Come to a conclusion

No one in my family has the sense God gave little green apples. Hello Parents? Yes you! When you've used the last of the shampoo/body wash/soap/conditioner REMOVE the empty bottle from the shower and replace it with one of the 3 million back up's mom has in the linen closet. Do NOT leave it there for Dana who gets to shower last. This is three times now.

Hey Dana, yeah I'm talking to you. WHen you're looped on cold medicine and antibiotics, do not get the idea that you can lay on the bed and lean over the side to dig out the photo albums because when you get light headed and start to fall you are DOOMED. Grabbing onto the bedspread just means when you fall off the bed on your head, you have something to cover up your unconscious body with (watch me get a black eye from this misadventure)

As for the rest of you out there on the ol' Flist, seriously, if you'd like a birthday fic, let me know now, so I can start writing. Thanks. I appreciate the lead time.

You scored as A Too Depressed Faerie. There's no doubt about it your not a very cheerful faerie exactly. Maybe your feeling absence or are just depressed with life or world events currently. You may be upset but that doesn't necessarily mean your unhappy, there are some faeries who enjoy sadness. But if your not one of them, look up and smile, if its so bad, it can only get better. See All Results/Comment </td> A Too Depressed Faerie 90% A Too Kinky Faerie 80% A Too Astral Faerie 75% A Too Evil Faerie 55% A Too Silly Faerie 55% A Too Serious Faerie 50% A Too Sweet Faerie 45% A Too Sporty Faerie 40% A Too Lazy Faerie 35% Which Dysfunctional Faerie are You? created with QuizFarm.com

It's just as I suspected

The agent is not quite on the level. I suspected as much when I had to remind them they were past their time limit with my sample chapters (No that wasn't the tip, that's common) and they responded with an enthusiatic 'we want this. Call us.' Call YOU? Shouldn't you be calling me?

Thanks to several friends (especially A2Z Mom and Betty S) I picked up a few new ways of researching an agent that I DIDN'T know when I submitted in Novemeber. Let me pass on something from Betty and the RWA

RWA just posted the website for Association of Authors’ Representatives, the master list of agents. These people have a code of ethics that they are required to adhere to, so members are likely to be more reputable than most.

www.aar-online.org (USE THIS. It tells you exactly what to ask an agent)

They say you should still screen them carefully for terms in their contracts/policies that you may have a problem with, and be careful to find a good fit for your personality and for what you expect from your career. One thing they made note to watch out for: a lot of agencies, even very reputable ones, are now inserting clauses that give them exclusive representation of your book FOR THE LIFE OF THE COPYRIGHT, which means even if they part company with you and/or have no part in subsequent sales (ie movie or foreign rights) you still have to pay them their percentage (and so do your heirs). So that’s something to look out for.

Using tips from this (and a few other online sites that popped up this time when I googled as compared to last time) I took a good hard look at the 52 clients listed on the site (www.robins-agency.com) I used a combo of google, amazon and barnes and noble and found exactly FIVE of them. Three of that five were self published (authorhouse is one, a company that's suffered a lot of bad press lately and another that was being sued) and one won a script contest under that book's title and the last was just a bio on a man's criminal past.

Going back to the 'about us' section I found a newsletter claiming she was pulitzer nominated (she may well have been but I can't find it) and some 2000 publications to her name (I put her to the same acid test and found nothing) then I found two 'search here' for complaints and came up with this. http://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?t=3539
Go, read. In fact, I'm considering joining. It looks like a helpful tool. At least you can see other people's mistakes and learn from them. The Robins agency looks very legit. They have everything you're told to look for. You have to look beyond the smoke and mirrors. Am I outright saying they're frauds? No, because I'm not giving them the chance to defraud me (look at the forum for those very much willing to call them that and why). I'm just quietly emailing them back and saying no thank you.

oh and from 50thousandtearz

you are darkmagenta #8B008B

Your dominant hues are red and blue. You're confident and like showing people new ideas. You play well with others and can be very influential if you want to be. Your saturation level is very high - you are all about getting things done. The world may think you work too hard but you have a lot to show for it, and it keeps you going. You shouldn't be afraid to lead people, because if you're doing it, it'll be done right. Your outlook on life can be bright or dark, depending on the situation. You are flexible and see things objectively.

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