Cool. So, since I already emailed her to ask what kind of synopsis she likes, should I just email again and say something like, "Deb and I talked, she said you preferred one-pagers, with that in mind, attached please find the synopsis and first 100 pages for Lucy and Mr. Wright"?

(And thank you thank you thank you for all your help. I promise that when I'm the established expert writer, I'll do the same for others.)

Yes indeed. Make sure to reference that in the subject line - since we all pinged each other this morning, it won't get lost in the pile.

And with that? Me off to bed.

Sleep well, and pleasant dreams.

OK, after proofreading the synopsis four times and my email at least five, I've sent the thing off.

Oh my God, I'm really doing this, aren't I?

YAY Susan! Go go go!

Kewl!

Susan, honey, I go back a skosh over thirty years with Marlene. Charlotte, in "Matty Groves" is sort of based on her - she wanted to be a character and she chose the first name. She's the one who nagged me into sending "Weaver" to Ruth, and she beta'd FFoSM as well.

She's a sweetie-pop. Trust me. Also? She respects the writing process and writers hugely, since she's been one her self (light romantic comedy).

It'll be fine, and I'll hold your hand. No worries.

Go Susan! It's your book's birthday!

Go, Susan!!! You'll rock her Regency socks off.

Got the following from Marlene (deb's agent friend):

I had a chance to read through the first chapter. I like your historical voice, and would like to read the complete book. (I also like that you plan to follow this story with one of the sister's.) That, however, will have to be hard copy.

Is it complete? If so, please send it to the submissions address:

to my attn. We read completes on an exclusive basis.

So, go me, eh? I'm going to reply that it's complete, but I'm doing a final editing pass and will mail it within two weeks. I figure being deb's friend got me the quick read, but if she didn't think it had a lot of potential she wouldn't want to see the whole thing.

And a question about the reading of completes on an exclusive basis--would that preclude me from sending my partial to the editor at Harper I met at conference? I couldn't see how it could, since it's not like a publisher is direct competition--if Harper wanted to buy the book, I'd certainly work with an agent to make sure I got a good contract.

I think the exclusivity is only between agents, babe, but ping her and ask her.

Go you. Marlene is fussy. Are you excited? Pleased? You ought to be.

edit: and yes, my rec got you the right-now read, but she wouldn't have asked to see more of it if she hadn't felt precisely as she said she did. She liked it. I may have pimped you to the skies first, but she still had to read it and see, and she did.

Go you.