Query letters and annoyance.

 Now that I have decided to find and agent the query letter comes into play. I have no idea how to do that, have never seen one, don't know what to say in one. When not actually writing this is what I try to figure out. I drafted one, tried to keep it simple, like he wants, send it, and wait. Try coming up with a different one for another agent, repeating this six more times. Mostly getting automated responses.
 The research into publishing continues leading me to Google plus when I needed a break and got curious about that "+you" in the corner. That curiosity turned out to be a good thing. I discovered a couple communities, one in particular that would become my "Author university". People there were surprisingly easy to communicate with and I got to ask editors, e-book publishers, many other writers who had published something. They gave me a great deal to consider and interesting questions to research.
 As I look deeper into the mechanics of publishing I really don't like much of what I read about the traditional route. Unless you're a celebrity or linked to one, you can pretty much forget it. Of course the right agent will get you a deal, but will you want it when it's done and will the book that is released even be your work? Considering what I wrote this is highly unacceptable. You just can't go changing what happened in real life and have it still be true. I didn't write a fiction based on our real story, it's our real story in its horror or beauty.
 It looks like I had better find out how to self publish.



Now a new idea. To you few souls who chose to read my blog, I give you the first page of the book "9 Years of Heaven in Hell", and if you want more I'll do more on future posts.

The Collision

 

Oct. 07,1994, I am at work, Phil and I are finishing with getting his patients ready for breakfast. I go to take some soiled linens to the hopper for rinsing when I see something coming at me in the hallway out of the corner of my eye so I stop in my tracks to avoid a collision. Then I see the object about to hit me is a person in a wheelchair flying down the hall. The face I see is that of a woman I have only seen in my sleep. The realization stuns my mind. Am I awake? It is 08:00, or maybe I just think that. I’m pretty sure I am awake. It feels like cosmic lightning is exploding my brain, that never happens in my dream and I always feel her looking at me before I see her. THIS MUST BE REAL!!

  “PHILLIP!! I JUST SAW A WOMAN IN A WHEELCHAIR ZOOMING UP THE HALL,WHO IS SHE?-- I dunno what did she look like?-- SHE IS YOUNG LOOKING, SANDY BROWN HAIR.-- That sounds like SHEILA, was it SHEILA?-- I DON’T KNOW THAT’S WHY I’M ASKING YOU.-- Where was she going?-- TOWARD THE SNACK MACHINE BUT THE OTHER WAY.-- Did she go outside?-- I THINK SO.-- That sounds like SHEILA going out for a smoke before breakfast.-- YOU GOTTA INTRODUCE ME TO HER.-- Okay, we’ll finish here and go for a smoke break.-- WHAT DO WE HAVE LEFT TO DO?-- Just get ‘Doc’ up and rinse what you’re holding.-- YOU GET THAT I’LL RINSE THESE.”

 I went to the soiled linen closet as fast as I could, rinsed the pads almost clean, washed hands and grabbed 2 cigs. Headed back to the patient room to meet Phil, whom was walking the hall toward me.

    “Are you ready Phil ?

     “Yeah, just let me get a smoke.”

  I pull one out of my pocket and hand it to Phil. He is surprised I have one of his cigarettes. Until I tell him I noticed when we were introduced that we smoke the same brand and type, so I grabbed 2 of mine. Off we went. When we got outside Phil and SHEILA greeted each other, then Phil intro’d us and for the first time in my life I get to touch the lady in my dreams. I am actually looking at her, she isn’t going to disappear into the crowd, I KNOW HER NAME, and what her voice sounds like!!

 All we seem to be doing is sitting around smoking. That may be what THEY were up to, I was having one HELL of a moment. NINETEEN YEARS seeing her in dreams, wondering ‘who is she?!’, and thinking that even if we met how could I be interesting to someone so freakishly gorgeous? Man!! After all this time I’m sitting here with her, ALIVE IN THE FLESH! Sitting here staring at her…I’m realizing she is perfect.

 HEY SAM! LOOK AT HER LEFT HAND!! YES!! NO RING!! GIVE ME A CHANCE, BABY, I’LL FIX THAT RIGHT GOTT DAMM NOW!!!

 It’s so funny, a conversation is taking place, I am part of it because we are all talking about me being new on the floor, working with Phil as my orientation, general stuff designed to introduce a patient to new staff. All the while I want to pick Sheila up into my arms and tell her how I have been waiting for her since I was four, if she will fall in love with me I will treat her like a GODDESS showing her a love to the like she would never dare hope be real! I wanted to kiss her then ask her to marry me right there! Yeah, then she would probably scream, yell at me, and never want to see my freakshow face ever again.

I guess playing it cool is the better choice. Ummyeah, wait for the right moment, look for any opportunity to get close. DAMN! Smoke break is over.