Author Archives: Eugie Foster

The skinny on the job interview

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So the job interview went well, but then it was just the recruiters making sure I wasn’t a psycho, and that I had the proper skillset. Check, not psycho, and definitely have the qualifications. I could’ve been in and out of there in ten minutes, except I kept asking questions about the position and stretched it out for another twenty.

Get this, the recruiter guy didn’t want to tell me the name of the company they intend to contract me to, citing things like confidentiality and client-recruiter business practices. Okay, fine, but it makes it hard for me to research information about a prospective employer. So I asked him a lot of questions like how large the company was, how long they’d been in business, where they were downtown, what their promotion system was like. And in the course of my grilling, I actually managed to trick the name of the company out of him, HAH.

Interland. As in the same Interland that screwed over arkhamrefugee when he worked for them. So, after chatting with the wondrous Badger Lord, I determine that I really don’t want this job.

The recruiters are supposed to call back today to set up an interview with me and Interland. I can’t refuse an offer of employment and still maintain my unemployment benefits, so I figure I’ll do what I never ever do at the interview, I’ll ask for more. I’ll ask them to document on paper the exact job responsibilities for the position, I’ll ask for a larger starting salary than their initial offer (which will still be significantly less than what I was making before), and I’ll ask for better hours. Might even ask them to throw in some free parking. If they give me all I ask for, then hell, I’ll take the job. But I’m betting they won’t want me.

So, NEXT career opportunity, please!

And hey, one excellent thing came out of this. arkhamrefugee is joining glenn5 and us tomorrow for our movie night.

A Tale of Two Interviews

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Prepping for the job interview. Trying not to get myself stressed and anxious, but it’s deep into the inevitably on that front. I haven’t had to do an interview in over a decade. *twitch*


Writing Stuff

On a much more enjoyable note, I did the Apex interview yesterday. The questions ranged from meaty to light, and included one about Hobkin. I’m quite looking forward to seeing the finished publication.

The person in my writers group that I sent the Greek translation of “Manny” to has read it, and assures me it’s very faithful in tone and text to the English. There was one mis-translation he found, “teal” got translated to “tea-colored,” but all in all, it sounds like their translator did an exemplary job. Whew and woo! Definitely hoping 9 continues to buy things from me.

Words: Two passes on the folktale and completed the ending which I had been unsatisfied with before. Foisting it upon Matthew, then probably will send it up to Critters to get hacked apart. Then it goes out post haste to Cricket. I’m seriously considering skipping the Critters step this time around, but remain undecided.

Club 100 For Writers
13

Job Interview. Those racy Greeks

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Got a job interview tomorrow. It’s for a company that specializes in staffing tech positions. It seems to be a cross between a temp agency and a head hunter from what I can tell, but solely for IT work. The job they want me for has full benefits. It starts out as a three month contract with potential to become permanent. The thing is, the hours reek–10AM to 7PM Monday thru Friday. Seven? I wouldn’t get home until 7:30 at the earliest and probably closer to 8! And the pay is a lot less than what I was pulling in at my previous job. On an up note, it’s for a web content editor position, which is cool since I’m definitely interested in moving my career in that direction. But I’m not happy with the hours and pay cut. Plus it would involve a daily commute downtown. Yuck yuck yuck. We’ll see how the interview goes tomorrow. But I’m not exactly gagging for this position. At least I’m getting calls, though.


Writing Stuff

Received my contrib. copies of my reprint in the Greek publication, 9. And yep, can’t read a word of it. Although I was able to identify my story by my byline. It’s a very nice publication–glossy full color cover, high production values, gorgeous interior artwork. I’m extremely pleased with it. I’ve scanned in my story and created a PDF out of it, and emailed it to someone in one of my writers groups who lives in Greece (and obviously, can read Greek). I’m curious to see how close the translation is to the original English version.

9 is pretty racy as publications go. It’s the weekly “Comics and SF supplement” that goes with the newspaper, and the comics are of the variety you’d expect in Heavy Metal. Of course, I can’t read the storylines, but there are naked breasts and asses depicted in full, comic booky color. And check out the cover: Continue reading →

Taxes and Polish SALE!

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We put the finishing touches on our taxes yesterday. The only thing left are the envelopes and stamps. Whew. And we’re getting a refund. Not as big as refunds in past years, but still, a helluva lot better than having to pay.

To celebrate, we mixed up some more gin drinks–Matthew thinks they’re closer to being gin & tonics than Tom Collinses. They’re a jigger of gin, a jigger of lime, a sprinkle of sweetener, tonic water to taste, and lotso ice. Whatever. Yum. Anyway, we put on Interview with a Vampire, popped some corn, and I got nicely toasted.


