22 innings, and I stayed up to watch (Rockies vs. Padres). Now we're off to Houston after using every single player we had for last night's/this morning's game lol.

I did spend that six hours reading a couple of full manuscripts, which brought about a question--when does a good manuscript get turned down? The answer-- when I can't effectively market it.

This is probably the first time I'm going to have to turn down a piece I really enjoyed. Agents always talk about ones that got away. Well, this just might be one for me, but I just don't see enough editors latching onto the genre.

After spending so much time looking at works, I've realized there are a few ways to just about insure I'll never sign you, so here's a few of those--

#1 Don't tell me you're the next Rowling or Brown. It's okay if you say your work compares to a bestseller, but telling me you're better than them is a sure way to make me cringe.

#2 Don't tell me guidelines are for suckers, so I just HAVE TO read your full. Believe me, I CAN tell what kind of writer you are just by reading the first page of a work, let alone the first 3 chapters.

#3 Don't send hate mail when I reject your work. I sometimes get a wide range of these, from 'My head must be up my *(&' to 'I would have never signed with you anyway.' That one always makes me laugh. If a writer wasn't going to sign, why submit in the first place?

#4 Don't argue with a rejection. I'm not going to change my mind reading it again.

#5 Don't follow up once a day. It is okay to e-mail and make sure I received your submission. As my clients can attest to, I'm not always quick to get back saying I got it.

#6 And probably worst of all. Don't put me on your contact list and forward me e-mails. That's the easiest route to getting your e-mail address blocked. The one exception here would be my clients.

Have a groovy weekend, my little beasties, and stay literate;)