Dear Future Agent,

I have a secret to share. It may shock you.

Then again, probably not.

See…(and this is kind of embarrassing to admit)…but (deep breath) I. Am. Not. Famous.

I’ll give you a minute to digest that little piece of information. Because really, the Holy Crap factor was probably enough to knock the wind out of you. You know, while you laughed at me. So I understand if you need to compose yourself.

Right now, dear Future Agent, you are probably asking yourself why you should give a damn about me and my Regular Peeples status. Or not. After all, we haven’t been formally introduced yet. Or perhaps we have and I just haven’t quite convinced you yet. So in reality, you are probably busy cycling through your inbox while fending off off over-zealous writers with good intentions and big dreams who may have sent you cookies instead of a properly formatted query letter, wishing it was five o’clock so you can get home and pop the cork on a bottle of wine, skip the glass, and stick a bendy straw in there. You know, after you have served the kids dinner. (I’m going out on a limb here and guessing you will be a mom. And if you are doing that bendy straw thing, we are soooo a match made in heaven.)

But back to the me Not Being Famous and why you should care thing. You see, before I find you I have to be told to keep looking by others. “This is a subjective business…” “Other agents opinions may differ…” “What doesn’t work for me may be perfect for another agent…” Oh wait. It’s been three weeks and two days. Which means I can cross too more off my list. I know my query is solid (maybe). I know my writing has promise (right?). I know I will not be a word-diva when it comes to revisions (which I think is major bonus points, yes?) I could focus on the fact that I just got turned down again or I can remind myself that these two passive rejections are playing their karmic roles in getting me closer to the day I find you. But instead, I think I’ll focus on the fact that my (solid) query is missing something. That my (promising) writing isn’t even going to come into play for many of the agents who shall come before you because of that pesky little platform thing. And seeing as I don’t really have one to stand on, why ask for more if I don’t have enough to get me past Go to collect my Monopoly money?

You already know, dear Future Agent, that Non-fiction and Strong Platforms go hand in hand. That there is plenty of rhyme and reason for the current system. I get it, too. But I have to admit that the whole situation kind of has me in a pickle similar to the Gotta Have Credit to Get Credit situation I found myself in when I was young and stupid enough to jump on the first credit card offer that got me a free T-shirt on my college campus; I’m not famous enough to garner the attention of many agents looking for famous enough people to garner the attention of publishers looking for people famous enough to sell books. So they have (and will continue to) take a pass on me. No matter what they may think of my writing or my claims that my old job, this blog, and my twitter addiction could be considered a platform.

And that’s okay. It sucks. But it’s okay.

Because one day, you will take a chance on me. And I’ll do that little happy dance every writer does when their own future finally slows down enough for them to grab hold. And then I can dream bigger and work harder (while trying to remedy that Not Being Famous thing while taking breaks from that working and writing thing, of course.) Until then, I’ll continue to nurse my bruised ego, marvel at the fact that the girl who was so unsure of herself has grown into the woman who is sure enough to continue this soul-crushing exercise as long as it takes, and wait.

I may not be famous (enough) yet, but I’m stubborn as hell. Which means I’m not going to let my cute little platform (or lack thereof) get in my way.

Sincerely,

Me

I’m not done yet. But I’m almost there. And I’ve learned a thing or 10 since I sat down with The Great Plan to write A Memoir.

1) What I planned and what I have are two different things.

2) But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

3) Honesty doesn’t have to be camoflauged in humor.

4) Honesty makes the humor that much more relatable.

5) I write like I speak.

6) Which means the book wouldn’t ring true if I didn’t use the word “fuck” every now and then.

7) Sharing with strangers is easier than sharing with people I Actually Know because…

8 ) A stranger’s judgment comes without consequence and…

9) I may change my name and move to Bali when (and yes, I said when) gets published because…

10) I’m really not looking forward to the size of my ass becoming the topic of conversation at the next family gathering.

11) But I’m ready for my Manic Mommies interview. Oprah is so last year. Unless she decides to keep her show on the air and calls my future agent begging for me to take a seat on that famous couch of hers. Then I’m all about Oprah. Oh yes. My public awaits.

