Wow
One night, about a year ago, I decided to quit dreaming.
Every day, every night, for 20 years, the dream was exactly the same – same props, same characters, same outcome. I could picture all of it with vivid clarity, but the fantasy never survived the transition from sleep to the real here and now. It burned up on re-entry. It lived only in the ether of my mind.
In the dream, I was an author. I wrote books. I spent my days on safari in my own imagination. I was satisfied. I was doing what I loved for a living, and that contentment permeated every hard, dark corner of my existence. Then suddenly I was awake again, and the reality that I was NOT the person in my dream washed over me like rain cloud.
So one night, about a year ago, I decided to quit dreaming. I sat down at my keyboard and began to write. I began to create the trappings of my dream in real life.
It has been the hardest year of my writing life. Rejection has reigned. Every small victory has been countered by enormous disappointment and despair. I have neglected friendships, responsibilities, family obligations. Phone calls and emails have gone unreturned. I have opened my soul to criticism, and I have convinced myself that this is my last best chance to accomplish something for myself – to escape the rut of cubicle jobs, financial desperation and career aimlessness.
Thursday morning, my agent called from New York.
“You have a book deal,” she said.
Just like that, the dream became real.
Just like that, my life changed direction.
It has taken me three days to come to terms with what has happened. I have shared the news with family and friends, and although their expressions of pride and joy have filled my spirit, the accomplishment didn’t seem real to me. This isn’t the kind of thing that happens to me. I’m just a copywriter. I’m not accustomed to achievement or satisfaction or…winning.
I did it. I actually fucking did it.
I wonder what I'll dream about next.
Congratulations!!!!!I found your website a couple of months ago. I went back as far as I could in your archives and read Every single one! I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed them and how frequently they made me laugh until my stomach hurt! I will eagerly look forward to your book. Thank you for writing so that many can enjoy it! Good Luck!
Congratulations!! Funny how good things happen to great people. Keep us posted on the book launch.
Keep up the great work!
Wow!! This is absolutely amazing and I am delighted for you!! I have become an avid reader of your blog (and your tweets) for a few months now and I truly enjoy it! Be sure to share all the details of your book as they come about and I call dibs on a signed copy =)
Best of Luck!!
Kate
Here's to dreams coming true, DGM.
YEAH!
YES! I am so happy for you, Danny!
YAYYYYY! So thrilled for you! Your future editor is one lucky person -- to get to read your stuff for work!
Jesus H Christ, I hope you're me, posting from the future, because that's pretty much word for word what I want to write. In a year. Or, you know, two. Ish.
Congratulations.
Congratulations.
Now you can dream about flying, like a normal person.
That's fucking awesome man. Congratulations!
Most heartfelt congrats to you, DGM.
Things happen for a reason. Clearly you are about to be elevated to an even higher ROCK STAR status and to important and speshul to be a cube rat. :)
Good for you for following your dream.
Ok. That is AWESOME. Congratulations. Wishing you the best!!
Thats fucking awesome! Congratulations, and keep up with the hard work.
You'll always have tons of support from your readers.
*high five!*
Looking forward to reading you! More!
Congratulations - are you now going by Dad Gone Glad?
www.swirlgirlspearls.blogspot.com
Woo Hoo!!!! Congratulations Danny! I know so few people who can live their dreams. You are lucky, you are special, and you deserve it!
Congratulations!
Jolly good.
What are you going to write about?
I could do with a good tome on the causes of the dissolution of the monasteries.
Congrat-u-fucking-lations!! (I trust that's proper DMG-speak)
As a novelist chasing my own first book deal, I know how hard it can be to get the attention of agents and publishers, and what a great accomplishment it is to finally land a deal.
Good work. All best,
David
What wonderful news! Isn't it good to be king?
Oops, I meant "DGM-speak". Maybe that's why I don't have a book deal yet, I keep f***-ing up on this site. (grin)
Can't wait to read it!
Congratufeckinlations.
Send me your address and I'll post you a cassette you can play in your sleep.
It's me getting my wife knocked up.
And Bossy is so happy for you that she is poking her own eyes out in fits of jealousy. How come Bossy has to get like that? XO
I have to delurk to say congratulations!!! I'm so glad that your month has taken a MAJOR turn for the better!!
