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Sarah Z's avatar

That's such a wise way to frame it and I'm so excited for this book to hit the world. I have book clubs lined up and ready to go.

On my end- I just had to settle a bunch of life things- kid 2 decided to change schools last second, so we're figuring that whole new system out, kid 1 is in marching band and high school for the first time, so lots of busyness there, I've been facing some hard but necessary truths about my codependent marriage, we had FUCKING RATS in our kitchen, so were basically living on take-out and bleaching everything that stood still for weeks, my OR job was kind of pulled out from under me and then gingerly put back with less money so I went on a doozy of an interview (getting yelled at in an interview- that was a first). So my writing goals are going back to freelance essays so I can stop depending completely on the PA income, so I've been working on a writing CV and portfolio and coming up with ideas for essays I can pitch. Also, I'm writing a horror short story based on the school Wolfe just left. I still have designs on writing my rom-com but haven't gotten back into it in a while. I also paid a bunch of real American dollars to go to an all-day query workshop in September. I have now sent 94 queries, gotten 4 requests for partials or fulls, 3 of which have come back as no's. So, it's possible the book just doesn't work but I'm thinking maybe the query isn't getting enough eyeballs on it and I'll start with that instead of rewriting/scrapping the whole thing.

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Gemma Hartley's avatar

RATS, the ultimate nightmare! We dealt with that last year in my grandparents house and I swear we're probably going to have to raze the whole fucking house when they're gone someday.

Send over your pitches when you get some lined up! Excited to see them!

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Kate Rotondo's avatar

OMFG. you are facing so much. i'm amazed that you are finding ways to push forward writing with everything else you have to handle. i am hoping for life to calm the F down for you.

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Stephanie Regan's avatar

I like your strategy with the query workshop, it sounds like that will be the key! So glad to hear you will be writing more essays 🥰

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Kate Rotondo's avatar

the thing in the way of my writing (and also just making pottery) rn is resolving my studio lease so that I have a place to work.

bridgette helped me so much yesterday by giving more punch to my email to the realtor about the option I've been looking at. we'll see if this place comes through. I'll use this thread to let you know!

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Stephanie Regan's avatar

Ooh nice, I hope you have some positive developments by now!!

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Sarah Z's avatar

I'm eager to see where you land!

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Kate Rotondo's avatar

for those following along, some updates:

* i just saw an amazing option this morning (beautiful light! no carpet! near home! etc), asked realtor to move forward with a letter of intent, please let this one work out it's my new PLAN A

* carpet place got back to me and is still in the running if they ever get me a revised lease. I've told them I need to prioritize options that can be move in ready 10/1. this is now PLAN B

* my current property manager asked both me and my studiomate to submit applications as new lessees to rent individually, and i just got an email that they are moving forward "with another applicant" so I have to be out by 10/1.

rent is going up from $1550 to $2k so I didn't really want to stay? regardless, the rejection still stings. silver lining is that it's more fodder for eventual writing about financial abuse, that she weaponized the playing field of the rental application and presenting select financial records to get her way.

TEAM, FINGERS AND TOES CROSSED FOR PLAN A!

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Kate Rotondo's avatar

still no response from the place with the carpets.

meanwhile all HELL has broken loose with my studio situation. my current studiomate took a full-time job on our old team at APPLE and wants to take calls from our shared space. when i said i'm not ok with that, she emailed the property owner to ask him to pick which of us gets to stay (of course while framing herself as the better choice). our lease is up in 5 days and i have no idea what's happening.

i've also started working with a leasing agent from the small business office in the city. i was really hoping to put down the search during my busy fall market season though.

to be continued...

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Gemma Hartley's avatar

oh my goodness, Kate, that's so much to be dealing with! I'm shocked that things have gotten to this point with your studio mate, and so sorry that she would put you in this position. Are you able to email the property manager as well to make your case? She can literally relocate anywhere!

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Kate Rotondo's avatar

her *attempts to control the narrative* are for sure abusive.

i did reply all to her email to let the manager know that her request was a surprise to me, and to add information she had omitted about her planned change in use from art studio to corporate remote workspace. she then replied "Hi all, My apologies. I did not intend for my email to cause a heated discussion."

that attempt to *frame herself as level/responsible and me as emotional* is ALSO abusive.

please be proud of me that i can now see these things!! ✨personal growth✨

also, please celebrate with me that i am refraining from over-explaining. i know the property manager will probably buy her story, because most people who haven't been through it just plain can't/won't see this for what it is. it sucks that her ploy may well work, but it's not my job to donate my time and energy to educate anyone, especially people who in all likelyhood dgaf. if he sees it on his own, fantastic, but i'm not counting my chickens.

the one question i emailed him directly is "could you please let me know if there is any urgency in terms of what might happen at the end of our current lease on August 31? For example, will one of us be forced to leave immediately, or will there be the option, for example, to go month-to-month until this is properly resolved?"

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Bridgette's avatar

This month I want to finish the pilot script my sister and I are working on. I'm so close — it's all mapped out, and it's just the last third left to write. Pretty much the same with the Heartlines story.

I feel like this whole year lasted 30 seconds. I just feel like I'm getting the hang of the summer season right now haha. Now I'm like OH DANG gotta hurry.

Just keep reminding myself: once these things are DONE, then I can focus on making them GOOD.

Like we talked about though it's just hard because of the season of life I'm in with a baby and toddler.

Congrats again on your book Gemma!! That is so so exciting to have it off and to feel good about it. The dream, it seems like to me!

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Gemma Hartley's avatar

You had a baby, it’s definitely only been 30-seconds! Good luck with getting your project done (not perfect, but DONE) soon!

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Stephanie Regan's avatar

So cool about the pilot script, I would love to read it (or at least a snippet) - I don't think we've read any scripts yet in this group (have we?) so that would be great to see!!

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Sarah Z's avatar

Agree, agree!

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Kate Rotondo's avatar

can second that this year is going crazy fast. excited to hear more about the pilot script! and also thinking of you with all the negotiations around career and family shifts that need to happen in this season.

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