12) There is a story to be told in every moment.

13) Sometimes those moments move faster than the words can flow.

14) Related: Twitter is a great substitute for post-it note reminders. Tweet, favorite, refer to later.

15) It’s easy to compare myself to other writers and think I’m crazy for writing my book. I’m not them! I didn’t say that like they did! But that’s okay because…

16) That’s because I’m telling my story. In my voice.

17) Sleep is over-rated.

18) Typos are the bane of my existence.

19) Proposals and queries are not the root of all evil. Cellulite is. And that friction that comes from my inner thighs rubbing together when I forget to tug on the Spanx when I’m wearing a dress?

20) Mama can put herself first. The dishes will patiently wait till morning. So will the laundry. The child? Yeah…she needs to eat.

I’ve been staring at my computer monitor for an hour now, but I can’t say I’ve gotten anything productive done. The Husband went to bed at 5:30 p.m. (pesky midnight schedule has him on a totally different planet than the rest of us in the house) and Buttercup passed out on our hour-long walk this evening.

Little girl was tired, toIMG00382-20100223-1951o. I got her out of the stroller, out of her jacket, and upstairs to bed without her waking up.

Long story short? I was free to do whatever I wanted by 8:30 p.m.

Short story long? It’s 10:11 and I finally stopped drooling over purses on Piperlime, ended my gchat with Juliette because she has to go to bed, and decided I better get blogging so I can force myself to write chapter 16 tonight. The goal is strictly quantity. Quality can kiss my ass until I’ve gotten beyond the blinking cursor on a blank page.

Anyhoo, it occurred to me that my problem is that I am nowhere near used to the concept of Time to Myself. Normally my writing time is sandwiched in between getting Buttercup in bed (which is a production and takes for-effing-ever) and The Husband out of bed at 9 p.m. so he can be out the door for work at 11 p.m. And after cleaning up the kitchen from making his dinner and meal for his lunch cooler, I can finally sit my ass down about midnight to work on that Getting Famous thing.

But Buttercup was a breeze tonight. And The Husband is off tonight, so he’s sleeping in till midnight. And because he thinks I need more sleep, he’s going to kick me off the computer at about 12:30 so I can maybe get eight hours in for once.

He actually told me last night that I need to figure out how to handle things a bit better so I can get my writing done earlier so I  can sleep more. I understand that he meant this in a way that expressed his concern for me burning myself out by staying up until 3 a.m. and then waking up with Buttercup at 8:30, but I just looked at him and blinked.

Because really, there was absolutely no response to that. Except for maybe, “Oh? We hired a maid, housekeeper, and a nanny? Or are you sniffing glue again?”

To whom it may concern:

I would like to put my name in the running for the next Non-Celebrity Skechers Spokesperson. I’m specifically interested in pimping your Shape-Ups line of footwear and believe you will see the benefits of a partnership.

For simplicity’s sake, please refer to the following list:

1) I can make the unbelieving believe. Up until last week, I thought your shoes were the footwear equivalent of the Pontiac Aztek on the Ugly Scale. And frankly, I still do. But I’m not 21 anymore and more willing to see the reason in comfort over fashion. Want to break more walls down? I’m your girl.

2) Your tag line: “Get in Shape Without Setting a Foot in the Gym,” doesn’t exactly ring true for an overweight mom like me when you’ve got Skinny, Long Legs, and Super Cute attached to the product.

I’m not saying to go and fire your current models. I’m sure they’re perfect for your glossy fashion magazine ads, but if you’re reading this it means you want to Use the Power of Social Media to expand your reach. That means me, other mothers, and plenty of cellulite.  Want more sales? Put a face (or my blog) with your product that your target audience can relate to and you’ve got magic.

Trust me on this. Now please proceed to #3…

3)  I’m writing a book about my quest to find my waistline (and the ass I once thought was fat but now really, really miss) and well, this is just an opportunity to get in on the ground floor. You know, while I’m still nowhere near famous and will be happy with just a pair of shoes.