This can be one entry in the newest book:When good things happen to good people. Just think about how many books will be sold by those who have been praising your writing for so many years. You are a great person Danny and your next dream will be about your accepting the praise that all of us give to you freely. Mazel Tov
This can be one entry in the newest book:When good things happen to good people. Just think about how many books will be sold by those who have been praising your writing for so many years. You are a great person Danny and your next dream will be about your accepting the praise that all of us give to you freely. Mazel Tov
Right on, man! That's awesome.
Go back to dreaming about sex.
Just followed your tweet to this blog post, now gonna go back and read the rest of it. Congratulations on the book deal and keep us posted :o}
I have to delurk to say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
That's so incredibly awesome! Congrats!
Congratulations!! Caught your tweet. What a great story!
Congratulations Danny!!! We are SO happy for you!!!
That is fabulous news. I am thrilled for you.
Woo hoo! Can't wait to read it. Good for you.
Congratulations and enjoy the moment!
I had seriously wondered why you weren't pursuing writing as a career...lol
You obviously have the gift of words...
I don't know what you'll dream next but, by all means, follow that dream. Congrats and keep us posted.
I am so excited for you!
Fucking-A! That's all I can say...
OF COURSE you did it. :)
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Caps lock is totally in order! That is freakin' awesome.
Congratulations!! All the best to you and your book. I often refer to my book as my third child. I can wait to get this one of the house.
Congratulations!! Double thumbs up!!
Let us know when the book launch is and whether it'll be available for international shipping. Can't wait to curl up and read THE 1st (there will be more, right?) book by DGM.
HELL YES! You deserve it!
Yipeeee for you!!! I love you, with or without the book tour. You're the very best!
xo,
your sis
Mazel Tov! Sometimes we have to be forced into our dreams. Now your soul-sucking day job won't hold you back.
Good on ya, man, that's awesome! Congratulations!
I dream that my teeth are falling out, but not in an aspirational way.
Well done, indeed.
This is all kinds of incredible awesome!! Congratulations!!!
Nice work! When is it slated to hit the shelves?
That's wonderful news. Congratulations!
OH my goodness CONGRATULATIONS!! I am so happy for you! What timing huh? Really I am so happy for you!!!
Congratulations! I will buy your book!
Well, it's about time that somebody wised up and offered you a deal. It is SO true that when one door closes, another one opens. Congratulations!! I'm off to go weep quietly in the corner as I think about all the dreams I've never chased...
Now that's some awesome news! Congratulations on the deal - and here's to selling a butt-load of copies!
Danny:
Congratulations to you! Blessings to you and yours.
This gives me great hope, as I am on a similar trajectory: escape from the rut and aimlessness and desperation.
Let's all sing together: "I'm gonna break my rusty cage, and RUN!"
You made it over the wall!
Of course you were published.
That's why you had to be laid off :)
Fantastic news!
Wow indeed! Well done and congratulations!
I don't know what I can say here that I haven't said to you already but I wanted to join the choir. I knew it was just a matter of time before your proposal found the right person. I am so so thrilled for YOU! You deserve every bit of goodness and greatness. I love you!
Long time lurker here, but had to come out of the woodwork to say CONGRATULATIONS! It's amazing what can happen when we have the courage to open up to our dreams. You did it!
I am thrilled for you, Danny!!!
Congratulations :-)
(been lurking in Google Reader for some time, but had to de-lurk to say that)
Holy hell that's great news!!! Good things really do happen when we try to be good people! Congrats! Couldn't be happier unless it was happening to me - haha.
DUDE! I'm going MAD here! I'll be the first in line to buy the book & get it autographed by Mr. Mad Danny himself!
Yeah and CONGRATS!!!!
Congratulations Danny!
If you're gonna dream, make it a great big dream.
Why am I not surprised? You are a great story teller!!!!! Congrats.
Congratulations! I want to read it as soon as it comes out!
Congratulations Danny. I've lurked on your site for a long time and you are one of my favorite reads right there with Her Highness "Dooce". I just hope you don't have to endure a Kathy Lee Gifford interview like she did when her book came out.
