Within the last few weeks I sent out a bunch of queries with my revised letter, and so far I’m getting a few nibbles, which has me feeling kinda good. So my plan is to do another mass mailing over the next few weeks and get those letters back in circulation. It’s funny just how much the query letter–the pitch–can make all the difference. My novel hasn’t changed on bit. It’s Finders Keepers as it’s been.

But now it seems more appealing to [i]other [/i]people. And quite frankly, to myselfWithin the last few weeks I sent out a bunch of queries with my revised letter, and so far I’m getting a few nibbles, which has me feeling kinda good. So my plan is to do another mass mailing over the next few weeks and get those letters back in circulation. It’s funny just how much the query letter–the pitch–can make all the difference. My novel hasn’t changed on bit. It’s Finders Keepers as it’s been.

But now it seems more appealing to [i]other [/i]people. And quite frankly, to myself as well. I’ve been working with Finders Keepers for so long, been so close to it, that I lost a little perspective. And now I’m re-energized, filled with more passion for it than I’ve had in quite a while. Not that I wasn’t passionate before, but I’m seeing Finders Keepers and it’s possibilities in new ways. I’m seeing in a way that I can present to others that they get. Where I’m seeing that [i]whoa! [/i]in their eyes.

And yet there’s work to be done. I know there are no guarantees, no automatics in publishing, so I’ll be digging in and promoting, promoting, promoting.

As always, I’ll keep you posted.

A few years ago during a biz trip to San Francisco I was staying at the Westin St. Francis near Union Square. I was dying for a steak, and asked the concierge for a recommendation. He pointed me to John’s Grill, not far from there.

Last night I had yet another dinner at John’s Grill, my third or fourth by now, and every time it’s a winner. It’s a pretty small place, but it’s also been designated as a literary landmark, as it was the impetus for some scenes in the Maltese Falcon (the book),A few years ago during a biz trip to San Francisco I was staying at the Westin St. Francis near Union Square. I was dying for a steak, and asked the concierge for a recommendation. He pointed me to John’s Grill, not far from there.

Last night I had yet another dinner at John’s Grill, my third or fourth by now, and every time it’s a winner. It’s a pretty small place, but it’s also been designated as a literary landmark, as it was the impetus for some scenes in the Maltese Falcon (the book), which for me is kinda cool, being a writer type and all.

Last night I went with the jumbo shrimp coctail, a porterhouse steak and a cold beer. Nice.

So if you’re in San Francisco and you’re looking for a meal that will not disappoint, check out John’s Grill.

My personal favorite.

I’m out in San Francisco right now wrapping up the last leg of my spring work tour. I stayed an extra day to just chill out and relax, and I’ve gotta say, I can’t remember the last time I just had a whole day to myself, away from it all, with no plans or responsibilities. It’s kinda nice.

So far this morning I went for a swim, had waffles and bananas for breakfast, found my way to an arcade and played killer games of Ms. Pacman and Galaga, and did a little browsing in the Virgin Megastore.I’m out in San Francisco right now wrapping up the last leg of my spring work tour. I stayed an extra day to just chill out and relax, and I’ve gotta say, I can’t remember the last time I just had a whole day to myself, away from it all, with no plans or responsibilities. It’s kinda nice.

So far this morning I went for a swim, had waffles and bananas for breakfast, found my way to an arcade and played killer games of Ms. Pacman and Galaga, and did a little browsing in the Virgin Megastore. And all before 11 am. Now [i]that’s[/i] my kinda morning!

Not exactly sure what I’ll wind up doing today, although I suspect I’ll be making my way to movies–I think it’s gonna be Knocked U–and the day will very likely end with a steak and a beer at John’s Grill, which over the years has become one of my favorite restaurants anywhere.

Even though it’s June 1 it’s only about 60 degrees here, and it’s pretty overcast, so it’s not quite the stellar weather I was hoping for, but still … a free day in San Francisco just ain’t half bad at all.

