Okay, so it looks like a particular dream I had will not be realised. I wanted to be published by the time I turned forty, and as that day is on Saturday, short of a miracle, looks like I’ll have to accept that I won’t be. However, I’m hoping that as I will be forty for a whole year (age tends to happen like that eh?) I might have a shot at being published when I’m forty. Always good to have goals when one is staring a significant birthday in the face.
I guess the thing I should keep in mind that although I haven’t reached my goal yet, I am doing something I never thought I’d actually do. I am writing full time for a start. And I am lucky enough to be working with a fabulous editor who likes what I write. Never thought I’d be doing that when I was younger! And actually, now I think about it, I’m not sure I would have had the tenacity to do what I’m doing now when I was younger either. I might have given up after that first rejection. Certainly I didn’t have the time or the discipline like I do now.
Anyway, am inching towards my goal, albeit slowly, and so my new goal is to be published by the time I’m fifty. Ten years should be plenty of time. 🙂
In the meantime, for all those of you who have reached this significant milestone already, quick, give me the good stuff about how great it is being forty. And if there’s nothing great about it, lie!
BTW, am also blogging at Seven Sassy Sisters on Thursday. It’s a random post and I’m not sure what I’m doing yet so if you’re interested check it out.
You’re not 40 till Saturday, that gives them plenty of time to say yes! If not, then they’ve got a whole year….. Happy Birthday when it comes!
Sally, I’d love to think that but sadly they won’t buy on the strength of a partial and crap synopsis. I just want them to ask for the rest of it. Anyway, thanks for the birthday wishes!
Wishing you an early Happy Birthday, Jackie! They don’t call it ‘Fabulous Forty’ for nothing. It really is fabulous in so many ways. Like you said, at forty, we have greater tenacity..and confidence. We have forty years of experience to draw upon and enrich our writing. Right? I have a feeling that you’re going to have a wonderful year. Here’s to you getting the call! You know what to wish for when you blow out the candles 🙂
Happy Birthday!
Keep thinking positivly – and having an editor who likes you work, well now thats pretty exciting.
As is writing full time – bring on lotto!
I wish you a positive email about that partial for your birthday and a sale while you’re forty!!
=)
Rula – thanks so much! True re the confidence. And the experience. I’m sure my writing is lot richer now than it was at 20. At least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.I’m hoping for a good year too – last year sucked. 🙂
Nicole – yeah, I’m lucky that hubby brings in the money for us. I’m hoping to repay the favour sometime. And as to the editor, I’m pretty thankful about that too!
Becca – me too!
Books have been bought from the partial alone (even just a proposal) so never say never 😉 I’m with you just switch the word ‘by’ to ‘when’ and you’ve got yourself a whole year, love it! Are you doing something fabulous to celebrate?
Happy Birthday Jackie! Hope you’ll be doing something nice to celebrate 🙂 It’s difficult putting a time line on something that is out of your control. Here’s wishing you all the best for your 40th year!
Lacey – they may buy already pubbed authors from a partial but not totally new ones probably. Nice to dream though eh? Fabulous? I hope so! The husband better have organised it. 😉
Angie – that is true re having no control. That’s why I’m giving myself another ten years. 🙂
LOL – I was hoping to be published by the time I was THIRTY. Since that milestone passed this January, I like you have revised the goal to being published WHEN I’m THIRTY!!! Here’s hoping we both succeed!
And HUGEST Happy Birthday for Saturday!
xox
Thanks Rach!! Yeah, let’s do the ‘when’ part eh? We’ve got a year each.
Happy birthday a few days early, Jackie! I have no doubt 40 is going to be your year, books-wise and otherwise!
Cari – thanks! Hope it’s my year. Surely it’s my turn?? 😉
40
Veuve Clicquot time!
These will be the best years…
You’re no longer on the road to retirement, but rather, focusing on a long writing career ahead of you. Instead of winding down, you’re gearing up to what will certainly be the most productive and satisfying decades of your life.
No doubt in years to come, you’ll look back on your training wheel days and laugh.
Big cheers
*slinks in* Permission to speak about age?
Okay, pressing on…yeah, you’ll have totally made your original goal when you get pubbed in the next year (I narrowly made my age goal and it counts!)
Also, forty? Not old. Jennifer Aniston is forty. Forty is sexy. Forty is the new black.
Veronica – you’ve sold me! Bring on teh forties!! I could use a satisfying decade – thirties were sucky for a number of reasons.
