Badly Written Ode to My Agent, Marietta Zacker, on her Birthday

Below is why Hallmark Cards has never and will never request my services...

The Birthday Girl

Badly Written Ode to My Agent, Marietta Zacker, on Her Birthday

Oh, dear agent, nice and shiny
You are so sweet, though I'm so whiny
You toil so hard to sell my work
Though your client is quite berserk
You answer my calls, every one
You make me laugh, yes, you're fun!
You read my stories, every letter
And like my words, even flummery and fetter
You tell me news with the greatest elation
And keep me sane--even on your vacation
So, in closing, all I can say
Is thank you, thank you, thank you
Have a nagging-client free wonderful day!

Happy Birthday, MZ!!!
¡feliz cumpleaños!

What's Up with YOU???

That's me, hiding behind the little blue bunny! I've been crazy swamped...only posting once a week these days, busy finishing Kings of Trillium, Book II of the Nightshade Chronicles, almost there! Then I have a book proposal to work on, something so super secret I've been told not to talk about! I feel all super spy! Not to mention, as we speak a new blog is cooking up with some amazing middle-grade authors which I'm so thrilled to be associated with, just think FIGHT CLUB, only without the swear words and violence! So I've a lot on my plate!

So, what's up with you?? What's keeping you busy? Are you finishing a story, starting one, or are you stuck somewhere in the middle?

xoxo -- Hilary

Rejection, Reviews & Reggae...sort of the same thing.

For those of you currently on the road to publishing you all know how hard rejection is to take. It really hurts to have agent after agent (form letter or personal) tell you your work is of no interest to them. And many of you know how many times I had to hear that when I was querying (175 times *choke*). Now that I've conquered that trial by fire and my book will soon be hitting the shelves, I have reviews to agonize about.

It's something I rarely if ever thought about when querying, because it just seemed so unattainable. So, all these thoughts keep going through my manic little head. 'What if people hate the book and say mean horrible things about me, my writing, the story? What if they think it's the worst book in the history of books? What if they say my rats are as exciting as old cheese?' You get the picture. With reviews, not only do you get the not so warm and fuzzy feeling of someone not liking your work (go to agent rejections above), but the added bonus of it being a public flogging of your work for one and all to see (change *choke* from paragraph one to *puke*)! So, after some serious soul searching on the matter I've decided I'm going to try and stay positive, even if someone dislikes my baby. I simply have to or I will lose my mind.

Just like in querying, not everyone is going to love what we write. It's like music, some people love big band and hate jazz, loathe reggae, but adore rap. I guess my point is whether you have your first book coming out this fall or your dream agent just rejected you, you're still a talented writer, that agent just preferred disco.

The Strange and Horrible Day...

Have you ever had one of those days that you can only classify as a total fail? Well, I had one of those days yesterday. Not that anything bad happened, no deaths, no mortal wounds, just a really cruddy day where everything seemed to go wrong and the people I needed to help me where all unavailable, unable to help a desperate (and slightly manic) writer in need...I digress.

I need to give a very special mention to my super awesome (even if she likes possums) friend Jen K Blom. All the way from Germany, this amazing writer chum helped me through my angst and virtually held my clammy hand! xoxo -- Jen!

Anyway, today has been a different story--completely! Yesterday's problem is fixed! My editor called me bright and early and made me feel super special (thanks Julie)! And last but not least, I woke up to two fantastic reviews of Nightshade City! It's amazing how one day can differ from the next SOOOOO much! Frankly, it's kind of scary!

Today was the launch of the Bookanistas book review bloggers! Not one, but two of these lovely reviewers reviewed Nightshade City! I have to say, my coffee tasted soooo good this morning, as compared to yesterday!

Thanks to Bethany Wiggins and Christine Fonseca, the two gorgeous Bookanistas who reviewed Nightshade City!! Please follow these lovely ladies around, both with books of their own coming out soon!

Major hugs and kisses to anyone out there who is having a "fail" day of their own. It can only get better, I promise! :)

xoxo -- Hilary