Hey everyone! I know it's been a while since I updated the ole blog, but I have been working [somewhat] diligently on some matters related to "Ancient City Christmas."
Thanks to all of my amazing family and friends (plus a few strangers), I've been blessed enough to sell 60 copies of my book since Thanksgiving! Give yourself a big hug from me if you're one of those terrific folks who took an interest in my project--I really appreciate it!
My next order of business concerning this book is to make a good-faith effort to attain a literary agent. For Christmas, my mom gave me Jeff Herman's "Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents" which promises to be the best reference guide in the industry. Herman's advice and experience suggests that attracting a literary agent is [relatively] easier than trying to go straight to a publisher.
Based on that, I've started to pour over the profiles of each and every literary agent listed in Herman's guide in search of folks who might be interested in my project. This is much easier said than done.
I know the title of my blog promises absolutely NO arithmetic, but even those of us who are not well-versed in the math realm can understand that when a literary agent tells you they reject 98% of what they recieve, the odds are not in your favor.
Still, that's no reason to give up--and I have no plans to do that. I've identified about a dozen agents whom I'd like to contact as soon as I complete my final overhaul edit of "Ancient City Christmas." As I see it, I have nothing to lose. If no one is interested in taking on my project, I can continue to utilize the self-publishing route for this book and its sequel (tentatively titled "Kudzu Summer" and do out sometime in April, perhaps).
So that's where things stand for the time being. Outside the writing world, I've just completed my final bit of graphic design work for Florida State (which is my excuse for not having done more with ACC since December) which has given me both the financial and mental freedom to get back to persuing my writing goals.
I hope the first month of 2009 has been good to you and that the next 11 will be better!
Later days,
Shannon
