On the Query Road Again

Siri: “Here are directions to Query Road.”

Aww… On the road again. Yep, I’m starting my second query adventure. This time, though, I’m looking for an agent to represent A Daughter of Isis, the first novel of The Descendants of Isis trilogy. It’s funny, but when I think of querying, I find it’s like planning a road trip. Well, except the fact your actual destination isn’t clearly marked on a map or GPS unit. But you start with a goal in mind; take a journey that could be a matter days or even months; and possibly, change routes, find a dead end or two, or end up taking a detour, depending on the road conditions. Personally, I’ve been prepping for this query trip for over a month now and hopefully I have everything set. It’s kind of scary, I’ll admit. But at least I have done this once before.

So what does it take to be prepare? Well, for me at least, it required several things. The first and most important was that manuscript was complete and error free. While there will always be a few mistakes, its best to catch as many as you can beforehand. So, I sent my manuscript to three wonderful beta readers and with their help, I found places that needed some strengthening and applied a few edits.

In between, I’ve updated my query letter. I have to admit, I find this the hardest part. So much rides on the query letter and you want to represent the manuscript perfectly – which at times seems impossible. Fortunately, I have friends to help and of course I brushed the dust off my QueryTracker.Net account. If you are looking to query and haven’t visited QueryTracker, I would highly recommend it. There are support groups, lists of agents and publishers, and great people.

Also, like any trip, you can’t forget the tunes. It’s one of the ways I cope with long waits and any rejections. That and chocolates and a few episodes of either Sabrina: the Teenage Witch or MASH. Anyway, I digress. I’ve put together a playlist that is both supportive and upbeat. This way I focus on a positive attitude. So I included songs such as ‘Head Above Water’ by Theory Of A Deadman, ‘I Gotta a Feeling’ by Black Eye Peas, and ‘Tonight Tonight’ and ‘Honestly’ by Hot Chelle Rae.

Well, I’m off for now. I have to catch up on my book reviews next. But if you like a sneak peek into A Daughter of Isis, you can just check out the excerpt down below.

*Scratches head and looks around confused* Ah, Siri, what is my location?

Excerpt from Chapter 25, Daughter of Isis:

The warning in Natti’s heart grew stronger while her gut sensed a presence behind her. She glanced over her shoulder, finding the two men following her, a hungry look in their eyes. Reactively, she ducked by the ‘Tombs Treasure’ exhibits and shot passed the ‘Sphinx’s Challenge.’ She quickened her pace, glancing over her shoulder another time. The men were still on her tail, picking up their speed. Her heart beginning to race, she bobbed and weaved passed the ‘Eye in the Sky’ and fountain as fast as she could. She forced her way through the thick lines, stumbling over several feet in the process. People shouted and cursed. She even heard someone call out her name, but she couldn’t stop running. Not with the danger she still sensed behind her.

When she broke through the exhibits and storage bins, she entered a clearing where six enormous machines hummed along the back fence. Natti kept going, her lungs constricting between her ribs, until she tripped over something in the grass. Her knee collided with a heavy metallic coating and the sharp edge sliced into her skin. She gritted her teeth against the pain. Hearing the footfalls behind her, she tried to scramble to her feet. Two hands grabbed her shoulders, and Natti screamed.