SPECULATIONS
for writers who want to be readAuthor Topics : Rebekah Jensen
I have a unpublished complete adult Fantasy - The Sarden Ring - and have the beginning of a sequel to it. I'm almost done with the second draft of a YA novel set in the same world. Ideas for the sequel are percolating.
Our brand new car!
Rebekah Jensen
- Message 488244 by Rebekah Jensen on 2006-07-12 10:33:48. Feedback: 0
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Jodi! It's been at least a decade! Yep, we're still in the valley, in fact we live in San Jose now. Drop me an email at rebekah at riddlemaster dot com and tell me what you've been up to! - Message 488198 by Mystery Guest on 2006-07-11 14:24:53. Feedback: 0
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Hey Becky,
I googled you and found this site. How are you? Will just applied for a job in San Jose and I was wondering if you were still in the area. It sounds like it!
Jodi (Uhler) Clayton - Message 486296 by Lindsey Johnson on 2006-06-04 10:35:18. Feedback: 0
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Rebekah, glad you're home safe, and I hope you had fun with your family. Thanks again for the Baycon membership; everything went fine with the letter you sent. I had a blast! We missed you, though.
-Linz - Message 486237 by Robert Hole, Jr. on 2006-06-03 08:59:33. Feedback: 0
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Yeah, everybody who went through O'Hare in the last couple weeks had problems - either waiting for rebooked flights or driving someplace. - Message 486232 by Lori White on 2006-06-03 07:57:50. Feedback: 0
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Uh--you might want to read some of the Wiscon blogs about *their* travel troubles. O'Hare doesn't seem much better. Glad you're safe home, though. Kitties must be happy. :-) - Message 486230 by Rebekah Jensen on 2006-06-03 07:13:45. Feedback: 0
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Glad everybody had fun at the TerryCon opening ceremonies! Even if Lori did get lost trying to leave. :)
We're back from our Illinios trip. The middle parts were busy but fun but the traveling there and back... Urgh.
Flying out our flights were delayed over 3 hours so we missed the connecting flight from Chicago to downstate. So my father-in-law and brother-in-law had to drive up to Chicago to get us (about 4 hours each way). We got to the inlaws that next morning at 5AM! That was actually calm compared to getting home ... We went the local airport on Tuesday night and checked in then sat around until about take-off time. Then we found out the flight had been cancelled - no announcement or explanation! They kindly rebooked us for the same flight 24 hours later ... (If we had gotten in a car right then and driven to Chicago we could have caught our flight home since it ended up being seriously delayed, but how could we know?) We didn't want to wait 24 hours with no guarantee that the same thing wouldn't happen again, so my brother-in-law took us back to our inlaws an hour away. Then next morning my mother-in-law drove us the four hours to Chicago again and we got on a flight to San Francisco. There we rented a car and drove to San Jose. Bleh. Next time we're not going through O'Hare!!
- Message 485574 by Terry Hickman on 2006-05-24 08:49:36. Feedback: 0
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AbsoLUTEly the best hostess in the galaxy!
Thank you SO MUCH!! It was fun - even the card game. You were right, you don't need a functioning brain - because mine certainly wasn't, and it was a blast. - Message 485568 by Julia Jones on 2006-05-24 07:44:04. Feedback: 0
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yes - great fun. :-) - Message 485560 by Robert Hole, Jr. on 2006-05-23 23:38:02. Feedback: 0
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Definately Yay Hostess! - Message 485524 by Lori White on 2006-05-23 10:00:42. Feedback: 0
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Hey, Rebekah--
Here's to the hostess with the mostest! That was tons 'o fun!
And I'm really glad that we didn't stick with the picnic in the park plan....
:-) - Message 483742 by Lori White on 2006-04-21 23:43:32. Feedback: 0
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Our next door neighbor has warned his grandkids to be careful around our driveway--they can't hear the car backing up toward them.
We luvs our Prius! - Message 483720 by Terry Hickman on 2006-04-21 17:42:03. Feedback: 0
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Rebekah: could you check your email please? - Message 482026 by Rebekah Jensen on 2006-03-24 09:43:59. Feedback: 0
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We've been enjoying our new Prius but it's taking some getting used to. We now have three cars (we're planning on selling our 12-yr-old Saturn but haven't yet) and all three have different "entry" modes! The Saturn has the old-fashioned key. The Avalon has a remote keyless entry - you press the unlock button on the key fob. The Prius has a "smart key" system that will unlock and even start the car as long as you have the key in your pocket. It's very confusing! I end up trying to open a lock door, walking away from an unlocked car, etc etc. The Prius is also so quiet that once - while I was getting a perm - I left it on for two hours! It was just sitting there quietly running. I even went out and looked at it, since someone in the hair salon said that my running lights were on, but I couldn't figure out why there were on. I felt very stupid until I've found out that this tends to happen to new hyrid owners. :) - Message 481863 by Mystery Guest on 2006-03-21 06:58:50. Feedback: 0
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Rebekah, I'm so envious of that Prius! How I would have loved to have it during the Houston hurricane evacuation while I was sitting in traffic waiting to run out of gas.... (I didn't, thankfully - but I was mightily worried!)
Our next car won't be for another year or two, but we plan on it being a hybrid.
Congrats!
-- Amy S. - Message 481848 by Terry Hickman on 2006-03-20 19:21:44. Feedback: 0
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Congrats, Rebekah! I've got a co-worker who bought a Prius and he loves that thing. You'll love it too, I'm sure.
