grinned as she tucked the letter back into the envelope and into her briefcase with the copy of hers. She was glad he had responded with the same light tone that he showed in his books and had in a sense given her permission to drop her professorial style and take a friendlier tack. Unable to resist a little comparison, she pried up the manila envelope from him and peered critically at her letter, which, as she scanned it now, seemed so dry compared to his. It was like a stick figure representation of her holding up a curriculum vitae soaked in fawning flattery. He hadn't seemed to mind, however. After all, he had contacted her first. That was something she still found amazing, not only because of her deep respect for his work, but because she had been considering contacting him even as he was reaching out to her .
She snapped her case shut and checked her reflection in the mirror behind her office door, growling impatiently at a stray curl too soon escaping from her attempt at a french braid. Apparently, she had inherited the curly texture of her hair from her maternal great-great-grandmother. According to her cousin, the geneology buff of the family, she had been a former slave in Louisiana. Fortunately, her dark hair was actually softer than it looked, but it still looked wild. Her skin, at least, was responding well to a suggestion from a friend – baking soda scrub to exfoliate cheaply and effectively. She wasn't much for shopping for expensive makeups and skin treatments, so this simple solution appealed to her.
With a jab at her glasses to set them back on her nose and her usual graceful flair, she knocked a pile of magazines off of the table by the door on her way out and then headed across campus to grab a bite before her next class.
Rollin ... Hmm ... Well, my dear colleague and co-author, I hope I will have some good news to pass on in my next letter, such as the acceptance of our book proposal and a generous enough advance to get me across the ocean to meet you.
As it turned out, she did. Her next letter she took the time to hand write as neatly as possible.
February 15 th , 2010
Dear Rollin,
Thank you so much for your support and encouragement! I was completely satisfied with your additions and sent the revised proposal out promptly as it was. I was especially grateful and impressed by your understanding and expansion of the competitive market information. To be honest, I despise marketing and anything to do with it, so I was overjoyed to find you had fleshed that portion of the proposal out for me so well.
Apparently so was the editor at Sunrise House. I have great news! Our book proposal was picked up by this generous publisher and I will be free to travel this summer. My new agent will be sending your half of the advance shortly.
I am sure I can tolerate your techno-intolerance as long as you continue to be funny, brilliant, and can pull off a decent fake laugh when I attempt humor. Maybe your humor will even rub off?
Summer seems like a long time to wait, now. In the meantime, perhaps you could tell me more about yourself? Your family? Friends and hobbies? You have my curiosity piqued – there is very little out there on the internet about you and all it said on the back cover of the book you sent me was just the basic listing of your former works and a fuzzy indication that you live somewhere.
I look forward to your next letter.
Sincerely yours,
Rachel
February 19 th , 2010
Dear Rachel,
I was very pleased to get your last letter – hand written, even. Your script is revealing. Nice hand.
I am seriously impressed. You have taken a few steps into my lair. Fear not, you are welcome and I don't bite. Often.
As for my family, I have a wonderful relationship with my mother and father, who live in the twisting crazy madness of London proper where I dare not tread. I am an only child and I prefer to stay in the cool shade of the deep woods where I live alone in a comfortable,
She snapped her case shut and checked her reflection in the mirror behind her office door, growling impatiently at a stray curl too soon escaping from her attempt at a french braid. Apparently, she had inherited the curly texture of her hair from her maternal great-great-grandmother. According to her cousin, the geneology buff of the family, she had been a former slave in Louisiana. Fortunately, her dark hair was actually softer than it looked, but it still looked wild. Her skin, at least, was responding well to a suggestion from a friend – baking soda scrub to exfoliate cheaply and effectively. She wasn't much for shopping for expensive makeups and skin treatments, so this simple solution appealed to her.
With a jab at her glasses to set them back on her nose and her usual graceful flair, she knocked a pile of magazines off of the table by the door on her way out and then headed across campus to grab a bite before her next class.
Rollin ... Hmm ... Well, my dear colleague and co-author, I hope I will have some good news to pass on in my next letter, such as the acceptance of our book proposal and a generous enough advance to get me across the ocean to meet you.
As it turned out, she did. Her next letter she took the time to hand write as neatly as possible.
February 15 th , 2010
Dear Rollin,
Thank you so much for your support and encouragement! I was completely satisfied with your additions and sent the revised proposal out promptly as it was. I was especially grateful and impressed by your understanding and expansion of the competitive market information. To be honest, I despise marketing and anything to do with it, so I was overjoyed to find you had fleshed that portion of the proposal out for me so well.
Apparently so was the editor at Sunrise House. I have great news! Our book proposal was picked up by this generous publisher and I will be free to travel this summer. My new agent will be sending your half of the advance shortly.
I am sure I can tolerate your techno-intolerance as long as you continue to be funny, brilliant, and can pull off a decent fake laugh when I attempt humor. Maybe your humor will even rub off?
Summer seems like a long time to wait, now. In the meantime, perhaps you could tell me more about yourself? Your family? Friends and hobbies? You have my curiosity piqued – there is very little out there on the internet about you and all it said on the back cover of the book you sent me was just the basic listing of your former works and a fuzzy indication that you live somewhere.
I look forward to your next letter.
Sincerely yours,
Rachel
February 19 th , 2010
Dear Rachel,
I was very pleased to get your last letter – hand written, even. Your script is revealing. Nice hand.
I am seriously impressed. You have taken a few steps into my lair. Fear not, you are welcome and I don't bite. Often.
As for my family, I have a wonderful relationship with my mother and father, who live in the twisting crazy madness of London proper where I dare not tread. I am an only child and I prefer to stay in the cool shade of the deep woods where I live alone in a comfortable,
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