"When are you going to start answering your text messages?" he asked.
"How are you, Uncle," I responded.
"Okay, I get it ... you aren't."
"Let's not get into this right now ... what did you want?"
"I wanted to know if you'd read Clara's manuscript."
"Clara's manuscript?"
"Yeah, she's been writing a book and when I told her you were an author, she asked if you'd look at her stuff and see what you thought."
Good grief. "What's it about?"
"How should I know? I haven't read it," he said.
"You haven't? But you're her friend."
"Sonny, I don't have time to read an unproven author ... I haven't even read your books.""Yeah, I know, thanks."
"So, are you going to read it or not?"
"Well, I don't know ... I'm pretty busy right now."
"So you want me to tell her that my nephew, the author, isn't interested in reading her manuscript?"
"Come on, Uncle, that's not fair."
"Okay, I'll tell her ..."
"No, no, don't do that ... I'll read it."
"You will? Thanks, Sonny, I know it'll mean a lot to her."
"What if it isn't any good?"
"That could be a problem." Uncle Billy paused. "Well, you'll think of something. I'll have her send you a pdf."
"I'm out of printer ink ... and paper ... and I don't want to read it on the computer ... can't she print out a copy for me?"
"I suppose so. When can you pick it up?"
I looked at the paragraph that had just taken me two hours to write. "I'll be over in the morning."
"Great, Sonny, I really appreciate it."
I can soooo relate to this! I've had a couple of friends give my email out to someone who just wrote a book and now wanted me to tell them what to do with it. Hello? I could spend months on that subject. Go do your homework. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteLaura: And you still call them friends?
ReplyDeleteHahaha, Dude, you just gotta learn to say "No." Say it enough and they'll start believing it. Good luck. :)
ReplyDeletePru: It's tough to say 'no' to Uncle Billy.
ReplyDeleteI have an Uncle Billy, but is name is Matt. And he didn't ask me read someone else's ms., he asked me to read his. Arrrg!
ReplyDelete"It's only 70,0000 words," says he.
"Oh, well, then. How can I say no?"
Good luck, Sonny. Oh, and see you around the Insecure Writers' Blog Hop. I think we're going to need that.
I laughed so hard while reading this! Isn't that how it happens?
ReplyDeletecleemckenzie: 70k, eh? Oh, I hope Clara's isn't that much!
ReplyDeleteAlex: Yep. Uncle Billy thinks I'm sitting around all day playing solitaire on my computer ... heck, I'll bet I'm busy writing at least half the time.
okay...you've got to splurge on a tablet/reader/Kindle
ReplyDeleteMac: I'll have to depend on Santa for that one.
ReplyDeleteEach and every published author reading this feels your pain. I couldn't stop laughing because this is so true!
ReplyDeleteThis makes me very glad I haven't told anyone outside of immediate fmaily I'm working away at this writing gig... :)
ReplyDeleteCiara: Yep ... all I can hope for is that Clara's work is a page turner.
ReplyDeleteJemi: There's a downside all right ... but I'd feel fortunate if anyone outside of my immediate family knew I was an author.
How much you like the manuscript will depend on how close a relative or friend Clara is and whether or not you're likely to ever meet up with her in the future. The good news is that you as a writer know how to write fiction, so just email her your notes.
ReplyDeleteHelen: You're so right ... and my fiction prowess just might play a role in this ... it sure does in most other areas of my life.
ReplyDelete