tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post433127023186065305..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Eleven queries that did not get to yesJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-34624855998943517232016-08-01T04:25:57.783-04:002016-08-01T04:25:57.783-04:00Congrats to Linda, and even better if you manage t...Congrats to Linda, and even better if you manage to secure an agent you're after! <br /><br />Jenny C makes a vacation to Wisconsin sound most appealing.Gypmarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10023108950501721303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-5040052461954146852016-07-31T08:03:10.443-04:002016-07-31T08:03:10.443-04:00Oh my gosh what a day has been. I've been figh...Oh my gosh what a day has been. I've been fighting my website all day. I've been on the phone with hostgator twice, once to India and the last time not, thank God. I had determined one day or another today was going to be the day to get this thing done.<br /><br />Finally, I came to the realization it wasn't me, it was the information they have sent me over and again. On the last phone call I got, "You need to call Bluehost and have them take care of this on their end."<br /><br />"No, I don't. I've talked to them. They've been very helpful. Unfortunately, they can't change your information. Only you can do that."<br /><br />"Let me send--"<br /><br />"Don't you dare send me that information again. You look at the last three emails. It's already been sent. Between this election, this website, and your crappy hold music I am about to go crazy. If you send me the wrong information again, I may go right on over the edge."<br /><br />"I understand. If you'll call back tomorrow we'll see about canceling your account. It's been two months."<br /><br />I think it was the mention of the election that convinced him I really was on the verge of madness.<br /><br />Anyway, you know it's been a bad day when I'm not checking Janet Reid until 1:00 a.m.<br /><br />Yay query time!<br /><br />1. Good gravy. How many times does this need to be repeated. Pick your poison. If you're going to self publish, commit to being a solo act. You can't decide you need a partner after you jump out of the plane.<br /><br />2. And even if it is a hot topic, it won't be by the time it gets published most likely. <br /><br />5. I have to wonder how many people are busy penning novels about horrible political candidates and creative ways they get taken out as we speak.<br /><br />6. Sigh. It's so darned easy to get contact information right. There's no reason not to have stuff right.<br /><br />6.B It's amazing how many people have referred me to a certain book about lady spies in the Civil War. The pathetic part is that it was presented as non-fiction and it's very inaccurate and the author admits some parts are unsubstantiated. They were just too horrifically graphic to leave out. It made me wonder if a well-written and researched book on the subject might be an anomaly. <a href="http://funnypicturesplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/meerkat-cat-funny.jpg" rel="nofollow">Anyway, You have to stand out from the crowd.</a><br /><br />7. Well, wouldn't that be interesting. I might flirt with politically incorrect Cajun cowboy romance, but haiku? Never. (Consensual bondage and spurs is still romance isn't it?)<br /><br />8. That's blows that query letter and I thought my journey was so interesting.<br /><br />Oops, no more pet photos. I sent the horse butts earlier. <br /><br />Yes, you need a vacation. We'll miss you, but don't worry. We won't burned the place down. <br /><br />8. Julie Weathershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13725236516593676381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-72556232733118892942016-07-31T06:29:08.452-04:002016-07-31T06:29:08.452-04:00I still get random bursts of "oh my, this is ...I still get random bursts of "oh my, this is really happening"; thus the dance or two. Should have said that even though I no longer sending out queries, I do have my full ms out to 2 agents, and I let them know about the publisher (with whom I've not yet signed the contract) in hopes they will represent me. I would MUCH rather have an agent than not...but will certainly go with the publisher unagented if I need to.Linda Straderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13651163529711298130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-71697707513334906052016-07-31T01:59:39.878-04:002016-07-31T01:59:39.878-04:00Sherry Howard
Congratulations. “The End” is such a...Sherry Howard<br />Congratulations. “The End” is such a magical whirlwind phrase to type at the end of a manuscript.<br /><br />Linda Stader<br />Congratulations to you, too. What joy and relief you must feel. Now, what was the second reason you danced around your living room today?<br />Joseph S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07437663031050410028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-23671150338434215722016-07-31T00:09:29.179-04:002016-07-31T00:09:29.179-04:00ME! I'm over at #PitchWars. I'm subbing an...ME! I'm over at #PitchWars. I'm subbing an Adult Fantasy Romance (that sounds dirtier than it really is).<br /><br />I've pimped my bio, GIFfed my feed and stalked the mentors. Its a hoot!Her Grace, Heidi, the Duchess of Knealehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17818060864422019573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-42144412151105936212016-07-30T19:47:15.279-04:002016-07-30T19:47:15.279-04:00Angie: Down this way we have attack sturgeons. The...Angie: Down this way we have attack sturgeons. They have killed people and I have seen them leap. So it should be Leaping like a Sturgeon.<br /><br />Roadkills: Cool! as long as I get a chance to read it.Craig Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07157301156577795781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-81432530296991628862016-07-30T17:01:31.506-04:002016-07-30T17:01:31.506-04:00Yay Linda!