4)  I have a jogging stroller, a dog, and live in a subdivision hilly enough to piss me off in regular running shoes walking at a snail’s pace. Just think of the blog posts and segments in my book dedicated to your shoes, my ass, and how I just can’t wait to get back outside to tackle the next hill because Shape-Ups are so flippin’ comfy?

Seriously, how much more of a perfect guinea pig can you get?

5) I have no shame. Seriously. Have you read my blog? I’m probably going to be purchasing a pair of my own Shape-Ups tomorrow, with my own The Husband’s money, but I’m not opposed to allowing Skechers to sponsor my monthly Baby F(Ph)at Essay Contest. One winner a month. Lots of exposures. Still a hell of a lot cheaper than Carrie Underwood.

You do the math.

6) Do I really think this is gonna work? No. Do I care? Not really. But I’ve spent the last 48 hours debating on what color combination to buy myself and well, you just sending me a pair would really speed up the decision making process.

7) It would also allow me to regain some dignity as The Husband cannot guilt trip me for not spending money, right? So really, you’d be doing me a huge favor.

8) I’m a sucker for staying true to a brand once I’ve gotten hooked. Go ahead. Feed the addiction.

9) My posture sucks, my ab muscles shot to hell in a hand basket once I pushed my baby out, and my thigh and butt muscles all need major work but I can’t afford plastic surgery. This reason alone is probably enough to have me back at the mall tomorrow buying my own pair because I really don’t know the definition of patience, but I’m not opposed to expanding my shoe collection before I’ve even started it.

10) Honestly, I really don’t have a tenth reason. I just needed a blog post tonight.

Let’s pretend I’m famous and you give a damn about the craziness that is my life. Let’s pretend that just like Jon and Kate, Brangelina, and that perpetually-sad-eyed Kristen Stewart, you want to know what I ate for breakfast (Kashi cereal), what the label says in my clothes (Target, I think), and what my daughter’s latest accomplishment was (she poo-poo’d in the potty all by herself today!

So are we pretending? Are we in line at the grocery store with nothing better to do than grab the latest trashy tabloid with mystery cellulite splashed unceremoniously across the cover and getting ready to open it up to see if we can match the unidentified, highly-magnified belly pooches, thunder thighs, and fatty arm wings?

We are?

Good. Now let’s pretend that before we can make it to page 6 to play the fat-celebs match game, our limited attention spans are caught by the tell-all interview with the totally famous, uber-awesome author behind the New York Times best selling “Baby Ph(f)at” series, Pauline M. Campos. (Because the line you are in at the grocery store is actually a worm hole and you’vPicture 539e stepped a few years into the future. Just go with me on this one.)

Here’s everything you never wanted to know. And then some.

Pauline M. Campos is every bit the epitomy of motherhood today. She’s overworked, under appreciated, and wondering why she left the work force because even though she felt the same way there, at least a pay check was attached to the daily attack on her ego and self-esteem.

While one would expect a lit star of her status to show up for an interview covered in class, Ms. C is instead covered in what appears to be dried mac and cheese noodles on her yoga pants and a splash of what can only hope is chocolate pudding on her T-shirt.

But who are we, the Trashiest and Most Brainless of them all, to judge a mother who begged to get herself in the public eye with her tell-it-like-it-is momoir about her struggle with losing the baby weight long after it’s socially acceptable? Instead, we invite you to read on and judge for yourself.

Trashy, Brainless Mag: It was hard to peg you down for an interview, Ms. Campos! Have you been busy promoting your new book?

Ms. C: Hell no. I spent my advance before the book even got on the bookshelves and can’t afford a nanny to watch my toddler while I traverse the country spreading my literary wit. Instead, I’m home and dodging the meals my daughter throws at me. It’s her way of saying she would have preferred Whatever I Didn’t Put On Her Plate instead.

TBM: Ahhh, explains the, um, choice in apparel today.

Ms. C: Go ahead and say I look like shit. I know I do. It’s a wonder I made it here with anything on at all since 90 percent of my laundry is dirty. I got this little ensemble off of the miniscule clean pile of clothes on my bedroom floor. Or, at least I think it was the clean pile.

