Right...so I finally got around to keeping my '4 Out There' plan in full effect. Since I don't think my query letter is the best (the hardest part of the whole submission thing so far has been the stinking query letter) I decided to let 2 lucky publishing houses have a first crack at my manuscript. That's right, doctor. 2 places on opposite sides of the country are going to get their hot little hands on my 320 page baby.

Be gentle. It only wants your attention. Here are the contestants:

5. Peachtree Publishers, LTD. (GA)
6. All About Kids Publishing (CA)

And because it's damn expensive to send these bad-boys out, I decided to slap the following publishing house with a query letter:

7. Dutton Children's Books

Okay then, that should erase any excuse I have for not starting work on the next installment. I've already got some readers of the first Travis asking for a hint or a taste of his next adventure. I can only smile and say, the title is: Travis & The Magic Sandbox Book Two: The Broken Knight Knob. It's all in my head, ready to fill the pages.

I just gotta let it out.

Morning party people...

I got an encouraging e-mail yesterday from a fellow author who urged me not to change my writing style to accomodate what the market wants. Reading yesterday's post about reading work from other authors to get a better idea of what's out there, could easily be construed as an attempt on my part to write what I think would sell really well and make me big and fat and rich. (2 out of 3 ain't bad)

Well, while I think it's good to see what else is out there, I agree that one shouldn't write for other people or their expectations. I've never done that, but since I've spent the better part of my life writing sort of dark comedy, twilight zone-y types of short stories, the world of children's literature is a whole new realm for me. It's been interesting to read some good kids books and some not-so-good books.

She also mentioned that I shouldn't let the rejection slips get me down. So far, I haven't...and really, I've only sent a query letter to 4 agents. 3 of them came back with the big thumbs down. It's hard to get too bummed out when they haven't read my manuscript, but rather my attempts to woo them into reading my work. So yeah...they're rejecting my one page query letter.

No big whoop.

Well, I'm poised to send out the manuscripts out into the world this week. I figure as long as I keep 4 things 'out there' I'll feel like I'm doing my part to get it in the right person's hands.

It all seems so crazy...I've never written anything I've been proud enough to submit before. It's been a long road from the sort of stories I used to write, to the niche I've discovered now. Who'd of thunk that the guy who wrote the types of garbage I did in the past would go on to write a children's adventure book about a boy a magic sandbox, and the crazy adventures that ensue.

Okay...I'm getting all wishy-washy and over-thinking things again. It's time to knuckle down and write for crying out loud.

Thanks for the e-mail, DD. :)

Wow...here's #3. Maybe it's just me...but agents kind of suck!!!

I got this one on Saturday, and I noticed by the sheer weight of it that it was some kind of little card in there. Gee...I wonder what that could be??? Somewhere in the pit of my stomach, I kind of hoped it was a postcard or something inviting me to send the entire manuscript.

It wasn't.

On a pretty fancy little card was the following message:

"Please accept my apology for this form response, but the volume of mail received in my office makes a personal reply impossible.
I have reviewed your material and it is not anything I wish to work with at this time. Thank you for the submission and I wish you the best of luck with other agents."

The Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency

Well...crap. There's 3 out of 4 that've come back on the negative tip. And have I sent anything else out yet? Nay. Will I???

Ah...to be sure. That's right.

Bottom line: I know I'm going to get this book (and all the subsequent sequels) published. It's just a matter of time, y'all.

And here's #2...

(how sad would it be if years down the road I'm writing about Rejection Letter #847?)

Alas, this one was a bit more disappointing than the previous cheesehead's rejection letter. This came yesterday from an agency that I thought was totally suited toward my story: The Barry Goldblatt Agency. He, at least, had a little more class in his reply than the first one I got. On a slip of paper, it simply said:

"Dear Author,

Thank you for your interest in my agency. Unfortunately, your manuscript doesn't sound like something that's right for me. I wish you the best of success in placing your work elsewhere."

Sincerely,
Barry Goldblatt
Barry Goldblatt Literary Agency

So, I need to get on the stick and get 2 more things out there, query letters or otherwise. I'd like to have some sort of response before October when I have the 2nd book (ahem) somewhat finished. It's gonna happen, it's just a matter of when.

Must...get...working...

Anticipated Completion Date For: Travis & the Magic Sandbox: Book Two - The Broken Knight Knob = 10.01.02

Okay...so I didn't send out another query/manuscript yet. I'm going to probably tomorrow. I think I might, just for shits n' giggles, send it to one of the big boys and see what they think or say...

...if anything at all.

No new letter in the mail since my last (ahem) rejection letter.

In other news: the new ideas I've got for the second book in my series are streaming through like there's no tomorrow. I think it's going to be pretty damn good once I sit down and start hammering the sucker out.

I've added the comment feature on this site as well. That's how I do...and I do it all night.

Well, got my first rejection letter yesterday.

At first I panicked, because I was thinking it was from the agency that I really thought my book would do well with (Barry Goldblatt), but it wasn't. The envelope was folded and I was like "What's with this?" Then I remembered that I needed to fold my SASEs in order to get them into the envelope with my query letter. I guess I was excited or something. My girlfriend looked at me and the look on my face before I opened it and said, "Maybe I better go in the other room." I didn't think so, but she left anyway as I opened it up.

Inside was the query letter I sent to them with a stamp(!) on the bottom that read simply, "I'm afraid your material doesn't suit our current needs and/or interests. STERNIG & BYRNE LITERARY AGENCY."

I had to laugh. How the hell would they know? They haven't read my material. I looked at the address it was sent to: Milwaukee, WI. Figures. These hacks in Wisconsin think they're high rollers or something. Maybe I should've mentioned the Green Bay Packers.

So...that's one. Today, I'm going to send out a whole manuscript to some lucky publishing house. That'll show 'em...

I imagine my letters to the agents are probably arriving in their mail either today or tomorrow. Obviously, no news yet.

In other news: I've started scribbling ideas down for Travis Book 2. I think it's going to be pretty good.

Well...I did it. I sent 4 query letters with SASE (self addressed stamped envelopes...durr!) to 4 different literary agents. Since I couldn't afford to send big packages to any publishing houses (maybe in a month or so, I'll try) I figured this would be my best bet. These people are going to get my stinky little query letter:

1. Barry Goldblatt Literary Agency
2. Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency
3. Pema Browne Ltd.
4. Sternig & Byrne Literary Agency

Not sure what to expect. I've been told to submit 'small' at first and then just see what happens. I initially wanted to hit 31 places up and just see who scrambled (ha ha) to snap me up, but I think this way will be a little more fruitful...at least educational. So...they've been in the mail for exactly 2 minutes and I'm already anxious to hear back from these guys...rejections or otherwise.

In the meantime? I guess I'll start working on something else.