Wednesday Missives

Missing Miss Raya Buckets

Miss Raya Buckets stepped over the Rainbow Bridge earlier this year, where the can opener is always spinning. I sure miss her!

Work-life balance

Work-life balance

I read a review today of The Three Marriages: Reimagining Work, Self and Relationship, by David Whyte. He questions the concept of "work-life balance": Poets have never used the word balance, for good reason. First of all, it is too obvious and therefore...

What has LinkedIn done for you lately?

I have been researching the person to whom I was referred - the one who says she has lots of contacts. She was very cool and sent me places I could look to see her referrals and testimonials. She took time to answer my concerns. Then I went to LinkedIn and she has...

Today… momentum

Today… momentum

I am shaking like a leaf... I don't know if that's good or bad. Since my last post I've worked very sporadically on my book. If I had to guess, I'd say I was chickenshit about getting more rejections, so I've worked but without direction, without deadlines, without...

Working the query…

With the help of the Book Doctors, I've worked on my query to see if there's a way to get more interest. They said the text is great - it's the query that's not grabbing the agents. I am not sure if this does the trick: I'm really eager to get Nathalie's personality...

I usually don’t quote French people.

I usually don’t quote French people.

One is happy as a result of one's own efforts once one knows the necessary ingredients of happiness: simple tastes, a certain degree of courage, self denial to a point, love of work, and above all, a clear conscience. -George Sand [pen name of Amantine-Aurore-Lucile...

FIve? This has stopped being cute.

FIve? This has stopped being cute.

I felt I was on my way when I got two rejections. Now that they've reached five, even with some lovely apologies mixed in, I feel less sanguine about it. And of course the fact that everything has gone straight to hell at home does not help. I was so excited for my...

Two rejections!

Two rejections!

I have gotten two rejections. I'm pretty psyched. One was more personal, one was more "form letter" type. I think this is totally to be expected, and now that I'm experiencing it, it's not as bad as I had feared. I was pretty freaked out on Saturday. I only sent two...

The book, continued. A new chapter for you…

---***--- The bombers. Still the dissonance rings in my ears like Anglican church bells in my neighbourhood full of Muslim immigrants. They were boys, sweet and dear and polite, and they got haircuts in my shop every three weeks for the full six months they spent...

Which pitch?

Which pitch?

Hey y'all. This weekend I send out my "pitch" - ~200 words that have to get your blood boiling, your interest piqued and your wallet out! I'd love to get a poll of your opinions: which of the following three pitches would make you want to buy the book? #1 (188 words)...