Big Grey Dog: All Bark, No Bite
If you’re still wondering whether (and how) I manifested my way back to Colorado from Utah, be advised: Once I let go of any preconceived notion of what my ride might look like (comfy car, scintillating conversationalist, awesome music and clever repartee), Planet Greyhound made its way onto my radar screen. So, after a hastily arranged, wild midnight ride to the bus stop (Life is good when you have friends who will leave their cozy home on 15 minutes notice and transport you 120 miles to catch a 2:35am departure!), I sprawled my way east with other houndlings who seemed to take in stride the rigors of sleep deprivation, the 2-hour delay precipitated by, er, mountaintop precipitation, and the eccentricities of the rolling community created by folks who may otherwise never have crossed paths and (blessedly) never will again. Hey, a mere sixteen hours and three bus rides later, I was home!
Upside: I wasn’t the one who had to get out and chain up in order to drive 30 mph across an ice-slickened Vail Pass Summit at 10,554 feet.
Downside: The woman in the seat in front of me was possibly being transported to an influenza ward, though it was hard to know since she hunkered down under her blanket for most of the way (perhaps the acoustics for her cacophonous coughing were better under there).
Note To Self: Next time, leave legs at home or stow them below the bus!
Revised Query Letter Score: 1 for 1!
After several impeccably focused days refining my search (and research) for an agent to represent my first work of literary fiction…
…and relentlessly tweaking my query letter (3 paragraphs plus one closing line; 3 sentences to convey the entire novel, etc.)…
…I am delighted to report that, less than a half-hour after receiving my email query, a well respected and accomplished NYC agent requested to see the entire manuscript. That’s a FULL, not a PARTIAL, for those of you aspiring (and perspiring) writers. It took several well-muscled FedEx employees to pry my baby out of my hands, but she’s on her way for delivery to Madison Avenue tomorrow (Thursday).
Upside: I produced a successful query letter and my work will now be perused by an agent with great cred.
Downside: I produced a successful query letter and my work will now be perused by an agent with great cred.
Note To Self: Try to get some sleep. Really.
words divinely wrought 
Malcolm,
Right on both points! Some Noah Lukeman (How To Write A Great Query Letter) plus a plethora of good vibes (Sufferin’ Succotash!). Not to mention a sprinkling of fairy dust, outpourings of an angelic symphony, and, oh yeah, a former lifetime as a direct marketing copywriter. (Junk mail? As If!)
It’s now in the hands of the gods and goddesses. Dark forest? Must. Brandish. Column. Of. Light! (-;
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Ah, you appear to be using the Lukeman Query letter technique. It either works, or you were sending so many good vibes the prospective agent couldn’t ignore your MS.
Congratulations: you’re way past the call to adventure and are in the dark forest outside the city gates.
Malcolm
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