from unable to find a publisher to winning the Pulitzer of comedy Terry
winning the Pulitzer of comedy Terry
winning the Pulitzer of comedy Terry phallus has been there done that hi I’m
phallus has been there done that hi I’m
phallus has been there done that hi I’m Rebecca Braden and welcome to
Rebecca Braden and welcome to
Rebecca Braden and welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking
watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking
watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking with this first-time author about his
with this first-time author about his
with this first-time author about his book the best laid plans the Stephen
book the best laid plans the Stephen
book the best laid plans the Stephen Leacock metal has been described as the
Leacock metal has been described as the
Leacock metal has been described as the Pulitzer of comedy and you have wanted
Pulitzer of comedy and you have wanted
Pulitzer of comedy and you have wanted on your first time out huh tell us about
on your first time out huh tell us about
on your first time out huh tell us about that this novel was initially a
that this novel was initially a
that this novel was initially a self-published novel I couldn’t find an
self-published novel I couldn’t find an
self-published novel I couldn’t find an agent or a publisher and part of my the
agent or a publisher and part of my the
agent or a publisher and part of my the exercise in building a profile for the
exercise in building a profile for the
exercise in building a profile for the novel was to submit it to a couple of
novel was to submit it to a couple of
novel was to submit it to a couple of awards and just on a lark I sent ten
awards and just on a lark I sent ten
awards and just on a lark I sent ten copies up to the leak hoc committee in a
copies up to the leak hoc committee in a
copies up to the leak hoc committee in a way just to make sure I’d have ten more
way just to make sure I’d have ten more
way just to make sure I’d have ten more readers and I happen to be in this very
readers and I happen to be in this very
readers and I happen to be in this very City montreal on business the day the
City montreal on business the day the
City montreal on business the day the shortlist was announced I did a little
shortlist was announced I did a little
shortlist was announced I did a little Google search for lily award and
Google search for lily award and
Google search for lily award and there was one lonely news story from the
there was one lonely news story from the
there was one lonely news story from the Orillia Pakatan times saying that the
Orillia Pakatan times saying that the
Orillia Pakatan times saying that the shortlist had been announced I clicked
shortlist had been announced I clicked
shortlist had been announced I clicked on the story I didn’t even have a chance
on the story I didn’t even have a chance
on the story I didn’t even have a chance to read the story because my eyes went
to read the story because my eyes went
to read the story because my eyes went to the photograph and it had the head of
to the photograph and it had the head of
to the photograph and it had the head of the jury standing in front of his board
the jury standing in front of his board
the jury standing in front of his board with five book covers and and head shots
with five book covers and and head shots
with five book covers and and head shots of the authors and I saw the cover of my
of the authors and I saw the cover of my
of the authors and I saw the cover of my novel there and once I regained
novel there and once I regained
novel there and once I regained consciousness I started to celebrate
consciousness I started to celebrate
consciousness I started to celebrate tell us about the struggle to write this
tell us about the struggle to write this
tell us about the struggle to write this book and get it out there to readers I
book and get it out there to readers I
book and get it out there to readers I am an engineer by training so I was
am an engineer by training so I was
am an engineer by training so I was quite methodical and laying out the
quite methodical and laying out the
quite methodical and laying out the novel because i didn’t really know how
novel because i didn’t really know how
novel because i didn’t really know how to go about doing it so i outlined it I
to go about doing it so i outlined it I
to go about doing it so i outlined it I had chapter notes and was quite
had chapter notes and was quite
had chapter notes and was quite mechanical actually when you think about
mechanical actually when you think about
mechanical actually when you think about it I decided I wanted to write a hundred
it I decided I wanted to write a hundred
it I decided I wanted to write a hundred thousand word novel because that was a
thousand word novel because that was a
thousand word novel because that was a 300 page novel and there were two parts
300 page novel and there were two parts
300 page novel and there were two parts in the story so I’ve part 1 and part 2
in the story so I’ve part 1 and part 2
in the story so I’ve part 1 and part 2 and then I’ll break it up into chapters
and then I’ll break it up into chapters
and then I’ll break it up into chapters the actual writing when I had that
the actual writing when I had that
the actual writing when I had that ground work already done I didn’t take
ground work already done I didn’t take
ground work already done I didn’t take as long as I had expected took me about
as long as I had expected took me about
as long as I had expected took me about 10 months of evenings and weekends to
10 months of evenings and weekends to
10 months of evenings and weekends to write it
write it
write it and that’s when I started passing it
and that’s when I started passing it
and that’s when I started passing it around to agents and publishers I wanted
around to agents and publishers I wanted
around to agents and publishers I wanted a few rejection letters at least to put
a few rejection letters at least to put
a few rejection letters at least to put on my wall I didn’t even get rejection
on my wall I didn’t even get rejection
on my wall I didn’t even get rejection letters i just got silence it’s a very
letters i just got silence it’s a very
letters i just got silence it’s a very tough time in Canadian fiction to try
tough time in Canadian fiction to try
tough time in Canadian fiction to try and break in so I podcast the novel for
and break in so I podcast the novel for
and break in so I podcast the novel for free chapter by chapter and apparently
free chapter by chapter and apparently
free chapter by chapter and apparently people started listening and and their
people started listening and and their
people started listening and and their responses were very gratifying do you
responses were very gratifying do you
responses were very gratifying do you have any advice for aspiring writers or
have any advice for aspiring writers or
have any advice for aspiring writers or at least words of consolation there are
at least words of consolation there are
at least words of consolation there are opportunities there to explore some of
opportunities there to explore some of
opportunities there to explore some of these new tools of getting your message
these new tools of getting your message
these new tools of getting your message out that will take you beyond the
out that will take you beyond the
out that will take you beyond the traditional route of just pounding the
traditional route of just pounding the
traditional route of just pounding the pavement and trying to find an agent
pavement and trying to find an agent
pavement and trying to find an agent luckily that that seems to have happen
luckily that that seems to have happen
luckily that that seems to have happen and I I feel like the most fortunate
and I I feel like the most fortunate
and I I feel like the most fortunate writer in the world that I haven’t
writer in the world that I haven’t
writer in the world that I haven’t really paid my dues yet as a writer so I
really paid my dues yet as a writer so I
really paid my dues yet as a writer so I think I’ve exhausted my lifetime
think I’ve exhausted my lifetime
think I’ve exhausted my lifetime allocation of good fortune that I’m very
allocation of good fortune that I’m very
allocation of good fortune that I’m very grateful
”
Be First to Comment