Festival Madness Gets Its First Rejection

Each book, one thinks, "this time it will be different," but there's a sameness to rejection, like waves lapping on the beach.

There are agents who have one or two "token" female clients and the rest are male and these agents generally like "guy books," with guy humor and guy adventures and guy stuff, so why did I even approach this agent? Well, he was at Sleuthfest, and that's the only reason.

And of course he said that,"your idea does not sound like something that I would be interested in representing." So there.

The trouble is, this isn't obviously a "girl" book, either, unless you associate girl's with technology and Molotov cocktails and adulterous behavior. Not chic lit. Not hen lit. Not cozy, not traditional. Not saleable? Well, we shall see. One of these days I'm going to have to scream, "fuck it!' and either a) stop writing and earn real money or b) suck it up and learn to write commercial fiction in a genre with the convensions observed. Anyone reading my books would understand that isn't exactly possible in any sincere kind of way. One of the things I really really like about Antonioni's movies is that he has alienated women and that's something you don't see very often and they aren't alienated in a femaley, touch-feeley way but honest-to-god-alientated. Love it.

God knows, World of Mirrors with it's now 60+ rejections does not appear to be saleable with the East German locale and the technology and history and bad guys all thrown into the mix with a dose of humor and craziness.

My mother said, "you always have to learn everything the hard way." To this day, I wonder if there is an easy way.

Our small guest is having difficulties with Roman Numerals, and like riding a bicycle, they are something you always know once you've learned them. The hard way. Or the easy way.

I have to buy a greeting card, drop off the cleaning, buy some groceries, make a tart and all kinds of unalienated female types of activities.

One of these days. . . .

Grapeshot, sucking it up big time

Living Well, and All That

Living Well IS the best revenge, although who or what one is taking revenge on (life?) has always been rather a mystery. Last night we grilled strip steaks (with plenty of mesquite wood on the fire), ate the rest of the ratatouille and green beans Italian style, which are green beans, cooked al dente, then sauteed in a mixture of butter and olive oil, garlic, parsley and garnished with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and more parsley, seasoned with salt, pepper and a bit of nutmeg. They were good, I tell you.

Tonight the very absolute end of the ratatouille, insalata caprese with fresh garden tomatoes and home grown organic basil, grilled ham and cheese on English muffins, with one of my special tarts (see previous post) made of nectarines and dried cherries.

I've incorporated my friend's edits into Promiscuous Mode. Printed out the 4th draft of Festival Madness. Queried a small press about World of Mirrors and noticed they weren't on the MWA approved list. I'm writing a speech about my big class reunion. Looks like there will be time to start something new this week. Maybe the German book. We have character's names now, and the starting situation.

Martin Scorsese nailed it today in the New York Times when he wrote of Antonioni. All the words I wanted to say, and more. Zowie!

Best seller list maybe worse than usual in terms of literary merit. Whatcha gonna do? Guy sitting next to S.O. on plane from Denver drank 3 quick drinks and read Harry Potter. Didn't know what to make of that. Nervous flyer? Drunk? Bad day? All of the above? Isn't life interesting?

Grapeshot