Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Sarah Palin Inspired Me, Bristol and Levi Brought Out the Nancy Drew in Me; After a While, I Wrote a Book


On Friday I will post the first chapter of a novel I wrote a while ago.  I think you will be amused and it is my hope that the imaginary Saplin family will fascinate readers not only because they seem familiar, but because they seem real. This is not presented as a story of true events. It may take some turns you don't expect. Or not. Either way, I hope you will look forward to chapter 2, which I will put up one week later. And so it will go.  My intention is to e-publish by the end of June (target date, not firm) for those of you who want a fun summer novel. If you prefer the once-a-week intervals, it will be here for you week by week.  Let's have fun with this- that's been my personal intention since 2009. Here's how that happened:

Like the episodes of Law and Order, inspiration for my imaginary story came from stories in the news.  In 2008, I saw Sarah Palin and family introduced to us by John McCain. Like many of you, I put her name into a search engine and found astounding rumors, pictures, comments on news stories and blogs. I became hooked.  I remember the day I saw the September 2007 “First Family of Alaska” photo taken for use as a Christmas card. I said to my husband “Bristol definitely looks pregnant.”  That opinion never changed.

In 2009 I began to write with a purpose.  Seriously and consistently, I invested an average of 20 hours a week in composing a novel.  My inspiration came from political news coverage supplemented by reading blogs.  I read books by or about a certain celebrity-status person and they gave me the basis for a personality type that I worked into the story. It was fun.

I finished in about 10 months. Like most writers, I like my own work. I thought it was pretty good.  I gave it to a few friends and family members, and they made some suggestions, helping me make it better.  The polishing could go on forever, and if that happened, it would never be read by the public.  And so, I bought my very own copy of Writer’s Market and began sending out query letters.  Lots of them.  Some electronic, some by snail mail, each one tweaked to suit the specifications of very strict guidelines. This is not an industry where there is a standard query process. Very time consuming, very annoying, very discouraging.

In April, 2011, I was in JFK waiting for a flight to Wisconsin. It was delayed and people pulled out electronic devises and took care of business. So did I.  I checked my email and found rejections, I researched more agents and agencies to see if they were in the market for a political novel written with humor by a never-before-published author. And I spent my time submitting more queries. When we finally were called to board, I overheard the woman in line behind me give a quick pitch over her cell phone to a client.  The pitch was for a book idea.  Not a novel, a work of non-fiction. She talked about there being a market niche, etc.

I’m not shy.  When she finished, I pitched my book.  She was interested.  We talked and laughed and commiserated about the sad state of politics that followed in the footprints made by someone wearing Red Monkey pumps. I thought my dream  was going to come true. I polished my book even more. I sent it off to her. I never heard a thing.

In October, 2011,  I needed to write more than query letters, so I continued my writing and my imagining and put it into a blog. This blog. It is fun.

Tomorrow, I will post the synopsis for my book, and I will reveal the title.  Be forewarned – set down your coffee and swallow before you get to the title.  I will not take responsibility for damage to iPads or computer keyboards. 

More tomorrow, thanks for being here.  I plan to make it worth your while.  


18 comments:

WakeUpAmerica said...

Waiting excitedly!!

shaytripp said...

I am so excited for you!I can't wait to read it either.
Shaytripp

v28 said...

Also waiting excitedly

ManxMamma said...

Looking forward to Friday.

Jo said...

I cannot wait!

Anonymous said...

TWO MORE DAYS! I feel like a kid two days before Christmas. Be patient! Like the rest, can hardly wait. Thanks Allison!

Anonymous said...

I enjoy a good fiction novel and new writers.

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to read it!

Anonymous said...

Hello Ft. Collins, CO! How's the fire going. It's clouding up down here so hope you get some rain soon and puts that fire out! It's going to be a long summer, isn't it. The wind is blowing very hard right now. That's not good for the fire. Come on rain!!! Come back Friday and read the first chapter with us!

Anonymous said...

The boycott is on.

http://www.change.org/petitions/boycott-bristol-palin-reality-show

Anonymous said...

Congrats on your writing and good luck on your journey to get your book published. I'm an author (although I write for kids) so I know the glory of writing and the pain of rejection.

Can't wait to hear the details.

Deni said...

Waiting impatiently!

Anonymous said...

