Query Crazy

I'm back at the query process again. Attempting to find agents who are a good fit for my work, and craft a query letter to meet their individual requirements. I'm tyring to follow a strategy that I've seen online. First to make sure the agents represent middle-grade, duh. But also to send out a few queries at a time. If I don't get any kind of positive response, then I need to go back to square one and try to figure out what the problem is.

So I picked three more agencies that I think would be a good fit. But if they don't feel the same, then I have to accept that and move on. All three agencies are asking for 3-4 weeks to review my query. What a waiting game this business is. But now that I'm done with that for the night. I can get back to more fun.

Attention To Detail

I have none. That's right none! I'm reading over all the corrections my critique group partner made on my MS and I'm thinking, how did I miss that? It's crazy that I can go so carefully through a MS and still ahve so many mistakes. I guess it's true what they say that you can't see your own errors. I'll use that as an excuse. It sound good at least.

And The Winner Is...

I've talked a lot about writing a book, and the steps I've taken to get the book published.  But sofar I haven't talked about the book itself. I was inspired by the Academy Awards to make a movie this weekend.  I wanted a movie that I could put on my blog, and future web site to introduce my book ZOMBIE RABBIT. As I've said, I can't draw, and I certainly couldn't film a zombie rabbit, so I had to use something that I could do.  My options where to knit a rabbit and then zombify it. Or make one out of paper.  I went with the second option.  It was pretty fun.  Now I just have to fiture out how to get it attached.

Finally Friday

I'm wishing my life away again, praying for the weekend, counting down the hours till I get out of this HELL that sortof pays my bills, but not really.

Last night we had another great critique group meeting.  (Although we had one slacker that didn't show up.  Some twaddle about computer problems...  We all talked about her behind her back.)  I'm kidding of course. We did really miss her.  Lucky for me I've already read her whole MS twice. 

Everyone seems to be making real progress on the MS which is encouraging. 

I'm reading Sin and Syntax.  It's actually quite hillarious, but trying to explain to my co-workers why I'm laughing outloud about a chapter on adverbs.  They just don't get it, and frankly many wouldn't know an adverb if it came up and slapped them. 

I Love it When...

I pick up my mail and get a rejection letter from a submission I sent out over a year ago.  You just have to laugh about stuff like that.

I passed out copies of my book to my bookclub members.  They are so supportive of me.  I'm really lucky to have such great friends.  Especially ones that have middle-grade kids.  Ha ha. 

Also just watched last nights episode of the appropriately named LOST.  At least they killed off a few of the randoms that got added this season.  I'm still completely lost though. 

On Sequels and Drawing

I really liked this post by Nathan Bransford http://blog.nathanbransford.com/ regarding writing sequels.  This lets me off the hook for writing a sequel for Zombie Rabbit right away.  As much as I love Milo and company, I really want to work on something else before I tackle their next journey.  It's funny though, I never start out even thinking of a sequel, and then often times a sequel just occurs to me.  It almost seems like in MG you have to have some type of sequel rolling.  Kids like to revisit familiar characters and places.  Anyway, I'm not too worried about it.  Find an angent, sell the first book, then worry about writing the sequel.

Drawing, painting, and now add photoshopping to the list of thing I can't do.  I thought I might be able to photoshop me a little picture of a zombie rabbit, squirrel, cat, etc... to put on a web site, but no not so much.  Maybe I'll try paper, stamps, etc...  That's something I at least have a clue about.  Actually that's not a bad idea.  I'll have to get to work on that.  But not until Friday, I have to finish my MS critique for my critique group partner tonight.  Tomorrow night, book club # 2.  Wednesday night 3rd Grade Musical for my neice and Thursday night critique group.  I better get out of cyber land and get busy.