GORT: Ann Arbor

Super early post this morning, because I am headed out for the weekend right after work on the 2012 Summer Edition of the Great Ohio Road Trip: Ann Arbor.

(Yes, I am well aware that Ann Arbor is in Michigan. It’s kind of a long story. Also the last two times I did a GORT (Summer 2011 and Christmas 2010), I flew, so…you know. My super power is not making acronyms.)

I am going to Ann Arbor to celebrate with my writing partners, except for Laura who can’t make it. I imagine that at some point we will eat a lot of sugar and phone her (they did this to me once, btw, when I was in Alberta, the end result of which was a short story about evil unicorns that turned into Low Light). I saw Faith in March, but I haven’t seen Emma since Christmas, and I don’t know they last time they saw one another, but in any case, it will be epic.

ANYWAY, I’m mostly ready. I mean, I haven’t packed, but I have had a series of increasingly worried emails from my father about how I will probably die as soon as I cross the border into Michigan (and he hasn’t even read my book yet!), so I’ve rented a car and I feel like I’m mentally prepped for the journey. I should probably at least take a suitcase out, though, or I might just head off tomorrow with nothing but the clothes on my back and a package of gummi bears (lies: I’m already eating the gummi bears).

You may have noticed in that previous paragraph that I mentioned my book. Because, and I hope I never get tired of saying this, I WILL HAVE A BOOK PUBLISHED IN 2014! It’s coming from CarolRhoda Lab, and…I should start at the beginning.

I wrote a book! Well, first I drafted a manuscript, and then I made two rounds of changes, and then I sent it to CarolRhoda Lab on an open submission with no expectations, and then Andrew Karre emailed me and asked if he could call, and I said yes, and then he called and we talked, and then he sent me a list of things to add. I spent two weeks adding 15K of world building (yay!) and kissing (sigh). In the mean time, I also got an agent: Josh of Adams Literary.

AND THEN I SOLD MY BOOK, officially making April 2012 the most amazingly crazy month of my WHOLE LIFE and also probably setting a record for the length of time I kept something a secret from the internet.

The whole thing has been kind of surreal, to be honest. I’ll be cruising along and then it will hit me: in 2014, my book will be ON SHELVES and people will be able TO BUY IT. It’s pretty fantastic.

I am also, of course, incredibly grateful. Everyone has been so happy for me, from the barista at my Starbucks to my new employers, and of course my friends and family. I’m excited and terrified, and it’s probably going to be a long two years, but as Agent Josh said “It’s a when now, not an if“, and that is the coolest part of all.

(Lies again: the coolest part is that I get to go back to my financial planner!)

(I’m not even kidding. My financial planner is a real life super hero. And also she didn’t laugh at me when I told her I was an archaeologist whose back up plan was to write novels.)