Friday, June 4, 2010

beaten

Found a good ms from the slush pile. Requested the full. Loved it. Recommended it to my boss. Checked the author's blog. Discovered he JUST signed with an agent.

Balls.

At first I was really heartbroken. I didn't even want to talk about it. But then...I realized that yes, it was good, and yes I thought I loved it, but it's not like it's the best thing I've ever read. Stuff by Steve Ulfelder, Gary Corby, and Sean Ferrell are infinitely better, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. So now I don't feel so bad. I mean, the ms that I lost was just the best that I've seen so far as an assistant for about a month. It was good writing, but not something I'd insist for you to read.

Ulfelder's Purgatory Chasm, Corby's The Pericles Commission, and Ferrell's Numb, though, I would swear by.

So everything is ok. I stopped hyperventilating a couple minutes ago. It's ok it's ok.

Still, mark my words: THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'M GOING TO LOSE OUT ON A MS BECAUSE OF SPEED. Even though I discovered that this ms isn't all I initially thought it was anyway, I still don't like the feeling of knowing someone got there before me. NEVER AGAIN!

Do you see this? It's my GAME FACE.

Lock&load,
Jude

7 comments:

Unknown June 4, 2010 at 10:22 PM  

That really sucks, but good luck in the future!

middle grade ninja June 4, 2010 at 10:37 PM  

Perhaps fate intervened. Perhaps forces beyond your knowing want you to find an even better manuscript! It could be. You never know.

Jude June 4, 2010 at 11:28 PM  

I like how you think, Middle Grade Ninja :)

Anonymous June 5, 2010 at 7:10 AM  

You are incredibly kind.

Shelley Watters June 5, 2010 at 5:40 PM  

Sorry you didn't get this one, but I'm sure you'll find another amazing ms! :crosses fingers: And next time another agent tries to beat you to the punch, just send General Hammie after them. :)

Janet Reid June 6, 2010 at 11:48 PM  

You know you're competing AGAINST me now, right? And I am FAST my Karaoke Companion in Crime!

Unknown June 8, 2010 at 1:20 PM  

Major bummer. Although, maybe you dodged a bullet, right?

I often wonder if mediocre stuff in the slush pile looks good simply because the rest of the slush is so bad. Like, it's a relief to not groan out loud when you read something for a change.

Battle on!