Stanley said...

Maybe I'll take Making Waves to the library on our tour of Boone County to see our copy. I bet our librarians will jump up and down and squeal if we bribe them...

LTM said...

omg! How totally amazingly cool! Super-congrats to you!!! :o) <3

Patty Blount said...

OH MY GAWD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is so freakin' awesome, I am jumping up and down without a sports bra and that's really saying something.

This is better than chocolate!

Xandra James said...

Woot - well done you! (and I totally think you could have made it above #3 - he's got a Dumb title... ;) )

Judy, Judy, Judy said...

I am so happy for you. And I am so enjoying living vicariously through you. (Not stalking, more like possession. Don't worry. I'll be quiet.)

Robena Grant said...

That is awesome! Congratulations, Tawna. I wouldn't have been able to speak properly or find my way in a door either. Hah!
Will your book be available for Kindle?

TAWNA FENSKE said...

Linda G, thanks!

Nicole, I’ll be celebrating tonight!

Sarah W, I’m so glad to hear the librarian wasn’t judging. Much.

Missy, see my Friday post on the early release…looks like you might get your hands on it quickly after all!

Matthew, the “what I learned” came from some questions I answered via email maybe five months ago. I wasn’t really sure what it was for at the time, and I definitely didn’t know I was going to be included in a feature like this.

Charissa, Kristie, and Lynnrush, thank you!

Teri Anne, that would be AWESOME!

LTM, thanks so much!

Patty, don’t hurt yourself! Jumping without a sports bra can be very dangerous!

Xandra, I’m not sure if the list is in order or what. Now I have to go look at #3!

Judy, Judy, Judy, stalk away! I could always use a good stalker or two.

Robena, the book is already available for Kindle pre-order!

Thanks for reading, guys!

Tawna