Preparing to Query

I'm clearly no expert on how to get a novel published because I've only just finishing writing one.But, during the past week I've accomplished quite a lot.

I've tightened up my hook/ blurb

Louisville’s Laurel Lancaster is quickly coming apart at the seams. In her early twenties, her first manic episode crescendos into a two week stay in a mental health facility. While battling to reintegrate back into everyday life, the universe delivers news that may send her further spiraling: her ex-boyfriend is dead in an apparent car accident. Laurel knows better. She must figure out how to cope with a death she believes she caused, and discovers that her only redemption – or perhaps her only punishment – is to keep on living.

Cleaned up my manuscript. It's a little short at 66,000 words, so I'm adding in a chapter

Wrote a synopsis

Added a couple of agents to my dream agent list

Found another beta reader and sent my work off to him

Wrote a list of questions to be discussed with Nathan Bransford on our upcoming call in August.

Submitted five poems to Southern Poetry Review

Stayed active on twitter, using my MC's name as my handle

Twitter highlights

Connected with an agent who loves Dar Williams

Continued to pinch myself after one of my favorite authors, Chris Bohjalian, replied to a comment I left recommending one of his books to a new twitter follow. He was thanking me. I mean, do what?!

My conversation with Chris Bohjalian turned into me telling him I'm hoping to begin the query process and his wishing me the best of luck. I'll be sending him a link to this post later today, which really intimidated me at first, but I have shaken it off. I am putting everything I can into the universe, and continuing to dream big.

Comments

Jud Was Right: Karen DID NOT damage her Lexus on the Traverse - A Garage Story

Edit: ideal to read this with the FOIA drive open to access each ring video referenced as you go. Other recommended research/ reading: The Commonwealth's Statement of the Case June 2022 pg 14, and Evan Brent's trial 2 testimony. I am now CERTAIN Karen broke her taillight pulling into John's garage when she arrived home from FV. Here's why: The first time we see it broken (to my eye!) is in the FOIA Ring Doorbell cam - we see Karen backing out at 5:07am. As Boozey Beauty pointed out, the angle in which she's backing out is odd. The beginning of the FOIA footage shows the SUV backing out and if you move the banner showing the play/ pause buttons, I think you'll see it. Watch the first 3 seconds, if you haven't already. I watched in .25 speed and paused each second. FOIA file ID 1643450878000. The TL doesn’t look “right” as it passes the illuminated vertical frame of the garage door on the left of the screen. Look at shape, not color. It’s better on video, bu...

Last Call: John O'Keefe's Journey from Waterfall to Fairview (12:11:09am - 12:21:09)

I tend to bury the lead, so let me say this up front: I won't get to any of it in this post, but by 12:24:22am on January 29, 2022, John O'Keefe had arrived at 34 Fairview, gone into the house, been incapacitated, and had been dragged down the two short flights of stairs down to the basement, and up the stairs to and through the bulkhead door. Yes. All of this happened by 12:24:22am. And here's how I started my research this week to figure it out: When I decided to look at timeline, I didn't think I'd spend all my free time in an entire DAY focusing on the short time frame of 12:11am - 12:21:09. I wanted to go "back to the start" (shoutout to Coldplay!) and figure out what the time discrepancy was really all about. I started with steps: Hyde (report) 12:11:09 - 12:21:09 170 steps 326 feet Guarino (testimony) 12:11:09 – 12:21:05 170 steps 326 feet Whiffin (report) ...

fetal friday?

I know that I left everyone hanging yesterday. You know, when I went to pee on that stick. (That was mean of me. Not the peeing, but the leaving hanging.) Well, I think the big reveal is best expressed in letter form. Deep breath. Here goes. dear unborn baby daughter son or daughter, I take it back. I take back everything I said about not wanting kids. I was just scaredspice, and the slightest bit selfish, and maybe I had a giant fear of commitment. But, three positive test results in the last eighteen hours seem to say that you actually are in there, getting all comfy. I guess you'll probably be here in mid-December. I never thought about having a Christmas baby. (You've really put a wrench in my whole taking-maternity-leave-during-the-NCAA-tournament plan, but that's okay. At least it's basketball season. Don't tell Daddy yet, but you are going to cheer for the Indiana Hoosiers.) Speaking of Daddy, I take back all the mean things I've ever sa...

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