Maisey – you’re lovely. You have permission even though you’re a mere slip of a girl. 🙂 I like forty being the new black. And sexy. Just don’t call me a cougar. Oh, okay, you can. 😉 I do like the ‘when’ I get published. But don’t hold it against me if it doesn’t happen.
Hi,
At forty I was a free agent on the prowl, so to speak!
It was a great time – felt more like twenty!
I’ll say no more.
best
F
Francine – that’s what I like to hear! I am not free agent but hey, that’s what imagination is for eh? I’m still 25 in my mind anyway. 😉
Happy Birthday m’dear! Hope you’ll have lots of bubbly on your very special day.
Don’t fret about the 40 thing – I always said I’ll write a novel by the time I was thirty. Did it at 31.
This is your year – 40 IS, as Maisey stated the new black. Will have a drink for you on Saturday.
Happy birthday when it gets here, Jackie! And I firmly believe you’ll be published in your fortieth year! Will be sending you cyber bubbly on the day.
Janette – thanks lovie! Yes, it’s an arbitary goal really but I had to have something. 🙂 Do have a drink for me – make it a special one. 🙂
Maya – thanks! And enjoy a real bubbly yourself. Hope your revisions are going well.
Just a number. At least that’s what I keep telling myself because I’ll be 40 this fall. LOL
Have a happy b-day!
Goals head you in the right direction in life and I’ve no doubt at all that you’ll reach your destination 🙂
Here’s hoping you’ll reach it while you’re forty…
Have fun on Saturday, hope you’re doing something nice.
Happy b-day for Saturday!!!
Do keep going. In my experience, good things often happen very suddenly and when you have more or less given up hope of them. Honest.
Oh, and I’ll be 44 this year, and I first starting trying to write romances for Mills and Boon when I was about 21. I must have thrown together about twelve manuscripts for them over the years, to no avail.
But that won’t stop me trying!
40? You’re just a baby, Jackie.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY for Sunday.
Jane, I can beat your record – subbed my first ms to M&B when I was 16 and I’m now 45 (gulp)and still trying (you’d think I’d have taken the hint by now).
Jackie, I like the way you think! Happy Birthday for Saturday! Hope you do something fab to celebrate. So, I turned 40 *cough* a couple of years ago. I’ve never felt better and I think I look great for my age. Yeah, the skin around the neck aint what it used to be, but I still wear a bikini! Age really is relative. I think dreaming up hot guys and thinking about sex/love scenes can’t hurt either! You’ll get there and it won’t really matter how old you are when you do. When it’s time, it’s time. Of course, I’m also impatient so it would be great if that time would be yesterday, but I believe you go through a process for a reason. On the other side of it, it will all make sense. You’ll see :).
Stop the press! Suzanne, you CAN NOT be 45. You look like a baby. You look younger than me!!!
Also, Jackie, slip of a girl? Never been called that before. Makes me sound small. But when we meet in person you’ll probably come up to my chin.
Jackie, Jackie, don’t sweat it. I passed that milestone a long time ago and believe me…I wish I was forty! Forty was not bad for me. It wasn’t even one of those birthdays I was dreading – I don’t know why. There were a lot of goals I had before turning forty, sadly, I haven’t met most of them. Now the pressure is on. P.S. when I was forty no one ever thought I was forty, they always thought I was younger. And, judging from your photo on your blog, you don’t look forty either. So enjoy this decade because the next one is very different! “Sorry, don’t mean to scare you.” She says as she is engulfed by another hot flash 😉
So, Happy Birthday, eat cake, have a drink for us and write, and you will be published.
By the by, come to my blog when you get a chance and read “Monday Mish Mash” I have extended a little challenge to blog viewers.
No way are you going to be 40!!??
I just hope I look as good as you do when I reach 40 in a few years. What’s the secret – is it Oil Of Olay??
I have the same goal as you, Jackie, but I’m not 40 til Feb 2011. I won’t realise that ambition either but as you say we are 40 for a whole year so who knows?!
Good luck and happy birthday for Saturday!
Julie xx
Happy BD for Saturday! Enjoy it. My 40’s have been great sp far. Met DH2B, married him when I was 47 (this year) and lovin’ it. Like you I aim to be pubbed by the time I’m 50. Give myself a few years lee way – lots of praying to be done tho’ – that and hard work of course….Caroline x
Happy Birthday, Jackie!
