Coffee, Tea, or Check?

So we got the billing issues with my overseas author straightened out, and last week he offered to send payment directly to my employer's bank account. She told him to send a check.

I know, right?

Evidently their back account is "in process."  WTF does that mean? They both know I'm waiting for this money. I just....there seem to be some memory problems, particularly with the person who told author to send a check instead of a wire transfer. There is a lot of forgetting there. I thought my memory was bad? Wow. Hopefully the check will be "in the mail" to me next week. I don't know how long it takes to mail something from Down Under?

So, that's it for my "rant of the day."

***

In other "news," my longing to move back to Northern California, one town in particular, is growing. Yesterday I found out that one of my classmates is in grad school at our old university in the same major. And I'm....jealous.  Envious. Wishing it were me. I was a better student than...this person. If they can do it, shouldn't I? Or has my ability to learn in a formal setting evaporated? I don't know.

I tried to talk to my husband about it, but he changed the subject every time, even when I asked him why he was changing the subject? To which he changed the subject.  *sigh* That's where I want to be. As for grad school? I don't know. Maybe. We'll see.

Gettin' Over It

Well, so far my big fuckup has not surfaced and come into the daylight. Hopefully it never will. My boss/friend is very understanding of my learning curve and in fact says she has often made the same mistakes....but standing up a client? (Because I was in an Ambien-induce coma?), not good. Bad enough to let me go. The Author was angry, but accepted my explanation, and has agreed to meet with me when she returns to town in a week or so (Tuesday). *fingerscrossed* I have promised to take her to lunch anywhere she'd like to go. Hopefully, I'll have some money by then. *groan*

In the meantime, I have three new clients, none of whom are in that big of a hurry to get their book finished. Fine by me. I'm wallowing in depression and self-pity and trying desperately to convert my sleeping hours from days to nights without success. Fuck.

Stupid Stupid Stupid

I'm so upset--at myself--that I'm trembling.

I fucked up in a major way today. I think I've managed to pick up the pieces, but it remains to be seen. I'm too embarrassed to say what I did, here. It's that fucking stupid and bad.

One other stupid thing I did was lose the contract my boss gave my on Friday. I'm pretty sure my husband accidentally threw it away, took the kitchen trash to the bin, and the waste haulers came at 5am today.

My boss emailed over a new contract to me and was, again, very understanding. I feel like I don't deserve her kindness. I've sent it to three people for review and opinions, but it looks pretty straightforward to me. But what do I know.

I think a little hard liquor is called for in this situation. Fuck.

Sunny Skies

I had lunch with my boss/friend today. It was a four-hour lunch. We get along so well, we have so much in common, and we love to talk about books we've read, books we're publishing, our authors, things that have happened in our lives---we always have a good time when we're together. She also showed me how her Kindle Fire works. Gawd I want one. (Come on, missing check!)

She also gave me the contract for her sub-contractor works, she signed it, and gave it to me in a folder. And I can't find it. I remember putting it in the car, and nothing else. I've looked in the car, and not found it. I've looked in the house and my laptop case. It's just...gone. I haven't even read it yet.

It has to be in the car. It was dark and cold while I was looking for it so it was a cursory look. I'm going to look again in the am. *fingerscrossed*

Today it was a very good day.

Flurries, Chance of Precipitation

Not really. But there was a flurry of email activity today between me and my two bosses. And my sister. I wrote my sister an email last night, along with another favorite relative, both of whom live in different states than I, and my sister turns out to be quite the savvy businesswoman. I should have asked for her advice years ago.

So the short of it is....the payment-plan paying, demanding author (texts with questions all hours of the day and night with questions....), who now wants us to do her print book, I spelled it out. I. Cannot. Work. For Free. I need to be paid when the job is over and so on. And other things. Like I said, there was a lot of back and forth.

Bottom line? Both publishers want to keep me, they love my work, I'm their "go-to gal" and I'm "good with the authors," they just didn't understand my position, and appreciate that I would like to have a contract.

I was having lunch with one of them on Monday but she said she just got the contract template for contract employees back from the attorney who was writing it for her, I can review it, and would I like to have lunch tomorrow instead of Monday? (Friday). Why yes, yes I would. And evidently $200- a month gal made a payment and it went in the mail yesterday. Good thing, because my Internet/cable/phone is passed due and they're getting rather unfriendly. *ahem*

And my husband, as usual, is not being supportive. All he can think about is the money. Yes, that's important, but so is my integrity, professionalism, and reputation. You can't buy those.