Congrats! Long time reader, part time poster. I hope this means you won't quite the blog?
Good for you, Danny! Can't wait to read the book. Hurry up and publish it, would you?
We have an Interactive post on our blog today, come over and play!
http://meandyouandellie.blogspot.com/2008/05/weekend-3-way_09.html
And yet you're STILL taking the high road in regards to your ex-boss...can't wait to get you all liquored up in Vegas so you can tell us all what you REALLY think of him!!! Then we can videotape it and post for all to enjoy.
But honestly, there must be nothing sweeter than moving on from that soulless place and here, into the light, where you belong. All in the space of 6 days!!!
(And I know you disdain the exclamation points and caps, dear editor, BUT THESE ARE TOTALLY F*&%ing WARRANTED!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!)
What's it called. When will it be available. And, will you sign my copy?
It's a good feeling when you dream comes true, isn't it? I know it was for me.
Good for you, Danny. If your book is half as compelling as your blog, I'm positive that it'll be a success.
Can not wait to read it...way to go!!!
Congrats! And when can I get a copy?
YAY!!!!! (doing a little dance)
Bravo! Can't wait to read it.
Congratulations! I got goosebumps when I got to the "You got a book deal" line! What a great dream. Now you can dream about readings and book signings. Only when you got there, there was a test you forgot to study for. And you forgot to wear clothes. Then you started free-falling...
Many hearty congrats from a longtime lurker.
Congratulations!
I just found your blog via Technorati - hope you don't mind if I stick around a bit. :-)
(delurking)
gratz!
Congratulations! Looking forward to reading it.
Is it sad that I'm really happy for you, though admittedly a bit jealous? Not that I've actually taken the step to complete a book-- I'm still in the dreaming phase.
This has got to feel especially nice given your recently uneven luck-- good for you! You definitely deserve it. Let us all know when we can buy a copy (or two, if you're lucky).
Excellent! This is what your long time readers have been waiting for. Have been expecting! Go, Danny, go!
Damn, dude.
For your next dream, might I suggest one that involves wrestling Heidi Klum and Eva Longoria in a giant tub of Jell-O?
Congratulations on the book deal!
now don't you forget us little prople, you hear? This is amazing news! husband & i will crack open a bottle of something and toast to your success!
oops - change that to "people." little PEOPLE. prople just doesn't make sense in this usage.
Okay, so you see now why the former employer will wish you were still there? (Fuck them and the boat they sent you off in !!!)
But...nope not you, cause you are about to be more famous than you already are!! That is so awesome and the collective "we's" out here are over the moon for you. It was simply. meant. to. be! Kudos!!You rock!!
Congratulations! I can't wait to read it!
Congratulations seems so...I don't know...tame. How absolutely incredibly, fantastic, truly seismic news. I'm jealous of your perseverance. The writing is hard, sure, but the focus blows my mind. Bask in the accomplishment of it.
Congratulations! As a soon to be graduate, your story is incredibly inspiring. Good job following your dreams, I hope that all of your other dreams will also come true.
You are an amazing, hysterically funny, writer. I've forwarded more of your posts to my friends than I can count. I'm not surprised in the least.
Congratulations!
This is wonderful, wonderful. Have you thought about who will be playing you and Hotwife in the movie?
I guess that means you are actually paid to talk about Shit. You Luck Bastard.
Congrats again!
Congratulations! You know, I'm de-lurking to celebrate you and let you know that there are so many of us out here wishing good things for you. I check your site out every day - and it's one of the ones I save for last because I know if you've got something new up, it'll be like going in for one more bite of frosting. Absolutely delicious and a little sinful.
Anyway - congrats!
Congrats!! I have been reading your stuff for the last couple of months and enjoy it very much. I can't wait to read your book.
Fucking-Eh!
That's awesome Danny. Congratulations.
Hip hip HOORAY! Oh gosh, I'm SO HAPPY for you! Congratulations!
Congrats! Dream about the lottery; then send me the winning numbers.
Woo! Congratulations, that is so exciting. I hope to join you one day, but it'll be MANY years down the road. I'll buy it when it comes out - keep us posted!
AWESOME!