How do I LOVE "The Shark?" Let me count the ways...

The Shark. A.k.a. agent extraordinaire, Janet Reid of Fine Print Literary. She slices through the perilous waters of publishing and, if you aren't reading her blogs--Janet Reid, Literary Agent and Query Shark--you should be. They're mandatory.

I love her on a number of fronts, beyond the query advice. She represents amazing writers like Bill Cameron, Gary Corby, Sean Ferrell, and Patrick Lee. She runs frequent "100 word story contests." (In her latest, I got the accolade of Coffee. Nose. Keyboard. Yes these guys cracked me up. If I can't win, then I shall at least strive for funny.) She drinks Scotch and stalks Jack Reacher. And she ain't short of an opinion or twenty.

Now, those of you out there querying know that increasing numbers of agents are adopting a "no response means no" policy. For writers, it's a royal pain in the arse. I'd much rather have a polite "not for me" than have to wonder if the query ever reached its intended recipient.

Well, recently Janet put the record straight. Huge ♥ all round.

(The bad karma excuse is a doozie. Because of it, I've decided that if I want to be a more successful parent I'm just going to stop saying no to my kids. I mean, no is soooo negative. And the karma it brings with it is so hellish. So there, kids. Go fer broke! I'll be seeing you in Nirvana!)

A Contest, A Contest, My Keyboard for a Contest..

Confession time. Dangerous writers have been known to be sucked into the maelstrom of the internets (only after finishing their day's work, of course.) I myself have been seduced by a number of contests during the nearly seven months of this blog's life. I won a copy of Epitaph Road (by David Patneaude) on Elana Roth's blog and a copy of Day One (by Bill Cameron) by guessing which one of the Trixie Belden books was Janet Reid's favorite.

Janet Reid runs the best contests. She tosses out five juicy words and you have to use them all in a story with an 100 word limit. I made the final four in her latest--so now I know what it feels to come close to the brass ring. (The prize was a copy of Vordak the Incomprehensible: How to Grow Up and Rule the World.) It looks like a hoot! I'll just have to grow up and buy a copy.