Great News from Julie about Tricia Lawrence!

Yay--she will respond to everyone!  Here's a message Julie sent from Bologna:

 The first is that although Tricia has not looked at all of the submissions that have come in yet, she commended the quality and professionalism of the ones she has seen. This is great news! It means you guys are doing your jobs - doing the research and selecting mss to submit that you feel are aligned with her interests.

... The second message is that while Tricia intends to respond to everyone (again, a HUGE benefit for members and NOT one that I required agents to commit to when they signed on to take submissions), it is going to take longer for her to complete those responses than it did for Stephen Fraser, who was outrageously (in a good way) fast. After all, she is here in Bologna, and March is by far the busiest month for any agent. So you guys need to practice patience. A 2-6 month wait time for a response is the NORM in this industry, not the exception. And that's if you're lucky enough to get a response. The fact that the two participating agents, so far, have said they'll respond to everyone is a testament to their dedication to helping and encouraging writers.
   Now I'm really getting excited to hear what she has to say!

Waiting and Wondering

   Julie Hedlund has created a fabulous program for authors in 12x12, and a wonderful facebook community as well.  She is very kind and does not want anyone hurt or frustrated to learn that someone else has heard from the agent that reviews manuscripts every month, while they themselves may have heard not a word. That is her right and her responsibility as creator of that site.
   However, some of us want to share the celebrations and frustrations that come with submitting to an agent, and we are toughened by enough rejections to where we can handle it.  I would love to know if this month's agent, for example, is responding to any of the submissions, and what can be learned from her comments.  In fact, that's one of the reasons I joined 12x12 at the gold level.
    So if you are stout of heart, and you can handle others' successes without taking it personally when you are not as fortunate, you are welcome to share your thoughts here.  And please share your good news as well!

I'm Out, but in good company!

Well, I didn't win my poetry match-up, but April's poem truly was better.  I voted for it myself!  But there are some very talented folks who didn't make it to round two, including Stephen Cahill, last year's winner!  I enjoyed it thoroughly.

I am so sophisticated...

...that I had to look up my March Madness word, sophisticate.  I knew sophisticated, but it turns out the verb sophisticate means to adulterate or alter.  Anthony suggested the title.
My poem is: SophistiCat
   To sophisticate means to alter,
to adulterate or change.
    I'd like to sophisticate Walter,
or at least get rid of his mange.