Christmas/Indie/Book Update
Yesterday I went to visit Indie at the Nursing Home.
“Bibey old boy, how are ya?”
“Fine Indie. Brought Barney some brain food.” I hid two small bottles of Jim Beam in the skull cap cache.
“You are a fine boy. How’s Ms. Marfar and the children?”
“The Christmas Queen is at her best, and both the kids will be in. They send their love. Me and Darrell and Summer are gonna come by when they get back from the honeymoon and pick and few.”
“Great! How’s the book coming?”
“Well, I finished the final MS revision. The agent is gonna see what he can do with it.”
“I love what I’ve read, Bibey. I think it’s gonna do for Harvey County what beer did for Milwaukee.”
“Oh I don’t think we’ll be that famous, Indie, but it has been a lot of fun.”
“Reckon he’ll get a publisher?”
“I don’t know, but if he doesn’t we’ll self publish. We’ll give it six months to a year to see. I tell you one thing that’s a fact though. It wouldn’t have been any good without him. He was more than an agent. He was a dang guru. ”
“I don’t know Bibey. We had a great story.”
“Yeah, I guess so. And my agent says he’d rather have a good writer with a great story than a great writer with a lousy story. I’m thankful that was his philosophy. I warn’t great. You’re the one who made it, pal.”
“But you had the stick to to write it down, Bibey. I’m proud of you.”
I leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. “I’m proud of you too, Indie. You’re the best. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas to you too, son, and tell all the gang I said hello.”
“Will do Indie.”
Dr. B
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Dr. Tom Bibey: Stories of the Bluegrass Music Road 
December 23, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Give your family my regards at this Christmas season. Also, if you can, give ole Indie a hug from me and Ranger Dog.
December 23, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Congrats on finishing! That is always the hardest part, but you did it!
Ceylan
December 23, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Ms Cindy,
Will do and all the best to you and yours, too. And I’ll tell Indie you guys said hello.
Dr. B
December 23, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Ceylan,
Thanks so much. At the end I felt a lot of emotions.
1. Relief- a book is hard to do.
2. Some sense of loss- I’ll miss seeing what the characters do every day.
3. Redemption- A Doc’s life is hard and much goes wrong. Indie carries my burdens into eternity.
One thing I don’t have is anxiety. If it it picked up by a publishing house, that would be great, but if not I’ll get one more edit from a pro and self publish. Either way, I get to tell my story.
Not eveyone is so lucky. Even though my life is very simple, I feel like it has been both charmed and blessed. I hope the book will show that.
Dr. B
December 23, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Congratulations on the concluding of a book. Sounds like it must have been an incredible experience, and it must be a bit shocking to be finished with something like that.
However, you must also feel a sense of deep and comforting satisfaction. I really do applaud you, as writing is not your day-job from what I can gather.
December 23, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Ms. slightly,
You are right. It is a bit shocking. My day job is Country Doc.
On book writing I guess I was bit like the bumble bee; I didn’t know I couldn’t. And too I had a lot of help from folks who knew what they were doing. I think my agent is gonna be famous someday.
Dr. B
December 23, 2008 at 4:55 pm
I’m lagging behind but I’m bringing up the rear, Dr. B.
December 23, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Ms. Pande,
I am confident you are right there in the rear view mirror and gaining ground. You might beat me to the publisher finish line.
I think we will both see it to the end of the book race. Still gonna trade out with you professional courtesy, so whoever gets there first can inspire the other to finish.
Dr. B.
December 23, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Wish you and all your fellow bloggers Merry Christmas. Take some time off and relax with the family. Holidays are all about family and friends. I cannot wait to read it. sure hope your agent can sell it. I wish him the best of luck.
December 24, 2008 at 7:44 am
Billy,
Will do. The kids are due in and I can’t wait to see them. When they split, I’m gonna take Ms. Marfar to the chick flicks. It is a wonder living with a bluegrass picking doctor writer didn’t drive her to drink. (She is a patient woman)
The Publishing biz is in turmoil, so I’d rate a book deal 50/50, but if it doesn’t work out we’ll look at self pub come summer or so.
Either way my agent is the best. If he’s gonna leave he’ll have to fire himself.
Dr. B
December 24, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Doc, it has been alot of fun over the last couple of years. I remember you telling me about the book as we were walking to the cart for the back nine. I really did not know what you were telling me but I pretended that I did. You were able to fill me in on the next couple of holes. I can see you will have a wonderful Christmas. We are in Cindy’s hometown till tonight. She will be singing O Holy Night at the church service tonight, enjoy opening presents and then we will head home for an all day affair Thursday. Tell Marfar hello. Merry Christmas.
December 24, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Smitty,
I can jabber a lot, but I am sure am glad you decided to make Mississippi a part of my life experience. I enjoyed my trip and will be back.
We are playing the church tonight too. Tell Ms. Cindy to sing it pretty.
Y’all have a wonderful holiday. All the best to my friends in Mississippi.
Dr. B