Please welcome Editor Person to the blogsphere.

Consider this is Part 1 of a 2 part blog. The second half will run Thursday. I’ll swear right now on a stack of religious books of your choice, Thursday’s blog will be both funny and entertaining.

On the writing front, I met with Editor person and reviewed the query letter for the Ridge Runner. That conversation went something like thus…

sam: It’s good on the sales pitch side, but it lacks personality.
Editor Person: There’s only so much personality you can cram in 350 words.
sam: I need something that makes mine stand out just that extra bit.
Editor Person: Let’s see, you have zero publishing credentials. You’re a novice on the subject matter. You still don’t know how to use commas consistently. I think you stand out.
sam: This query has got to look different from the others, or it’s getting tossed.
Editor Person ( reads ): You got one shot at distinguishing yourself. Go for one laugh and hope for the best.
sam: Suggestions?
Editor Person: For you to be funny? Look in a mirror, perhaps?
sam: Anything else?
Editor Person: 2 words, Harry Potter. Play the JK Rowling angle. Publishing loves the underdog forced into a career change.

So the new query letter does just that.

After more than a month hiatus and many pages into book number two, Editor person and I met. This was a proactive session, in the event that the prospective agent asks ( let’s hope ) to see the rest of The Ridge Runner. I wanted to polish to chapter 4-22 one last time. Imagine Editor person on one side of the desk, yours truly on the opposite. As they flipped through the pages, the discussion went something like this….

Editor person: Grammar, grammar, spelling,…OK…that works…oh this is back again. This upstream downstream problem.
sam: There is no back. It’s always been messed up.
Editor person: You know it’s messed up, yet you left it to me to find.
sam: Indeed. I’ve been waiting for you to notice that.
Editor person: Oh I noticed it. It’s very jarring.
sam: But you missed it the last 2 drafts.
Editor person: In the midst of the carnage you call writing, it was all I could do to stop the bleeding.
sam: But you actually missed something.
Editor person: I saw it.
sam: I’ve got 2 other drafts that say you missed it.
Editor person: Can I tell you what you’re going to miss if you continue this discussion?

At long last Editor person and I will meet. There’s veritable bunches of stuff they’ve yet to see. A meeting like this has been weeks in the making. Day jobs always get in the way. Last night I called them to verify we were on for today.

sam: Yo Editor person we on for Wednesday?
Editor person: Perhaps.
sam: Perhaps yes, or perhaps no?
Editor person: Yes.
sam: Yes which is it?
Editor Person: You called for a reason I hope.
sam: I called to find out if we’re on for Wednesday.
Editor Person: Today is Tuesday.
sam: And that means tomorrow is Wednesday.
Editor Person: So call me then. Right now I’m working.
Sam: At 9pm you’re working?
Editor Person: I’m always working.
sam: You haven’t read any of the pages yet have you?
Editor Person: Not yet, I’m about to go to bed. Try me in the morning.