Dear Daniel

Dear Daniel,

I know it’s been a while since I checked in. I’ve been hiding from the world. I got some bad news. Not life ending or life altering just news I would have rather not received. You’re the Reason and City of the Damned didn’t make it to the semi-finalist round of any category of Austin.

I mean, the odds weren’t in our favor. There were over 8600 entries. We have a better shot at finding an agent through a cold query or just attending a film festival. But here’s the harsh reality. Fandom Fest was when Missy could get off. She blew her entire vacation time on it and really it kind of paid off. All those books sold, meeting Grant Wilson, meeting Adrian Paul, meeting Brian O’Halloran. Making a possible contact in Grant. Selling 34 books. Winning the screenplay competition. It was incredible. Success is not final and failure is not fatal.

It took me a little while to recover from the rejection of the contest. The real let down is in not being able to attend Austin in and of itself. The knowledge we have now in how to work a festival would serve us much better. But perhaps that isn’t our path to take.

As part of forcing myself out of this depressive funk I submitted two query letters, one for each of the screenplays Missy and I penned to a literary agent. And I submitted CORNBREAD to Random House Alibi, Blackwyrm, and MuseItUp so when I hear back I know I’ll be okay. I’m not really thinking about those things at the moment I’m juggling several projects all of which are interesting enough to me I’m not worried about contracts.

Still, I really wanted to attend a film festival. But the reality is I’m attending Context, a literary con at the end of this month and everything I have is put towards that. A table, a reading, I’ll be moderating a book to movie panel, and somehow I managed to land on a make ‘em laugh panel. And while I can produce funny moments, or have my characters sat funny things a comedic writer I am not. I don’t have that timing that some people are innately born with.

I’m a serious writer and I write about dramatic or sometimes melodramatic things. Not to say that’s somehow better or superior to comedic writing. As a matter of fact I think comedic writing is harder. And I’m not even particularly good at it.

But in order to recover I’ll be doing basic signings. One at A Reader’s Corner, one at Bullitt County’s Author Fair, and one at Half-Price Booksellers. And maybe even Joseph-Beth.

Next month I’m off. I need a mattress so that I can get more than four hours of sleep. I have to pay my publicist. But next month I’ll be purchasing books and going on a shopping spree at NaNoWriMo Store. They are single handedly responsible for my slavish discipline and why I write so much every day. Okay, so maybe mine and Missy’s friendship and my decided lack of a social life has something to do with it too.

But in order to recover I watch Casino Royale, Cowboys & Aliens, and Skyfall. These movies, among others make me feel better and give the sense that if I work harder enough, don’t give up, and just believe bigger things will happen for me and Missy.

I want to thank you for that. I recently wrote a graphic novel and a play based upon my bestselling Bounty Hunter. I don’t see much coming of them but imagining you in the lead of the play or the screenplay makes me dream big. And maybe one day I’ll be fortunate enough to work with one of my heroes.

Sincerely,

Amy McCorkle