Page 37 of Is This for Real?
“No,” I say to him. “Our lines, I mean leashes, are crossed.”
“I’ll go.” He hangs up.
No. Don’t go!I shouldn’t have picked up the call. But now it’s done. The rules are re-established. We’re still friends. I should feel happier, but I don’t.
I quickly create another miniature blog scene before I leave for my writers’ group meeting. This time, Piper runs into her ex, Julian, at the supermarket, and he asks her to meet him for dinner on Thursday—to stay friends. I post the picture on Instagram, asking my followers if she should go.
I bundle up and grab one of the last Citi Bikes from the dock near my apartment. My writers’ critique group meets in a Starbucks just below 14thStreet on Eighth Avenue. I stop short when the cop car in front of me flashes red, pulling over a taxi. I wait for the light to change, my foot resting on the cement partition between the cars and the bike lane. Running a red light on a bicycle is a two-hundred-dollar ticket. My budget can’t afford it.
Starbucks only has a few people inside, nobody from my group. Light jazz is playing. Most of the customers are sitting at the front tables for two. I order a soup from the barista wiping down the counter in the middle of the shop and grab our usual table for four in the back. I pull over another chair because we have a new member joining us.
The four of us have been meeting here for a year, every two to three weeks, on Friday evenings. We each submit a chapter to the group a week in advance, then we read each other’s chapters and give our comments over coffee. Tabitha found us all at a writers’ conference and formed this critique group. Even though we’re writing in different genres, it works. I’m writing a romantic comedy, Tabitha and Esther are writing women’s fiction, and Aarav is writing a dark thriller. Tabitha is pitching her book as a modern-dayJoy Luck ClubmeetsWhere’d You Go, Bernadetteas two sisters try to reconstruct the past of their mother and aunts through letters and other documents while the family travels back and forth between Taiwan and the U.S. Aarav’s book is a bit dark for my taste, but he’s a huge help to the group as “the male perspective.” I hand-made T-shirts of our most frequent comments, and his was: “A guy would never say that.”
Tabitha has just invited a fifth person, Maria, to join us. She met her at an agent-pitching round robin. Maria’s chapter was solid. She’s writing a cozy mystery, although it is more edgy than is usual for the genre. The female protagonist seems more bitter, less tea and cats. But maybe that’s a unique selling point. Or she could just label it a hard-boiled detective series instead.
I check my email for the first time since lunch. It feels good to just sit and savor my hot soup. I click on the email fromMini Mania, a miniatures magazine I subscribe to, expecting it to be an announcement that the latest issue is available. I usually devour this magazine for inspiration as they showcase projects and give tips on creating miniatures.
Dear Ms. Anker,
We would like to feature your dollhouse and storyline about Piper and Rob (and Julian) in our December issue. Our staff writer Jeannie will interview you and discuss photo requirements.
As you may know, APT-TV is also collaborating with us, creating a special TV show event called “Meet the Miniaturists.” The featured miniaturists will each create a miniature room box to be auctioned off to benefit the Fresh Air Fund and the Boys and Girls Club at an event on December 19. We hope that you will consider participating in this exciting opportunity as well.
Best,
Maryann Hughes
Editor-in-Chief,Mini Mania
I stare in shock at the text. My dollhouse is going to be featured. I can’t quite believe it. I’ve finally joined the stars of dollhouse land. But that’s not even the whole of it. I reread the second paragraph. I’ve rocketed to the very top; my work is even going to be featured on TV. Participating in the room box charity event will be great for my Etsy store. I need to make more merchandise now, although first I’ll have to make the room box which, admittedly, takes me forever to build. I’m always envious of those people on Instagram who are like, “Here’s my fully decorated dollhouse. I just whipped it up this week.” Either they don’t sleep or they’ve got magical, miniature elves working with them. I’m still working on my Malibu dollhouse, and it’s been seven years. Maybe I need to put a miniature door on the bedroom wall with some offerings before it and hope an elf appears to help me.
Esther arrives next. She’s a lawyer, but her firm allows associates to work remotely on Fridays. We meet on Friday to accommodate her schedule. She puts down her bag and hangs her coat on the back of the chair next to mine. I show her the email. Pushing back her curly, brown hair, she reads it. “Are you going to do it?”
“Definitely. This will be a huge boost to my miniatures business.” A little voice nags,“But how can you do this, too?”
“What’s the miniature storyline in your blog?”
“Similar to the book, basically. In both storylines, Piper was dating this guy named Julian and they abruptly broke up. InFake Dating Folly, Julian announces that he’s engaged, and she asks a friend to go as her fake date to the wedding. Meanwhile, now on the blog, it looks like she’s dating someone new. I haven’t said whether they’re dating, yet, but the mini scenes look like dates. I’m about to announce that they’re friends who are practicing fake dating, and he’s going as her fake date to her ex’s wedding. Where they will turn into a real dating couple.”
Esther claps her hands. “Okay, you need to pitch this book to my publisher. This is a brilliant opportunity. You can ask APT-TV andMini Maniato include your book in the publicity. That’s a big hook.”
“But it’s in less than three months. A publisher can’t turn it around like that.”
“My digital publisher can. It’s just a few months from submission to publication.” Esther pushes her glasses up on her nose.
“But it’s not done yet. I’ve only written half of it.”
“But we’ve read the first few chapters, and they’re good. I’ll talk to my editor. They might be interested, depending on the final version. If you can get it written in a month. And if not her, then you have to self-publish your book and tie into this publicity.”
“I don’t think I can finish it in time. Given that I’m still rewritingMidnight Masquerade, although it is getting better.” I hate that I sound like I’m making excuses. But I have to be realistic. At least once in a while.
Esther waves her hand dismissively. “You can’t pass this up. APT-TV. This could be your big break.”
“I can’t pass this up,” I say, a little flicker of hope igniting inside. Maybe this is it. Maybe Maya, my dream agent, will loveMidnight Masquerade, and I can tell her aboutFake Dating Follyand APT-TV—if they agree to include it in the publicity.
“Ask them on Monday if they can bundle the book into this charity auction. Even if you can’t buy the miniature room box, you can buy the book. You have to do this. I’ll talk to my editor first thing on Monday. Send me your first three chapters and your pitch.”
“I don’t even have a pitch yet,” I say wryly. “But I’ll write one this weekend.”
