Well, I guess some news isn't always good news. Yep, you guessed it. I got a couple of rejections in the mail over the last week.

The first one was from Dutton Children's Books. I sent them a query letter along with one of those cool little cards with a picture of my main character either smiling (if they wanted to read the book) or frowning (if they didn't). The jerks only X'd the box that said they weren't interested and sent it back off to me. *sigh* I guess I shouldn't have expected much, considering they're a huge company (part of Penguin Putnam), but still it kind of stung anyway. I guess the first one will...just like the 50th, the 78th, the 142nd...

The second one I got (yesterday) was from Windward Publishing. They also received a query letter from me along with a reply card. They checked the box saying they weren't interested, but also included a form letter for my trouble. It read:

Dear Potential Author/Writer:

Thank you for the opportunity to consider your manuscript.

As you might already know, Finney Publishing's main market has been educational publishing (grade 7-12) in the areas of agriculture, career, and technical education), with our customers being schools and libraries. Our Windward Publishing imprint's main market has been SE United States & Caribbean book and retail stores.

After reviewing your manuscript, we feel this type of work is not a good "fit" for our current customer base. Thank you for the opportunity to consider this manuscript and we wish you success in finding a publisher to work with.

Sincerely,

Finney Company and
Windward Publishing.

(on the bottom was a note that said...)

Kingsley - Thanks for sharing 'your work.'

It's so easy to get frustrated and want to give up sending stuff out, I realize. I'm not going to do that, however. I guess I'll just keep plugging along until something clicks and I'll continue to write whether I EVER get published or not. It's still early yet in the game.

I know this...

I call this my SNEAK ATTACK.

Another couple of lobs, this time out in the land of publishers and agents...New York, New York. I was running short of time and I happened across an entry interested in publishing children's adventure books...AND I don't have to have agent representation to send them stuff. So, with crossed fingers I hit them with the one-two-combo. You see, they said that right now they're accepting queries only and prefer to get them by e-mail. For laughs, I sent an e-mailed query to one editor and a mailed query, complete with reply card to another. Where did I send this magic to? Why...

Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

For those keeping track at home, I believe this marks two weeks of submissions, meaning I've got about 10 items out there. Some are queries, some are chunks o' manuscript, others and e-mails.

So far, I've heard nothing back. Then again...it's early yet...

Not stopping. No, no siree.

Okay, switching back to the agency send out, I found a place in California that will accept a query letter and the first 25 pages of my manuscript. Wow...is that all it takes for an agent to decide if they want to represent your work or what-not. Then again, most of 'em just want the query letter and they'll judge your merit strictly from that. So, I guess it's better that they'll actually read some of it. Anyway, I'm sending a nice little package to:

Allred & Allred Literary Agents

I'm beginning to wonder if I've sent them something before. Not sure...but then again, they probably get so much stuff that there's no way they'd remember the awful query letter I sent their way last year...right? Right???

Sure...let's go local.

I decided to submit a query letter to a local publishing company today without realizing (until I got the stuff together) that it WAS a local company here in Minneapolis. Trust me, I don't have any preconceived notions that they'll look at it and go "Oh, this guy is from Minnesota! What do you say, gents? Should we publish his book?"

But...since time was short today and all they required of me was a query letter, I decided...what the heck. So:

Windward Publishing gets to hear all about the glory that is my first novel. I'm guessing I should be hearing back from them shortly since, you know, they're local and all.

So far, I've gotten nothing back from my submissions. In all fairness, though, I did just start submitting stuff a week and a half ago.

Stay tuned...

I'm such a rebel.

There was an agent that I really thought sounded like he'd be up my alley. I submitted my awful query letter to him last year and he promptly sent me a form rejection letter. My ego tells me that it was because my letter stunk, so I decided to resubmit to him. But...here's the thing:

He didn't list himself in the Children's Writer & Illustrator Market book. After one year, nothing. From what I've read about him, he's been highly successful, and having read his article in last year's edition, I thought...doesn't matter. He needs to read my book...or at least, the first 4 chapters. So, I've sent my new query letter, card-response-thing, and a chunk of the book to:

Barry Goldblatt Literary Agency

He might pitch it in the trash can, thinking he's got enough authors under his belt...or he might read it and think: 'Wow, who IS this guy?'

Hey...I can dream. :)

In keeping with my 'send something out a day' idea, I've sent two more query letters out. This time to publishing houses. And the lucky recipients are...

- Dial Books for Young Readers

- Dutton Children’s Books

I should point out that both of these companies are owned by Penguin Putnam, so essentially it's the same company...just two different imprints. Okay, so they're both big companies, but considering a whole slew of them are looking for Christiain-themed books or books on nature and stuff, I didn't have many options. I guess I just need to find a place that can appreciate a good old-fashioned children's adventure story.