You know what I've always wondered. Why Sarah is called the bad parent. She's the one who tried to deter teenagers from moving too fast and the one who was hesitant about the pregnancy. A responsible parent is not happy that her son/daughter will be a teen mom/dad. From the moment I heard Sherry J express happy feelings that her unemployed, perpetual dropout, hockey-injured would be a father, I really felt sorry for Levi and Sadie. Sherry knew her son wasn't in a stable relationship and had major relationship problems in the past. I hadn't been a year since he treated Lanesia like crap by cheating (she washis longest relationship). I know parents cabt control teens but it's telling to me that (according to Levi) bristol was always talking about what herparents wanted, meaning they had active thoughts on their kids futures. It's no shock to me this boy forsook his family more than once for a girlfriends. Its less of a shock that he once called Sarah and Todd family as well, talking about how todd helped him with many things. He desperately needs adults in his life guiding him away from his immaturity. I don't think he's ready to evolve yet or he wouldn't be living solely off old drama financially and hed have a real job.

Here's what I'd tell him: Levi, calling your mom a "koolaid" mom, whether true or not, doesn't change your rogue ways in your teen years, nor erase your "lying, jerkoff" treatment you showed several girls.
Sarah is well-liked by her kids friends too. You need to stop blaming others for your own problems and live for yourself. Desperately trying to make others appear like a villain by changing your story isn't respectable. You obviously don't want celebrity. So don't drag your unborn child into that world just for a few thousand bucks. And help your sister mature too. An aunt's job shouldn't solely revolve around a niece, nor is it healthy to continuously play victim as she does. You two are not victims. You wrote your own pasts, and at times chose to lie. It's fine. Just recognize your past dishonesty. You're now living private lives. Keep it that way. It's the only way to "erase" your public mistakes- mainly lying for grifted cash.

Anonymous said...

I don't know how close your story follows your "favorite" family, but could people ignore you because it basically sounds libelous? I mean, there are stories I could concoct about famous people but finding a publisher to print it would be impossible because things like that are impossible to prove. If the book is similar to your blog posts, the book is pure conjection based on bias and bad rumor. No one would take that seriously and to a random person who doesn't read Palin blogs, the story would be boring and might make you look hateful.

Think about what all the people who actually grew up around the family thinks of the blog hate regarding the Palins, their longtime friends. It must hurt deeply. I personally react stronly and usually physically to any negativity directed at my friends. I've seen a few family members from Alasks express hurt when they hear mean things about their "famous aunt". They accept it because they know they can't stop it due to celebrity but they (usually Palin relations) still express the disappointment in the public for being so immature and ignorantly presumptive. This has really made me stop and think before I casually comment on anyone I see on a rag cover or comment on a tv actress whose character I dislike. These arepeople, with feelings, family and friends. There's media motive to malign certaon people and it's always easy to jump on the hate bandwagon instead of finding truth and refusing to judge those you don't know. Palin haters can't see the positive, they look for the negative or construe it from nothing. That's fine, as people aregonna be who they're gonna be. I feel for haters' kids. That's not healthy to be around. I pray for "liberal" bloggers daily, that one day they'll see how hypocritcal theyrebeing. I just hope all your lives don't revolve around this stuff. Life is short. I hope you have nice, big dreams rooted in love and passion, that will make you successful. Your path is like no other. Don't fill your life with hate. Don't place all your energy on people you'll never meet and never understand. Don't choose to believe lies. Be different from the rest. Choose to grow up.

Anonymous said...

Two fun-filled midnight rambles from the Palin's #1 fan, the one who places all her energy on a family (well, two families...the Palins and the Johnstons) she's never met.

Anonymous said...

I see Kristy Patullo is back in action. I can't be the only one who has grown weary of her long comments chronicling her many adventures stalking young people on Facebook. Once I recognize her drivel, I just scroll on by. Sad.

kathleenpoliticalgates said...

Kristy not only stalks young people on facebook she also poses as Wasilla teens and on googlemail. As far as I know that is a criminal offence.

I'm looking forward to buying your book when you release it Allison.

mary b said...

"I see Kristy Patullo is back in action. I can't be the only one who has grown weary of her long comments chronicling her many adventures stalking young people on Facebook. Once I recognize her drivel, I just scroll on by. Sad."
I agree. But by some of the words used this time, I think it was $arah who wrote those 2 pathetic comments. I have never seen Krusty use the word, "Rogue" before.
Of course, I could be wrong.