That’s about it for now. Looking forward to a relaxing day, and then heading back to the Big Apple tomorrow.

Ooh. I hear the trolley bell ringing. Gotta go!

This weekend Liz and I were at a wedding in New Jersey?and a fun outing at that?and along the way I seem to have picked up some new fans.

In chatting up some folks, as you do, the inevitable questions get asked: Where do you live? What do you do for a living. Any kids? Etc., etc. And thus new opportunities to talk about Finders Keepers. And much to my delight, my newly revised pitch (which you?ve seen me blog about recently) garnered just the kind of reactions a writer loves to get. NamelyThis weekend Liz and I were at a wedding in New Jersey?and a fun outing at that?and along the way I seem to have picked up some new fans.

In chatting up some folks, as you do, the inevitable questions get asked: Where do you live? What do you do for a living. Any kids? Etc., etc. And thus new opportunities to talk about Finders Keepers. And much to my delight, my newly revised pitch (which you?ve seen me blog about recently) garnered just the kind of reactions a writer loves to get. Namely: whoa! Very cool. Can I read some?

Not one new fan, not two. Not even three new fans, but four.

I?ll take that any weekend.

Just goes to show that if you stick with it, despite the inevitable bumps, the good news comes, too. And yet this good weekend aside, I?ll be keeping at it, chatting people up about Finders Keepers?and sending out those query letters?hoping to gain even more fans, and hopefully sooner than later, an agent and a publishing deal.

As always, I?ll keep you posted.

About two weeks ago I was invited to an industry event through work, where Bill Clinton was the keynote speaker. I don’t want to go on a whole political crusade here, but I’ve got to say, it was truly refreshing to hear him talk about our potential both as a country and part of a worldwide community.

Bubba’s presidential scandal notwithstanding, I voted for the guy twice, and would do so again if only he were allowed to run. He’s far from perfect, but his vision for the U.S. as a global paAbout two weeks ago I was invited to an industry event through work, where Bill Clinton was the keynote speaker. I don’t want to go on a whole political crusade here, but I’ve got to say, it was truly refreshing to hear him talk about our potential both as a country and part of a worldwide community.

Bubba’s presidential scandal notwithstanding, I voted for the guy twice, and would do so again if only he were allowed to run. He’s far from perfect, but his vision for the U.S. as a global partner is such a welcome respite from the lobotomized monkey in the White House we have now that I wanted to share with you the idea that, believe it or not, there are leaders out there who are not just simply interested in bombing the crap out of someone and trying to scare the citizens of this country–and this world–into obedience.

And truth is, Clinton said that he is friends with Bush–that he likes him personally–just that they happen to disagree on just about everything. (queue laugh)

Clinton’s big message was that we (the U.S.) need more partners and fewer adversaries, and rather than taking the attitude that this administration is now–we only want to deal with you (meaning other nations) if absolutely necessary–we should be seeking them out to work with them whenever possible.

Bill Clinton again reminded me that there are big ideas with practical means of getting there, and that if we take an inclusive approach to garner support–rather than trying to bully our way through the world–we’re likely to improve our success and lay a foundation for a future that has some hope in it.

Now that TV season is coming to a close I?ve watched five big season finales, with mixed results:

[b]Lost[/b]: Holy. Crap. Wow. Completely amazing two hours of television, capping a season that was wobbly to start but just got better and better through to the end. Besides several other twists and turns, the greatest stroke of genius was having Jack?s flashback turn out to be a flash-forward. Tremendous. I can?t remember the last time so many people have been totally jazzed about a season fiNow that TV season is coming to a close I?ve watched five big season finales, with mixed results:

[b]Lost[/b]: Holy. Crap. Wow. Completely amazing two hours of television, capping a season that was wobbly to start but just got better and better through to the end. Besides several other twists and turns, the greatest stroke of genius was having Jack?s flashback turn out to be a flash-forward. Tremendous. I can?t remember the last time so many people have been totally jazzed about a season finale. Just great TV. I can?t stop thinking about it.