So I'm kind of excited now, and am enjoying being valued.

As for payments author...all are agreed that no more work should be done for her until she pays off her first contract. And hurray.

So what started as a shit day (not feeling well upon waking after a restless night--I know I'm not feeling well when coffee sounds disgusting), then all the back and forths....but I am pretty sure we're all on the same page, now. What a relief.

And another project......

...I am starting to create a name for myself as an editor, particularly development editing. I'm very, very, very proud of that.

And because of the good work I've done since August, my bosses are eager to keep me busy so I won't fly the coop. :-) Because I have been looking for a job, something part-time, but with a regular income.

After all the emails back and forth with my boss/friend about the payment for work I finished in December that hasn't arrived, I think the light went on for them that not getting paid does not work for me as a business model.

So I don't know much about the new project except that it's an already published author, and apparently all she needs is e-format conversation. Well, at least what I understood from the email from the other publisher/boss/person.

In prep for development editing on book II of a YA supernatural series, I'm reading book I, which is really, really, really quite good. I plan on recommending it quite a bit once I'm done. Once I'm done, I'll have more of an idea of the author's vision for book II. (Holy crap, I'm being paid to read. Well, supposed to be getting paid. *snort* My life's dream. LOL)

I haven't checked the mail today. I'm afraid to. *disappointment* [Update midnight: No checks.}

Then the author who is on the pay-when-I-feel-like-it plan wants to do a print version of her book, and because I did the ebook, my publishers both want me to do the POD. I said I would, but that I cannot accept payments. If someone else on our team wants to do it and accept payments, then they should. I cannot. And I feel guilty about that. And I'm pissed for feeling guilty. But I'm tired of making payment arrangements for all "my" bills every month (My husband and I keep our money separately, and pay certain bills separately. It evens out, and it's better this way for us.) And he's getting frustrated carrying me since August (although I had put aside half of the rent all the way through January, and he tends to overreact *rolleyes*), I understand how he feels, because I get resentful when he can't pull his weight. I wanted a partnership in a marriage, in all ways, and so did he, and so far, in the over 5 years of our marriage, we have never both managed to work at the same time. And WTF?

So. Although the money is not beating a path to my door, the work is, I'm creating a name for myself as a good editor and decent person; I'm learning tons every day; and I'm meeting some really interesting people. That's got to count for something.

Right?

Any advice for the payments situation? This is all new to me, and I welcome advice, etc. Thanks.

Show me the money....please?

Well, I finally screwed up my courage and e-mailed my boss/friend about the check that I have been waiting for since December.

She hasn't received it.

I'm friends with the author on some Social Media sites, and he hasn't posted on either site for several weeks. He also hasn't responded to an email from me two days ago.

It's a pile of money, and we really need it. Evidently, we overspent going on a trip to Southern California to visit relatives for the holidays. *shrug* Evidently, my husband wasn't keeping track of his money.

But that's neither here nor there, the reality is, I expect to be paid for my work. And it was a lot of work. Hyperlinking the table of contents took over 4 hours, alone. (Over 100 chapters.) And mama has bills to pay. Where is the check? Where is the author? My boss says in 15 years she's only had one client not pay and then she sued and garnished his wages. This author isn't even in the US. Ugh. I want to throw a tantrum like a little kid, stamp my feet, roll on the floor, flail my arms and legs while I sob...I....want....my.....mo...on....ney...!!!! WAAAAH! *sigh*

Hopefully my new project won't take as long--I already send the edits back to the author for review and corrections--I hope to get it back this week for proofreading, then I need to fix some photos, lay it out for print, get a proof, and then e-format for e-reader publication then invoice. But today? Today I'm just going through a manuscript that is having issues being accepted by a particular e-book e-tailer (every book with them is a pain in the ass, honestly, you'd think it's rocket science), so I'm just going through the formatting taking out anything problematic. It's over 500 pages, so it will take a while.

Otherwise I ran errands, played with cats, read some magazines that came in the mail, and not a lot else. I was a slug, mostly, today. Some days are like that.

And I was hoping for snow today, but zip. Nada. No snow. Indeed, it's actually warmed up. Weird.