Archive for the ‘Mrs. Job’ Tag
Finally I’ve spent time on Minnesota’s north shore and it was beautiful to look at and relaxing to enjoy. Doug and I arrived at Cove Point on the day before Thanksgiving, staying in a Fjord Cottage a short walk from the main lodge. (I’m writing this a week later while snowed in in Chaska. Glad we went the week before.)
The drive there from Excelsior was clear and beautiful, but shortly after we arrived it began to snow, creating our first of the year winter wonderland. Inside the unit it was warm and cozy with the gas fireplace.
For dinner we took a short walk through the snow covered path to the dining room at the lodge where the menu gave great satisfaction to my Swedish heritage appetite. I ended up with a first course of herring salad and a stuffed portobello mushroom for the main meal. They very kindly substituted quinoa for the gluten free rotini. And for desert they gave me what I asked for — a scoop of vanilla with lingonberries. It was all good!
Doug enjoyed tomato basil soup and crumb crust walleye -crushed pretzels, mustard, wild rice pilaf and green beans. For desert he chose the root beer float they were offering free at the bar.
See what I mean? It was relaxing – no rushing off to “see the sights.” Later, back at the unit, Doug began the project of teaching me cribbage on a hand carved board in the shape of a fish. Just one of the toys provided.
Thanksgiving morning I awoke to the sight of a lovely sunrise over the lake.
and the lake waters greeting the snow covered rocks on shore.
We made our own thanksgiving dinner in the kitchen beautifully supplied with everything necessary. I’m not including the photo of our cooked chicken, even though it was beautiful in “person,” because the photo had something equivalent to red eye, except it was red crust. Looked weird.
The rest of the day was a hanging-out day except for a brief walk to the lodge, a quick swim in the pool, and a soak in the whirlpool. Then more cribbage. Whew. And seconds on the pumpkin pie.
We did go see some sights the next day. First it was the Split Rock lighthouse – a beautiful structure, in use from 1909 t0 1964, or was it 1946? Oh well, Here it is.
We couldn’t see the inside because it’s only open in the summer months, but we did see a brief film of the crashes that brought about its being built in the first place. And we got a sense of what life was like for the keeper and his family.
Later, on our way to Gooseberry Park we got a glimpse of it again through the trees.
Then it was on to Gooseberry Park where I did get a photo of the frozen falls. Actually there was some small amount of water still running, but not a lot.
I was particularly taken with what seemed like a tree that nature had decorated for Christmas.
And then another relaxed evening at the unit.
On our way home from Cove Point we stopped in Duluth to visit the Glensheen mansion. Here are a few quick photos. First, the entry.
And the dining room.
Plus a lovely tiled fireplace.
and one of the rooms.
As you can see,it was decorated for Christmas. Referring to a guest who had visited from Radcliffe, there were costumed guides at several points on the self-guided tour to elucidate what the guest would have seen, and what delight she took in being there.
I loved seeing it, but I wouldn’t want to live there. I guess because if I did, I imagined cleaning it all myself. But they had servants, and very pleasant servant’s quarters.
And so, I’m back to work today — more fun rehearsals for “The Sound of Music,” gift wrapping, trying to keep up with e-mail, friends, and clients, and telling myself each day that I’ll get back to work on selling “Mrs. Job” and writing “My Father’s House.” A snow day does help.
Rejoice with me! I now have all the pieces of “Mrs. Job” to finish reviewing the copyedit. Now I can get to work finding a new publisher.
My thanks to Kevin Haws.
Two nights ago I rejoiced that I had finished my part in copyediting half of “Mrs Job” in preparation for her reappearance under a new name and with a new cover. Now, I thought, I can get back to the photos from my recent four weeks in Europe until I get the second half from the editor and, after I finish it quickly, Mrs. Job will be on the way to her attractive new identity.
You would have been seeing a blog entry today with photos and travel descriptions.
But then the publisher e-mailed the sad news to me. They had run into a financial problem that made it impossible to go on, so Mrs. Job would not be published by them after all. My initial reaction was – rather healthily, I think – to feel sad for me. Then I thought about what it meant for them and e-mailed a sympathy note recognizing how devastating it must be to lose their dream.
So I gave myself the evening to mope, and scheduled today to think about Mrs. Job’s future now that she has basically been evicted from two homes. Well, not quite evicted. In January, 2012, I terminated her agreement with iUniverse to sign the contract with TM Publishing. The process has been slow, but their intention to follow through was genuine. And I can’t say she’s been evicted. More accurately, she never did get to close on her new home.
At any rate, I’m now starting the search anew. Any help you can offer with names of potential agents or publishers, or even just plain good ideas, will be gratefully considered.