[b]Heroes[/b]: I?ve heard mixed opinions about the Heroes season finale. I, for one, thought it was a major disappointment. As a serialized show like Lost with multiple characters and crosscutting story lines, it really needed?and deserved?a two-hour finale. Sadly, they tried to cram way too much into too little space and came out with a dud. The last two months leading up the finale were exciting and interesting and had me on the edge of my seat waiting for the finale?

But where was the big showdown between Peter and Sylar using their superpowers against each other? Why didn?t Peter just fly himself up alone? How could the all-powerful Sylar just take a near-deadly sword blow so easily from Hiro? And what was with Peter?s bizarre flashback/dream sequence when Simone?s dad says, ?All you need is love?? Eesh. They really dropped the ball. Hopefully they?ll learn from this and bounce back next year.

[b]24[/b]: Overall, not a bad season finale. Not great, not terrible. Decent excitement, tied up all the loose ends. This certainly wasn?t 24?s finest season?probably it?s weakest?so now they?ve got the opportunity to reboot and start again. The season finale held up fairly well given that the lead-in episodes weren?t great, so I?ll forgive this year and see what they give Jack next. I?d say he could use a vacation, but somehow that doesn?t seem likely.

[b]The Office:[/b] Once again The Office delivered. Uncomfortable, hilarious and unpredictable. Jan?s meltdown, Ryan?s surprise move up the ladder, and, of course, Jim and Pam finally on the right track. Another big win.

[b]Grey?s Anatomy[/b]: For a popcorn shown that was so much fun to watch?and just look at?not so long ago, Grey?s Anatomy has gone from juicy to dried up. The big finale left too many questions unanswered about characters that have just gotten more annoying, rather than endearing. This show has lost its way?badly. The season finale illustrates that pretty darn well. George fails his test. Yeah right. George doesn?t believe in divorce, but sleeps with his best friend, a supermodel who loves him. Uh … yeah. Meredith whimpers. Her family falls apart. Again. Burke is gone, blah, blah, blah. Karev, and maybe Bailey, are the show?s only redeeming factors at this point. The show needs to grow up or move out. What a stinker it’s turning out to be.

Post edited by: rcolchamiro, at: 2007/05/25 16:36

It is my pleasure to congratulate Finders Keepers illustrator Mike Lunsford on his graduation from the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. It’s a prestigious school in that field, and quite an accomplishment. This also marks the end of Mike’s run of illustrations, which make a great addition to Finders Keepers and this web site. He did 10 illustrations in all (plus one I’ve got left over that I might use elsewhere), which you can check out any time on the Character Illustrations page. It is my pleasure to congratulate Finders Keepers illustrator Mike Lunsford on his graduation from the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. It’s a prestigious school in that field, and quite an accomplishment. This also marks the end of Mike’s run of illustrations, which make a great addition to Finders Keepers and this web site. He did 10 illustrations in all (plus one I’ve got left over that I might use elsewhere), which you can check out any time on the Character Illustrations page. (If you want to read about how Mike became the Finders Keepers illustrator in the first place, check out the Character Illustrations page).

Our process kinda worked like this: I would give Mike some direction about what I wanted for each character, including life-size height, weight and body type; hair color; the kind of expression I wanted them to portray; any props; and I would send photo reference when appropriate to help give him an idea of what I was looking for. Mike would then do a sketch in pencil, and I would either approve the sketch, or else ask for some changes. After that, he would transform the pencil sketch–against a white background–into a full color illustration. And for each illustration he would send me three separate files: one that is Web ready (full size), a thumbnail, and a print-ready file.

About half the time we were just totally in synch, the other half took a little back and forth, although mostly because my directions weren’t nearly as clear as I thought they were (sorry Mike!). But in the end I’ve now got 10 high quality illustrations that help bring Finders Keepers to life, and I have Mike Lunsford to thank for that.

I’m not sure what young Michael will be up to next, but rest assured, he’s already left his mark, and if all goes well, he’ll be making his return to my projects soon.

