Second reply on the Unlocked agent search. Jennifer Jackson from the Maass Agency passed. *pout* But as I'm still waiting to hear back on the agent who requested the full manuscript I can't get too dejected. Yet.

a.k.a. the continuation of Submission Angst/Agent-Bomb 2009

One of the agents I'm trying for wanted a brief biography. So I obliged him; it's REALLY brief. As in a grand total of 2 sentences. 18 words. Because really, it's the book that's gonna get me an agent. Not a whole lot of details about me and Grandmommie and even Hobbes, adorable though she is. (Unfortunately, the mind-control power conferred tortie-tude doesn't QUITE reach to NYC.) If he wants to know more, he can always ask.

The resume, though ...

I'm guessing it's NOT an objective statement and a boring recounting of my employment history (I've been with the same company, doing pretty much the same job, for almost 9 1/2 years, now.)

I've mentioned my one lone publishing credit in my cover letter. I hope that's enough, because really? That's all I've got. (Call it a VERY brief resume.)

Checked the Roc website; they say 12 months for snail-mail queries. I'm wondering if that's an outside limit or just an average guesstimate.

Meanwhile, I've been sitting on Unlocked for over two months. I've been limping my printer cartridge along via the shaking method, but I finally spent the eighty bucks to get a new one. But during that time, I changed my mind; I think I might want to get an agent for it, since I've hit all of the (few) big Horror publishers that accept unsolicited manuscripts. DAW and Roc both publish urban fantasy, but Unlocked doesn't have that "feel". Or maybe I should try DAW at least, since they at least rejected TCS fairly promptly? And it does have a female protagonist, even though she's neither first-person nor at all inclined to bare her belly-button or sport interesting tattoos.

Anyway, it's too late at night (or too early in the morning, take your pick) to make such a big decision. I'll talk it over with Ceece while we're waiting at the DMV tomorrow (which is a whole nother story).

Anyway, the new Chapter One. Unedited, because I can't engage my brain for crap. Copyright Kit Russell, 2009

( warning: )

Unlocked came back from Dorchester today. Considering that my "write new scenes for Michelle" turned into "and tighten the writing while I'm at it" I'm not too surprised. Though I'm not sure if that's going to be enough. Or if I need to make some fundamental leap, not the incremental polishings.

But since the next publisher on my list, Kensington, only wants the first three chapters I can get it back in the mail tomorrow.

Once Unlocked is done(ish) I'm going to get back to Blade in the Dark, and also try to teach myself to write short stories.

And my quest continues.

Copyright Kit Russell, 2009. This is first draft, unedited work.

( 438 words )

It is hot here!

Battery on car may be dying -- which if it is in fact original equipment, should come as no surprise. (7 years being about as long as I've ever seen a battery warranty for.)

Cleaned the tanks. Morden seemed lethargic; I'm hoping that a water change and letting more bubbles directly into the water will help. If not, I think I'll leave that tank empty until I can clear a place for it where I want it to end up. Vir and Lennier, otoh, are zipping around like small scaly cats, constantly hungry.

Normal sized furry cat is also constantly hungry, and a bit itchy. She's due for her Revolution, but as I am out of gooshyfood to bribe her with, that will have to wait. She's currently lounging in front of the fan.

Jaw is steadily improving, though I think I knocked a post loose. :( My face felt randomly, painfully tingly a few times, which didn't seem to have anything to do with anything that happened to it. I'm still sore and don't have much physical or mental energy left, but I'm not utterly fatigued either.

Foxtrot had a math puzzle, which I am trying to solve.

Realized that not only did I not know Michelle as well as I needed her to, I also needed to finish her arc in Unlocked. Will go through her scenes tomorrow, to send out with next submission. And consider giving her a series of her own,

Discovered a Ranch 99 Market locally.

Hobbes says "xxxHYJU"

So I've got this character.

She's a co-worker and casual friend of the MC, and (because I'd read in the BN book about making secondary characters fill multiple roles) she's also an associate of an ally of the MC. She gives him some information, and a gun.

She's default-white, as in, I didn't describe her. So she'd be an easy person to "color in," so to speak; just drop in a line about dark skin.

One of the problems is, she's a Witch, in a variant of our universe where certain types of magic do work. The information she gives him is of a magical nature; she explains how a particular spell was designed to work.

Part of what I'm worried about is the "assistant to an assistant" role; this would make her a person of color helping a white person (though it's also a reversal of the "wise old man gives magical knowledge to young hero" trope.)

Then there's the issue of the gun. Where she got it is never explained, though the fact that she gives it away so casually (and doesn't seem too worried about getting about it back) argues for the fact that she got it illegally. Which of course leads to a whole nother stereotype.

I realize I could be worrying too much about a line that most people probably won't even notice. But the people who are likely to notice are the exact same people who'd be hurt if I screw this up.

Got stuff for the car, tossed Unlocked back in the mail (to Dorchester/Leisure).

Going through my mail today, I found:

A check for $100.19 from the ceramics sale (which was about twice what I'd expected, and is the first money I've ever gotten for any of my artistic endeavors).

and

A rejection from Tom Doherty and Associates for Unlocked.

So I mailed out Unlocked to Tor. I would've been a bit bouncier about it if I hadn't had to stagger to the Post Office despite the migraine.

While writing an essay for Freshman Comp about the triathlon I did over the summer, the bug re-bit me. These are the ones I'm considering

In December: http://www.tinseltriathlon.com/index.html

In March: http://www.pasadenatriathlon.com/

Anyway, staring at the screen is making my brain hurt, so ... off to bed.

I hate synopsifying.

I've got everything down. In the morning, I'll check to see whether it actually makes sense.