Saturday 21 April 2012

Book is Coming... Sooner or Later

Here's the thing. I've finished editing my book and I approached a few publishers (not all, as most make it clear that they only publish Malay novels). I was given the same reply though - that an English novel by an unknown Malaysian author generally doesn't sell. One even told me that I can publish the book when I become famous. I guess if it was authored by Kim Kardashian then they wouldn't even read the manuscript before agreeing to invest in it. Money makes the world go round which is true to a certain degree so I can totally understand their standpoint. Of course I couldn't help feeling defeated in the beginning, but not for long. I got to meet a few aspiring and also published writers who told me how they struggled for the first few years. FEW YEARS! I've been trying to get my book published for just a couple of MONTHS! 

I will still get the book published. It may take some time (but still within this year Insya Allah), a few thousand RM (everything requires money these days), energy and time, but I will get it published. If there were only five strangers buying the book because they think it's worth getting then I would've already achieved my goal.

Tuesday 10 April 2012

After Midnight

It's 1.30am, my favourite time to write. It's so quiet, save the sound of my husband's breathing. Which is a good thing of course. The girls are probably asleep in the living room; the growing kittens Tumas and Munee. We usually let them sleep on our bed until they get too hyper. Then it's always me who has to take them out because hubs tends to sleep like a log until Tumas wakes us both up at around 4 in the morning with her loud meow and door scratching, wanting to come in. I guess that's how it would feel when we have a baby. Sleep becomes a luxury. 

Speaking of which, I'm five months along in my pregnancy. My appetite is equivalent to a squirrel's. Deep-fried food disgusts me the most, just writing about it makes me feel nauseous. Thank goodness for the milk for pregnant women and oat. My tummy has started to grow now. So far people can't tell I'm pregnant unless I wear something smaller in which I rarely do because it's already uncomfortable as it is. I still feel bloated most of the time and even sleeping is made uncomfortable. The only consolation is I don't throw up as often as I used to so at least whatever little I manage to eat stays in. 

And myth or not, I think I may have developed the baby brain syndrome. I forget things, I can't stay focused and I seriously feel like my brain is working slower. It's like my brain is taking a break and now swinging in a hammock by some beach so whenever I need it to work, I have to pull it away and slap it out of the dreamy state. I hope my boss can tolerate this new (and hopefully temporary!) Izni.

Time to go back to sleep. I feel hungry and a little thirsty but I can't go to the kitchen, lest Tumas would hear me. That little monster can be so annoyingly loud and persistent, but I love her anyway. Already I feel like a mother, heh!