?

My hands were shaking, I couldn't catch my breath, but I did it. I clicked "send." I queried an agent. I sent part of The Slow Palace to strangers, asking them to render judgment upon it.

The second time was easier.

I hope the next dozen times will be easier still.

adfamiliares gave me the qualified thumbs-up on my query letter and synopsis on Sunday, over basil lemonade and chickpea fritters at Clover Food Labs. Every agency wants a different alchemical amalgam of parts: some want a one-page sample of the text, or five-page, or ten-page; some want a one- or two- or four-page synopsis; some just want a query letter. If any of them like what they see, they'll write back in a few weeks to ask for more.

I had a lot of trouble falling asleep afterward. I'm checking email obsessively. I expect to be sort of a wreck for the next...forever.