Thanks again, Mike. You really delivered …

I’m off to see my grandmother in just a bit, which brings me right into the heart of May Madness.

In my combined family, May is the biggie. In this one month we celebrate:

My birthday – May 8

My sisters birthday (they are twins) – May 11

My sister-in-law’s birthday – May 21

Mother’s Day

On my side of the family, for many moons we’ve done one big combo Sunday, because so many events take place within just a few days. So we celebrate my birthday, my sisters’ birthday and mothI’m off to see my grandmother in just a bit, which brings me right into the heart of May Madness.

In my combined family, May is the biggie. In this one month we celebrate:

My birthday – May 8

My sisters birthday (they are twins) – May 11

My sister-in-law’s birthday – May 21

Mother’s Day

On my side of the family, for many moons we’ve done one big combo Sunday, because so many events take place within just a few days. So we celebrate my birthday, my sisters’ birthday and mother’s day (for my mom and my grandma). But because I was in Chicago last weekend, said celebration is today. It’s always a fun time. We get presents and cake and act like goofballs (at least me and my sisters do).

So to Alison, Lauren, Jill, Ferne, Sherry, Sarah, Bea — and me — happy birthday and happy mother’s day! And to anybody celebrating a birthday this month–and to everybody’s mom and grandma, too!

Enjoy these times together. It’s the joy that helps fuel who we are.

Till next time …

I?ve been writing short stories on and off since I was in high school, and try as I might, I?ve never really felt comfortable with the format. Because space is so limited, you just have to get right to the stuff. There?s no room for build up, no room for flights of fancy. Say what you gotta say and get out. Which is fine by me, except that I?m novelist at heart. It?s a format that seems to suit me best.

I bring this up because a few months ago I dusted off some old short stories that I had I?ve been writing short stories on and off since I was in high school, and try as I might, I?ve never really felt comfortable with the format. Because space is so limited, you just have to get right to the stuff. There?s no room for build up, no room for flights of fancy. Say what you gotta say and get out. Which is fine by me, except that I?m novelist at heart. It?s a format that seems to suit me best.

I bring this up because a few months ago I dusted off some old short stories that I had been working on?but never finished. But it?s been a while since I finished Finders Keepers, and I?m not quite ready to start the follow-up?which will kick off in July?so to keep my skills sharp I wanted to give these unfinished pieces another go.

And still … not much progress to report. With a novel I?m better able to see the beginning, middle and end. With short stories, the framing tends to elude me. I?ve now had three writers look at one piece I wrote, and they all agree that there?s a good story in there somewhere, but that I need to trim the fat and just get to it.

My plan is to give it one more go before I start my next book, otherwise, back in the drawer it goes until I need another break.

I really want to nail this story because it?s worth telling. I just need to figure out how to do it.

Just came back from Chicago for a work/play trip (Liz came out for the last few days), and I have to say I was able to pack a lot into just a short trip. On this swing to the Windy City I:

* made my first trip to Wrigley Field, which is all it’s cracked up to be and more;

* went to a private party at the House of Blues

* attended a way swanky coctail party at the Field Museum, eating snacks underneath the reassembled skeleton of a T-Rex (very cool)

* took a long stroll through the LiJust came back from Chicago for a work/play trip (Liz came out for the last few days), and I have to say I was able to pack a lot into just a short trip. On this swing to the Windy City I:

* made my first trip to Wrigley Field, which is all it’s cracked up to be and more;

* went to a private party at the House of Blues

* attended a way swanky coctail party at the Field Museum, eating snacks underneath the reassembled skeleton of a T-Rex (very cool)

* took a long stroll through the Lincoln Park Zoo

* drank a LOT of tequlia

* shot a lot of pool (and even made a few shots)

* saw my Uncle Bill (and read his play, which was pretty darn good; he’s one of those darn writer types, too);

* made friends with Harry, my uncle’s cat (and Alex’s orange-furred cousin); and

* ate a great meal at an Italian restaurant.

All in all, not too shabby.