Jenna and I have decided to take over the world.

See, this is what happened. My book? Never sold. I got nice feedback from editors who basically said, “Industry’s tanked. Not taking chances on a new writer. Thanks.” Our choices were to move to smaller publishers or rethink the project. Delia and I talked and decided rethinking was in order because editors like my writing but weren’t so crazy about the book. Woe is me, right? Yes, friends, woe. is. me.

So I grieved that and around that time I also started my job and I grieved that, too. And my whole life seemed lousy and I’d never be a writer again and oh it was all so awful and miserable and basically I have been moping around the house a lot in 2009. Then Delia asked if I’d ever thought of working with Jenna on a book. And I said, why no I haven’t but let me give it a think. And I thought for all of ten seconds maybe and then emailed Jenna.

Jenna and I scrapped the memoir idea because we couldn’t think of how to meld our stories right and then I dug around in my notes and found this other idea, which we both like a lot and now we’re all google waving at each other over it.

I have never written with another writer and that kinda scares me but it’s Jenna so that kinda doesn’t. Because I feel like in a lot of ways we’re on the same wavelength about stuff and our experiences are complementary not just as adoptive mom to first mom but also to our parenting ideas and our work ideas and our juggling lives and WordPress fixation and multitasking careers, etc. We have a lot in common but we also have a lot of good differences and I think (hope!) that this will translate to being able to write a book together.

If nothing else, together we have a platform that kicks major ass.

Where we are now is talking about chapters and each of us deciding what research we want to do. We’re going to use google wave to share info so that we can collaborate as we go even as we each take responsibility for certain parts. Then when we feel like we’ve gotten some basic info down, we’ll work on writing it together. I’m not sure how that’ll work but if we get together on a structure to follow so that we’re on the same page there, then each of us can maybe write what we want to write and then edit for cohesiveness. I’m hoping Delia has some thoughts on how to do that. Or we’ll hire Becca to help us. Because she’s brilliant.

Here’s hoping that 2010 brings more good things because I am about done with all that 2009 moping but seriously!

There it is! I really like what Rebecca said about my piece in the front, too (naming me with another Columbus writer and now maybe I have an excuse to introduce myself to her!):

Paula Penn-Nabrit and Dawn Friedman say that whether exhausting or heartbreaking, the decisions we make should benefit our families not just today or tomorrow, but two, three or even six decades from now.

Also, while I haven’t read Ms. Penn-Nabrit’s essay yet (seeing as how I did just get the book two seconds ago) I did read her book, which is about homescooling as an African American family so I especially like being listed with her in the intro. And I am so freaking excited to be in a book that Z.Z. Packer is in because her short stories BLOW ME AWAY.

One Big Happy Family got a Kirkus starred review! Hooray! (I can’t wait to read the whole collection!) My essay got a call-out:

Friedman, while admitting to occasional twinges of jealousy and guilt evoked by having her daughter’s birth mother integrated into their lives, trumpets openness for her daughter’s sake: “She will never have to wonder why her first mother chose adoption; she can ask her.”

I don’t know if a call-out is any big deal but it’s nice that I got called out in both the Kirkus and the Publishers Weekly reviews because it makes me feel accomplished and I need all the ego-boosts I can get these days!

The contract is signed, waiting to be mailed tomorrow. Once it is signed, sealed and delivered back to me, I will be officially represented by the Doris S. Michaels Literary Agency! (But they said it was kosher to blog it now.)

Short story: Director of Development finds my blog and likes it. Sees I’m looking for an agent via my “about me” page, (which I will change tomorrow). Asks if I have a proposal, asks to see it, tells me she’ll get back. And she got back!

Lesson here for other writers: Put it out there if you’re looking for representation. Put it everywhere. You never know who you might meet.

I’m very happy (obviously) but being intrinsically Jewish, I am hoping for the best while expecting the worst. I really don’t know what it is to be happy without also being sad because I’m like that — bittersweet is my favorite flavor!

The big thing for me (besides the possibilities) is that I was casting around for some encouragement to keep going on this front because in my quest to be my own patron — as in working to pay the bills so I can write and finding it increasingly hard to justify finding time to write — I was letting myself down. This was the encouragement I needed.

I don’t know if I’ll get a book deal or not but I at least feel very NEXT STEP about it all and like I’m at least on the right track for whatever happens next. (I should write that like Whatever Happens Next).

In honor of my momentous news (and unfinished to-do list with writing group still to get to tonight), Brett will be making dinner. He’s a good man, that Brett!

I’m not going to write about this happy event here — not yet but soon. If you follow me on twitter or friend me on facebook, you already know about this happy event or have means to find out. (I will say that it’s career not family related.)

But what is wrong with me that the first thing I thought upon opening happy event email was, “I wonder how I’m going to screw THIS up!”

Happily Leslie sent several emails meant to rev my happiness right back up! AND I get to see her tonight!