Arbitration & Mediation

Wherein the book is judged by its cover . . .

By Victoria Pynchon

Yes, the ABC's of Conflict Resolution is nearly a reality.

I'd be cool and calm about it as if it were no big deal to write a book, gee, everyone has one these days, don't they?  I mean, we live in Los Angeles and every week when we put our garbage out some mysterious stranger tucks pages of his screenplays in the handles of the plastic trash cans, blue, green and black, as if we lived in Spielberg's neighborhood.  Just one turn of the wheel of fortune and he'll be signing a three picture deal with Paramount.

But I'm not cool, calm and collected.  I'm so excited I can hardly breathe!

Listen, I started writing fiction when I was 8 years old on an old Remington Rand manual typewriter.  I LOVED that typewriter and dreamed of a day when one of my books with my name on the spine could be pulled by some kid my age off the shelf of the local public library.

I can almost smell the typewriter ribbon and feel the sturdy thwack of the metal keys beneath my fingers.

'What's your book about honey?' my mom would ask before collapsing into gales of laughter as I explained the story of the illegitimate runaway child living under the roller coaster at Belmont Park in Mission Beach San Diego, something like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn but with a beach angle.

I'll let you know the launch date!

Full post as published by Settle It Now Negotiation Blog on October 13, 2010 (boomark / email).