Writing for Suite101.com

Trying to keep my hand in the game, or a number of games, I have signed up to submit articles to Suite101.com, an online repository of articles about everything from How to Change a Tire to Ten Tips to Keep Your Marriage Hot to What's Wrong with Our Education System? My articles are about writing: craft, publishing, career, etc. This is the latest:
Formatting a Manuscript for Submission: Dos and Don'ts of Type and Setup for Publication

Pretty dry stuff unless you're into getting published. The other one is even more specific, but funnier.
That/Which vs. Who/Whom
Anyway, check them out if you're a glutton for grammar.

I'm A Literary Luminary!

Just when I think this whole thing is over, something amazing happens.

Last night I received a phone call asking me to represent Lake Highlands High School, my alma mater, at a banquet in April, honoring teachers, etc. in the Richardson ISD.  The theme is Literary Luminaries, and there will be a published author from each of the four high schools.

They will have books for sale and signing, which is cool, plus fund raising, auction, etc. to raise funds for the schools. The sponsoring group is Excellence in Education.

I am so honored and just a little intimidated. What if the author from Berkner High School turns out to be Nora Roberts or Stephen King or someone incredible.  Or, I could be lucky and the guy sitting next to me wrote the definitive tome on the lives of bees or something. 

No matter, the truth is, IT'S AN HONOR JUST TO BE INVITED.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

Here's the ugly part.  I almost sold out and abandoned the reason I started this blog in the first place:  to chronicle the book writing and publishing business.  But I've realized that I need to stay true to my purpose, even if this is just a journal to myself.   So it's back to business.

AND HERE'S THE BAD PART:  The Fastest Rejection on Record!

I sent an email query to The Nelson Agency and got an email response THE SAME DAY!  Nothing good comes that quickly, so of course it was bad news.  "Just not right for their list."   I would give a lot to know something a tad more specific.   At least I didn't have a lot of time to build my hopes up.

Yeah, I can always find a silver lining.

AND NOW FOR THE GOOD PART:

Seriously Reviewed, a website that "seriously reviews" romance novels has put my book trailer for A Different Drum on their front page as a Best of Romance Trailers.  Here's the link:  http://www.seriouslyreviewed.com/

This business is a lot of work.  My publisher sent the link for this and I responded by sending in the info to the Serious Reviewed site.  So,  they didn't just pick my video off YouTube.   No, I had to be proactive, which is what has happened all along.   I guess I'll just keep on keeping on.

Agent Quest Continues

Sent another query to an agent today, this one to Nelson Literary Agency in Colorado, via email. I know, not NYC, but a friend recommended them for my book. 

I have been polishing the verbiage in the query forever.  Here is the "blurb" that tells a little about the book:

Lead character Tess Thomason’s boring, predictable life is turned upside down on her fiftieth birthday when her newspaper editor demands she take over the fashion column at the paper and her family presents her with gift cards for a semi-extreme makeover. It’s no secret that she’s gained a teensy bit of weight since gay ex-husband Jack left her for his podiatrist. But with the gift cards mocking her and her deadline looming, she has to decide: jump out of her comfort zone and move forward or stay stuck in neutral forever. To make matters worse, her daughter announces she’s pregnant and plans for a hurry-up wedding follow, complicated by her best friend’s battle with breast cancer and her sister-in-law’s separation from Tess’ arrogant, chauvinist brother. Through it all, Tess’s attitude is laced with humor and tongue-in-cheek soul-searching, even as her life spirals out of control and she discovers a surprising new relationship she thought she’d never have again.

So, fingers-crossed.  This one says they answer within a a couple of weeks.  That's encouraging.