I'll be back with a few, Gud.

Gar, they might not have one set yet if they haven't let you know. Small presses so work a bit differently than a bigger house.

And it really depends -- I sold Cold Kiss in October of 2009, and they said from the get-go it would be fall 2011 before it came out. Children/teen publishing has a pretty long lead time.

But when I was at Kensington, mass market paperbacks could be out in nine months from a finished manuscript, sometimes.

I finished my first chapter of 'Cog'. My new novel is finally getting along.

Yeah I think they set a release date once they approve the final manuscript.

Ongoing acceptance wishes for Barb and Gud!

And Sox too :) t /selfish

Much acceptance~ma, Sox.

Definite ~ma for Sox!

t /also selfish on behalf of all Buffistas

Gud, I'm still wrestling with the new query pitch.

I think what's bothering me is that the new angle seems catchy/cute on the surface, but you're losing a lot of valuable information in service of style. Reading it objectively (i.e. trying to forget what I know of the book), I don't get what kind of world this is, who Aimee is or why it's improbable and interesting that she's on this quest.

I also have a fever and a headache, so I'm not sure how well I can tweak this today, but I'm trying.

Wow, that sounds incredibly pompous. I'm not the last word here, really. Just reading it the way I would if it had come across my desk when I was acquiring, I think it could be better.

I just appreciate you doing it at all. No need to hurry on my account. Get some rest and get better.

I think I see what Amy's saying. The first line of the new query, while cute and catchy, is almost too precious-- almost as if it's going to be the intro to a rom com rather than an epic fantasy. Which I know sounds odd, given that you have the word assassin in there, but there's just something a little too breezy and light about it.