Ninja Squirrel takes it all Find the Agent Who Will Find You a Publisher Query letters? Do literary agents really read them? Agents take queries very seriously, and yes, they really do read them. It’s not some universal rumor that agents have perpetuated because they all have a secret fetish for being bombarded with mail. Sure, agents make it sound like digging through the slush pile is the last priority of their day. Some agents even relegate the ambivalent task of reading unsolicited queries to an assistant or intern. So write a professional, intelligent, concise, intriguing query and not only will you entice an agent to ask for more, but you’ll move yourself one step closer to a book sale. Query Letter Basics A query letter is a single page cover letter, introducing you and your book. A query letter has three concise paragraphs: the hook, the mini-synopsis, and your writer’s biography. Paragraph One—The Hook: A hook is a concise, one-sentence tagline for your book. Here are a few examples of hooks for well-known novels: Other Great Ways to Start Your Hook:
Albino Animals Birdwatchers are rushing to Avebury, near Marlborough, Wiltshire to hopefully catch a glimpse of a rare albino jackdaw. Author Andrew Collins was the first to photograph the bird which locals have named Jackie. Other fabulous albino animals include: According to Wikipedia there is no reported case of a true “albino” horse even though white horses have been referred to as albino in literature and some registries. Dominant white in horses is caused by the absence of pigment cells melanocytes, whereas albino animals have a normal distribution of melanocytes In other animals, patches of unpigmented skin, hair, or eyes due to the lack of pigment cells (melanocytes) are called piebaldism, not albinism nor partial albinism. Despite this, some registries still refer to “albino” horses.
My Cat is a Jerk You may have noticed that I don’t exactly live in a palace. It’s a one-bedroom in a not-particularly nice part of Brooklyn. It faces onto a “courtyard,” which means our windows look out onto our neighbors’ brick wall. We don’t love it, but it’s cheap, and there’s plenty of room for our cats to roam, and I have learned to distinguish the sounds of people throwing heavy objects out their windows from the noise of gunfire, so it’s been an educational experience. The one thing we really lack is light. Transition. Hey, do you know what Jezebel’s favorite food is? That’s right. When we first got the little jerks, we had this wonderful hanging plant with long, gorgeous tendrils. Then we tried to grow herbs. And cut flowers? When we bring some home, she has to get up on the table to check them out. These ended up with tiny little teethmarks all up and down them. A while back, we tried to grow regular-sized (as opposed to wee) tomatoes on the fire escape. We have two tiny little plants left.