Roast is in the oven and I'm chill...Yay Linda!<br /><br />Roast is in the oven and I'm chilling in the garden with the pups while enjoying a cherry coke and a rare cool breeze. Lots of thunder, no rain (yet) so of course I had to try my hand at our poem form du jour. I blame Timothy :)<br /><br />Starlit sky above<br />My cowboy and I as one<br />Beside the campfire <br /><br />This is going to be featured in the National Enquirer about the time my book about Mother Teresa hits the best seller list isn't it?<br /><br />Happy weekend, everyone! <br />CynthiaMchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12175917641033760408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-16314276868423166542016-07-30T17:00:56.375-04:002016-07-30T17:00:56.375-04:00Yeehah!!! Congrats to Linda!
Janet, have you cons...Yeehah!!! Congrats to Linda!<br /><br />Janet, have you considered taking a vacation?<br /><br />Dena, I love Dave Barry; I've read his columns for years although I am currently behind as I seldom see a paper and rely on anthologies (or whatever you call a collection of columns). You might like his take on Peter Pan, too.<br /><br />Timothy, bwahahahaha!<br /><br />And now I have an idea for a Pokemon Go story. Thanks to Craig and Colin!roadkills-r-ushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14029861300358380117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-12470075105208537592016-07-30T16:34:39.880-04:002016-07-30T16:34:39.880-04:00Contrats Linda!
Queen of the Reef, Enjoy August o...Contrats Linda!<br /><br />Queen of the Reef, Enjoy August off-line. Swim deep in those pages, avoid the crowds and regenerate like some uncharted monster of the sea's soul. Come back ferocious and purged. I look forward to your growl.<br /><br />I've decided to go social média silent after the current events on this side of the Atlantic. Especially after what happened near Rouen. But I am lurking like a Sturgeon.<br /><br />That would be a great song title, Lurking like a Sturgeon.angie Brooksby-Arcangiolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08000615140577512304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-28396670530371663592016-07-30T15:34:05.714-04:002016-07-30T15:34:05.714-04:00I really don't get this. All you to do is show...I really don't get this. All you to do is show the agent what the story is about. Isn't that the first thing everyone asks you when you say you're writing a book?<br /><br />"What's it about?"<br /><br />In a query letter, you answer that question as succinctly and as enticing as possible.<br /><br />That's it. It's not rocket science.Ardenwolfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14053900506482830292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-19662366101072801202016-07-30T14:37:48.286-04:002016-07-30T14:37:48.286-04:00Take a vacation, Janet! That's an order.
Oh, ...Take a vacation, Janet! That's an order.<br /><br />Oh, here's my best try:<br /><br />I asked for a rub<br />Bare except for hat and spurs<br />She used a cactus<br /><br />Timothy Lowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07514224628760035696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-33677416705671434822016-07-30T14:14:02.059-04:002016-07-30T14:14:02.059-04:00Janet, I have an irresistible urge to write a cowb...Janet, I have an irresistible urge to write a cowboy porn haiku. You did that on purpose, didn't you? Barbara Etlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07190731838738606727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-39170343348770577602016-07-30T14:12:42.920-04:002016-07-30T14:12:42.920-04:00Congrats, Linda!Congrats, Linda!Barbara Etlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07190731838738606727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-55339991050042576722016-07-30T12:41:37.441-04:002016-07-30T12:41:37.441-04:00Congratulations, Linda!
Ms. Reid, thanks for the ...Congratulations, Linda!<br /><br />Ms. Reid, thanks for the information, and hope you have a lovely and restful hiatus. You deserve it. Beth Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02447148196867821907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-37347414290847709932016-07-30T12:28:00.426-04:002016-07-30T12:28:00.426-04:00Adore the clarity of #10. Great way to start the d...Adore the clarity of #10. Great way to start the day. That and Jenny's invitation!Theresahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18165072684559960801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-49432443378181983082016-07-30T12:26:23.110-04:002016-07-30T12:26:23.110-04:00I try, Janet. I spread the word. Whenever I hear s...I try, Janet. I spread the word. Whenever I hear someone is working on a query letter, I send them straight to Query Shark. Whenever someone has a question about the business, I send them here. Unfortunately, I have no idea how many of the thousands of members of the groups I've posted the links in have actually clicked those links. <br /><br />As for cowboy porn haiku... I can believe it exists, like I can believe serial killers exist. Things where people say "I can't believe someone would do something so horrible!"... I can believe it. I can even imagine it. While I have faith in human nature, I know that human nature can be lofty or abysmal.<br /><br />Congrats Sherry, for writing THE END, and congrats to Linda for getting a publisher!BJ Muntainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12977414826388000094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-44532525791543611692016-07-30T12:00:46.661-04:002016-07-30T12:00:46.661-04:00YAY Linda!!! Congratulations!!! :D :D :D
In the w...YAY Linda!!! Congratulations!!! :D :D :D<br /><br />In the words of Forrest Gump: "That's good. One less thing."<br /><br />Don't forget to post the details when it's available! :)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-50030956924929580892016-07-30T11:56:07.236-04:002016-07-30T11:56:07.236-04:00I'm SOOOO lucky! I don't have to worry abo...I'm SOOOO lucky! I don't have to worry about querying my memoir anymore. I've been accepted by a publisher! (Dancing around the living room has happened twice today...)Linda Straderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13651163529711298130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-92147368915697635822016-07-30T11:45:23.351-04:002016-07-30T11:45:23.351-04:00Dena's links:
https://www.amazon.com/Lunatics...<b>Dena</b>'s links:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lunatics-Dave-Barry/dp/0425253376/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469891313&sr=8-1&keywords=lunatics" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Lunatics-Dave-Barry/dp/0425253376/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469891313&sr=8-1&keywords=lunatics</a><br /><br /><a href="http://denapawling.blogspot.com/2015/11/lunatics-dave-barry-and-alan-zweibel.html" rel="nofollow">http://denapawling.blogspot.com/2015/11/lunatics-dave-barry-and-alan-zweibel.html</a>Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-14708210126901275222016-07-30T11:35:25.720-04:002016-07-30T11:35:25.720-04:00Janet, you need a vacation.
