Diva Lessons

The panic attack is now officially over (or possibly abated for the moment). I really need diva lessons, or maybe assertiveness training (though diva lessons sound like more fun). Most of these things I get really anxious about can be dealt with pretty simply if I just ask about them. I don't know why I get so worried about asking for things that I'm owed. I guess it's part of that same impulse that makes me say that no, this isn't a bad time when someone calls me and I'm in the shower, the oven timer is going off, something's boiling over on the stove, the dryer full of permanent-press clothes has just stopped and my favorite show is on TV with the most crucial moment just about to happen. Not that I'd ever get myself into a situation to have all that going on at once. I'd never take a shower or have the dryer going during my favorite show. But you get the idea. Maybe it's more realistic to say it's like that weird impulse I have to say that no, I wasn't asleep when someone calls me at five in the morning and then asks if they woke me up. Yes, I have actually done that. I have no idea why I felt like it would be some kind of sign of weakness to admit that I was being a lazy bum and actually sleeping that early in the morning, or perhaps I thought I'd make the other person feel bad if they thought they'd woken me up, when, hello, IT'S FIVE IN THE MORNING! WHY WOULDN'T I BE ASLEEP, YOU MORON!!!

See, I really do need diva lessons. I pride myself on being low-maintenance, but there is such a thing as being too low-maintenance, because if you're too easy and accommodating, you may fall through the cracks. People tend to put a higher value on things they have to work harder for, and that can apply to people, as well. If people know you're not going to make a fuss about something, you may get moved to the bottom of the priority list so they can focus on the person who is likely to make a fuss.

Anyway, the info about my book is now finally up at my publisher's web site, and that means it should be showing up at B&N and Amazon soon. Soon after I made my last post, I finally got those files I needed. Now there's just one more thing someone needs to get to me, aside from the payment my client owes me. I feel like I'm more on track. I spent most of yesterday working on the new version of my web site, even while I was watching TV, with the result that I barely remember what happened on the shows I was watching. I'll let everyone know when the new site goes live.

One thing I do remember from TV is that there seem to be some commercials straight out of my brain. There's the Dodge commercial with the mischievous fairy zipping around New York, and then there's an Earthlink commercial showing all kinds of mythical creatures working in a cubicle farm office setting. Both of those commercials will get my attention, no matter what I'm working on, because it's almost like watching my books come to life. Freaky. In fact, they're closer to my mental images of my books than the dream I had the other night about my books being made into a movie. Somehow, Colin Firth was involved, and he was wearing a toga. The setting seemed very ancient Rome. I'm not sure how that came out of my books, but in my head in the dream, that's what was going on. I don't quibble about Colin Firth making guest appearances in my dreams, no matter how little sense they make.

I'll be announcing contest winners later. First I have to go through the agony of choosing the book winners, and then I'll do a drawing from the mailing list for some other stuff. There weren't many entries for the books, so I may give first priority on the other prizes to the runners up there. I guess I'd better check on how many frog pins I have, and then maybe I'll need to restock if the store still has them.

In other news, this is Drop Everything and Read Day. Celebrate by taking some time out with a favorite book, and if you have youngsters in your life, read with them. Like I need an excuse ...