So, I'm sure that real writers don't do this. That this is unprofessional and uncool. That people do this stuff privately. That sharing this moment with my little blogosphere is probably the ultimate in dorkishness.
...
Someone's going to have to force me to care. I want to spread this joy around.
I SIGNED THE CONTRACT FOR MY BOOK. The papers came from my agent, Rebecca, with a letter that said, "I hope you have a glass of champagne, a digital camera, and a pen at the ready."
We took her literally on that supply list.
I waited for my parents to return from their trip, then brought the papers over to their house. We popped a bottle of Moet and literally danced around the kitchen, with my mother singing a previously nonexistent song whose lyrics went, "My daughter the star my daughter the star my daughter the star!" She's proud. Dad was having trouble with the cork, so pointed the mouth of the bottle upwards; my mother yelled, "Just punch a hole in the ceiling, I don't care!" and meant it, a fact proven by her lack of reaction when the aforementioned cork nearly made good on her words. It ricocheted around the room like a billiard ball. We laughed, and got champagne all over the table, too.
Then we headed for the dining room, where my parents ceased to exist and were replaced by camera-faced droids. I have literally 40 pictures, from a 1-minute time frame. This is the "before" picture. Unsigned contract. We talked about my grandmother, and how I hadn't known until well after I became a journalist that she had attended NYU Journalism School. I had forgotten until this moment, too, about my great-grandfather's bookbinding business.
I used the pen my Aunt Anita had given me for this exact purpose. My hand shook, and I tucked my head when tears threatened.
There was a line marked "Author," and it expected my name. No joke. It really did. I guess it's official.
And here's the Happy Author Face. It's really Happy Author with a little So Relieved and So Satisfied and So Excited and So Overwhelmed and So Aware of How Much Work Is Left Before That Author Thing is Really True... but a happy face, nonetheless.
I sent them back today, and will get my countersigned contract soon. I will then stick it in a drawer and get on with the work that really matters.
But to ask me to be suave/cool/aloof and not share this? Hah. Right.
I am so happy for you Melissa! I've always wished I could be an author, and to see you realize that dream of yours encourages me! I hope the hard work doesn't get too hard for you, and will be one of the first to buy a copy once it's published! :)
Congratulations!
Aw, Melissa, I'm so happy for you! You totally deserve this...I can't wait to read that book!
Wow, that's so exciting! I'm pretty sure I would (will?) do the exact same thing if (when?) I get published! :DDD
Congratulations! Making it official is such a big step. You're gonna be a published author! How awesome is that? ^_^
Oh, Melissa, I'm so happy for you! I'm working on a book proposal now, too, and it's the scariest thing I've ever done. Mine is for a quilt book, so quite different from yours, but your story does give me hope!
Congratulations!!!
Oh WOW! That's amazing! Congratulations!
Congrats!
So, so, so very happy for you.
Cannot wait to for the sure-to-be spectacular book!
There is no one ON EARTH who deserves this chance more than you do.
Congrats and good luck! :D
Wow, that's awesome! Congratulations! I'm glad you shared it with us. The internet rocks.
im so happy for you!!!
i miss you! this was amazing to read - I'll be toasting you tonight in Aussie, and home soon babe!
ps. you look fantastic.
LOVE YOU INFINITY
Congrats Melissa! With your talent it will be a great book.
Congrats Melissa, you of all people deserve to right a book. And by the way you look GORGEOUS in the pictures.
MELISSA.
I was just linked to this blog of yours that I had no idea existed, and I come to read this entry. I am so so SO happy for you. I very much look forward to reading your book, and I'm so glad things have been going so well for you. I mean it. :]
It was lovely seeing you last night. The show was so much fun and so worth the trip.
Stay amazing,
Sam
Congradulations and i will be first in line for your book when it comes out (well at my local book store :) )
Congratulations Melissa! I can only imagine the joy you must have felt signing your name. I dream of that moment but I have yet to find something that moves me so passionately that I have to share it with the world. I really cant wait to read your book. What would make this day better for you - a congrats from Ms. Rowling herself for using her work as a vessel. Congratulations a million times.
Awesome! Congratulations, Melissa!!!
I'm so happy for you Melissa! I can't wait to read your book!
You are wonderful and your book will be wonderful, and I am so thrilled that you shared these pictures with us! Congratulations, congratulations!
Hey you - congratulations!!
Congrats Melissa! I can't wait until your book comes out...I'll be first in line to buy it!
Woooooohooooooo!!! We are so proud of you!!! We are just so lucky....2 daughters that we are so proud of. Here's a refrain....you're a star, you're a star.....YOU are a star. Both daughters off to their careers in the same week. One a lawyer and one an author...Following in your grandparents footsteps!!! We love you infinity!!!
