Monday, July 31, 2006

Lesson #1: Keep Your Card Supply Replenished!!!

Those of you who’ve been following the bouncing ball here since last Fall may remember my first manuscript, Fit For Love, was requested in full by a publisher in September. Back then I read somewhere that their response time was upwards of a year, so I pretty much put it on the back burner.

Now, though, we’re getting close to the end of that year, so I went to their spotlight to see whazzup.

When the speaker finished, two of my friends threatened bodily harm unless I marched up to the podium to introduce myself and inquire about the best way to check on status.

So….I dragged myself up there and waited in line with trembling hands and sweaty palms. Finally, my turn came.

I managed to get my name out without stumbling too badly. She nodded knowingly (probably answers this question ten times a day), asked for my card, told me to write the manuscript title on it, and promised an assistant would get back to me this week with the status.

Beaming now, I went back to dig around in my bag for a card. That cute little card with the sassy chick sitting on a beach in a pink bikini with a cocktail and…well, y’know…all my contact information.

Um. Guess I’d already given a few out. Guess the rest were back in the room. Frantically, I checked every last orifice and pocket, but to no avail. Even my dumb friends weren’t carrying one.

So, I did the next best thing: I gave her my day job card. (Ugh, how BORING…not to mention embarrassing.)

However…when she read the title on the back, she said it rang a bell!! And I quote: “I think that’s one we’re talking about right now.”

Okay, I know. I know. Hooooold on, Randy. Doesn’t mean a thing. Or, does it?

Anyway, the point is: ALWAYS check your card supply before conversing with an editor!!

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