The Beginning

I decided I needed a "Letters to Alice" place. You know, like how Bella in New Moon writes letters to Alice even though they were never delivered just because she needed someplace to vent.

I've written a book that I hope to get published. I'm one of thousands of people that are trying to do that right now. I've always wanted to be a writer but between life getting in the way and not having found just the right story to tell I'd kind of given up the dream.

I'm a teacher, substitute, and have attended WWU's Childrens' Literature Conference nearly every year. I would find myself writing ideas and thinking of stories before the second speaker ever came on, so I knew the desire was still there. But somehow it never jelled until last summer.

My father had passed away the previous October and I found myself thinking about that loss and two characters I'd played around with in my mind for the previous six years. The heroine had started out as a "what if" in another writer's world. I knew if I wanted to ever write about them I'd have to create their own world. Amazingly, I actually managed to do that. Brilliantly, I might add. Creating a wildly new explanation for things that happen around us.

I didn't tell anyone except my husband that I was writing. I wouldn't have even told him but as we live in a tiny house and I began spending most of my free time camped out on our bed avoiding him and our two boys it really was a necessity. I eventually shared my secret with my sister and her grown daughter who became my "go to" girls when I needed feedback or someone to share my "ah ha" moments with. After all, sometimes characters don't behave exactly like you think they will.

I finished the first of the two books in the story in February and have begun the process of finding an agent in order to get published. Thanks to agentquery.com I learned what I needed to do. They've been fabulous in teaching me how to write a query letter, which I'm still refining, and listing agents to whom I might send said query letter.

I've already received several very kind rejection letters and have decided this process is kind of like dating. You've got something you, and maybe several other people, think is fabulous but it might not click with everyone. Has the agent seen so many queries in that genre that they just can't stand another proposal on that topic? Are you just not their type? Don't you want someone to represent you who, just like a potential boyfriend or girlfriend, thinks you're the greatest thing since sliced bread? After all, if they don't think that how are they going to sell you to a publisher?

I already know I can write attention getting stuff as I've won the writing lottery three times already. The first time was in the third grade when I won a local essay contest. The second time was when I responded to a personal ad in the Seattle Weekly written by an amazing sounding businessman. He called me and we went out but he wasn't my type. The third time was when I responded to a call to be on one of Oprah's bookclub panels. I was one of 100 people that got a follow up call out of who knows how many thousands of entries. They only picked 3 people and I wasn't one of them but still...I made the short list! Now I just need to get an agent to short list me again.

So Alice, this is the first of my letters to you. I don't care if anyone else reads them. It would be nice but not necessary. I just want a place to vent so that my friends and family don't come to hate the fact I'm trying to get published.

Thanks!