A Tale of Two Email Folders

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On my hard drive, I have a place I archive old mail. I have a number of folders organized by type of mail. One folder is titled, "Queries." By the whim of alphanumeric order, the folder, titled "Reviews" falls right below it.

As I was sorting mail, I accidentally clicked on the wrong folder, and opened an old letter from Queries. It began, "Thank you for sending me your mss, but I'm afraid I just didn't love it."

Oops. It was a letter from one of the many, many agents I had queried once upon a time.

I clicked the right folder, the right letter. From a reviewer. "Thank you for sending me your book. I LOVED it!"

Same book. A year later.

Life is sweet.

Comments

Bonnie @ A Backwards Story said…
NICE! It's got to be a good feeling to see this. That agent should have known better ^.~
8:20 AM
Tara Maya said…
Thanks. I actually have no hard feelings toward the agent. She's a nice person. But, I can't deny it feels good to have passed that stage my career!
10:14 AM
Tracy Falbe said…
Your comparison between agent and reviewer reveals why many writers are now finding various levels of success when they self publish. The agent or editor looks at a manuscript and asks: "How can I make money with this?" A reviewer or any reader reads a novel and thinks: "Do I like this?" The money question is a huge hurdle and arguably an impossible question to satisfy without being able to see into the future. The lens that reviewers or readers look through is much different. I'm glad I'm able to go straight to readers, because if they like it, then they will give me money.
1:10 PM
Michelle D. Argyle said…
Ah, finding out you've gone down the path. SO wonderful!
8:45 AM
wannabuy said…
That 2nd letter should be kept forever. Good you have no hard feelings Tara. The issues with publishing isn't necessarily the individuals but rather the business.

Neil
6:27 PM
Claraellena said…
thanks for the encouragement...still on the unpublished side of the fence.
clara---author of "Zerilius"
7:02 AM
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