From the "In Case You Missed It" file comes the following "New Deal" announcement from Publishers Marketplace:

New Deals: 6 September, 2005

Nonfiction -Advice/Relationships: Leslie Talbot's SINGULAR EXISTENCE, from the popular website, singularexistence.com, the single person's rebuttal to media fads, chick lit formula, and self-help quackery that state a relationship is the only path to happiness, to Danielle Chiotti at Citadel, in a nice deal, by Elisabeth Weed at Kneerim & Williams.

Yep. You read that right. Singular Existence: The Book will be coming to a bookstore near you in January, 2007!

Yay, me!

To be honest, even though I've known about the deal for several weeks now, the full import of this staggering development in my life has yet to sink in. In the first place, I found out right before Katrina hit, and it's kind of hard to celebrate when you're sitting in front of a television set crying your eyes out every night about all the lost pets in New Orleans.  In the second place, the same day I got the book deal my client extended a permanent job offer (complete with a nice salary AND benefits AND a four-day work week), which, although happily accepted, has kept me so busy I've barely had time to breathe.

The truth is, though, writing and publishing a real book is something I've dreamed about doing since I was ten years old, and when you carry a fantasy around in your head for so long it's surprisingly difficult to make the jump from pipe dream to reality.  I mean, when I started this blog I always joked around about riding my Internet fame straight to a book deal, but, honestly, I was really kind of full of shit.  And yet...here I am, book deal in hand.  So I'm dealing with it as best I can, mostly by drinking a lot and bragging about my achievement to total strangers on the street (who, for some strange reason, tend to stare at me blankly before turning away and scurrying off).

What I have not done yet—and what I would like to do now—is express my sincere and heartfelt thanks to all of my readers and fellow bloggers for your support and encouragement over the past two years. I can honestly say that this would NEVER have happened if not for you. Since my "acknowledgment" page won't be long enough to thank everyone individually and still leave room for my parents (who are beside themselves with joy at the prospect of me actually allowing them to read something I've written), sisters, friends, colleagues, and associates; I want to throw a few thousand shout-outs across the blogosphere:

First, to my wonderful fellow bloggers, particularly those of you in the Salon.com community who cheered me on in my early blogging days and upon whose blogrolls it is truly an honor to appear: the brilliant and compassionate Catnmus; the incomparably talented S.Z.;  the wise-beyond-his years Mark Hoback; the erstwhile Dave Pollard; the ever-helpful Phil Vassar; the wise and witty Case Wagenvoord; the singularly splendid Ivan Shreve; the deliciously snarky Matt Henry; the stellar Al Davis; the kind and lovely Nasreena; the magnficent Erin; the supremely gifted Jennifer; the spectacularly insightful Tracie; the bright and funny Leslee; the superlatively incisive  Mensch; the fabulous Green Tuna; the brave and visionary Carlos;  the wickedly funny Spinsterwitch; the artful Artdetective; and the wonderfully profound Beth.

God, I hope I didn't miss anyone...

Second, to my faithful and beloved readers, many of whom have been with me since the beginning: I know you're all still out there, and, thanks to my new web host, I also know where you are and who you are. Each and every one of you. Heh, heh, heh. So, instead of thanking you here, I'm thinking I might just show up at your doorsteps to express my gratitude in person (and in case you're thinking of inviting me in for dinner, please be advised I don't eat cheese and I like mushrooms even less than I like raisins). 

I also thought it might be kind of fun, since you've all been such an inspiration to me already, to make this more of a collaborative experience. So here's a challenge for y'all. My editor (a true visionary if ever I have known one) asked me if I had any ideas for a cover design.  And I thought, who better to ask than the people who know me best: YOU. If you were me, what would you want my book jacket to look like? Post your suggestions here! I'm open to anything and everything (I'm also wicked curious as to what you might come up with)!

In the meantime, please (once again) accept my deep and abiding gratitude for inspring and motivating me to take this gigantic step. I can't wait to meet you all at the launch party!

Best,

Leslie

I'd Like To Thank The Academy...