Writing Stuff

12-day SALE to Nowa Fantastyka! I sold a Polish reprint of “All in My Mind”! The editor also said that he really liked my work and asked me to send him several of my stories. If he likes them, he’s going to bundle a contract for multiple works. Another sale to a venue that publishes in a language I can’t read. Woohoo!

Finished up the “author’s notes” that my Cricket editor requested. It’s going out in the mail today.

Also assembled a care package for jackzodiac for his Make a Wish Foundation Charity Auction at Mobicon (it’s going out in today’s mail too, Davey!).

Final Wonderfalls and Cricket SALE!

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Received the third DVD of the Wonderfalls set from Netflix, mixed up a couple Tom Collinses, popped some corn, and watched the last five episodes yesterday. Being flayed with butter knives is too good for the Fox execs. Wah! But I’m glad the writers had time to wrap up the season on a good ending note. Still, it sucks that there’s all this crap on TV and they cancel shows like Wonderfalls. Ptoo.

Got tipsy on gin, which is pretty decent therapy too, although not one I plan to engage in on a regular basis–for obvious reasons.


Writing Stuff

101-day SALE to Cricket! They bought my short story “The Raven’s Brocade,” my tenth sale to the Cricket Magazine Group. I needed a sale, and once again, these fine folks deliver. I love my Cricket editor! She also wants me to write an author’s note to accompany the story. The author’s note alone will probably pay more than some whole stories I’ve written. Yay!

Damn you, COBRA!

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So I wake up to my alarm after an insomniac night so that I can make my doctor’s appointment. I drive into town to my rheumatologist’s office, only to discover that my COBRA coverage, despite my having sent in the HUGE initial premium payment, is not registered in the computer systems yet. So I had to reschedule.

Typical.

Wonderfalls

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Ice cream, caffeine, and skunk therapy continues. Also got the first two Wonderfalls DVDs from Netflix. The Fox network execs need to be flayed with butter knives for pulling the plug on that show. But then, the sins of the Fox exes are so numerous, I’m sure they’ll be reincarnated as tapeworms. I’ll take what comfort I can from that.

Watched many episodes of Wonderfalls. That’s damn fine escapist passive entertainment. I am, however, going to have a helluva caffeine withdrawal period when this is over. Or I shall fund the Columbian coffee barons unto perpetuity.

I am also rather pissed with our ISP. Service kept popping in and out yesterday, making it awkward to get anything Internet-related accomplished. If we’re paying premium rates for a cable modem, then by God, we should have connectivity 24/7. *thumps desk for emphasis*


Writing Stuff

233-day form “no” from Peachtree Publishers on a picture book proposal. It helps that I’d all but forgotten about this one, but still, this string of rejections is particularly craptacular. Yes, I need a sale.

Words: 900 on the novel WIP. Went back into the first few chapters and fleshed out some in between sections. There’s still fragmentation, but it’s less like a jigsaw puzzle and more like a . . . less-fragmenty thing. Um, yeah. (Also had some major insomnia last night, and had to wake up so I can get ready for my doctor’s appointment. Ergo, my brain is squishy.)

Zokutou word meterZokutou word meter
7,491 / 45,000
(16.0%)


Club 100 For Writers
10

500/day
30

Depression bad, trees pretty

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Thanks to everyone for their well wishes and words of sympathy. Y’all are great.

Did some self-medication: lotso green tea, large doses of ice cream, and prolonged hugging sessions with Hobkin. I think Hobkin can sense that I need comforting. He’s been making it a point of attaching himself to me, moreso than usual even.

Still feeling depressed, but not spiraling any deeper into my mood funk. Holding steady is good. Also got an appointment with my rheumatologist on Friday. He’s not exactly a psychiatrist, but he can write prescriptions as good as the best of them.


Writing Stuff

1-day “It is an imaginative tale, and I do like your writing; unfortunately . . .” from Surreal. Sigh. Not helping!

Got a very nice reply from the Simon & Schuster contact that Ann met on the train confirming that she’s alerted the editors to be on the lookout for my manuscript. Now it’s all about the waiting. There is much to writing that involves waiting.

Words: 650 on the novel WIP. I still don’t even have a working title for this, dammit.

Did a slew of research on the Chinese Han dynasty. It seems like hours of research should have resulted in more than 650 words. I guess copious notes don’t really count. I do have a better working understanding of the Chinese dynastic timeline, though. My God, there’s a LOT of Chinese history.

Zokutou word meterZokutou word meter
6,573 / 45,000
(14.0%)


Club 100 For Writers
9

500/day
29