Adventures in Queryland Day 1: Wonder ‘Now what?’

I did it. After almost two years of working on the manuscript for my first book, I finally queried it. As of the day before yesterday, February 1, 2017 at 3:30 pm, it is officially sitting at the bottom of an editor’s slush pile.

So. Now that I’m in Queryland, I’m not sure what to do. I’m definitely going to keep writing, but I thought I’d give myself a few days off, you know, to relax.

Or something…

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Yeah, right. It was a nice thought, though, wasn’t it?

Needless to say, when I woke up this morning I was like a deer in headlights. The possibilities of doing something other than obsessing about whether my book is any good or not writing seemed endless, overwhelming even.

Should I go shopping? For clothes or makeup or shoes or other random stuff at Target I don’t need? Should I binge-watch Vikings? Read Hunger Games again? Go for a walk in the 19 degree Michigan weather? Should I finally, FINALLY, pick up the clothes from off my bedroom floor?

I went with taking a shower before three in the afternoon. Baby steps. Want to know what else I did to occupy my time? I Rosie Rivet-ed the hell out of a new shelf.

That’s right. I put together a shelf. Queryland Adventure #1 is as follows:

Upon opening the box and pulling out the instructions, I immediately found myself on a wild goose chase for a phillips-head screwdriver, a flat-head screwdriver and a hammer. It’s here I want to ask you something. Why is it, whilst needing three very specific tools, you will find a plethora of them, but never the ones you need?

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Here’s what else I found during my search for said tools… A bank thingy, a 1950’s gas mask and a candlestick all walk into a bar… Wait, how the eff are these things even in my front closet?

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Finally! After twenty minutes, a trip to the basement and then the garage, lo and behold, a phillips-head screwdriver.

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But then I had to take a break. Because, I’ll be honest, searching for that screwdriver almost broke my will. Plus, everyone needs a little chai tea in their life. And also, I checked on my submission. Ha, ha ha… my adventures in Queryland are going to be GREAT, I tell you. JUST GREAT.

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Who says putting together a 40-pound shelf is a two person job?

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Voila! The result of my inner Gwyneth Paltrow is impressive, no? Well, minus matching see-through canisters, beautifully labeled wicker baskets and the conscious uncoupling from snacks. Sacrifices.

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Whelp. That about covers it. My first day in Queryland. I’m sure I’ll have more adventures to share soon.  Until then…

 

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