The Pacific Arcanum Agent Search

I completed a thorough third edit of the book. The manuscript is now 95,000 words, and falls under the genre of adult contemporary fantasy with YA crossover appeal.

The initial batch of queries I sent out received a plethora of rejection e-mails. Based on the tales of successful authors, this is to be expected. Nay, it is the mandatory rite of passage before vast wealth and recognition is bestowed upon the lowly scribe with his cap in hand. Such reassurances are of little comfort when each response says the same thing.

Please keep in mind that I completely understand that agents are inundated with hundreds, if not thousands, of requests to represent new authors and their books/children. No doubt, the volume of stories floating in an agent's head must be numbing. It is why rejections show up as a form letter, explaining to the writer that his child is not attractive enough for the pageant in the most gray, inoffensive way possible.

"Thank you so much for submitting your novel and for considering me as a possible agent for this work. After careful consideration, I'm going to pass at this time."

Still, from that overwhelming dearth of negativity came one rejection with a pleasant caveat. Jolene, the agent responding, offered a helpful suggestion concerning my manuscript's length and genre. If I shortened my book and adjusted the tone to a more adult genre, she would be interested in seeing the revised version. And once again, there is hope.

A second wave of queries now rests in the hands of a new batch of agents. Jolene is not accepting queries at the moment but as soon as she returns I will be promptly trying to get a full manuscript into her hands. Hope is a funny thing. It may not spring eternal, but it still has a few good jumps left in her.