I am both made proud by and distressed by the following: I put up a gag newspaper account of the Republican response to a very stupid hypothetical accidental demise of mine in Victor's November3 lj, and apparently someone passing by, whom I don't think I know, wanted cites because he thought it was real. Proud because my Journalistic style hasn't gone completely south, and distressed because this guy wouldn't think it strange for the President to be quoted as saying "Ours is not to reason why. Stick a needle in your eye." Or maybe he just read my "lede". Anyway, bwah ha ha! And I am too good enough for AP...so yay me.(It is crossposted to my lj if anyone wants to read it.) I feel like such a genius right now. (But I also don't believe that shit. I disclaimered it too, saying if sick jokes bothered people, they'd be better served by reading something else.)

Oh. my. stars.

erika, are you kidding? This guy read it and thought it was real?

I love you, bebe. So perfect.

I'm thinking yes. Victor, was he serious? I, unlike Joe Klein before me, said "Busted." before it took on some kind of life of its own or something although part of me would have dug that up till I had to put a tag on my toe and my mom got hassled by Rush Limbaugh. You know? It appears to have the element of emotional truth..."feeling true"(or not) in the manner of many an urban legend. I'm just too fucking honest...otherwise I could parlay that into some Drudge-esque "fame". Dang. But I'd hate to have people say my name like they say Drudge's(The "Yeah, right," is silent.)

Yeah, I think John looked at it quickly, and didn't get it was satire. Which, I have to say, pretty funny.

Breakfast with Mary Jo Putney and Jo Beverley turned out great--they're both smart, funny, snarky women. JB's name for what I call "Regency Disneyland" is "PrinnyWorld." We snarked together about industry trends we dislike and they gave me some pointers on how to catch an agent or editor's attention given the current state of the market--basically to really play up the war aspect and the heroine's growth. MJP had to leave early to catch a plane, but JB and I hung out for awhile longer, and she said it sounded like I was working on some interesting stuff, and that she'd be happy to critique a few chapters of my ms if I wanted!

she'd be happy to critique a few chapters of my ms if I wanted

Wheeee! That's awesome, Susan. Glad the breakfast was so much fun.

I thought so, Victor. I'm totally taking it as testament to my awesome talents. Susan, very cool.

Oh, and in the course of the cover discussion, both mentioned that the industry is moving back toward clinch covers, though they've been assured their upcoming books will be given "tasteful, artistic clinches." Both have occasionally hated or simply been bemused by a cover choice. I mentioned that if I sell my current book, the one thing that would most break my heart is if the art department puts Jack in a red coat. They said that was easily solved, because insofar as art departments want input, they like pictures/names of actors and such, so I should just send them a picture or two of Sean Bean as Sharpe. We agreed that even though Jack isn't meant to look especially like SB, there would be worse fates than having someone who looks like him on a cover...

I thought so, Victor. I'm totally taking it as testament to my awesome talents.

You so totally should.

Like I said, my "objective" voice is not completely dead then. Mostly, maybe, but I might not need it much, going to the mattresses on this culture war thing.ETA: And, yeah, still funny.