Two more signs of a good agent:
1. Knowing when to say when. I fretted a lot about this as Caitlin reviewed and revised the manuscript - three or four times over the past 9 months. Boy it is like having a baby isn't it? But now she has come to the conclusion that things look "fantastic" as she said, and it's ready to get shopped out. But she also knows the publishing seasonality, and didn't even try to send it out in December when no one would be looking to add to their portfolio. Now it's January, and it's time to get busy!
Our list of potential publishers include:
Scholastic
Greenwillow/Harper
Grosset & Dunlop / Penguin
Henry Holt / MacMillan
Random House
Plus five or six others that she has in mind.
2. Caitlin kept a log of all the publishers I pitched my book to at the SCWBI conferences I attended (Society of Children's Writers and Book Illustrators). Each one had editors there and each time I made it a point to get myself in front of them and very professionally ask if they were interested in middle grade fiction for boys. Specifically centered around time-travel. If they said yes, I gave them a quick pitch and if they said no, so be it. But every yes I reported back to Caitlin and she now has more names to submit to.
I'm so excited I feel like I could slam dunk a basketball! Ok, well, I know I can't, but still...
Anyway, more updates as I hear back from Caitlin - I'm hoping she'll let me know who's she's sending the manuscript out to and what their response is going to be. Some will want to read it, some will pass, some will take their sweet time reading it.
So I'm excited, but I also know it's hurry up and wait time.
Meanwhile - ON TO BOOK 2! The Timepiece Chronicles Book II - Special Order 191. (For non Civil War buffs - google it. It's pretty fascinating)
Write on folks!
That's one fantastic list of publishers, Kevin. Congrats on the final revision completion, and good luck!!
ReplyDeleteI am glad too see the old Kevin back and on FIRE!
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