Monthly Archives: June 2007

Trying to regain my sense of humor

Phewwww.

That is the sound of me turning in both the final draft of The Ashleys and finishing the first draft of the outline for The Ashleys 2: JEALOUS? (You know you are!)

This summer has been crazy, (and yes it is crazy hot here in LA, LOL) I was on tour, I was traveling, there were parties, and all that fun, but also along the way, I was trying to get my book done. It was incredibly stressful because on top of that we found out our baby has congenital torticollis, which is a medical term that means she’s slightly tilted. It has been a really hard hard hard hard hard several months, with work pressure, mother guilt, and making sure that everything goes smoothly and that I make all the right choices and have your priorities in order.

But sometimes, you can’t do everything. Sometimes, you drop the ball. 

Or you completely lose your sense of humor.

That’s what happened to me. It was too much. Too much book writing, book promotion, baby guilt and special baby care (we have to exercise her five times a day, stretching her neck, otherwise she will grow up tilted), travel fatigue, that I just cracked. I just lost it. I could not see the humor in anything. I snapped at my husband. I snapped at my best friend. (Jennie–I’m still so sorry.) I started just HATING the world.

So I had to stop blogging. Because, one thing you might have noticed is in the blog, I always see the humor in things, and I didn’t think listening to me rant and complain was going to be very entertaining. How can anyone complain when they have books on deadline, not one but two signings at BEA (at the coveted Author’s Area no less!), four book parties, a nice house, a handsome husband, and lots of new clothes? But somehow, it was just too much. And yes, as I write this I realize I might be the biggest complainer in the world. But seriously. Working moms??? How do you ladies do it??? Even with the full-time nanny it is impossible to get ANYTHING done.

On top of it all, Mike had a HUGE deadline for his work too. So both of us have spent the last three months just snapping at each other as we try to get everything done and still have time to make sure the baby’s head is on straight. I mean, I just took it FOR GRANTED that your baby’s head will be on straight. But apparently that is NOT THE CASE. Sigh…

But the good news is I turned in my book, I’ve got the outline for book two done, and…. the MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL..

HER HEAD IS ON STRAIGHT!!!

YES!!!

She is no longer tilted!

YEAH!!!

Of course, we still have to do lots of exercises and stuff to make sure her good habits continue. Who ever thought just holding your head up straight would be a huge accomplishment??

Anyway, I’m back in the land of the living. And I’m slowly hoping to get my sense of humor back…for the sake of my marriage. Has anyone seen Knocked Up? It was very therapeutic for me. The couple who loathe each other in the movie? That’s me and Mike. I was happy to see they still end up together. And you know, we might be the Bickersons, but we are happy. Loving and loathing are almost the same thing you know. When you’ve been together for ten years like we have, it’s a challenge, every day, to make sure you are kind to each other. It’s a STRUGGLE. And yes, my husband would sooner cheat on me by going to a fantasy game (in his case, most likely a fantasy role-playing game like D&D than fantasy sports league – Mike hates sports) than ever really cheat. And he HAS gone to movies ALONE. Damn him. I think artsy men just need their space.

Anyway, the baby is okay. The books are turned in. I still have a ton of books to write, but I’m really excited about writing them. I can exhale a little bit now…

The good news is I just got the super-hot covers for THE ASHLEYS and book two in the Ashleys series: THE ASHLEYS: JEALOUS?, the paperback ANGELS ON SUNSET BOULEVARD, and they are all soooo fabulous!! I will post them once my webmistress is back from London.

Have a happy Independence Day everyone!
xoxo
Mel

Just a short note to say I’m alive

Hey all,
So much stuff has been happening…I’ve been on book tour for Girls who like boys who like boys, I was at the fabulous BookExpo America where I did two signings and met tons of great authors and many of you wonderful readers, we had tons of parties–oh the parties! And I didn’t welsh on my Fashion Challenge! I now own two Philip Lim dresses–I bought a white one to wear to the GWLB book party in New York. (It was $350 from $515 at the Barneys sale.)
And now we’re home and there’s so much dry-cleaning it’s sick.
And I’m STILL writing the Ashleys!! Which is coming out this December!! I am now in the major rewrite phase wherein I discover my first draft truly, truly, awfully sucks the big one and I have to rewrite everything and get in there and WORK.
So…I must bid adieu…
xoxo
Mel

Oh! And I forgot what I wanted to say: I’m going to be chatting with readers at the Blue Bloods forums on June 25th at 4PM PST/7PM EST. It is run by the fabulous Amanda, who almost got run over by an out-of-control motorized wheelchair at BEA during my signing. We survived, thankfully.

NYC Bookstore Event on Saturday, June 9!!

I’ll be appearing in Manhattan at Books of Wonder (18 W. 18th St between Fifth/Sixth Avenues) this Saturday, June 9, from noon to 2pm, along with authors Eireann Corrigan, Rachel Cohn, John Grandits, James Prosek, Maureen Johnson, Mary Hogan, P.E. Ryan, and Sara Shepard. If you’re in the area, do stop by and say hi!