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Yay, I heard back from the agent I sent my full manuscript and synopsis to.  She took exactly one month from the day that I sent it to her.  She didn’t give me a standard form letter; she wrote me a nice, brief, note.  She said that while I am a promising new author she felt that she could not empathize with the main character enough to be able to champion her story.

I take that as positive feedback.  She didn’t say: Yuck, this sucks.  Or you need to read these craft book or revise.  She just said: You’re good, but this isn’t my cup of tea.  Good luck!  Lol.  So, now it’s time to decide who to send to next.  I really should start sending out to more than one place at a time.  In fact, I think I will this time.  I already know one place I’ll send it to next; I’ll hit up The Writers Market for some more.  I’ll try to do a submission a week :D.

And while I’m doing that, I will not stop writing.  I will keep writing my sequel, and hopefully finish it before the summer is up and move on to the last book.  I just feel like I should have so much more material than I do.  Once I get my apartment in order (oh, by the way, the rest of my stuff got here today, WHOOO), I will be able to concentrate more on writing.

Okay, I’m about to discover the joy of unpacking… again.  But yay to hearing back from another agent, and getting a personalized note.  And once again, I say:

NEXT!

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Now you know this is late, because I read this book as soon as it came out.  It didn’t end on the cliffhanger City of Fallen Angels did, but wow.  I didn’t see that coming.

I don’t want to spoil the book for anyone who hasn’t read it or isn’t done with it yet, but: WHY-EE, MAGNUS, WHY-EE????

 

Now I can’t wait for the last one… or for the next in the Infernal Devices series.  Though, they will be the last books in the series, and I don’t know if I’m ready to say goodbye to Jace, Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Jordan yet.  And heck, I know I’m not ready to say goodbye to Jem and Will.

 

I know there’s gonna be a new spin-off series out with characters I’ll probably like just as much but: WHY-EE, CASSANDRA, WHY-EE???

If anyone reads these series, message me so we can talk!  I love book discussions and I want to know what you think about Magnus and Alec at the end of this last one.

 

Okay, I suppose I should find some work to do now….

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😀 I went to the DFW Writers Conference in Hurst last weekend and had a pitch session with an agent.  Have I ever pitched to an agent before?  No.  Did I try to do a bunch of online research on it before hand?  YES!  Was I frustrated because everyone said to do different stuff?  HELL YEAH.

 

So… I went back to what one of my writing teachers taught me about doing elevator pitches and coming up with sudden headlines that drive the whole work.  I pitched and halfway through, the agent said: Stop… I love it.  Send me your entire manuscript with the synopsis.  Also, what else are you working on?  Great!  I want the synopsis for that, too.  I like what you write.

Now… that’s based on her never reading a sample of my work, so I hope she still feels the same after she reads it.  But hey!  I’m positive.  Hope it makes her laugh in the right places and hope she’s creeped out when she’s supposed to be.  Yeah, I made up a word, “creeped” lol.  I’m excited!

 

So… thanks JAMES PATRICK KELLY for torturing us… er… making us do elevator pitches during workshop sessions at Stonecoast.

 

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Haha, so I got my first rejection e-mail.  Wow, you know a few years ago I think I might have been choked up about it.  My baby was rejected, and with a form letter no less, but hey, the form letter had my name on it!  And they were so quick about it, too.  I sent it off yesterday, no joke, and got the reply today.  I was expecting to wait weeks for that first “No.”  Either the lady really hated it, or I did a major formatting “no-no.” 

Haha, anyway I think that was less nerve wracking than waiting for someone to call you back after a job interview.  Those guys can take forever to tell you “No way!”  This lady took 24 hours… that is, if she even read it.  I kinda think she didn’t because it just came back too fast.

So, now I feel accomplished.  I actually submitted my work to a complete stranger for scrutiny and I’m ready for more.  To rejection, I say: NEXT!