News . . . at last

Well, I have news. It's old news, but news nonetheless. My book is going to be published. YES! After 7 years of writing it, it is going to happen . . . Harper bailed and Viking stepped in. But as the old cliche goes, there's a silver lining . . . and it's true. My book is going to be the lead title on one of Viking's lists (can't say which or my secret identity will be null and void). Another satisfying fact is that my advance is over THREE TIMES what Harper offered 7 years ago -- and this isn't simply a matter of inflation (though, now that it's occurring to me . . . it could be -- and now I'm depressed. Great). Plus Viking is buying the rights to my first book, so that will be reissued with hopefully a v. cool cover (not too hard to beat Harper's.). My new editor is very cool and works w/ some very well-known YA authors! Can't say who because I may blow my cover. But she really totally "gets" what I did w/ my book (finger's crossed), which is so refreshing. So, I'm working on the revisions. Hence why it's v. v. v. late and I'm writing here and now. After months of silence.

Soccer is soccer is soccer. But since this blog is obstensibly to annotate the doings along the sidelines, here I must plunge into it. My oldest got an offer to play at the Air Force Academy next year. My son (number 4 of my 5) has an amazing new coach, a stud who once was an MLS Goalkeeper and an asst. coach to the U.S. Women's National Team. Great guy. And lots of fun (the boys love him). And I have to admit, kinda -- okay VERY -- on the cute side. And exactly 6 weeks younger than I am, so my little crush isn't too weird. (An aside, he and I and a bunch of soccer parents had a blast recently at Vail imbibing liquid courage at a bar in Vail. I suggested that we go around and reveal our most embarrassing moments, they made me go first and then . . . nobody would tell theirs! Yes, mine were (yep, that was plural) admittedly hard to top, but COME ON! (and I only told 3). I mean, the coach for one was in the MLS. You're telling me he couldn't conjure up some good stories? On the positive side, my stock as a storyteller extraordinaire skyrocketed.)

Let's see, what else? Well, got some new soccer mom friends. A real interesting collection these days. My 7 yr old's soccer is getting intense -- imagine that! -- and one of the moms is an ex-Mormon, yoga teaching, pot smoking, hiker, who wants her husband to get her a girl this year for her birthday. Not a baby girl child kind of thing, but to have some fun (if ya know what I mean) with a girl (woman). Um, yuck. And she buys pot from the 15 yr. old neighbor kid at the end of her cul-de-sac and every Friday starts drinking heavily around 3 PM so she's totally smashed by 8 PM. Um, yeah. Not a real good influence, but I think I can handle it. Despite all this, she is a lot of fun and v. interesting and good for a laugh. And isn't laughing some of the best meds? Another soccer mom pal is a runner like me (we were supposed to run together at 3 vs. 3 Regionals in Vail, but somehow we couldn't get it together and ran alone. I think we both were afraid that the other would kick our butt!), who is a mom of 4 (tho hers are much younger than mine), who stays-at-home and who is an aspiring writer and a lover of books. What else could you want? We're starting a book club w/ some of the soccer moms on that particular team. Then an old soccer friend whom I've recently reconnected w/ is spinning tales of adultery and love affairs. Hmmmm, not sure I'm buying her brand of fiction. It is a sick world these days.

On the more neg side of things, I've discovered some gray hairs creeping in. When I can't stand them anymore, I get out my eyebrow tweezers and pull those intruders out! Very dumb, because I often pull out the nice healthy dark hairs at a ratio of about 5 good ones to 1 gray one. I'll be bald before I know it.

They say the 40's are the new 30's. Wishful thinking.