The call

It starts with an email: “I’ve tried calling …”

Instantly I recall all the times the phone rang, when I didn’t pick up because I didn’t recognize the number. “Just another crank call,” I’d thought.

I shoot back an email. “Is it okay if I call you right back?” and then I have second thoughts. As if I’ll be able to think about anything else until I hear what she has to say.

I dig out the cell phone and find the last Missed call. Holding my breath, I call back. The wheelbarrow man in my stomach is doing a jig.

She picks up right away. “Jenny?”

“I’m so sorry…”

“I’ve been trying to call you…”

“I thought you were the Microsoft Service Desk…” I’m giggling nervously.

We talk for a few minutes about how we both don’t like to use the phone, which is why she hasn’t left me a message. And then we get down to it.

“I read your story and I really liked it.”

I’m waiting for the BUT.

“And we’d like to publish it.”

I don’t do any of those things I’ve heard writers do – scream, yell, drop the phone. “Really?” I must have misunderstood.

“Really.”

The rest of the conversation is a blur. I make frantic notes as she tells me about the editing process, how I should start thinking about what types of covers I like because I can have some input into the cover design, and how she’ll send me a contract the next day.

After we hang up, I jump up and down like a five year old. I skype Patrick, but he’s already left. I pace for a few minutes. I give up and run next door to tell my neighbor. When Patrick finally gets home, I can’t even wait for him to put his bike away. “Guess what, guess what, guess what!”

He refuses to guess.

So I tell him. And then we both jump up and down and hug.

For the next few days I can’t sleep. My brain is going a million miles an hour thinking about all the things I need to do (Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, a website, EDITING!) Even though I’m not sleeping, I keep expecting to wake up.

And then the contract arrives and it’s official! My book is going to be published by
Sono Nis Press.