The death of the rejection letter

When I decided to get serious about writing I took some writing classes, went to some conferences and eventually wrote some stories that I thought should be books or should grace the pages of a children's magazine.

So I sent out my stories complete with Self Addressed Stamped Envelopes. Then I would wait for the letters to come back to me. Rejection letters. Most of them were form letters. some were rejection post cards or rejection slips of paper. I did get one letter that was very positive and encouraging so I hung it on my wall. The letter made me feel like I was able to grab an editors attention at least enough to get a personal rejection letter sent back.

Fast forward a couple years and I'm sending out a new picture book manuscript. I'm sending it to editors who have been at conferences I've attended. Now I notice that most of the places I send it to do not want a SASE. No SASE= No rejection letters. Awesome.

I didn't really like those rejection letters anyway. I'm all for saving trees and I know that publisher have less time/money/resources. But I always read about writers who got 250 rejection letters before they sold the manuscript that changed their life. Or writers who used the rejection letters to wall paper their office or who save all the letters and then burn them all when they sell their first book. I never did either of those things, mine went straight to the recycling bin, but I did feel like each rejection letter was one step further in the publication journey.

What are your thoughts on rejection letters? Do you have a collection of them? Is it easier to keep writing without getting rejection letters in the mail?

Stylish Blogger award

Kari at Under the Fairy Dust gave me the Stylish Blogger award. Awesome. Thank you Kari. You rock.

Here are the rules:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them.

2. Share 7 things about yourself

3. Pass the award on to bloggers whom you have recently discovered and who you think are great.

4. Contact the bloggers you've chosen and let them know about the award.

Here are 7 things about me.

1. I have a collection on My Little Ponies that I have dressed up. Pictured below is Flashdance Pony

2. I have a huge cat who may be the size of an ocelot. I try to prepare people for how big my cat is but they are always surprised when they see him for the first time.

3. I love writing.

4. I drink tea and am currently addicted to Pomegranate Green Tea from the Tea Source.

5. I could be a vegetarian but I love bacon too much

6. I am a sustaining member of Minnesota Public Radio.

7. I love to read.

I'm passing this award to:

A Coffee Driven and Adventure Bound Life

Dangerous With a Pen

Kelly's Korner

Glissades and Gabble

Darkest Mind Before Dawn

This is Not My Day Job

Photomom Photography

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

I just finished reading Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly on my Kindle.

This book has been on my list of books to read since it came out but I think it was NaNoWriMo and then it was December. When I got my Kindle it was one of the first books I downloaded.

The book follows Andi, a girl who is suffering from depression after her brother dies. The only thing she cares about anymore is music. Her mother is also suffering from her own grief over losing a child and isn't able to help Andi. Her father steps in brings Andi along to Paris for winter break while he does genetic testing on the heart that is believed to be that of Louis-Charles. Andi wants to return home but has to finish her outline for her senior thesis before her father will agree to let her go home.

While she is in Paris, staying with family friends who have a collection of items from the French Revolution, Andi finds a diary hidden in an old guitar case. In the diary she finds the words of Alexandine Paradis, a girl who lived during the time of the Revolution. Alex loves to perform and hopes to someday be on the stage. She ends up being hired by the Queen to entertain Louis-Charles.

Through the diary Andi finds she has a lot in common with Alex and she sees the Revolution through Alex's words. One night Andi finds herself transported to Alex's Paris after a late night party in the catacombs.

I love Donnelly's books and how she makes the past come alive. Alex's diary of her life during the Revolution is amazing. Alex wants to be an actor and some of the things she says about her desire to be on stage are so true to what I hear the actors I work with say. Andi's depression is so real and well portrayed. She seems to be in a downward spiral or a dark tunnel unable to pull herself up.

I loved reading about the complexities of the Revolution and how what was going on in the diary seemed to have relevance to Andi's life in the present day.

I highly recommend this book and any of Donnelly's other books as well.

What are you reading? What books are on your list of books you want to read?

Kindle Kozy

My mom gave me a Kindle for my birthday. I realized that I needed a Kindle cover to go with my Kindle. Now I am all about protecting my Kindle but I didn't want one of the Kindle brand covers because what I really want to do is buy more books for my Kindle.

I went to Target hoping for a cover but the only ones I could find were $30 and were not exactly what I wanted. I wanted something that zips all the way around.

Enter my mad sewing skills, some fabric, and a zipper and I managed to whip up a Kindle Kozy. It has a zipper that goes all the way around and I made a pocket on the front so I could store the power cord.

Backup? What is backup?

My computer is fixed thanks to the Genius Bar at the Mac store. I now have a new hard drive and a new battery.

When the plugged my Mac in at the store the diagnostic computer didn't even detect my hard drive. There was no hard drive, only zuul. Same story on when they put the hard drive in the data recovery thing.

Today is my birthday and my mom gave me the most awesome present, a new Kindle. I'm super excited.

Of course there is the instant gratification of all these books at my fingertips. I'm pretty sure this is going to be bad for my checking account.

I have also been loading it with PDF knitting patterns. Yay.

All my writing was backed up thanks to this episode Sex and the City.