April292013
Updaaaaaates!
Today I emailed two more agents each for Hollow Thunder and for Max’s Empty Dish. For those paying attention, I started contacting agents on January 2, 2013. I would truly prefer to take the traditional publishing route and go through an agent who will help me to go through an editor who will help me to tie a publishing house (hopefully a well-known publishing house!) to my name.
That said, I’ve set a goal for my books. If I am not able to secure an agent in a full year’s time starting from the date of my first query, then I will look into self-publishing or just straight E-publishing. I’d rather be connected with a publishing house which will then also pursue an e-book format for my work, but my voice will be heard one way or another.
Horns are down, buddy!
March212013
What was that bout of silence, you ask? It was the sound of progress, my friends.
If you had listened more carefully, you might have heard the scratching of a pen on paper. I have completed writing my debut children’s picture book: Max’s Empty Dish! It clocks in at a rough-and-tumble, heart-warming 1,219 words. Now it too has begun to travel the literary agency world, for just this morning I queried three top agents.
I’d love to give you a sample to tantalize your imaginations, but since it is so short that would simply be giving it away! So all I will say for now is that it features a dog, Max, who goes around to various places with his dish, begging for food. Will he find someone that actually has dog food? Or will he have to wander back home, and wait for his people to return?
You’ll have to gnaw on those syllables and wait for the release. More information to be announced once I get a bite on my query.
As for Hollow Thunder, I haven’t heard anything else and will return to the lists to find a few more agents to query.
EDIT: To the above, I have just emailed two very promising-looking agents. Only time will tell!
The short story collection, All Vox of Life, is still in the works.
February72013
While waiting on responses from the agents I’ve queried, I’ve actually begun another project on the side. This one is an anthology of short stories I’ve written which take inspiration from shape-shifter themes from various world cultures. So far I have featured Scotland’s selkie, Brazil’s boto, and am in the process of writing one which explores the Aztec jaguar god/goddess. Still to be written are a French werewolf, a deer-shifter inspired by multiple Native American tribal folklores, and many more.
Think of it like a modern response to Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Get excited!
8PM
On Feb 6, I received my second rejection letter.
Here’s somebody else’s thoughts on that:
“We keep going back, stronger, not weaker, because we will not allow rejection to beat us down. It will only strengthen our resolve. To be successful there is no other way.” - Earl G. Graves
Crossing my fingers and re-writing the query letter again.
January232013
So I’ve re-evaluated my query letter and found that it tries to tackle too much all at once. I’m in the process of rewriting it now to focus mainly on one main character instead of all six of them. It’s just wretched, though, because I can’t help but wonder if my terrible first query letter ruined my chances of getting taken on by the two agents to whom I sent it.
Oh well. Hakuna matata! Hopefully this new one will serve me better.
EDIT - I’ve just sent off four new query letters. Fly, little owls!
January72013
I received my first rejection letter tonight. No matter! I shall persevere!
January62013
Now We Wait.
I’ve sent query letters to two agents. I would really love to be taken on as a client by either of these agents, and so I’m giving them some time to read my email and my sample pages (requested on their websites.) Both of their agencies say to expect a three-week delay in responses. I’m going to give them a full month before researching again.
So I’ll have news for you on (or before, ideally!) February 2 as to how the hunt is going.