In the meantime, while I was enjoying my mope last evening, I remembered Saturday’s rally for immigration reform at the Guardian Angels Church. Over 300 people were there, singing, listening, hoping, and being moved to tears by the stories of people who had suffered under our current system. Especially hard to see were the young people whose parents had been torn away from them.
So, no, Mona! You are so lucky to have the problems you have. Get off the stick and open yourself to creative thinking!
And open to the possibility that someone reading this might have help to offer.
I’ve just returned from four weeks in Europe: Portugal, Austria, France, and Bulgaria. I’ll be sharing stories and photos beginning in a few days. Right now I’m busy getting my photos labeled and organized while finding time to continue the editing of Mrs. Job — whoever she is to become.
Just one initial comment for my fellow inhabitants of Minnesota. All four of those countries impressed me with their roads — black, smooth, clear white lines. Not a single pot hole.
On the other hand, no place had the competence and clarity of signage that we enjoy here. Not even in their native languages.
I’ve met some wonderful people, enjoyed some amazing adventures, sights, and stirring emotions. And I’m anxious to share all that with you.
I’ll be back.
I may not be blogging very much for a while. My time is taken up with lots of other stuff these days. One big thing is working with TM Publishing to complete the editing of the former “Mrs. Job.” As I’ve said before, people pronounce “Job” as if it has to do with paid employment and that is clearly misleading. So we’re looking for another title and cover illustration.
Once we get all this relationship counseling taken care of, I’ll be offering the original “Mrs. Job” at a reduced price.
In the meantime, if you have read “Mrs. Job,” you might be willing to put out a few suggestions for title change (and cover.) (Anything that doesn’t have “Job” in it.) The publisher has offered the following suggestions.
Some questions to prompt the brainstorming process:
What is the core idea of the book?
What is the primary emotional experience you want a reader to have while reading or by reading the book?
What phrases, images, or emotions from the book resonate most strongly with that idea?
What prompts the protagonist’s story arc? Why does the character who changes the most in the book, change?
What symbols and images connect to that cause?
What feelings does the point of view character experience throughout the story?
Does the reader share these feelings? If so, what feelings should the reader experience?
What symbols or images related to the story would evoke that feeling?
These are some of the things we discuss as a company when creating a title and cover. They are just a starting point; hopefully, putting the answers to these questions into words will spark other ideas.
I have offered you the story of my marriage in a previous blog. Now let me tell you about my divorce from Lou Affinito after 20 years of marriage and two children. Lou eventually married a lovely lady – a devout Roman Catholic – who was the perfect wife for him. Their marriage lasted some 35 years, terminated only by Lou’s death. And I went on being happily single, supported by my own income, the result of a career which gave me (still gives me) great joy.
It was 1976. I was free – I mean literally free – because the traditional – even Biblical – marriage defining wives as chattel had not been written into our constitution, though remnants of the attitude remained. The same brave women who survived ridicule and torture to gain the right to vote also worked to earn for women the right to their children. As long as wives were chattel, so were their children. Yes, chattel, property.
My mother was a young married woman with her first child when she was granted her voting rights. Not because the constitution was amended to limit her freedom, but because it was amended to guarantee her freedom.
Don’t misunderstand; the church did its best to enforce its limitations on women through the rule of law. There were remnants of the attitude in 1976. In some places, for example, married women could still not receive a library card in their own name.
The idea of women owning their own homes was seen by some as a bit ludicrous, if not disgusting. The first Real Estate agent I worked with showed me a series of very sorry examples of houses. When I told him I was looking for something nicer, he told me this was the best I could expect as a woman looking to purchase on my own. Fortunately he was a bit of a dinosaur. Women were just discovering Real Estate as an occupation that fit their needs and at which they excelled. With the help of a very patient lady I eventually found the right place for me.
Most of the stores to which I applied were willing to give me credit accounts in my own name. The one exception I remember was J.C. Penney which insisted I had to remain under my husband’s name. In all the years since, I have bought only one item at J.C. Penney. By the way, as far as I recall, there were no general credit cards like Visa and American Express.
Knowing the importance of the church to Lou, I offered to cooperate with him in the process of getting an annulment. After a few years he did request my help. The archdiocese, recognizing that I was not a Catholic, sent me a very courteous letter asking whether I’d be wiling to cooperate. They assured me that an annulment would in no way affect the legitimacy of our children. Even the church understood the difference between church law and civil law. Someday I may share the story publicly. Anyway, Lou was granted the annulment.
Have I made my point? The same Biblical references that define what some people are calling traditional marriage also defined women as chattel. I even made it part of the fictional story of Mrs. Job. I can’t imagine what my life would be like if that definition had been written into our constitution.
