Query Worry

On Thursday I went to my League of Utah Writers Chapter meeting. I was very excited to learn all I could about Query letter writing since I absolutely SUCK at them. I get trapped with knowing too much about the story and tend to ramble a bit... like I am doing now.

I was nervous. I had only been to one other meeting and that was in December. I didn't know anyone, so I sat on the back row- dead middle, comfortable enough for me and still an able seat to participate; far enough from the creepy, homeless writer in the front corner and not near the LOST IN THEIR OWN FANTASY crowd in the center. I felt safe in the back, where I feel free enough to do my own thing if it gets boring... much like church.

Not 5 minutes after the meeting started some stragglers filled in the back seats, one sitting one chair away from me. A little later I heard noises in the hallway and leaned my head to look, only to see this guy staring at me - like eye to eye contact and he didn't flinch away, like I do most of the time when someone catches me looking a them. What do you do? I just smiles and whispered a "Hi," and went back to listening. But the rest of the time I felt awkward, like this stranger was eying me. But if you looked over the crowd, pickings were slim on a pretty face, not saying too much about myself, but everyone else in the room. I was one of the youngest, and as far as I could tell, the only blond.

During the course of this presentation, this guy would make comments like the "No-It-All" in the class. I found it rather irritating.

Finally we get to a time in the class to share our query letters within groups. I knew before he did it that this guy was going to skooch next to me and ask, "So, do you have a letter you wanted to share?"

After the presenter was done I knew what I needed to do with my letter, so I said, "You know, I do, but I don't think I want to share it anymore." So I found a few people that did have a letter to share and he followed me to that group.

After hearing some of these queries I noticed that this guy I guess, was someone of "Importance" in my chapter. I guess he had published stuff, but I didn't know who he was. He "Allowed" others to comment before he went into his deep philosophy about the letter style. My job, I felt, was to go back and reassure the writer that their stuff isn't bad, but it needs shape- that I liked the style of writing, but just lost the point of it. I think it is so easy to pick out what others need to do - but you can't see it for yourself. This guy agreed with my every point.

Anyway, when we were all done and everyone was packing up to leave, this guy was still sitting by me. So... BRAVE ME... I turned over to him and said as nice as I could, "Am I supposed to know who you are?"

He introduced himself, but funny thing, I don't remember his name, David something... which is a shame since I would love to look at his stuff - and told me his pen name also... which sadly I can't remember either. He stated after that, "You know, I could still help you with your query?"

"No, I think I got it," and I walked out the door.

So here is the question: "Where should I sit next time? Should I chance it with the homeless weirdo or the Fantasy Pack?" I think I will sit on the left side by the HOPELESS ROMANCE WRITING HOUSEWIVES, don't you think?

Updates

Here are some pictures to update people about us... thought they are nothing special, I think they are fun.

Here is Mia and her friend Deryck at the Kindergarten Fieldtrip to Discovery Gateway.

Mia and her friends: Kim, Deryck, Craig, and Althea.

Mia loves - LOVES penguins. We made it over to the Aquarium when they opened the penguin exhibit and Mia went straight to the "Penguin Experts" and told them all she knew about penguins, and charmed the pants right off them.

More of the Penguins.

This might be sisterly love... but I doubt it. You decided.

Cookie Recession

Consumers beware... I have a major complaint about these so called "Mint Oreo Fudge Cremes."

Here's the complaint:

I was in our grocery store the other day and saw this beautiful box with Oreo cookies being drizzled with chocolate and the word MINT on the top. YUM!! Three of my favorite things. I have lately been an Oreo fan, since they started smothering them with chocolate. I remember a brief period in my life where I played checkers with Oreos, just like the commercial suggested to do and didn't want to touch them for a while, but smothered - especially minty smothered yumminess brought me back to heaven.

I remarked to my daughter in my compulsive nature. "Oh look, they brought back the covered Oreos. It doesn't get much better than smothered Oreos." She quickly said, "Yes it does." She doesn't like chocolate if anyone in the world didn't know.

I couldn't even wait for the ride home to have one of these - I opened them in the car.

And I immediately thought - "Oreo must be being hit by this Recession." The cookies were have the size of what they should be. They twisted off half of the cookie with the cream and dipped it. No sandwich. It can't be called an OREO if it's not a sandwich. I believe it was the Greek Gods that actually created the sandwich - and called it an "OREO" it was the Earl of Sandwich that made it popular. If I have my history right.

It was also very devious of the Oreo people to make the box so big, if you have half the cookie you expect and still only get sixteen cookies!!

To be fair - it does show a picture of an open-face cookie getting gooed by chocolate and in very thin, small, curvy letters reads: "A Crispy Chocolate Cookie Topped with Unmistakable Oreo Mint Creme, Covered in Fudge." This is all Oreo Lawyer covers for RIP OFF!!

I don't like that they used the word "Unmistakable" but it clearly was "Mistakable."

But I did eat all the cookies and dip them with milk and enjoyed the flavor and I might buy them again if they go on sale...

FIE YOU OREO GODS FOR MAKING YOUR COOKIES SO DARN GOOD!