The Rigors of Travel, or, Heigh-ho the Glamorous (Writing) Life!

[ellenkushner]

I've just hit SEND - heaven help us!

* * *

Dear Welfords,

I hope this is the strangest request you ever receive from a guest - but not the most inconvenient!

I'm the friend of Elizabeth-Jane Baldry's, with whom we were visiting in Devon when she declared that we'd be fools not to stay at Gwydir Castle while we were ambling about in Wales this week. My partner, Delia Sherman, and I are both writers, and as she is doing a story set in a haunted manor house (involving Sherlock Holmes and some automatons for a "steam-punk" anthology), we figured it was fate, and are delighted to be staying with you tomorrow night.

To my dismay, I've just gotten page proofs from my editor for a story, and he wants a very quick turnaround. (Editor is in Australia, publisher's in San Francisco - and I am currently on a Welsh sheep farm!)

It's a complex piece, and I'd much prefer to be able to go over it in printed-out hard copy. I attach a PDF of the entire work, since that's what he sent, but not that my story is ONLY pages 279 - 290 of the ms. If there were any way for you to print out just those 12 pages for me to go over when we reach the castle, I'd be terrifically grateful. As Judy's also an author, I'm hoping this will all make sense to her.

That said, I know it's a madly busy weekend for you there. If you can't manage, I'll understand completely. I'll still be able to see the text on my laptop screen here, so I'm sure it will be fine. Apologies in advance for being such a bother!

Many thanks,
Ellen

Comments

[shweta-narayan.livejournal.com]

Wow, timing! I am caught between a cringe and a giggle.
Your holiday has been sounding wunnerful, though :)

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I didn't mention that the publisher wants it all by MONDAY at the latest (now, is that Australian time, or SFCA...?)!

[shweta-narayan.livejournal.com]

Argh!

[jonathanstrahan.livejournal.com]

San Francisco! And I'm sorry! And I'm asking for MORE time but nothing on that yet. Diving back into my own checking (for the full book!)

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

It isn't your fault!! And if I were home, it wouldn't even be a big deal. Or, indeed, if I were not such a finicky person about text (Did you say there were people who didn't even want to see their copyedits?!). Or if this were not such a finicky story where each dot and dash actually counts for something . . . . . Not to mention that, even counting on my fingers, I will never manage to figure the time differences between UK, SF & Australia . . .though I suspect they're in my favor. Onward!

[csecooney.livejournal.com]

Pack up the printer
La la la
Unpack the printer
La la la
Where is that cartridge
La la la
Heigh ho the glamorous life!

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

You got it, my dear Countess!

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Someone with Adobe Professional could extract the appropriate pages and save them as a separate file. I have that program on the work computer, but I'm not at work...

[paulakate.livejournal.com]

I have Adobe Professional if it's needed...

[klingonguy.livejournal.com]

Ditto to what Kate said (if she's unavailable).