Results of November's competition are in. Rick, K, and I all completed our projects (3 paintings, 3 paintings, 1 novel, respectively), however unfortunately Jim (30 page children's story with 30 pages of photos) did not. Well, unfortunate for him, but fortunate for me, because now I don't have to invent an entire language! Excellent! Because I finished my novel on time, K will be required to do a life-sized portrait (non-humiliating) of me. I told her what I would like... envision this. Me, hanging with two hands by the rim of a basketball hoop having just slam-dunked (ball is off-painting), my chin coming up close to the hoop, my legs bent swinging beneath the hoop, and the backboard's glass shattering in my face. Maybe on a beach, maybe with an American flag waving in the background. The title: The Consequences of Victory! We'll see if she uses my idea or not.
Because Rick, Jim, and K will be busy with their punishment projects, I've invented a consolation punishment project for myself: send out 50 queries to potential literary agents. Today I started making an Excel spreadsheet of agents that are listed in my 2003 Guide to Literary Agents: 600+ Agents Who Sell What You Write (Guide to Literary Agents, 2003) and whom I think would react with the least repungance to a query and SASE from me. I of course don't expect to get any acceptances, but if possible I'd like to at least start creating a history of correspondance with them so that next time I can say, "Yo, I wrote to you a year ago and you rejected me, but I took your advice and now think that maybe you'd like to take a second look," etc. 50 queries, 50 rejection letters. But it will be a good introduction, I think, to the world of publishing so we'll see. Of course, I'll let you know how it goes. I would never leave you out of such an important life decision as this.
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