THE SOLARIUM

I officially have an MA in Publishing!!!

I wish I could say my unplanned summer hiatus was the result of me focusing in on the last semester of coursework, but that would be a lie. Really, all we had to do this summer was get things in order for the book launch—more on that later—and work on business plans.

Additionally, I composed an original soundtrack for the trailer for Feisty Felines and other Fantastical Familiars!

I’ve never composed for a trailer before. Really, I only compose as a hobby, but Ryan Connolly, who directed, gave me some very useful advice. He was clear on what he wanted: a soundtrack that evolved in complexity throughout the length of the trailer. Originally, I tried to accomplish this through tempo changes, which led to the ending sounding too frantic.

The constructive criticism I received on this project has definitely made me a better composer. Who knows, maybe I’ll put my skills to use making trailers for my original works one day. As for my original works, stay tuned for information on that front. ¹

There’s not much to say about graduation itself, but I’d love to talk about the book launch.

At the launch, all the student editors sat a long table in the front of the ballroom. We took turns giving brief pitches and/or displaying trailers for the books we edited. I was seated all the way at the end. My pitch was dead last, the grand finale. No pressure.

I wasn’t nervous until the day of the launch.

A few hours beforehand, my cohort gathered to rehearse pitches. Most people read from a notecard or their phone. Pride forbade me from following down this well-worn avenue. I was a policy debate state champion in high school, after all. Surely I could memorize a few sentences.

When it was my turn to share, I rose and plunged confidently into the first sentence. I hit a snag at the second. I just couldn’t remember where it began. Instead, I said the first thing that came to mind: “Oh, shit.”

“Let’s do that again, this time without the ‘oh, shit’ please,” my professor prompted.

Now I was nervous. What if I choked like that at the book launch? How humiliating! My parents and grandparents were going to be there. Important university faculty was going to be there. Students in the upcoming publishing cohort, who were foolish enough to look to me as an example, would be there. What if I let all of them down?

I practiced my pitch as much as possible in the frantic hours that followed. I mouthed it to myself, wandered around muttering like a madman. At the launch, I allowed myself to have my phone on the table, just for a bit of extra assurance. But I wouldn’t read from it.

I watched my classmates share their pitches and trailers. Some were confident, some less so. Almost all of them read from notes. It would be far less embarrassing to join them than to try and set myself apart and fail.

But this was my moment. Other creative writing concentrations had their thesis readings: publishers had the book launch. I wanted to make the most of it, seeming poised and professional. Reading from my phone seemed like it would spoil the effect.

So, I stood up, unaccompanied, and gave my pitch.

I feel like I pulled it off, but you can judge for yourself.

My time in Western Colorado University’s Publishing MA program was incredibly rewarding. I plan to make a YouTube video² going over my experience in more depth very soon.

It’s too late for a first-Sunday-of-the-month upload, but I’ll get it out as soon as I can. Hopefully, I’ll get back on schedule after that.

I also want to get back into the swing of weekly book reviews. Honestly, a part of me thinks it would be extremely funny to never finish the Artemis Fowl review series at this point, but I’ll do my best.

Since I’m writing every day now, it should be easier to update Tumblr, too. My goal is to share my favorite line that I’ve written each day. Additionally, I want to share quotes from books I’m reading. I’m actually reading Anna Karenina for the first time,³ so we’ll see what I find.

Thank you all for continuing to be part of my reading, writing, and publishing adventure!

1. Spoiler alert: I have a publisher! Okay, spoilers over, back to secrecy mode. For now. ↩︎
2. And bonus book haul! ↩︎
3. I’m also struggling through The Lord of the Rings in Russian, which could be a post of its own. ↩︎