I heart books

So, by nature, I'm kind of a private person.  I've never been one to tell everyone my life story... well, ever, but much less right when I meet them.  I'm also a Scorpio, and that might just explain everything.  Either way, word has gotten around at my job that I signed with a literary agent and this has led to questions like, "You write books?  What kind of books?  Oh, like Twilight? When will your book be out?  Can I read it?"  To which I answer, "Yes. Young Adult.  Not so much.  No clue, and maybe someday."

Of course, this has also led to me recommending YA books that everyone should read, talking more about books in general and basically opening up the Library of Brandy to get them started.  Last week, my boss (who, I just found out, LOVES to read) said that she didn't understand why it had taken so long to see this side of me and that she wished she'd seen it sooner.  She also called me weird (in a good way) because my voice did that squeaky, geeking out thing that happens when I talk about books I really love.

I think most of the reason I don't tell people I write books is exactly because of all of those questions that I know will follow.  But I've also realized that by me not telling people, they're never really getting to know me.  For instance, if I had to list my favorite things to do, the top 3 would be: Write, Read and Talk About Books.  Now that I'm thinking about it, I have no idea what I've been talking to people about.

I guess there's no better time like the present to open up a little, since hopefully someday soon lots of people will not only know I write book but will also have the chance to read them.  Maybe by the time that happens, I can get over the whole awkward, squeaky voice thing, because it's kind of embarrassing.

In other news: I'm diving into my TBR pile.  While other people love to head outside when the weather heats up, I get a nostalgic feelings for summer reading.  There's nothing like my couch, a good book and air conditioning!

On Queries...

Querying is weird, okay?  Let's just get that out of the way.  I've been thinking about this since I wrote an e-mail to the Super Amazing Beta and Human Jennifer Pickrell in which I was whining complaining updating her on my query situation, and I finally decided I needed to get it out.

Querying is weird and hard and awesome and the most hopeful and devastating thing a writer can do.  It's the time where we all at once decide that we've written something good enough for an agent to read and also when we know that we're horrible writers who deserve all of those rejections.  It's just weird.

And yet, here we are, years, months and days into this torture because we want somebody to love the voices in our heads that fought to get out as much as we do.  Weird.

I can remember my first partial request and my first full request.  I also remember my first rejection.  I like to think of myself now as a seasoned querier who lets rejection roll off her back like a duck with water... unless I get a few in a row, because then I know I've been fooling myself with the years I've put into writing.  Of course, two days after I decide to quit and join a circus or something, I get a full request and I remember that there might, just maybe, be some skill left in me, and so what do I do?

I send out more queries.

I'm actually querying two books right now, which is a little weird and involves a lot of organization and e-mail folders, but I'm getting good feedback, despite still getting rejections right along with it.  I've decided with these though, and especially MISFITS because there has been more interest in it than any other book I've written, that I'm not going to give up on it.  I've got a Touch 'Em All mentality with this book that I'm going to send it out to every single agent that will read it (within their guidelines, obviously) and I just have to put up with all of those rejections until someone loves it.

In the past, I feel like I've given up pretty quickly because, let's face it, rejections suck.  And it's very easy to get beaten up by all of them and assume that since X number of agents didn't like it, no one will.  I'm not going to do that this time, so at least I'll know I've done everything I can to find the person who loves my books before I move on.

In the meantime, I'll keep writing, which is actually the most blissful thing I do on a daily basis, and also querying.  Because I like weird, apparently.

Anybody else out there need to vent?  Go for it.