Hope you do something fabulous on Saturday to celebrate all the hard work you HAVE put in this past year. Remember all the things you have learnt this year and your efforts will automatically bear fruit in the next year. You will get there!!
Sri.
Jennifer – absolutely right! It IS just a number. Thanks for the birthday wishes – it won’t be as bad as we think right?? 🙂 I’ll let you know on that.
Lorraine – I hope I do! But who knows? That’s why fifty is a great backup. 😉
Jane – thank you muchly! I’m sure your time will come. Sounds like it’s coming already! I shall try to give up hope. 😉
Suzanne – I’ll take being a baby! Did that sound desperate? 🙂 Oh and your time will come too. You’re already doing so well with your magazine stuff.
Kaily – well I would never have picked you for being over forty! At all. And bikinis too? Fantastic! I can’t wear em – not even when I was 20 – but as you say, age is a state of mind and like I said above, I’m still 25 in my mind. 🙂 Oh and I’m impatient too. Yesterday would be great. Anyone up there listening? Thanks for the birthday wishes.
Maisey – I was kind of being ironic. 😉 How about being a spring chicken instead? Re Suzanne – I know! What’s your secret Suzanne?
Wendy – yeah, I don’t know why I’m dreading it. I’m okay with my age usually. I guess it’s the whole aging thing. But thanks re the photo! No vaseline was used in the making of that photo but that was two years ago now. Anyway, you guys are inspiring me to look forward to this decade instead of dreading it.
Susan – flatterer!! Lol! As I said above, that photo is at least two years old. I have waaay more wrinkles now. Oil of Olay? No. My secret is lots and lots of romance writing. 😉
Julie – it’s nice to have those goals huh? But hey, never say never. You’ve got over six months to achieve yours!
Caroline – you’re an inspiration! I shall enjoy the naughty forties then huh? I’m sure we’ll both reach our goals!
Sri – thanks for the encouragement m’dear! I hope I can do it this year ’cause last year was horrible. Ah well, nowhere to go but up!
Sorry, wished you happy birthday for the wrong day, but I think you should celebrate on Saturday and Sunday – you deserve it.
Thank you Maisey and Jackie – I love you both, but that just proves the camera does, indeed, lie. Photo was taken in Amsterdam’s Hard Rock Cafe last summer – and it was dark. So the secret to hiding wrinkles is bad lighting.
XX
Happy Birthday for Saturday Jackie!
Pah to 40 – i’m skittering towards it too in a year or two and I’m holding tight to the thought that 40 is the new 30.:o)
Besides, i’m imagining it’s a decade to celebrate being a woman and drink champagne every day…and fingers crossed, to be published in.
Bottoms up girl! Have a ball.
x
According to Joanna Trollope — a writer’s best years are often in her 40s.
I know I sold my first novella when I was 40. I SUBMITTED Gladiator’s Honour when I was 40 and it was bought when I was 41.
YOur forties are a time to enjoy and your writing will have lots of texture because you have lived that much more.
Believe!!!
Suzanne – methinks the lady doth protest too much. 🙂 You look younger than I do! Lol!
Joanne – thanks! I’ll let you know re 40 being the new 30. I’m hoping it’s more along the lines of being the new 20. Champagne will be drunk anyway, oh yes.
Michelle – I’m going with Joanna Trollope. In that case the best years are yet to come. And I can only hope to follow your example with the submissions! Be nice if they bought this one – I submitted it when I was 39. But I guess that part is up to me. 🙂
Jackie, have a fab birthday on Saturday and don’t forget to celebrate in style.
Forty is the new 20 – just with better hair.
Frankly, I’m really impressed with anyone who had the foresight to set themselves a goal like that in the first place. 40 sort of crept up on me… So you’ve got a couple of years to get published and you’ll still have me beat!
Heidi – yay for being the new 20. And it’s true, I do have better hair now than I did when I was 20!
As to my goal, well, who knows how long it’ll take. Better be by 50 that’s all I can say. 🙂
Jackie – very Happy Birthday for Saturday. We’re virtually twins!
It’s all about the journey and not the destination, so just relax and anjoy the ride. (Which is rich coming from me, the girl who virtually invented the phrase ‘are we nearly there yet?’) I’ll be thinking of you on Saturday and wishing you a wonderful day, and a fabulous, fulfilling forty-first year!
India – thanks so much for visiting! Go Geminis eh? Hope you had a great day and yep, I’m all for the journey but still…as you say, are we there yet? 🙂