Whew! What a crazy past couple of months. I was right in the middle of updating my facebook page when I realized I had more to say than the status update would probably allow me to write. It's been a while since I've been on the computer long enough to write, much less update anything! Sometimes think I need a secretary to manage my facebook page because I'm hardly on there anymore. Hopefully I'll have enough time to finish this post before a child wakes up. ;) 

In short, my little family and I have changed jobs twice, boxed everything up and moved, had two birthdays (mine and my daughters), and added eight chickens to the family (as if I wasn't busy enough before!). It's been a crazy couple of months, like I said, but it has been fun.

I want to take just a moment and update everyone on the progress of book two in The Tabitha Hale Saga. I keep going back and changing things. This is a bad habit I've gotten into...some also call it being a perfectionist. I want it to be 100% perfect before I put it out there. I wanted to have it out a month ago, but I'm not satisfied with it yet. I've actually gotten pen and paper out and drawn a sort of timeline starting with the end of the series and working my way backwards so that I know exactly where I'm going with things. The more I go through all of the details (and there are a LOT of details to keep straight!) the more I remember something my grandfather always told my father when he was writing sermons: K.I.S.S. Keep it simple, stupid. It's interesting the things I think of while writing, but I have weeded out a lot of 'non important' details in the last couple days in an effort to keep things clear and concise. I don't want my readers to be bored with so many details that they are sitting there thinking, 'What was the point of this again?' At the same time, I don't want to have a lack of information and everyone wondering how I got from point a to point b. The battle between the two is... frustrating.

I'm going to try to make a point of getting on here more and blogging (when I have those brief two moments to myself). Not all my posts will be about the book and I'm going to attempt to *gasp* make things a little more personal. That's odd for me coming through the internet to God only knows who is reading this, but I'm going to try. Let's start with this one:

Hi, I'm Andrea and I have a book addiction. Over the last two and a half days we have been sick and I had someone insist that I read a new six book series. *heavy sigh* Just so you know, every time someone does that I end up getting hooked. When I say hooked I mean you don't see or hear from me until I'm finished with it. I try so hard not to read anything while I'm in the process of writing because I want to focus on the task at hand. Two and a half days and six books later, I'm finally coming up for air. Be careful what you do with this next information because you will lose days of your life. You've been warned. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. You're welcome.

-A

A New Chapter

Well, I did it. Yesterday I began sending out query letters to a fresh batch of agents for the first time since Pauline died.

If you have no idea what a query letter is, it's basically like sending out your resume to prospective employers. I have a couple of databases I search through that contain agent's names. I go through and click on each name and carefully read what each person requires in their query letter, what books they represent/enjoy reading, and their bios. Every person is different in what they require which makes it time consuming to go through them all and change my letter to their preferences. When reading through it all, I carefully consider if that person will not only be a good match for promoting my book, but also a good match in promoting me. I try to make sure we have similar interests, beliefs, and goals.

 It took me ten months to finally feel it was time to start over again. Interestingly enough, I feel really good about 'moving on'. I'm thankful for the time, however brief it was, that Pauline was in my life. She was such an influential part in helping me decide to self publish. Her firm belief in my series and wonderful encouragement to keep going no matter what happens is such a precious reminder to me as I push through the 'query process' all over again.

It's exciting to wake up each morning and check my email even if the agent is not interested in my work. Each 'no' I receive only means that I didn't find the match. If there's anything I've learned through the last agent search I went through it's that the right person will come along at exactly the right time and no sooner.

As wonderful and influential as Pauline was, I'm greatly looking forward to meeting the person that I will not only work with, but become friends with.

-A