So Much To Say, So Much To Say

Well, it seems it wouldn't be a typical post if I didn't apologize for not posting more. It's been hectic, but you know...I've been busy. I'm trying to get The Short Bus Journal into the right hands and it hasn't been easy. The good news? I've submitted it to a couple of really good (and by good I mean they seem like solid human beings) agents.

I'll do my best to keep that frame of mind if/when they reject me!

Anyway, I've gotten a couple of rejections since we last spoke, so I'll just get those outta the way.

Steven Malk - Writer's House (CA)

Dear Mr. Troupe,

Thank you for your query email.

Your project sounds interesting, but Mr. Malk is taking on very few
clients at the moment, so he's going to have to decline the invitation
to read your work. As you know, these decisions are highly subjective,
and another agent or editor may have an entirely different opinion.

Thanks again for thinking of us, and best wishes for finding a good home
for your writing.

Sincerely,

Lindsay Davis

Fair enough. What I discovered was that Dan Lazar, another agent from Writer's House in their New York branch threw out an invite for authors to hit him up on the Verla Kay Writer's Message Board. Like a friggin' desperado, I dropped the query science on Mr. Lazar. A mere day later, here's what I got:

Dan Lazar - Writer's House (NY)

Hey Thomas - thanks for keeping me in mind, but I'm afraid this isn't striking magic with me, so I'll decline. Good luck with it.

Best,
Dan

No comment. Well, I guess I've got a couple of comments. Apparently, this 'striking magic' is sort of a calling card for Mr. Lazar. A couple of other writers who submitted to him got similiar responses. Also, he signed off his rejection the way I signed off on my query. I use:

Best,
Thomas Kingsley Troupe

The dude's mocking me. But hey, it's all Kool & the Gang.

So, on the writing front, I've decided to shelve Book #3 for now. I know, I know. I said I wasn't going to work on anything until I made some headway, but the truth is...I've kind of lost my excitement for it. And, there's another reason.

My series of books are (gulp) a 'portal' series. This is a big laugh for agents across the country. I've read that they get TONS AND TONS of books like this.

Thomas, this is news to me. What the heck is a 'portal' story?

I'm glad you asked, fair reader. A portal book contains an element in which something in the story transports the main character(s) to another world, time, place, dimension, whatever. For some reason, the people querying are flooding agents with these types of tales. And to think, I had 10 of these suckers pretty much mapped out. Kind of hard to have the energy for a series that is sort of the laughing stock right now.

So...I'll hold onto them and see how my other work pans out. I still like them and I still feel like there's an audience for them. It's just getting them through to the 'gatekeepers' and having them see their merit.

With that said, I'm digging into 'Goodhalo.' This is the one project that I've 'pitched' to friends, accquaintances, and my barber and actually had them ask me about it months and months later.

"TKT, did you ever start that book about the cleric and the zombies?"

Now I can say, "Yes. Yes, I have."

I've even had my critique group check out the first chapter. And the response has been positive. This is a genre that they aren't normally interested in (fantasy, horror, Y/A), but I'm doing it my way. That means:

1. No overblown boring fantasy detailed exposition
2. Maintaining a Y/A mentality to it (relationships, conflict, coming of age, romance, etc.)
3. Keeping the gore to a tasteful minimum.
4. Making it accessible to people who don't normally read this genre, while not alienating those who do.
5. Slipping appropriate humor to keep an otherwise dark story somewhat lite.

Here's the kicker. It's probably going to be a series. I forsee 3 books in Goodhalo's future. The other bonus? I've already scouted some agents that it would be absolutely PERFECT for. I'm hoping to have this monster cranked out in the next few months.

Wow. That's a long post.

Anyway, in closing, I'll just say that I'm looking at switching to another type o' blog and leaving this ugly thing in the dust. I'm open for suggestions. Something a simple guy (with no programming skills) could manage.

Hit me.