MELISSA!! AH! I'm SO proud of you! That is simply amazing! I would be completely jazzed too! :) That's just amazing. I mean you've been wanting to write a book for soooo long and FINALLY it's here! AH! I'm just soo happy! I'm like beaming and I haven't even freakin' met you! That's how happy I am!! *SQUEE* I would want to document that too! :)
Anyways the main point of this-- CONGRATULATIONS!! that is FLIPPIN' AMAZINGLY, SUPER DUPER, AWESOMENESS!!!!!!! YAY! I think I'll start dancing now while I head up to go practice violin..la de da da! :)
EEK!! I'm so excited for you. All your hard work will pay off. You deserve it. It's awesome.
And it is most definately cool to share this. Who wouldn't?
Lovely pictures, by the way.
I'm so happy for you! Good Luck!
Congrats Melissa! I'm really proud of you. This is a HUGE achievement. You know, you were the person who inspired me to get into writing, and want to pursue a carrer in journalism. AND NOW YOUR AN AUTHOR! This is yet another reason to look to you as an inspiration. You seem to have gone for the gold. Follow what you knew you were capable of, and stuck to that, and for that, I look to you as inspiration. This really is a remarkable feat.
Melissa, I don't think you know how much this book means to me, and to the rest of the Potter fandom. We get to see the fandom through the eyes of probably the BIGGEST Potter fan to walk this planet Earth. What a gracious gift!
OMG...I'm so ecstatic!=D
Once again, Congratulations Melissa! Congratualtions. Congratulations. CONGRATS!
-Zach
..and NYU Journalism School....that is my dream. To attend that school. Lucky your grandmother got an education there.
Congratulations! I am so happy for you!!!
Congratulations Melissa. What exciting news. It's nice to know that hard work and dedication to your dreams make wonderful things happen.
Melissa, this is an amazing opportunity, and you deserve all the best things that are coming your way. Your hard work, dedication, and knowledge about the fandom parallel no other...and I, for one, am so excited to hear about this process from you as it goes along. Sure, it will be hard work, but there really is no greater person for the task.
Again, congratulations!
--MJ
Melissa, I am so happy for you! You deserve all the joy in the world for all of your hard work! Cheers to this new and exciting stepping stone in your life journey. Congrats mate!
Congrats Melissa! I follow your blog and Leaky religiously, and I am so happy to hear after all this time that your dream is finally coming true! I can't wait to read the book! :)
Yay for you Melissa!!! Enjoy this, you've earned it! Do us proud, the whole fandom is pulling for you!
Awww Melissa - I'm sooooooo happy for you!!!
Oh my gosh! YAY MELISSA! Congratulations!
Woah!! I'm so happy for you, that's awesome!! I really, really can't wait to read the book..it's gonna be AMAZING!
Congratulations, Melissa. You've worked your ass off for this, enjoy yourself! You deserve all the success that is no doubt headed your way.
And by the way, "real writers don't do this"? That's your name under the author line, you do what you want! I'm really glad you decided to share this with us. After all, isn't that part the point? Sharing this whole experience? What is it if you don't share it?
I haven't met you in person yet but through Leaky, PenBitten, PotterCast and FittingItIn I feel like I've known you for years. I'm so proud of you, Melissa!!! I'm looking forward to buying at least three copies as soon as your book is available for pre-order!
Well I have no original words so I'll just say that I'm SO happy for you and I'm glad that you're writing this book. There is no one better to tell this amazing story and I can't wait to get my (signed ;) ) copy!
Andy
:)
Congratulations Melissa! I can't wait to buy your book!!!!
*Tear Falls Out of Eye* Good Job! Your inspiring the many to do what they want; to do what they know they want to do. Not to follow other people's dreams but to dream their own.
Thanks Melissa,
-Will
Woo-hoo you!
Congratulations, Melissa!
I hope this is the first of many other book ocntracts in the future.
Cheers
Melissa, that's fantastic! You should enjoy the thrill of signing your first book deal!!! You've earned it!! And I'm pretty sure that Jo would have done the same if there had been such a thing as a blog back when Bloomsbury signed her up!! In fact, I think that Jo would be rather proud just now if she'd just read your blog. I'm sure she would be thrilled to know that her work has inspired you to write your book, on top of all of the other Harry Potter work that you've done over many years now. I'm sure that I speak for everyone that visits Leaky when I say that you have given us so much and you deserve your success!
I'm looking forward to your book, I'm sure it will be a big hit! I just hope I'll be able to get it over here in the UcK.
