Blessed release: Magic’s Child is now on its way into Polly Watson’s genius copyediting hands. Thank Elvis!
I confess I was worried. Especially when Penguin’s spring catalogue arrived with Magic’s Child listed as if it was an actual finished book. Gah! I thought. Booksellers will be ordering a non-existent book!
Well, it exists now—in finished form even! And, if you don’t object to a moment of skiting, it’s not too foul, not too foul at all. Phew!
Rather than thanking all the peoples what helped (their moment of glory is in the book’s acks) I’m gunna list the music what got me through the last few gruelling weeks:
- Benny Goodman Sextet (with Charlie Christian prominently featured)
- Billie Holiday
- Blur (Think Tank—thanks Andrew)
- Cat Power (Moon Pix—thanks Richard)
- DJ Dangermouse (The Grey Album)
- Fairuz (Zikrayat—thanks Tina)
- Gorecki: Symphony No. 3 Sad and Sorrowful Songs (Gritton, Simonov)
- In The Mood For Love soundtrack (Michael Galasso—thanks, Adrian)
- Missy Elliott (The Cookbook)
- Piazzolla (Yo-Yo Ma)
- Ray Charles (Modern Sounds In Country and Western Music and The Very Best Of Ray Charles)
- Sarband (Sepharad)
- The Shangri Las (“Past Present Future” cracks me up every single time. Genius! Thanks Ray for telling me about the Myrmidons Of Melodrama compilation)
- Shuggie Otis (Inspiration Information)
- The Streets (Original Pirate Material—thanks Rob)
- Sufjan Stevens (Come On Feel The Illinoise!—thanks Mike)
I wonder if the resulting book is at all influenced by any of that music? Looking at the list also makes me realise it’s time for some new music. Should at least get the new Cat Powers . . .
Reading things like this and all your encouraging comments here and in email also helped me get through my toughest novel writing experience thus far. Who knew that wrapping up a trilogy would be such a bugger?
I’m so happy it’s finished. Doesn’t the complete trilogy look fine? Imagine it sitting all together on the bookshelf!
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And now I sleep for a week or more. (Scott, wake me up when the copyedits arrive.)
PS Today is the official pub date for the Australian Magic Lessons and is currently featured on the front page of Penguin Australia’s kids’ books. Spread the word!
Oh, yay! That is so awesome, go you!
Congratulations — must be the best feeling! And I’m sure it’s as far from foul as can be.
hallelujah! i’m so happy for you.
so does this mean you didn’t go to the worldcon or (gasp) does it mean you showed the extraordinary fortitude to be at the worldcon and work while there??
Congrats on finishing! It’s a big achievement to finish a novel, but an even bigger one to finish a trilogy. Good on ya!
Hurray for you! Perhaps you can send some good completion vibes Libba’s way now.
YAY! You have inspired me. I, too, can finish my book.
Thanks, everyone! I still can’t quite believe it. I wrote a whole trilogy!
I’m not sure my good vibes will help Libba or anyone else given how astronomically late I was, but I send ’em anyways! And to you, Maureen!
Marrije: I did not go to WorldCon. I stayed in rainy NYC and wrote and wrote and wrote. Seriously, I managed to get less sleep than the folks at the con, which is saying something. Going back to bed now!
you rock, justine 🙂 and sleep well.
Congratulations!
i’ve got an academic book to finish (hopefully) in the next few weeks & had an amazing reprieve on friday, another essay i thought i had to spend this week writing for an early sept. deadline has had the due date postponed at the last minute till march 07! so exciting, now i can actually finish my book before school is terribly well underway….
yay yay yay!! (i get spastically happy when i finish a poem i’ve been working on for a few days/weeks/months. how much more amazing to finish a novel…and a trilogy!!) i’m so very excited to read magic’s child. only…i’ll be in germany by then, so who knows when i’ll actually get to read it. perhaps i’ll have to have a friend buy it for me and send it in the mail. 😉
congrats! now all you have to do is get that book to ME.
w00t! Can’t wait to read it!
Congratulations! And, you’re welcome.
Onyer, Justine. I had my face all scrunched up for you to finish (kind of like crossing my fingers, only more complicated), so I can relax now.
Wow, she’s done a trilogy. She’s the author of the MorM trilogy.
*looks balefully at sad broken standalone*
*standalone does not react*
Ah!! at last. it will be brilliant. Now if your handing out thanks: dot point 1, 10 and maybe 2???????
Congratulations on the completion of your book and, in turn, the trilogy! I am happy for you and impressed by you. 🙂
Hazzah Justine! And when you’re done napping then it’s time to go outside and play! Or at least go for a nice long swim.
Congrats!
et
Anon
OMG! I’m so happy! When is it going to be in stores? I can’t wait to read it. I have to know what’s going to happen.
Congratulations! 🙂
when’s it comming to the bookstores? Can’t wait to see reason again!
Cecelia & Dylan: It’ll be out in March 2007. You can see a cute countdown here.
I spotted Magic Lesson’s in a Sydney bookshop this weekend just been.
Next pay it’s Magic Lesson’s for me!
fantastic!! i’m so happy for you and i can’t wait till it’s out!!!!
YAAAAAAY. Since I’ve read Magic Lessons, I’ve had soem theories and things about how magic works and whatnot. So I am super excited for this :D. AND. Sufjan Stevens is the man.
Amazing! The trio is beeeeeeeautiful! They look good on computer desktops too! How many times a day do I hear, “Where’s THAT one?”:) You and Scott have changed my mind about sci-fi!