ROUND THREE--ding, ding!

Soon THE CONDUIT will be sent out for a fresh round of submissions to literary agents. I won't lie, in a way it feels like I am taking a line from a Meatloaf song and "offering the wolves my throat." (Props to Meat. Love that dude.) I know my feelings have merit. It's a painful thing to pour your heart and soul into a project and have it so easily dismissed. Yet the stubborn, driven, slightly masochistic side of me says BRING IT ON!

"Gee, Stace." You may ask. "After being turned down time after-time after-time, how could you possibly be looking forward to that again? Are you really that eager for further pain? Cause if so I could just come over and kick you in the crotch to save you the cost of postage."

Well thanks, but I'll pass. My excitement comes not from a need to be an emotional whipping boy, but because I have learned something from every rejection and have wisely invested my time in educating myself on the market.

With my first round of submissions I received form rejection letters from agents that based their opinions solely on my query letter without reading one page of my manuscript. Feelings hurt, I wanted to assume they were jaded people whose parents didn't hug them enough. Then I got over myself and figured out the problem was my query letter. It was lacking in a major way. So I rewrote it. Guess what? Next round I got asked for partial or entire manuscript submissions. My writing was put to the test. While I didn't get picked up, I did get some wonderful feedback. I discovered what areas I needed to work on and have taken the steps needed to address the issues. In the meantime I continue to read as many YA novels as I can get my hands on. By familiarizing myself with the market I know where I fit in now, and that is a critical element in marketing a book. I have also picked up the book Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents. It's a big, menacing looking book but has vital information that every aspiring author can use.

So, my gloves are laced and my mouth guard is it. I'm bouncing off my toes and shaking out my arms. I'm ready to step back into the ring, prepped and ready to deliver the KO I know I'm capable of. (Rocky theme builds in the background--and fade to black.)