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Zazakeley the aye-aye Apologies for no Writer's Block updates over the last few days. I have just spent a few days on the lovely island of Jersey with my mum - it was her birthday treat. I was also able to visit Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and enjoyed seeing the lemurs there. To be honest a break away was just what I needed as a few days ago I got two rejections on the same day so I was feeling pretty low. I'd sent email queries to two agents based in America, one said they weren't interested just from the query and the second from my query and first three chapters & outline. Sometimes a rejection is no big deal but once in a while you start to question if it's worth struggling on. Two in one day prompted the latter feeling. Still I've decided to keep trying and this weekend I'll be putting together another submission package and at least the agents' responses were speedy. Now if you're wondering what that strange creature at the top of today's blog is, it's an aye-aye a nocturnal lemur from Madagascar. During my research for Dr Midas and the Pirates I read Gerald Durrell's book 'The Aye-Aye and I' and had a couple of technical questions. I wrote a letter to his widow Dr Lee Durrell and she very kindly replied. As a thank you and because I was keen to support conservation efforts in Madagascar, I decided to become a member of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Since then I have also sponsored a black and white ruffed lemur called Bassett and when that finished I was able to sponsor Zazakeley. I was able to see the aye-ayes and other lemurs at Jersey along with narrow striped mongooses, giant jumping rats and lots of birdlife from Madagascar. I took lots of photographs and hopefully one or two might be good enough to add to my website www.drmidas.co.uk

Are you brave enough to face the Query Shark? Have you mastered the art of the query letter? That's the one you write to ask an agent or publisher if they'd consider your masterpiece. In America there are a number of great blogs run by agents or editors that let people send their's in for assessment. Among the ones I regularly check out are those by Nathan Bransford, Editorial Anonymous and Query Shark. They aren't just full of fantastic advice but they're also very entertaining and it's fascinating reading what proposals people have put out there. My favourite is Query Shark and for a while now I've been toying with the idea of sending my query letter to her. I'm fairly happy with the letters I have sent out in the past, and generally they prompt a request for sample chapters, but I know they could be improved. Hopefully she won't rip me to shreds if she opts to post my query! * Query Shark is run by Janet Reid, a literary agent with FinePrint Literary Management based in New York City, who specialises in crime fiction - but looks at all kinds of genres. On her blog she says: "I'll be glad to receive a query letter from you; guidelines to help you decide if I'm looking for what you write are below. There are several posts labelled "query pitfalls" and "annoy me" that may help you avoid some common mistakes when querying." How Query Shark Works You can send a query letter to the Shark. It might get posted and critiqued. It might not. You'll know either way. You can send a revised query letter after the critique. You MUST include the post number for it to be posted and critiqued as well. To send work to the shark: email your query letter to [email protected] You MUST put Query Shark in the subject line to have it be considered for the blog. Not all queries will be critiqued - I'll let you know if mine is. http://queryshark.blogspot.com/ She has another blog too at http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/

It’s been a pretty crazy week chez Saraclaradara – writing deadlines for saramerica’s political column, freelance business writing piece, and general holiday craziness.

But last weekend, we had a visit from my English nieces and nephews. I’d seen my nephew and the niece that’s daughter’s age when they came for Son’s Bar Mitzvah in June 2006, but my eldest and youngest niece I hadn’t seen in at least four years.

So I was REALLY, REALLY excited!! And so were the kids. Here are the Gorgeous Girlz:



And here’s my handsome nephew:



I’d bought my niece and Daughter matching fuzzy monkey pj’s. Aren’t they the cutest little monkeys you’ve seen in a while?



We went out to the Japanese restaurant to celebrate Nephew’s birthday – here’s a picture of the Gang:



It was lovely to have the house full and to spend time with much-missed family.

Meanwhile, after a week of serious B-I-C, not on any of my novel projects but on business and political writing, I said goodbye to my not-so-little chickadees, who are off to Disney with their dad for the holiday, then headed up to Boston to pick up The Webmeister, so we didn’t end up with two cars down here, because we’ll be back in Boston for New Years.

Last night we were back here, though, and headed into the City to see Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad (or as my friend Pilot Rocker says, “The Story of Saraclaradara’s Life.”)

It was, in a word, HILARIOUS. It’s on tonight and tomorrow night as well, so race and go see it if you get a chance. My face hurt from laughing.

Tonight, to continue my Jewtacular holiday season, I’m heading into the City once again, this time to see my high school buddy Rob Tannenbaum (previously of “What I Like About Jew” and music editor of Blender Magazine) in his new show, “Good for the Jews”.

You’ll enjoy his irreverent humor in such ditties as “They Tried to Kill Us, We Survived, Let’s Eat”, which pretty sums up every Jewish holiday we celebrate.

Anyway, must run – my Jews await!