There is one story you might find interesting. It makes no point except to amuse. In 1982 when I was buying a different home (with the help of the same lovely Real Estate Lady) the potential lender required a copy of my divorce decree. With perfect confidence I headed to my locked, fireproof file. I couldn’t find it. Searching under “D” for divorce, and “D” for decree, then under “M” for marriage, I came up empty handed. So, in somewhat of a panic, I called City Hall for a copy. They reported there was no such decree on file. Was I sure about where I’d been living when I got divorced? Yes, I was. Then on the other end of the phone I heard, “Oh, I think I just saw it. Let me look.” Back she came to report that it was in a drawer of materials about to be discarded. It was never filed. “Oh, I giggled, does that mean Lou is a bigamist?” No, it didn’t mean that, but Lou and I each had to contact our lawyers to get them to finish their job.
Well, maybe there is a point in that last story. Might it be called “Much ado about nothing?” Well, not really. My mortgage loan depended on that piece of paper.
I need to leave the blogosphere for a while. I didn’t have time to get to my e-mails at all today. That’s ’cause I’m really busy setting up the garage sale for Friday June 1st and Saturday, June 2d. I’m taking advantage of the fact that some kind volunteer does the advertising for the whole condominium group The last garage sale I did was when my granddaughter graduated from St. Olaf. This time the spur is her moving on to Colonial Williamsburg — happy news. It’s kinda fun going through my stuff, discovering things I just can’t part with, things I part with easily, and those I struggle over. If you live nearby, do come — and come early. Every item of clothing is $1.00 — some worth much more than that; others worth a dollar. there’ll be other things too, priced individually. Handbags, shoes, a penguin dehumidifier, fun odds and ends, and a box of stuff in which you might find a treasure for ten cents.
There’ll also be a great new bathroom sink vanity — never used — which could be perfect for your needs if it’s the right size. Come and check it out if you think it might be.
Thank you Thelma (not my sister Thelma) for the kind award nomination. I’ll be back on in a few days.
Oh, yes. Then there’s the issue of continuing to edit Mrs Job for TM Publications.
Wish me luck, please.
Guess what! I’m spending too much time on the web. Too many interesting bloggers to whom I’m eager to respond. Too many writers groups who grab my interest. Too many basically unsuccessful efforts to make “Mrs. Job” known to folks who might want to buy her once they realize the she is the wife of Job — a love story on many levels, not an instruction manual on how a married woman should make a living. So many blogs and groups that I’m not making time to write.
I’m about to settle in on two groups and painfully give up on the others. I need and want to get busy editing the “Mrs. Job” manuscript for TM Publications. Actually, I’ve begun my last couple of days with editing chapters three and four. I plan to get to chapter five today. Maybe there’s hope.
I know “Mrs. Job” is a pretty good piece of writing. Just a visit to the site on amazon.com bears witness to that Mrs. Job on amazon.
I know my forgiveness books – a totally different genre – have been helpful to folks. In between I try every once in a while to remind people of their existence. Forgiveness.
So “Book Clinic” count me in, and I’ll be working on deciding on the other. It’s all a little like what I did yesterday in sorting through my clothes to decide what I want to bring to the consignment shop or put out for the garage sale. Each time I think to part with something, I get second thoughts and the likelihood is great that it will go back on the shelf.
Maybe I need help downsizing on the web. Any suggestions?
Things are going well for my family right now. I’m working on developing a new business. It’s time to focus.
Thanks for listening.
I had many kind, thoughtful, and helpful responses to my question re contractions for Mrs. Job. The funniest, perhaps, was when I walked into a meeting on Tuesday and was greeted with “No contractions.” My response, “Who’s pregnant?” Great example, isn’t it, of the complex meaning and use of words.
The responses were not, of course, 100% supportive of any solution, but altogether they helped me to come up with an idea that the editor likes too, so we’re on the same page. Dara (young Mrs. Job) and her friend Adah will speak to each other in contractions until Dara gets married, at which point they will adopt the more formal/grown up elimination of contractions. It will serve as a subtle way to introduce the change in their relationship as they move on to being married women at a distance geographically and psychologically.
The responses were received not only here but also via some of the writer’s groups I enjoy on the web. Right now I’m feeling very well supported and cared for, and very grateful. Thanks.
I have so much I want to say, including the great experience I had on Thursday and Friday at the “Next Level Negotiation Conference,” but I’m under a blizzard of paper work today, and tomorrow I’ve got to get ready for my annual meeting with my accountant. I wanted, however, to share my excitement about the fact that TM Publishing will be publishing Mrs. Job. I’m excited to see what creative ideas they bring to it. As the saying goes, “It’s all good.”
monagustafsonaffinito 