Down the Stretch

Halloween is over, my manuscript package, complete with all the bells and whistles is done, and I finally heard back from a lit agency I queried in July. This is a big one so I'm happy to hear back at all. Unfortunately they turned THE PRIVATEER down but on the bright side the agent said she thought it was really interesting and she actually did read the chapters. I have to count that as a positive. I'm waiting until after the New Year to send out more queries but there is a first novel contest in my region that I'm going to send it in to. Also, I should hear by Friday if I made the short list for FISH PUBLISHING's historical invitation but being as I don't live in the UK I'm going in with the glass half-empty attitude and not expecting anything. One encouraging aspect in my life is my orthodontist told me I can get the braces off next week meaning my one to one and a half years of looking like an old teenager turned into a mere nine months of inconvenience. I never dreamed I would get that lucky so I'm hoping Karma will transfer her generousity from my overbite to my writing. With a lull in my creativity looming I am beginning the new manuscript TURTLE SOUP, a contemporary story branching off of my historical. As long as I have research to do and dialogue to write, I think I bear the wait of the agent fishing.