Queen of the living room pillow...

Dagnabbit, wunderblogger Maureen Crisp has been at it again searching the blogosphere for tasty things for the rest of us to view....here is something on 5 handy writing superpowers via her amplify page. I fancy the superpower of making the publishing editor (and associated acquisition committees) say yes to my manuscripts :) maybe by using ESP.

I have come to the awful realisation that the tools of rewarding and distracting that I have recently recommended to help us retain our senses of humour in difficult times cannot be used over and over again without losing their potency. Hmm, back to the drawing board to think up some new survival techniques.

I had fun with a submission letter the other day for a picture book I sent in...about an old cat, queen of the living room pillow, and the new chihuahua who threatens her domain. If I intend to send more submissions overseas I am going to have to master the query letter. This could take some time...

Is today's publishing market a bit like the tv reality show Wipeout?

Happy - people are saying nice things about my book The Were-Nana. Sad - publishing markets seem to be downsizing. I guess its just an economic reality. Sometimes i think wistfully of what it might have been like to be writing twenty or thirty years ago when publishers became more involved with their writer's careers, patiently nurturing them and helping them along. They were probably more willing to take a risk back then too. But then if I was writing back then I have to remember I'd probably be doing it long hand and I wouldn't have some of the excellent technology and groovy accessories that are available to us today. No time is the best time or the worst time. Its just 'how it is' right now and whatever the circumstances, the plain truth is I'm a writer. If I don't find a way to move forward in this environment I may as well give up. But I don't want to give up so I'll be thinking my way through the current setbacks and difficulties and hopefully coming up with some strategies for keeping my sanity and my sense of humour (an essential tool in the writers tool kit) intact. And maybe i'll also find a way to make the most of the way things are now.

And thank you Fifi for your very kind words of encouragement. They made a big difference.