Dot on the Horizon

A small piece of non-progress on the agent front. Having heard nothing since 16th November, I dropped off a message to M to ask if they'd received it all, and they did indeed reply. It seems that they have so many unsolicited submissions to go through that their turnround time will be about three months.

I suppose it's useful writing time for book 2...

The Waiting Game

Firstly, in case all you benighted Sassenachs out there didn't know, the 30th of November was St Andrew's Day (I didn't until I heard it on the radio). Why do people make a fuss over St Paddock's and even St Gorge's Days, but neglect St Android's? Perhaps it's because we Scots are a quiet, unassuming, self-effacing race of people.

Hedgehog waits patiently for agent M to respond: it's now Saturday, and a considerable number of days after the submission of sample chapters and other details. Did it ever get there? Has it been summarily junked on receipt? Is it just at the bottom of a large pile somewhere?

If I write again, asking what's happened, will it be too son? If I don't, how long should I wait before assuming it's down the tubes? Hmm.

On some other fronts, Christmas and all its attendant tasks is approaching like a steam train. Is there time to get all the presents, send the cards, and redecorate the hall, stairs and landing? (More of the decoration saga anon)

Godot Part II

Well, it's now a sharp, crisp November morning, and there's no refusal back yet from the current agents (whom we'll call M, in the best tradition of Bond films).

This, of course, may simply be because M has not yet had the time to dig my contribution out of the slush pile, and generate the standard refusal. However, one day, somebody may actually like it.

It does tend to be rather depressing for the budding author to pop up, bright eyed and bushy tailed, get whacked over the head with a club, and then repeat the performance time after time. Having an ego the consistency of boiled leather probably helps.

Outside, the birds are twittering dutifully, and the cat is snoozing in the best cat-manual approved manner beside me on the table as I type.

They also serve who only stand and wait.

Waiting for Godot

If not Godot, then an agent. I've tried now perhaps 5 agents, and have received a polite no from each. Some of the submissions have been conventional post submissions, and others have been by email, which some of them will now accept. The fastest refusal time so far has been 2 minutes, from a email submission where the agent replied to say that their books were full at the moment, and that they weren't accepting any more people.

Once again, an email with CV (not much use, since I want an agent because I don't have a writing background in the first place), a synopsis and the first 3 chapters has been sent off once again, and we wait in hope.