Jan Burke, award-winning novelist extraordinaire and creator of the Crime
Lab Project, very kindly asked Killer Year to blog this week in her absence,
and we’ve been giving it our all. Today, it’s my turn. Please come over to CLP and
read my brief interview with Detective David Achord, Metro Nashville Homicide.
I asked him a few questions about the lack of private labs in Nashville.
Detective Achord will be here at Murderati one day in the
near future, answering your questions in the comments section. So look for an
upcoming blog warning.
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I had a dream this week that I’ve been trying to interpret.
Hubby and I went to a conference (it seemed like Phoenix,
possibly a ThrillerFest, so perhaps I’ve developed precognition and this
happens in the future). When we arrived and were checking in, I realized that
I’d left a few things at home.
1. Business Cards
2. Killer Year postcards (maybe we aren’t in the future
after all)
3. My registration information
I’m panicking in a slight, “Oh damn, how stupid am I” kind
of way. Then I realize that we’ve left the cat home alone with no babysitter
arranged, I can’t figure out if it’s Wednesday and the conference starts on
Thursday or it’s Thursday morning, so I can’t estimate if she’ll survive.
And then comes the zinger. I don’t have my cell phone, which
has all the numbers for all the people who can bail me out of my mess.
Now, I manage to get in touch with the company that prints
my business cards and the KY postcards, and they agree to make new ones for me
pronto and can have them to the hotel by Friday. Unfortunately, I need to order
thousands to get the overnight shipping cost justified.
Just as I get in touch with the woman that usually takes
care of the cat when we vamoose, my alarm went off. Thank God!
This dream is utterly fascinating to me because I’m a bit
type A, with a slight case of OCD (Hubby can quit laughing now – I know he
stows the peanut butter on the wrong shelf just to freak me out.) The concept
of me arriving for a conference without my happy little packages of notes and
cards, without handling the arrangements for my beloved munchkin, is absurd.
So why did I have this dream?
I think, and I’m speculating, that my world is slightly out
of my control. I’m feeling a bit selfish because my edits came on Saturday and
I dropped everything to dive in, which means I’ve been in la-la-land and have
been a bit spacey with hubby – not cranky so much as elegantly vacant.
Things are starting to hum with the book, and I’m experiencing
a lot of stuff for the first time.
I’m going to chalk this one up to newbie jitters, and hope I
don’t have any more.
(P.S. The edits are officially submitted. What a great feeling!)
Wine of the Week — Let’s celebrate with a fine selection — Baroli Barolo. Yummmmmm……
I think that your analysis is spot on. I have a lot of vivid dreams; sometimes they even help me understand what I’m feeling. And congrats on submitting the edits! Another step down.
J.T., I hope I’m not adding to your stress.
And . . . I think that’s what it is . . . STRESS. You’re entering such a new world, one you’ve dreamed (oops) of for such a long time. Though you know many authors, you still don’t know how your journey will progress and a lot of it is out of your control. It’s an unsettling feeling.
When my first child was born, I remember calling a friend and saying, “I worry that she’s too hot. I worry that she’s too cold. I worry that she isn’t eating. I worry that she’s eating too much. I worry that she’s not sleeping enough and that she’s sleeping too much . . . “
My friend started laughing. In a gentle voice she said, “Pari, welcome to the sisterhood of motherhood. It’s going to be like this for the rest of your life.”
So, J.T., with a smile and much love, I say to you, “Welcome to the club, Dear. You’re an author now.”
Yay for the edits being submitted, J.T. What an accomplishment! You have a right to feel a tad wonky.
But just wait until you hold the actual BOOK in your hand and you start stroking it like a cat 🙂
Anxiety. Pure and simple. You’re stepping into a new phase of your career, and sure it’s humming along. But there’s that fear that you’re going to miss something and it’s all going to fall apart.
Try to relax some. Take a bath. Snuggle with the cat. I find gunfire particularly relaxing, but that’s me.
And remember you’re not alone. We may not always be overly vocal, but you do have a cheering section. And we know you’re going to succeed.
So chill, do the work and you’ll be fine.
And the stuff you’re doing over at CLP is fantastic. Just so you know.
Not much I can add to what’s already been said (we west coasters always get to the party too late to be profound!)-but-the best thing is – you recognize your dream hints. Forewarned, as they say – is forearmed. So, J.T. – as one of the many members of your fan club – relax, and have a glass of that superb wine – and then get ready for the next round. Pari said – ‘welcome to the club- – I’ll just add – ‘welcome to the nut house.’ XOXO
You guys are so great. All of you. I appreciate the support from our community so very much.It feels good to be a part of the club!And Pari — hell no. You’re going to be a stress reliever!
I actually think you’ve got most of it but missed part of it – the key to the dream is the cat. When you dream that you are starving a pet, or ingnoring a pet – you’re dreaming about starving – emotionally – or ingnoring – emotionaly – yourslef. Our pets are the closest thing to our own selves that we can dream about other than our kids – or if we don’t have kids.
So my guess is that you’re so busy and stressed out you’re not taking care of the care and feeding of your own self.