Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Fireside Chats

 










I finished my Child essay rewrite just now. I'm blessed to be working with an editor who not only encourages me as she hands out the changes, but on more than one occasion has mentioned that she's excited to have my voice in the magazine. That rewrites are normal. That she hopes the extra work isn't too grueling.

I know this isn't the normal m.o. for magazine writing. So in an effort to keep this relationship going, once the article is approved, I want to do something nice for her. Suggestions are welcome. Here's some of my own.

1. A Fed Ex styrafoam cooler filled with Stella's meatballs (Downside: she might think she's being delivered a kidney and never open it.)

2. Something very Los Angeles, like a gift certificate for a funky restaurant that she can use when she visits. (And hopefully take me to lunch with her... I'm not that giving.)

3. A forty dollar book on natural substances to ease childrens' ticks. (Um... wait... that's on my to-do list...)

While you ponder on how to make Mama P the queen of magazine writing, please add a prayer that the editor isn't flogging herself in her hip NY office, screaming, 'What kind of crack was I smoking taking a chance on this six foot whack job?"

Finally, I leave you with a photo of my living room. Staying true to our efforts to catch up at night, Rex has taken to starting fires after work. Of course he's currently in the toy strewn tv room watching "Modern Marvels - the History of the Cheese Wheel" and I'm blogging and editing, but it's there. Ready for us to connect when we disconnect.

PS: I wish all of you were here right now. We'd be enjoying some in person fireside chats over food you all brought. (Hey, I put together a cute house. But cooking? It's gonna be pot luck, baby!) Posted by Picasa

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Chatting around the fire sounds lovely.The food part ain't bad, either!
Your writing, on its own, makes you the queen of magazine writing. I enjoy your self expression tremendously

Anonymous said...

My new favorite gifts are orchids. They're fairly reasonably priced, you can have them delivered, they look beautiful, and they're hard to kill. But books are always a classic gift, it's true.

Also: can I come sit at the fireplace at your house? It looks yummy, and we don't have one. :-(

Lynnea said...

I could use a good coffee talk and snackie time in front of a crackling fire.

Cheese Wheel made me chuckle.

Do editors flog themselves? God they sound scary.

Andrea Frazer said...

Pam - thanks for the thoughts on the writing. Nice to hear that I'm not typing into a void.

Princess - Love love LOVE the orchids idea. My mother in law likes those. A good reminder for the gal who has everything.

Maggie - I don't know if editors flog themselves. I'm just picturing myself in my alternative life - in a hip office freaking out over something monumental (which turns out just to be if I got the right kind of decaf for the boss...)

Anonymous said...

Wish I could be there, too. That is one gorgeous home!!