#querygood

A lot has happened since 9/27, when I last posted. Covid-19 numbers are changing the state’s city and town map colors like the foliage around us. Too many are turning yellow and red. Dr. Fauci’s “hunker down,” has become my mantra.

As of last weekend, no more restaurant meals outside. My daughter, boyfriend, and I stay inside our property boundaries except for quick forays for medical needs or essentials.

I’m the official camp procurement officer and cook, like in some logging camp deep in Maine’s woods, but with modern conveniences. I’m ok with that. I get to spend time tutoring my youngest on time management as she looks toward college. I get to watch Patriots games with my sweetie. As they fall to Covid, I hope the season continues.

I keep my job, writing gamized learning from home, and dream of retirement. Two years, a year and nine month–I’ll know when I get there. 2022 portents to be an exciting year.

Meanwhile, I’ve sent queries to 19 agents. They all want a letter, a few pages, 10, 20, or 30 pages. They want outlines, synopsis, and other marketing material. They want to know comp titles and who is my market. I have it ready. All of it. With each press of the Submit button, I feel a sparkle of hope.

I’ve read author stories about how they “made it.” Truth is, few people make a living writing books. A lot of them know someone in the business. Others say they just kept writing and sending queries. They say that If you stop at 50, it might be the 51st that counts. If you sent 200, what about the 201st?

Might be there’s no market for my stuff. Then why is it that some of the published material I see is terrible–even when written by famous writers and people who win contests?

Another (and the most important) truth is that I love the sci-fi world I’ve built. Every moment I spend in that world with my characters, Franny, Jane, Leah, and others, is a pure pleasure that I want share with the world.

And so I persist.