Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Mug shot


Mug shot
Originally uploaded by odelapaz.
Scene: Halls of the Humanities Building on the campus of Western Washington University
Time: Yesterday. Approximately 11:00 AM

Bruce Beasley: Hey Oliver, I got your postcard. Looks great! (pause) Will the book be out this week?

Me: Thanks Bruce. I don't know. I haven't even gotten my contributor's copies, though I know the books are in a warehouse somewhere.


FLASHFORWARD

Scene: My bedroom. The phone rings.
Time: Yesterday. Approximately 5:00PM.

Me: Hello?

Bruce: Hey Oliver, it's Bruce.

Me: Hey Bruce. What's going on?

Bruce: I have your book.

Me: What?!

Bruce: Yeah, I have your book. Seems like Village Books has a whole box of 'em.

Me: What?!

****

So, today I hopped in my car and drove down to Village Books and bought a copy. Yeah, I know I'll be getting copies in the mail soon, but I still had my doubts about whether the book was real or not.

And there it was . . . about ten of 'em stacked up, covers facing out.

Such a weird feeling. I'm not quite elated. Relieved, really.

I had a bunch of errands to run after picking up the book and at every stop, I think I was turning pages.

***

Yep. FURIOUS LULLABY exists and it's out.

***

Crazy.

***

Just crazy.

13 comments:

Susan Allspaw Pomeroy said...

O, it's awesome. I ordered 2 copies (one for me, one for a friend) from Amazon today. Congrats!

Peter said...

Funny story. It's so weird that Village Books got 'em first.

Congrats on the new book. Looking forward to reading it.

Oliver de la Paz said...

Thanks guys. I have no idea why Village Books got copies before I did. My only guess is that they rushed delivery for VB because I have an upcoming reading there. . .

Unknown said...

Congratulations!

I am ordering a copy!

Can't wait!

C. Dale said...

Awesome story. I love stuff like that. Must order a copy ASAP.

Anonymous said...

Couldn't be happening to a nicer guy. Rock on, Oliver!

Eduardo C. Corral said...

Ordering a copy today!

Oliver de la Paz said...

Thanks all!

Um . . . is it okay to be in love with your own book? I mean, maybe not the poems, but the actual object? SIU makes some beautiful objects . . .

Lee Herrick said...

Congratulations, Oliver --& I'm ordering it soon. Can't wait.

Carol Guess said...

I'm delighted. Can't wait to read it.
This is such a big deal, Oliver!

The cover looks beautiful.

But how frustrating that your readers could access it first! Strange world, publishing. Strange world ...

Oliver de la Paz said...

Thanks Carol. I put a postcard in your box.

Cheers!

Alan Cordle said...

That happened to my wife, too, when her first book came out. The bookstore called to congratulate her. It's only fitting that you have her former job and the same thing happened to you. Oh, and hi Carol, Bruce, et al.

Congratulations, ODLP. I hope you'll give a reading in Portland; Nancy said such good things about you.

Anonymous said...

Congrats, Oliver! The cover looks great! Will definitely be ordering a copy soon!