Querying for fun and profit

by Betsy Ashton

Betsy Ashton, born in Washington, DC, was raised in Southern California where she ran wild with coyotes in the hills above Malibu. She protested the war in Vietnam, burned her bra for feminism, and is a steadfast Independent. She is a writer, a thinker, the mother of three grown stepchildren, companion and friend. She mentors writers and writes and publishes fiction. Her first mystery, Mad Max Unintended Consequences, was published in February 2013. The second in the series, Uncharted Territory, A Mad Max Mystery, came out in April 2015. In her spare time, she is the president of the state-wide Virginia Writers Club. She loves riding behind her husband on his motorcycle. You’ll have to decide for yourself if and where she has a tattoo.

August 4, 2009

After a wonderfully stimulating day on the water last Saturday, and a rainy Sunday, I dug into the query letter for Mad Max 1. The original query wasn’t working. My fellow Lake Writer and boater Sue Coryell reviewed and made several comments. I revised, read aloud, tweaked, and am now ready to send it out.

Why did I ask Sue? Because she is one friend who has actually published using an agent. Most of my published friends did the deed themselves.

Thanks to Sue.

Onward to testing this version. If anyone out there knows a good agent who handles contemporary women’s fiction. . . . .

Stay Up to Date

You May Also Like…

Query Letter Hooks

Two weeks ago I sent out a couple of e-mail queries. I know we need a hook at the beginning of the letter to rise in...

Another rejection

Yes, another rejection. But not from a query letter this time.I entered a short story in the Sherwood Anderson contest...

Query Letter Update

My friend and fellow Valley Writer, Keith Martin, received his first rejection for a short story from a prestigious...

0 Comments