I Hit Send

I sent the partial.

I sent the partial.

I

sent


the

partial.

It's to an agent who requested it...in November 2010. I met her at Bread Loaf and she gave me some wonderful feedback—not the least of which was that I should consider aging down to YA. And after Editor Friend said the same, I started really thinking about it. And then I heard a teen voice in first person. Which meant not just quick find replacing her age (haha!...ha) but changing the POV and her state of mind and her hopes and dreams and...everything.

But sometimes I think the most important thing this agent gave me was the spark in her eyes when I told her what the novel was about...and then realized the novel never went there. The Bad Thing never happened. And it had to happen. This agent's eyes told me that. And it was scary and I didn't want to do it, but I did it anyway.

The book is so much stronger now. I'm a better writer. It took a few years but here I am.

I. Hit. Send.