That's what I'd want to read if I was a kid.

I'm not expecting miracles or anything, but I have to admit I do like my query letter 80% more than I did the one I sent out in the summer of last year. This one pops and crackles in just the right spots and adding a little tidbit about my background seems like a nice enough touch as well. We'll know in time, I guess...

Well, it's away.

Despite what it said in the Guide to Literary Agents, I sent a query letter, 3 chapters and a response card to a literary agency by the name of:

Dee Mura Literary

They didn't ask for sample chapters, but I sent 'em anyway. I figure, worst case scenario: they throw them away. Best case? They read 'em and love 'em and want more. I also have a couple of little pictures on the response card with a happy face and a sad face of my main character. Maybe it's a bit corny...I don't know. If I get a bunch back saying they're not interested, I'll reexamine my approach. It's not like I can't resubmit...right?

Riiiight...

I think I'm going to alternate between sending a package to agents and publishing houses. Since this is the month that I've devoted to sending this stuff out, I'd LOVE to be able to send something at least once a day while I'm here at work. That way, of course, I can utilize my resources here and make the most of my time. Come March, I'm going to be editing and hopefully starting on another writing project...we'll see.

And the waiting game...begins!

Update!

Okay, maybe this isn't such a big deal, but it sort of it to me. I work part-time (in addition to my full time job) at a bookstore near where I live. I've had a few people there read my first novel and of course they've given me suggestions as to who I should send it to and what I should do with the book. I should point out that everyone who's read my novel either really likes it or loves it. Of course, I'm happy to hear that, but I sometimes wonder if they're just being nice...in which case, I want someone outside of my accquaintances to read it. Anyway...

From time to time, we get a represenative from Random House who comes into the store and talks about some of the new books coming out in the next few weeks, and she give out advance copies for us to read, etc. Because I had to drop something off for a manager at the store last night, I went in and talked to a couple of the managers there. I told them I was just there for a second, and right away they both told me that Amy from Random House was coming to the store on 2.4.03 (today) and that I should come in and talk to her about my book.

Totally unprepared for what I should do, I thought about it and decided that I'd come in, despite having to be at my other job. Making the necessary arrangements, I finagled it so that I could come into my full-time gig late and stay for the meeting and listen to Amy talk about the new releases. As she was leaving, I introduced myself and told her that I'd written a children's book and would like it if she could read it and give me some feedback or point me in the right direction. I had a manuscript (a returned one from some other publishing house) in my truck and I walked out to her car with her. She said "Well, if it's a kids book, I should actually be able to read it. I'm not sure I can do a whole lot, but I'll give you a call and get a hold of you."

What does it mean? Hmmm...who knows? I'm not expecting a miracle or anything, but it would be great if she at least put me in touch with someone who was willing to talk to me about my book(s). That's all I ask.

Yes, I was nervous. Yes, I was assuming she'd scoff and toss the manuscript in the trashcan. But the bottom line is: I did it. Someone from Random House is driving around our frigid state with a copy of my manuscript in her 'to read' bag.

That, friends...is pretty cool.

So, I've done it again.

I've been concentrating on getting my things together so that I can send query letters, synopsises(?), chapter samples and everything else from my book to agents and publishing houses. I think I'm getting closer to actually feeling confident about the blurbs and things I'm sending to these ultra-important people. It's a tough thing. You spend all this time writing this giant manuscript and then you're expected to spit out a one page summary of what it's all about.

But wait...that's not enough.

You're also expected to somehow in that truncated space, make it interesting enough that someone who reads bad query and proposal after bad query and proposal will say, 'You know...I'd like to read more of this. In fact...I'd like to read the whole damn thing.' Ah...such is my life for the next month or so. That's all I've been concentrating on and I suppose that once I've sent a bunch of stuff out, I'll wish I was doing it or anything else again...

Anything but editing. But it'll get done. I have some readers who are anxiously awaiting my 2nd installment and I won't let them read anything earlier than a 3rd draft.

So, long story short: I've sent an e-mail query to a Canadian publisher. I'm not expecting much more than: Sorry, you're an American. We only publish stuff written by Cannucks. If so, oh well. I'm still waiting for my artist friend to finish up the drawings of my main character to put on the query reply cards, so I thought it might give me some instant satisfaction knowing I've at least sent SOMETHING.

Here's where my new-fangled query went:

Livingston Cooke

We should hear something in a month or less.

In the meantime, I'm trying to figure out just what to work on next. Something different, I think. At least while I'm editing Book Two. That'll make me very productive and increase my inventory a bit. Plus, when I get tired of editing the bejesus out of my second manuscript, I'll be able to turn to something else and work on it.

Stay tuned...