Doobie Doobie Doo

Hello again.

Well, if you tuned in last week, you may have seen that I had a 'video blog' up here. I think it last on here for two whole days before I decided I can't stand how stupid I looked and sounded on the thing, so I tossed it into the great Recycling Bin in the sky.

Adios.

I'd loooove to be able to come on here and say I've made some headway in the Great Agent Search 2007, but alas, last week wasn't my time.

In lieu of boring you with the details and pasting the 'form' rejections I received, I'll just give you the short n' dirty version of it:

Kristin Nelson - No thanks.
Alyssa Eisner Henkin - No thanks.

It's killing me to see on the Verla Kay message boards that people are getting requests for full manuscripts or even partials, when I have yet to have anyone request any more of my stuff. I'm beginning to think it's one of two things:

1. My query letter sucks to high heaven.
2. The subject matter of my book isn't 'marketable.'

I'm praying it isn't #2, but I'm beginning to wonder. Is it really that risky? Is writing about a kid who has to ride the short bus with disabled kids that big of a turn-off? I would think curiosity alone would sell some books and/or at least pique the interest of an agent. Seriously!

I wonder if they have it in their head that this book is an excuse to call kids retards and make a big joke of the whole thing. It totally isn't. Anyone who's read it can attest that I'm true to the subject matter and I've even had experts (social workers, special education teachers, etc.) read the book and give it high praise. People I don't even know on a personal level.

So...yeah. Frustrating.

I'm going to have a query letter expert 'punch up' my letter to see if it's in the way I'm presenting it. I should have a newer version of it this week. We'll see if that makes any difference. I really hope so. Like I've said a million times before:

I'd rather write 18 more books than try to write one query letter to 'sell' my book to an agent/editor.

All right. I'm off to get some words on the page.

Do some good out there.

- TKT