It's Not All About Me

Sorry I haven't been here in a while. The Christmas holidays were packed with cooking, family and good times. My college-age kids were home for three weeks and they kept me entertained.

I sang to Beatles Rock Band and scored 100%, thank you very much!

My novel THE YEARBOOK is complete and I am now dipping my toes in agent waters. I hope I don't sink. Still struggling with the synopsis, so agents who require it can relax for now.

Another reason I've been AWOL is due to the seductive allure of Twitter. It's like floating around in a big party, joining conversations without receiving haughty looks, and nibbling from a vast smorgasbord of Very Useful Information.

For instance, SherryGrammarian teaches us how to Speak Canadian, just in time for the Vancouver Olympics. Visiting Americans will find this guide very handy.

Jane Friedman over at Writer Unboxed offers her take on The Wall Street Journal's recent article Death of the Slush Pile. She also gives us other ways to attract positive attention using Internet networking.

Not to mention a few agents who allow us to peek into their lives, share some laughs and get great publication tips (waves to @Janet_Reid, @RachelleGardner, @DeirdreKnight, @BookEndsJessica & @LoriPerkinsRR).

Speaking of agents, a self-professed writer has been trolling around the Interwebs taking pot shots at top agents and editors, teaching us how to attract negative attention. I won't link to him. He knows who he is. I must admit I jumped in to help defend people who didn't deserve his vitriol, but since have taken my friends' advice and meet his words with resounding silence.

Good stuff:

Stuart Neville, a dear online friend, recently announced a film deal for his book The Ghosts of Belfast. Huzzah for Conduit!

Many of my wonderful writer friends had an excellent 2009 and are starting off 2010 with new releases, great reviews, representation and shiny new manuscripts.

GO GET 'EM!