TBM: *Clearing throat.* Okay then. So tell me about your book, “Baby Ph(f)at: Adventures in Motherhood, Weight Loss, and Trying to Stay Sane.” It launched you into literary stardom, after all, and a cult classic gift for new moms.

Ms. C: It’s my answer to every mother who has ever been surprised that they were in for more than they expected after giving birth. We all have that friend, that sister, or that co-worker who gained 15 pounds during pregnancy and walked out of the hospital wearing their size 4′s. Before motherhood, we assumed we would become that friend; after motherhood, we secretly hate that friend.

We have to stop looking outside of ourselves for the secret that will work for us. You know, the one that will help us lose weight, find a good balance, learn how to prioritize, find the exercise program or activity that we will gladly do day after day, help us not go clinically insane the next time the kids start fighting over who looked at who first and the husband gets pissy when we ask if he can take the kids for an hour so we can go for a little walk for some much-needed alone time. We have to look inside of ourselves for our own “zen” hidden in all the craziness.

Baby Ph(f)at” is my answer to that. Your peek into my life and my fight to beat the mom pudge and regain my MILF status. I swear, I tell it like it is, and I can laugh at myself. If that sentence didn’t speak to you, then don’t buy the book and then bitch about the “F-bombs” peppered throughout the book on the Amazon reviews, for Pete’s Sake.

TBM: What’s an average day like for a mommy lit star as yourself?

Ms. C: As you can see (gesturing at her food-splattered clothing) it’s not exactly glamorous. My mom lives with me, so I sleep till 10 if I stayed up late writing the night before, and she takes care of Buttercup. Then I putz around in my mismatched old T-shirt and yoga pants I sleep in (and no, I’m not wearing what I went to bed in last night. I swear.) and get The Husband’s lunch box together while cooking us all a big meal for lunch before he leaves for the afternoon shift.

If life is good and Buttercup is not teething, crabby, or thinks the moons are misaligned, then I can get dressed before he leaves and walk Buttercup out to wave her Daddy off to work. The rest of the day is a cluster-bleep of housecleaning, laundry, sweeping up enough dog hair off of the floor to put together a new one, and trying to keep an active toddler occupied before she goes to bed at 6:45 p.m.

TBM: So from 7 p.m. on then, you have time to work on your writing?

Ms. C: That’s cute. No. Not exactly. Buttercup has always slept with me or a family member so bed time requires one of us, usually me, to lay down with her until she passes out. If I’m lucky, that’s 15 minutes. If she wants to torture me, it’s more like two hours.

TBM: So you write then?

Ms. C: Nope…then I have to sweep the floor again (living in the desert can suck sometimes) and mop, clean the kitchen, and motivate myself to work out so I can not look like hell.

TBM: So you write then?

Ms. C: Only if I have made sure I paid the bills, balanced the checkbook, showered, made sure The Husband’s crap is ready for the next day, and gotten Buttercup’s diaper bag ready for her morning gymnastic sessions.

TBM: I’m almost afraid to ask…

Ms. C: Yeah, i write then. And that’s why I’m up till 3 a.m. It’s a vicious circle. Glamorous, isn’t it?

TBM: So how exactly did you have time to write the book to begin with?

Ms. C: Lots of coffee. All-nighters. And a very understanding and helpful mother.

TBM: Sounds like you barely have time to think, let alone promote yourself. How’d you land the book deal? How do you stay connected with your readers?

Ms. C: My super-awesome agent found me by way of this blog. It was luck and prayers answered and dreams coming true…for my agent, I mean. I’m pretty happy with how it all turned out, too, though. As for my readers? The women I write for are just as crazed and busy as I am. They don’t have the time to drop the kid at the sitters so they can come see me wax poetic at a coffee shop 45 minutes away from them. But they do have time, between loads of laundry, husband’s that can’t dress themselves, and kids screeching “MAMA!” every other second, to stop by my blog, read an entry, and realize they are not the only ones who never feel like they have it all together.

TBM: So last question…what’d you spend the book advance on?

Ms. C: Shoes. And therapy. But mostly shoes.

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