This morning, the Delightful Phone Friend called just to check I was all right, ’cause I hadn’t posted here in a few days. Very sweet.

So now, of course, she’s likely regretting her action since this is MY THIRD POST today. BUT I did manage to write a page on the latest contemporary, and I think this is my best writing yet. I wrote this sentence today:

Now I felt like an incredible ogre. For him to be pleading with me just to maintain the peace? Some of my acidic barbs must’ve penetrated that egotistically thick skin of his.

An ogre, yes, but at least an effective ogre.

Tomorrow perhaps I will write some more words. That’d be neat. Oh, and my mom and I talked. Things are good, she is going to visit in June. Brace myself.

This has been my day:

Brilliant words, clever phrasings, delightful sentences, witty asides, deep introspection, etc., etc. etc.

Editing. It stinks.

Next up: Sending to the agent. Crossing of fingers. Eating of chocolate. Gnashing of teeth.

I wish I could be as confident as Raymond Chandler:

Would you convey my compliments to the purist who reads your proofs and tell him or her that I write in a sort of broken-down patois which is something like the way a Swiss waiter talks, and that when I split an infinitive, God damn it, I split it so it will stay split, and when I interrupt the velvety smoothness of my more or less literate syntax with a few sudden words of bar-room vernacular, that is done with the eyes wide open and the mind relaxed but attentive.  

So–I’ve got a second generation Irish guy in my contemporary, I had him named as “Seamus Reilly,” but somebody (PIC, in fact) said “Seamus” read too much like “semen,” and obvs I don’t want readers a) not to know how to say or read the name, or b) be reminded of male output.

I changed it to Fergus–it’s gotta be clearly Irish–but I’m not sure about that, either. I love Ciaran, but no-one knows how to say that either. Patrick is too dopey, I like Eamon, but I’m not even sure how to pronounce that. Any suggestions? Votes for one of the ones I have? Ideas for a different last name (I’m open to all).

Thanks for the help.