Well done again, Melissa. As your Mum says, you are a star!!!
YEA!! MELISSA THE AUTHOR!! (of course, you were an author before, but now it's really official.) CONGRATS!!
Melissa! I'm so happy for you! I can't wait to get my own author contract when I finish my book and send it in. I can't wait to read your book, it's going to be great!
congratulations again, Melissa!
Rachel
Congratulations! Thanks for sharing the happy moment with us!
Congrats Melissa! That is so awesome! If I was a super-awesome person that had a gajillion fans (or, as a matter of fact, even if i wasn't...) I would soo post that on my website!!! You have every right to be proud! I would also continusously jump up and down around my kitchen dancing...
OMG this is sooooooo great!!! You totally deserve this and I hope you're a huge success (I know you'll be)!!!!
CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!
That is so exciting Melissa! Thanks for sharing this special moment with all of us. You do so in a way that makes your reader feel like they are right there with you. I am sure your book will have the same feel to it. Can't wait to read it! Thanks for sharing your story and inspiring others by doing so. :)
Melissa, if you become the next JK Rowling in book sales (and a millionaire/billionaire)....you owe me (and by me I mean all your pottercast listeners/leaky visitors/potter fanatics) a big book release party or something. We're gonna make you rich, LOL!
OMG!!! Congratulations!!!!
A big victory for you - and a small victory for every HP fan.
Sincerest Congratulations.
Melissa, that's fantastic! I'm sure it's weird to have so many complete strangers sending their congratulations but I mean it whole-heartedly. All your work for the HP fandom has opened up a special spot for you in our hearts and I just want to let you know that we're all pulling for you! Keep us posted! (I know you will.)
Congrats babe. Every Potter fan is rooting for you and will buy your book if they are true fans (wow for you, think of how many people that would be). Anyway, like everyone before me has said you totally deserve this because of the dedication you have shown to Harry and to Jo over the years. I cannot wait for the release party to buy my signed copy ;)
Love you Melissa,
Mindy
P.S. I am still trying to not cry. Your parents comment was very touching. They must be the proudest parents right now of both you and of Stephanie. Congrats again.
Congrats, Melissa! I am so buying a copy :).
Oh, Melissa, this stranger is SO happy for you. Ever since the AtE yahoo list, through to Leaky, to the JKR interview to the Quibbler, I've been rooting for you. Your passion, talent and goodness make you a success story and I love to see the good guys win!
Many congratulations on your FIRST book (I am confident there will be many more) and please let us know where we can get author-signed copies. :)
WELL DONE and very heartfelt best wishes,
DorisCrockford
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
Your writing style on Leaky is witty, fun and a joy to read, and I'm so happy for you to have such an exciting door wide open infront of you. Wishing you the very best of luck for the writing ahead, may you find inspiration in odd places and energy in challenging times.
Rah
Xoxo
Melissa, I'm so behind. I'm trying to get better at checking this, but I'm so computer illiterate. I just read this. How wonderful! It reminds me of the Walt Disney quote- "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." You deserve it! I can't wait to meet you in Nola!
congratulations! you look gorgeous. and i cannot WAIT for your book--i know it's gonna be awesome. and if and when you do a book signing in NYC [which you will bc you just have to] i am SO gonna be there! good luck, and congratulations again!
Gosh, Congratulations Melissa!! I can't wait to read it! I just want to thank you for all of the hard work that you've done for the fandom. This whole Potter experience has been incredible. When I say that, I'm not only referring to JK's books and the movies, I also mean Leaky. You guys at Leaky are a huge part of what makes this whole experience great. I can't say thank you enough..
MEl!I REALLY am happy!FINALLY!when is it coming out?Ive been your biggest fan ever since I read the TLC report-the one you wrote-on the Jo interview and believe me,it never fails to move me to tears.The Potter experience as I always wanted it.
Congrats Mellisa.You COMPLETELY deserve this :)
Cool. When does it come out again? 2008? I can't wait to read it.
you so deserve it, melissa!
i live in sweden but i'll do what ever it takes to get a hold of your book. thank god for amazon.com ;)
Of course real writers to that, because you did! Kudos!
just stumbled across your journal. Congratulations. It is so great to be able to do something you love and get paid for it. So again, congratulations.
Congratulations! You look totally fabulous in the pictures too! Good luck! Where can I send you my HP experiences? I've got some good ones too!
You guys do a wonderful job! Keep up the good work!!!
;)
Congrats, Melissa...You truly deserve this opportunity...Can't wait for the book and the book tour...gotta have my book signed!
Love and Best Wishes!
T
Weee~~~
That must feel soo great!!
^^ all the luck from Peru!!
=D