It's beautiful he...Janet, you need a vacation.<br /><br />It's beautiful here in Wisconsin today. About 75 degrees, and the orange lilies and yellow coneflowers are blooming in my backyard. I have a bottle of Malbec from Argentina I've been wanting to open. Shall we say about 6 on my patio? All blog readers are invited, of course. Plenty of street parking, I have a cheerful dog who love visitors, and my daughter will play her clarinet for us. (She made the State Solo & Ensemble Band competition so don't worry. Her playing is lovely, if I do say so myself.) Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08697166619478748131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-39479027381026257132016-07-30T11:30:30.292-04:002016-07-30T11:30:30.292-04:00Speaking of hot topics and absurd plot, if you enj...<br />Speaking of hot topics and absurd plot, if you enjoy over-the-top zany hilarity I highly recommend the book LUNATICS by Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel. If you can get the audio book, so much the better because the authors are the ones reading it. It's in alternating dual POV and each author reads his character's chapters. OMG funny! It was pubbed 12/31/2012, with an ending that was supposed to be way-out-there outrageous and never-could-happen, but guess what? Yep, it actually happened several years later. I read an interview once and Alan Zweibel said it was Dave Barry who came up with that outrageous ending “so you all can blame him.” I won't spoil it by giving it away, in case anyone wants to read it.<br /><br />Here's Amazon<br /><br />https://www.amazon.com/Lunatics-Dave-Barry/dp/0425253376/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469891313&sr=8-1&keywords=lunatics<br /><br />Here's my review<br /><br />http://denapawling.blogspot.com/2015/11/lunatics-dave-barry-and-alan-zweibel.html<br /><br />Enjoy your blog vacation. Hopefully an actual vacation is also in the works.<br /><br />Dena Pawlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14444683810125395220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-89500431565632520752016-07-30T11:23:59.163-04:002016-07-30T11:23:59.163-04:00Wanna come do some fencing? That'll work off a...Wanna come do some fencing? That'll work off a bunch of steam. And then there's "porch time" with a drink in your hand, dogs at your feet, cats in your lap, and horses in the pasture. Can't beat that with a stick. (I LOL'd over the perfectly appropriate eloquence of #10... sorry you're feeling such frustration. R&R is right around the corner).Melanie Sue Bowleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11820711791019410116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-24833120946018187112016-07-30T10:55:59.479-04:002016-07-30T10:55:59.479-04:00You want a plot "ripped from the headlines&qu...You want a plot "ripped from the headlines"? How about, Presidential Candidate gets the Russians to hack PokemonGo, then enslaves a horde of Picachus, and forces them to build a wall across the Mexican border? Needs work? OK, how about they sing cowboy porn haiku while they work? :)<br /><br />About short story collections, Ms. QOTKU. You say <i>"get some of them published first..."</i> So, if I have a collection of 15-18 short stories, and 3 of them have been published, is that enough to query? Are short story collections still a hard sell? Not that I have enough short stories (and certainly none published) for this to be personally relevant, but I'm curious to know. How about flash fiction collections? What if I had, oh, say, a couple hundred flash fiction stories, some of which have been "published" by an extremely perceptive and discerning Shark...? ;)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-54191094387086577792016-07-30T10:33:40.639-04:002016-07-30T10:33:40.639-04:00I wonder if my plan to publish the Lucas way is co...I wonder if my plan to publish the Lucas way is covered in point #1? No matter. I think I have found the right size and shape of a rock to beat the idea of a query for the actual first one into my head.<br /><br />Is a story about hackers subverting Pokemon Go into the zombie apocalypse current enough?<br /><br />Numbers nine and ten still give me pause. I like plots that roll along. I want the start of the story to be looking in one direction when it gets slapped up side the head by the real plot line. Kind of like Andrew Grant's first book EVEN. I know there is a way but it is plumb eluding me.<br /><br />Can I send a cat picture(three waking up kitties) and a wildlife shot too?Craig Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07157301156577795781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-38657478402034381272016-07-30T10:07:47.405-04:002016-07-30T10:07:47.405-04:00I don't write (or should I say "up to now...I don't write (or should I say "up to now I haven't written") cowboy, porn, or haiku but that combination sounds like a lot of fun.<br /><br />Love the owl! CynthiaMchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12175917641033760408noreply@blogger.com