Post-interview thoughts.

I had my first Real Job Interview on Tuesday, for an Editorial Assistant position in a London-based publishing company. I wanted to put down some thoughts about the process and how I think it went.

Before the interview I'd been sent a copy of their latest catalogue to have a look through, which was very interesting and stylistically similar to something I'd worked on in a previous internship, which I found encouraging and made the whole thing seem slightly less scary. I emailed a couple of people I've recently worked with asking for advice, and had spent a lot of time on Google and reading The Bookseller looking for recent news on the company etc.

I feel like I prepared as well as I could have. As it was, they interviewed me for about 45 minutes, including a proof-reading test. While I was talking to them, they seemed very positive, and even though I asked a couple of, er, difficult questions regarding the state of the market and the state of the company they were very honest with me throughout. I left with a good idea of what the job would (realistically) entail and the nature of the company. I also left feeling that I had given a good account of myself. Of course, I also left with lots of self-doubt: was I enthusiastic enough/too nervous/ too inquisitive/ too shy/ too modest etc. etc.

(And when I say I left with lots of self-doubt I mean that I left with enough doubt to reduce me to tears later that evening which probably puzzled my boyfriend quite a lot, especially when I'd already told him that I thought the interview had gone pretty well.)

But enough of that. Overall, I felt that the interview went reasonably well. I couldn't have prepared any better than I did, but I think that I need to learn to control my nerves so that I can be enthusiastic about what I'm talking about, rather than terrified. With regards to the job, I know that I would be good at it. I know it won't pay so well, but it's something I really want to do, and with a company that had a very nice feel to it. I desperately want this job, but at the moment I have to wait to hear if they want me back for a second interview.

I'm keeping my fingers (and toes) crossed. I guess I just have to wait and see.

Countdown...

OK, I should probably let you know that I'm pretty excited at the minute.

Why, you ask?

Because the new (last?) book in Jean M. Auel's Earth's Children series is out in a week! According to Amazon, the fifth book in the series, The Shelters of Stone, came out in 2002, 2003-ish. I'm not sure about that, because I'm sure I read the fifth book in hardback, borrowed from a friend, just after it came out. And I don't think I was reading this series at the age of twelve or thirteen.

ANYWAY. That aside, the point is that I've been waiting YEARS(!!!) for this book.

With the obvious exception of the Harry Potter series, I've never really had to wait for a specific book to be released. Probably because I'm a little slow on the uptake, and by the time I get round to reading a series, the final book has already been released. (I did that earlier in the month with Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games series...). And while I did have to wait a little while for the later Harry Potter books, it was only ever a year or two at a time.

So. After a wait of about eight years, I'm looking forward to getting a copy of The Land of Painted Caves. But, of course, I'm starting to worry about it too. What if the book doesn't live up to my expectations? What if the ending is terrible? What if my favourite character(s) die? What if everybody dies? I guess I'll find out soon enough..!

What is the longest you've ever waited for a new book to come out? What was it? Was it worth it? Tell me your tales of anticipation and (hopefully not) disappointment...