Hello and Happy New Year whether you celebrate or not,

I know this is a few days early but that’s okay. I got a nice note a couple of weeks ago from an impressive agent who, as you probably already guessed, did not take my book on but did say a few nice things about it or about Owen and suggested I join a writer’s group to have the book critiqued because there were issues of mechanics she felt didn’t make the book ready for a publisher. I took the news well, you have to as a writer because rejection is the main part of the business, other than the writing. I thought about her advice, joining a writer’s group, but nixed it a little later; for one reason, there are no writer’s groups in my area and my life is a little too hectic now to fully participate in any group let alone a writers where I would need to find the time to read others work and give thoughtful, credible evaluations, I would hate not to take someone else’s work seriously and give it the attention it deserves.

Another reason, I don’t think I’ll be good among other writers because I haven’t been around many. I’m use to writing on my own, I wouldn’t know how to act or how to share my work, or how to take criticism or I'd take it as law and change whatever someone suggest I change. Maybe, I’m just making too much of it. I decided not to join a writer’s group—unless I stumble across a terrific one and have the time for it—and to seek out a terrific editor instead. I feel this solution is just as good; maybe better, it’ll be a one-on-one process with someone who will “see the forest” where I, as a writer, can’t and who will help make the book as close to perfect as it can be. There is usually a solution and one should always be found when it comes to making your good book, terrific and I’m willing to do whatever is necessary to make my novels wonderful, novels that people truly want to read.

I’ll finish the second novel, find a terrific editor that would help make the book just that much better and keep writing. Keep writing, that’s always the ticket.

Writing either can help you stay sane or make you insane, your choice.

If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.

Until next time, God willing,

Lori