The sad part is when there were lay-offs on my floor. The week after a few people were laid off, we noticed that the soaps and lotions were not replenished. They didn’t come back. So one of the women who was fired must have been the Soap Fairy, and we never found out who, and never got to thank her.

…

But about your list, “auto in disguise” sounds very mysterious!

Joanne, Hello and welcome! Yes, that’s what the “business” question is about. It turned out that the actual question was something like “talk about the things that surprised you when it came down to dealing with the business of writing. What would you have liked to have known ahead of time?” I am going to guess that most writers who’ve gone through the cycle of selling one book will say that the amount of promotion you’ve basically got to do on your own is the single most surprising thing. But I could be wrong. That’s what interviews are for, huh?

I’d especially like to know, Cam, what food item the writer would most like to meet his or her fans over.

u-dad, or at least we should know what they do or don’t drive, don’t you think?

Hi Kevin — And welcome! I agree, the “business” is scary, when the right person is giving it to you.

Ingrid — I like that kind of thing too — which is one reason I like your blog. I think there’s something wonderfully intimate about handwriting, particularly when you see it on a computer screen. A lovely contrast. In fact, I have an entire, very weird, blog devoted just to my notebooks — I started it about a year ago and then just recently began to add to it again, because I have to find something to do with all the notebooks I own. it’s at http://www.notelily.wordpress.com.

Lisa, as you can see, my recent posting output is very caffeine-oriented. I like to think of this period as the Summer O’Coffee. The frother is a big part of that.

Dear Sandi, I’m glad you think so, because I’m going to be asking you these very questions at some point. I will also be asking other people these same questions too, but they will go nameless because I’m worried they might stop commenting on my blog, but I’m totally hitting up Lisa and Ingrid, who’re both writers — Lisa having finished her first and snagged an agent, and Ingrid being a screenwriter and a master at the witty postcard.

Being a paranoid person in general, I give people “the business” when they do things like look at me(Why are you looking at me?) or when they don’t look at me(Why are you ignoring me?).

Believe me, these are very intriguing questions!