There are two versions of superstitions about "bad things" - the most common one is never to mention a bad thing, lest you bring it upon yourself by doing so. I have always gone for the opposite version, which is Name Your Fear (or for younger readers, mention Lord Voldemort a lot!). I feel that naming your fear takes a lot of the sting out of the bad thing happening, if it does. You've already confronted it mentally so you are prepared up to a certain point.
On Friday, JM, the most esteemed agent and the one closest to my heart, had a look at the new synopsis and asked to see the whole book - again. So crack open the fizz, let joy be unconfined etc. but of course, there's a very real chance she will read it and turn it down again... my ever hopeful gut feeling is - this is it! because I've always felt she was the agent for me... but I can't quite rejoice yet. She promised to get back by 29th April so that I could submit to other agents - which is really nice of her.
If I wanted to act in a truly apotropaic way I would be drawing up a shortlist of other agents, and drafting a query email to be sent out on 29th-30th April. But actually, I have a busy week ahead, and if I do anything I will be going back into Conscience Vol. 1 and turning it in to the Tolstoyan masterpiece it was always meant to be. At the same time I will be bombarding the TLS with requests to inaugurate a list of the "Best New Writers over 50" which I will hope to be on as soon as TRF and Vol 1 are published...
I am not quite sure how I am going to get through this week - but I am insanely busy on the domestic front - so hope that this will distract me sufficiently.
On Friday, JM, the most esteemed agent and the one closest to my heart, had a look at the new synopsis and asked to see the whole book - again. So crack open the fizz, let joy be unconfined etc. but of course, there's a very real chance she will read it and turn it down again... my ever hopeful gut feeling is - this is it! because I've always felt she was the agent for me... but I can't quite rejoice yet. She promised to get back by 29th April so that I could submit to other agents - which is really nice of her.
If I wanted to act in a truly apotropaic way I would be drawing up a shortlist of other agents, and drafting a query email to be sent out on 29th-30th April. But actually, I have a busy week ahead, and if I do anything I will be going back into Conscience Vol. 1 and turning it in to the Tolstoyan masterpiece it was always meant to be. At the same time I will be bombarding the TLS with requests to inaugurate a list of the "Best New Writers over 50" which I will hope to be on as soon as TRF and Vol 1 are published...
I am not quite sure how I am going to get through this week - but I am insanely busy on the domestic front - so hope that this will distract me sufficiently.
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