So, it's finished. I mean, as complete as it's ever going to be. With a completely different ending, adding layering into the characters, story and plot line - the Caitlyn story is done. Done done. I'm sure it's version 697 of a final rough draft, but it's been officially renamed to: Ulterior Motive.
More of a mystery suspense thriller than a crime novel as it was before, I've been encouraged by an essayist (a bona fide published person) who critiqued my work at the last writer's conference. She said she couldn't get the beginning sample out her head and referred me to her publicist's agency. I queried, unfortunately at an inopportune time (an insider said never query two weeks before or after a major holiday and I did it mere days after Thanksgiving) after the literary agent said she'd like to read more. Now, I just hope she a) remembers, b) didn't purge her email after being buried in submissions and c) still has a job.
Why do I say the last part? Apparantly, in the literary world, the economy has rippled into the industry. Folks aren't buying books in Big Box stores where there's the bread & butter for the money, more folks are going to libraries, downloading e-books and still processing Kindle sticker shock. Editorial and publishing houses are merging, freezing acquisitions (buying folks' stories) and retreating into silos becoming ever more unreachable than ever. With mergers and general market downsizing agents, publishers, editors and assistants are being given pink slips.
I did stumble on to a website called Authonomy which seems to be like an American Idol for writers, but I'm more disturbed by the politics (which can resemble the real publishing world) but more over, the worry of loss of first rites (most editorial houses won't touch something 'published' either by electronic version or self publish because they don't have 'first rites') and the dread all authors have - plagerism. So what if I have a great idea and a great story? It doesn't mean anything if someone steals it and passes it off as their own no matter the level of writing skill they have. So, where I could technically post Ulterior Motive there for y'all to read in a central location (and vote so it can pass the editor's desk), I'd rather humbly share with you via email if y'all interested. Just send me a line.
So, let's cross our fingers and hope that querying widely will pay off.
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It's that time of year! First up was cherries this year. We partnered with our neighbors to show them how to can and experimented even! Our neighbors are growing a healthy garden of peppers and we tried Hot Cherry. Basically you boil down cherries with finely chopped Fresno chili peppers and viola! You have a hot and sweet cracker spread.
