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 )

July 31, 2010– Word comes this morning from my grammarian/editor that she is well into reading the  final (?) copy of my Iron Grip manuscript.  It is now 32 chapters, approx. 67,500 words. This dear friend read about four chapters at a time, sent them back with suggestions, then informed me that she wanted to read the entire manuscript.  That was mailed to her about ten days ago.  I have sent queries by email to six agents who consider handling memoirs and prefer to receive a query by email, and mailed queries with SASE to two who want them by post.  I've received four, very polite "no thanks."  Each saying they have too much on their "plates" right now but wishing me luck.My pleasant surprise: As I've studied the entries of publishers needs in Writer's Market, I'm finding that many (contrary to popular opinion) accept queries from and do publish books by first time authors and  consider queries and manuscripts submitted directly by the authors rather than via agents.  The list is LONG, and so my work is cut out for me–querying these.  Good writing to you, Willma

July 24 - My title here says it all.  Thank God for my computer Wizard son.  Somehow my password that I did not have to enter with every Blog earlier, now requires that I enter it each time I blog.  And the password I've used for ages was no longer valid.  And each element–my name and the password have to be entered a specific way.  My name must have initial caps, the password must be entered all lower case.I have happy news today–not a prize–but an honorable mention with a lovely certificate on which my name is spelled correctly.  This is a rarity.  I'd forgotten that I entered a children's story, "Back Pack Betty," in a contest put on by the Alabama Writers Alliance.I am listed as holding an Honorable Mention (along with four others).Now that "Iron Grip" s off to my Grammar Guru in California (32 chapters, 195 pages, 67.700 words) I have time for entering more contests.  I'll share some of these with readers in the future.  Thanks for those who have "stuck" with me during the past three months.  I'll share some of these with you in future Blogs and will try to resume the 5 day per week schedule.  –Willma