Novel in Query Land

Life shrinks or expands
in proportion to one's courage.
~Anais Nin

I live exuberantly, joyfully, and expansively: I sing out loud, though off-key, chomp into ripe peaches with gusto, juice running down my chin, and wink happiness at strangers. I charge into sensory experiences, luxuriate in velvets and cashmere, and sink into violin and cello solos. I love life.

Oddly enough, I tend to be a private creature by nature, nursing my thoughts, my joys, my pains in silence. Tending to my blog, then, becomes a balancing act, as I rush to share as much as I can ... without sharing too much. I'm sure many of you find the same tugs of shyness and brashness flirting with one another, and I've been impressed with the levels of forthright professionalism and vulnerable humanity I find in so many of your blogs.

In sharing one's writing journey, one can choose between so many shades of positive, negative, or neutral. I am choosing to share one of each, today, in an effort to be a little less private and a little more open about this journey so many of us have embarked upon.

My Query Tally:
1. I have sent four queries out within the past 3 months.
2. I have received one "no, thank you", two requests for the first 10 pages, and one non-response.
3. Out of the two requests for the first 10 pages, I have received one "no, thank you" and one request for the next 60 pages.

And so the journey continues. I have begun work on my next project, so my brain registers the news, both good and bad, but carries on with a fairly even keel. I do, however, allow myself secret smiles now and then and hope for the best. I am wishing you all the very best on your projects as well.