Tuesday 13 December 2011

An Overwhelming Affair

Last Thursday was the Festa dell’Immacolata Concezione and while for some that meant a visit to church, for my clan and I it meant a huge twenty-one-people lunch at Annalisa’s. Two of her brothers celebrated nearby birthdays and arrivals to the house were determined by distance from town, fog, baby’s naps and party animals oversleeping. Midway through the meal I answered my phone and checked my email quickly. There was a note from my publisher. Mmmm. That could only mean one thing. The story collection I had sent him with my heart stammering must have been swiftly rejected. How many times had I heard it: Lovely work but stories don’t sell. Bring on de novel.

I wandered out onto the terrace with the smokers pausing between courses and sat down to read it. And reread it.

..loved the stories.. would like to proceed with this project in addition to ‘Divorced’.. looking forward to working with you on this...

My heart sailed out to Mary, born without the stain of original sin (no it didn’t really, but I’ve always had a weak spot for the true Madonna) and for the past few days I have been smiling at everything – filthy floors and animals in the house, stoned sons, cranky daughter, cool friends, the electricity men, my muddy surrounds. I mean, these are the contours of absolute bliss no?


Short stories. I have always written and published stories except for the long and depressing stretches (months, years!) when I have been writing novels or back at work or reproducing or in flight from everything. My dream has always been to have a book of stories with my name on it. The thought of it! And now I have ‘The Divorced Lady’s Companion to Living in Italy’, which I just had to write, coming out in April, and the stories in 2013. I am certainly going to have to crank up my other blog http://peltandotherstories.blogspot.com and – oh! the relief – I won’t have to write a query letter for a good while.

My publisher said I could shout it from the rooftops.

26 comments:

  1. Whoa -- congratulations!! That is wonderful news. How fabulous to go from thinking you'll have to absorb bad news in public to realizing you're actually taking in *good* news.

    I'm so happy for you. Hope you share more info about this book soon!

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  2. <3 glad you are spreading your joy around.

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  3. I am so in awe, and thrilled, and happy, and so utterly exhilerated that this truly is possible for someone! You inspire me - I've always been too scared to try for this myself, but mayeb one day :) :) Can't wait to read the stories!

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  4. Thanks Laura! I know you know the feeling! I am stupidly happy. I know there is a long road ahead - the editing on my novel has been well, endless - but I can't wait to be in there with my stories, straightening them up and yanking them into order. Hope your collection is doing well, I'm looking to you for tips! My story blog is http://peltandotherstories.blogspot.com

    Hey Schietree, thank you! I am just catching up with yours. Lovely blog and beautiful images. The TIC article was great. I have been peddling these stories for years and it makes me wish I had tried harder (and not been without Internet living in Africa) with earlier novels. It is so hard, so disheartening. But don't give up, we mustn't ever!

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  5. Hi Hannah, thank you so much and I love the tone and energy in your blog. Why not write? I wouldn't be surprised if you just took off and starting writing brilliant stories. Go for it!

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  6. What brilliant news to finish off the year :-)

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  7. Thanks Mike! And thanks for having some of the stories in The View From Here, a great place to be published! Cheers, cat

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  8. Congratulations, Cat! I'm so happy for you. I can feel your smile from here.

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  9. So very happy for you, Cat. I'm crazy about short stories and can't wait to read the whole collection. Congratulations!!!

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  10. Cat,
    And the snowball begins to roll downhill carrying you with it. Congratulations! Shout it from the rooftops, dear friend.

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  11. Thanks so much Averil. There's lots of sex and death so I think you should enjoy! Ciao cat

    Thank you Lyra. I hope I don't break anything (ego, nerve) on the way down!

    Grazie mille a tutte e due!!

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  12. Wow! Such fabulous news, Cat! Congratulations! I believe the day to day existence stuff must be pretty sweet frosted with that tidbit of info. I cannot wait to hear your stories.

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  13. Yes must hold on to the bliss. Doing the edits for DLC has shown me how long and tiresome revisions can be! So best to hold onto now. Thanks Deb, hope all is well with your manuscript, ciao cat

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  14. "a tutte e due"?
    Teach me, our Italian princepessa!

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  15. Wow. Congratulations! If the titles are a portent for the text, I can't wait to read them!

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  16. Ciao Lyra!

    'Grazie a tutte e due' means 'Thank you to both of you'.

    You and Averil are both special and saying it in Italian felt more special!


    Thank you Elizabeth! I really hope DLC makes readers laugh and see being-a-woman-in-Italy in a different way. And the stories, well, they are set in Africa in another key and mightn't please everybody. I can only hope they do!

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  17. thanks for sharing...

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  18. "for the past few days I have been smiling at everything – filthy floors and animals in the house, stoned sons, cranky daughter, cool friends, the electricity men, my muddy surrounds. I mean, these are the contours of absolute bliss no?"

    Love this!!

    Go shout it - hugenormous congratulations!

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  19. Dear Anonymous,
    Thank you for writing
    Ciao cat

    Hi Rachel,
    Thanks so much it's been a wild week inside, maybe I'll have to surface soon.
    Ciao cat

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  20. Hello & congratulations! Really looking forward to reading both books and will make sure I have a strong vodka & cranberry juice in hand! In the meantime go have a ski for me at Pecol. X MV

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  21. Meret is that you? If it is you should pass by next time you are over for skiing and grappa. I put on my skis first time yesterday and it was fanbloddytastic. ciaociao xxcat

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  22. What wonderful news! Congratulations on the story collection. I look forward to reading your other blog, too.

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  23. Thanks Lisa! I've been doing some home decorating over there too. Not enough hours in the day hey? It just gets crazier.. Sending you Christmas cheer and a spectacular New Year! xxcat

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  24. Go tell it on the mountains!!

    So pleased for you Cat!

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  25. Thanks so much Downith! Maybe I will! Buon Natale to you and family

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