Nath Jones's Blog - Posts Tagged "faith"
Promotions
I wish you guys could see my Hotmail inbox. It's where I send all the promotions. Just now I logged into it, because I need to track down my Apple ID again, lifelong quest.
Right there in the middle of the screen was "Go Green with Lobster Gram!"
Now this inbox is filled with all sorts of stuff: Stonewall Kitchen, Yankee Candle Company, DICK's Sporting Goods, The Saint Paul Hotel, credit cards, real estate agents,--you name it. I mean, we're talking seriously 26,170 unread messages and I purge, delete, archive, sweep this thing fairly frequently. So I'm not singling out Lobster Gram. I have nothing against them.
But. I'm telling you right now. Lobster Gram? Really? Come on. How many repeat customers do you think Lobster Gram gets? I'm sorry. But even if they have the email address I used in high school Lobster Gram is a one-time thing.
Plus. These companies really do not seem to get it that maybe I do not want to be reminded of my ex-husband's favorite uncle's fiftieth birthday every time I open my inbox. Am I right?
Okay. Fine.
Well. So. Here I'm about to go sell my book, right? And. I need to take this effort seriously, because I'm out of a job. (Dude, we seriously need some sales with this one.)
Anyway. So. As always I will make a personal attempt to toe the line between making sure you guys know these books have been written and incessant screaming into the deaf ear.
Right there in the middle of the screen was "Go Green with Lobster Gram!"
Now this inbox is filled with all sorts of stuff: Stonewall Kitchen, Yankee Candle Company, DICK's Sporting Goods, The Saint Paul Hotel, credit cards, real estate agents,--you name it. I mean, we're talking seriously 26,170 unread messages and I purge, delete, archive, sweep this thing fairly frequently. So I'm not singling out Lobster Gram. I have nothing against them.
But. I'm telling you right now. Lobster Gram? Really? Come on. How many repeat customers do you think Lobster Gram gets? I'm sorry. But even if they have the email address I used in high school Lobster Gram is a one-time thing.
Plus. These companies really do not seem to get it that maybe I do not want to be reminded of my ex-husband's favorite uncle's fiftieth birthday every time I open my inbox. Am I right?
Okay. Fine.
Well. So. Here I'm about to go sell my book, right? And. I need to take this effort seriously, because I'm out of a job. (Dude, we seriously need some sales with this one.)
Anyway. So. As always I will make a personal attempt to toe the line between making sure you guys know these books have been written and incessant screaming into the deaf ear.
Friends, Real Ones
I really wasn't expecting to have to go sell this collection of short stories. I thought I'd do the five On Impulse collections, revise a novel or two, and then start pitching agents. I thought pharmacy would be the underpinning and I could just kind of plug away quietly at the writing, refining my craft.
As it happens, the pharmacy went out of business, which is completely understandable. Other retail pharmacist jobs are in fairly short supply. I'm sending resumes, setting up one-on-ones, networking, exploring other careers, meeting with people who do those other things, emailing mentors--doing all the stuff you're supposed to do for a job search and: nada. There were four conversations about running a hospital pharmacy in Guam but that ultimately went the way of all things.
Meanwhile, here comes this book, Acquainted with Squalor: Short Stories. It's just a little book. No big deal. A collection of short stories written by another aspiring talent from another MFA program. Great. I never thought it would be the one to bet the farm on. But what is happening is that doors are opening for the book that are not opening for my pharmacy career right now. And it's the most beautiful validation.
People are opening their homes. One of my best friends designed a tee shirt to match the book cover. A woman I know is driving with me to all the book events for the first week. Another friend is driving with me for several more. It just keeps happening. People just keep helping. A guy I know says he can introduce me to a photographer who can take the work, "to a whole other level." Three friends are helping me book events, which has led two more friends to suggest even more great locations.
What a bounty in the exact moment when it seemed I have no real prospects.
Still. There's this resistance to really offering myself to the work. I love to give 98% and then say it will all be supported by a pharmacist's income. Well, maybe the book will find its audience. Maybe the audience will love the characters the way I do.
Maybe it's possible to trust that enough, to follow this quiet path of openings and opportunities far enough that I will allow something to happen, which I don't believe can.
As it happens, the pharmacy went out of business, which is completely understandable. Other retail pharmacist jobs are in fairly short supply. I'm sending resumes, setting up one-on-ones, networking, exploring other careers, meeting with people who do those other things, emailing mentors--doing all the stuff you're supposed to do for a job search and: nada. There were four conversations about running a hospital pharmacy in Guam but that ultimately went the way of all things.
Meanwhile, here comes this book, Acquainted with Squalor: Short Stories. It's just a little book. No big deal. A collection of short stories written by another aspiring talent from another MFA program. Great. I never thought it would be the one to bet the farm on. But what is happening is that doors are opening for the book that are not opening for my pharmacy career right now. And it's the most beautiful validation.
People are opening their homes. One of my best friends designed a tee shirt to match the book cover. A woman I know is driving with me to all the book events for the first week. Another friend is driving with me for several more. It just keeps happening. People just keep helping. A guy I know says he can introduce me to a photographer who can take the work, "to a whole other level." Three friends are helping me book events, which has led two more friends to suggest even more great locations.
What a bounty in the exact moment when it seemed I have no real prospects.
Still. There's this resistance to really offering myself to the work. I love to give 98% and then say it will all be supported by a pharmacist's income. Well, maybe the book will find its audience. Maybe the audience will love the characters the way I do.
Maybe it's possible to trust that enough, to follow this quiet path of openings and opportunities far enough that I will allow something to happen, which I don't believe can.
