Aug. 6, 2010–I have a short anecdote for the writing world.  About five years ago when I was invited to speak to a writer group in Henderson, NV, I met a member who was an agent and had successfully marketed a number of manuscripts for clients.  I had just finished writing a "mature romance" novel and asked if she would look at it.  She did and offered to try marketing it for me.  I was then completing a second one which I also sent to her.  Within about six months her husband (also a writer) became very ill and was diagnoses with terminal cancer.  She spent a year caring for him until he died. Yesterday I received a full report from her  listing all the publishers to whom she had submitted my novels.  She was not successful in placing them and let me know that she has switched her business to editing only.  She returned the fees I had paid that were charged to cover not her time  but mailing costs.  With this came her apology for not being able to place my novels. If you or any writer you know is interested in having his/her work eyed by a professional editor, do contact her.  I can recommend her highly for editing skills and integrity. My long experience writing and publishing (more than 60 years!) highly recommends that we all need the eyes and minds of at least one other skilled reader for our own works no matter how many times we have reviewed our "precious" words.  This is one of the supreme values of the workshops I lead.  We value the suggestions of our peers. Contact Carol Zimmerman at ckazonis@cox.netUntil next time, Willma (willmagore@gmail.com )