Deb, the fact that it was sent through your agent leads me to believe that you were nominated by someone who read your book.

Someone whose initials are "Big" and "Dog," perhaps....

See, deb? Teppy knows the truth. I'm telling you, it was Bill. He was laid up with all the cardiac troubles and treatments. Being a voracious reader, he read everything he could get his hands on. He read your book. He said, "Damn. I remember that woman. I think the Laders should invite her to one of the Renaissance weekends." Then he called his assistant, gave her the publishing house name and told her to track you down via your agent. She can do that easily, on account of the fact that she works for the Big Dawg.

edited for apostrophe abuse

Oh, yeah -- I'm with Teppy and Cindy -- it was the Big Dawg that nominated you.

And wow!!! What an amazing thing to discover in your mail.

Actually, now that I think about it, I was just thinking that the Big Dog used Google. But I forgot he has more resources to Find Out What This Person Is All About than the normal person has. We have Google; he has -- god only knows.

A Google search turns up the fact that Deb is a writer, and a damned good one. I would imagine that the kind of resources an ex-president has access to would turn up things like her political involvement, for one thing. And the combination of the spicy braiiiiiiins that are clearly obvious from reading her books + her politics = someone who definitely belongs at a Renaissance Weekend. Totally.

But, like you, I can't see that affecting their responses to a query. I suspect the "don't send at those times" dictum is based on the "no one's around, might as well wait until they are" scenario.

That, and people really do obsess over anything they can find that'll give them the illusion of control. At least once a month some writing list I'm on has the "one space or two at the end of a sentence?" discussion. How anyone could imagine an editor rejecting a well-written and interesting story just because it has two spaces after each sentence while she prefers one or vice versa frankly baffles me, but it still comes up over and over again.

Why wouldn't it be Bill, huh? It probably happened just the way Cindy (ETA: and Teppy) postulated. And until it's proven otherwise, that's the scenario I'm going to go with. In any case, Yay! And yes, go!

And really? Honestly I think the "cooking for fun and survival" thing for teens would be much more popular and fun than one on writing. But that's just me.

Thing is, anyone can find a hunnerd and one writing classes. How often do you find a class by a first class gourmet chef and professional caterer offered to teenagers?

t nods at all that stuff Beverly just said

I'm sure anything you say will be interesting, Deb.

How about "Doin' Time in Rock and Roll: A Primer".

I'd love to think it was the Big Dawg, but until proven, I'm assuming nothing.

I'd do a chef's thing for teenagers in a heartbeat, but for all I know, there are nine versions of Julia Child along for the ride, and I'd best leave it to them. But I'll add it to the profile.

one space or two

Good grief.

I'd be far more envious of Bill remembering Deb than I am of that sweet invite.

Give me two periods after a sentence or give me death.

Hm, doesn't really stir the blood, does it.