But isn't it RIDICULOUS how much crap you have to go through to spend that much money OF YOUR OWN??? "Service"???? Puh-LEASE!!! Those guys are cons. They even con each other - witness everyone giving your Tahoe guy the runaround.
Anyway - congrats! - Message 481845 by Rebekah Jensen on 2006-03-20 18:49:41. Feedback: 0
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It was a lot more difficult than it should have been, but we finally got our new Prius this weekend! (See pic above)
FWIW, here's the whole long saga--
Mid-January-
We decide to get a Prius. Put our name on two different waiting lists at two local dealers (with deposits) for a Barcelona Red with nav system. One dealer says 2 months, other says 4-5. It is an incredibly hot car in CA, in particular because CA is giving out a limited number of stickers that allow certain hybrids in the carpool lane.
End of January-
We are told that it will be 5-7 months, since the factory that makes the Prius is being half transitioned to make Camry hybrids. I know that people are being able to walk in and buy Priuses in other states. We decide to see if we can find one ourselves. I start making calls. I start in CA, though I decide I'm willing to fly anywhere in the continental US to pick one up. I've never been very good at waiting. Also, that carpool sticker could cut 30 minutes or more a day off of Jeff's commute.
Early February-
A dealer in South Lake Tahoe says he can get one for me in two days. He has a Prius coming to him that no one is waiting for, so he can swap that one for the one we want. I cheer and give him my deposit. The next day he tells me that he's made a deal for my car, that he's just waiting for it to arrive on the boat. Any day now. He sends me a fax with the cost breakdown and all looks good. Not even a dealer markup for a hot car.
A week later-
Tahoe dealer calls to say that other dealer sold the car out from underneath him. Much frustration. Tahoe guy is determined to find my car. He has a Prius that he can trade, now just needs to find someone to trade with.
For the next month-
Many calls back and forth with Tahoe. Told every day "any day now". Jeff wonders if dealer is jerking us around. Irrationally, I continue to trust the guy. I think that Priuses are just that hard to get.
Early March-
Tahoe has called in some favors and thinks he has a trade. A few days later, calls back with a VIN! Now just waiting to see if that holds up. Calling back and forth about every day now.
Wednesday, the 15th-
Tahoe says will have car by Friday. We make plans to drive up to Tahoe on Saturday to pick it up.
Thursday-
We decide that the weather forecast for the weekend sounds bad enough that we will drive up Friday to make sure that we make it Saturday.
Friday-
We leave after lunch and drive up to Tahoe. Takes about 4-1/2 hours. Snowy but not too bad. Looks like we might get to Tahoe in time to pick up the car Friday night. Call the dealer but the car just arrived and he won't be able to turn it around in time. We make plans to be there at 9am the next morning.
We go by the realtor and pick up the key for Bill&Cindi;'s rental condo. Find the condo within sight of Heavenly sky resort. What a gorgeous place! We shovel out the front stairs and go to dinner. Snow continues to fall. After dinner, we have a lot of difficulty making it back up the hill to the condo. Our very-not-snow-friendly Avalon goes swimming around icy corners. Lots of Traction Control warnings and smell of burning rubber. We have snow chains but haven't installed them. We make it back to the condo and dig in for the night. Bill, Cindi, and friends arrive and we chat and hang out but not able to really relax as the snow continues to pile up.
Saturday-
Arrive at dealership about 9:30am. Dealer tells us that he has a red Prius - but it's not the right red Prius ... Ours got delivered to Lodi instead! He has a driver swapping the cars so come back at noon. We get back in the Avalon and wander around the city for a while. We track down a used bookstore, but it's closed. Find a new bookstore and loiter there for a while. Grab an early lunch and head back to the dealership. Before we get to the dealership, he calls my cell and says car hasn't arrived yet. Come back at 3. Bill&co; are on the slopes so we can't go back to the condo. We find a parking lot and sit there for the next three hours, watching the snow continue to fall. We buy snow chains for the Prius and hang out some more. I'm not willing to drive Hwy 50 in the dark so we have until about 4pm to get on the road home, or else stay another night (and try to make it back up the hill in the Avalon then sleep on the couch at the condo). The dealership closes at 5:30 and is not open on Sunday.
Finally at 3pm, we arrive back at the dealership. No red Prius in sight. Dealer comes out and promises that he has it, it's just being prepped. Do the paperwork and ... finally it comes out and it's gorgeous! Glad we insisted on the red. We drive out of Tahoe at 4:15pm but happily the snow gods decided to take pity on us and we get over the summit and home without further incident.
It's been a long road (pun intended) but we now have our car! We've applied for the carpool sticker and we'll just see if we got in soon enough. Regardless, it's a great car that we plan on having for a long time.
- Message 481480 by Rebekah Jensen on 2006-03-13 17:13:49. Feedback: 0
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No worries, Linz. I just today remembered to send email to Baycon reg requesting the transfer... - Message 481464 by Lindsey Johnson on 2006-03-13 12:25:01. Feedback: 0
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Yes, Rebekah - thank you for the membership - and I just found the check that I mailed to you - er, unmailed. So I will actually mail that sucker post-hasty, as it were. So sorry.
-Linz - Message 481360 by Terry Hickman on 2006-03-11 20:14:49. Feedback: 0
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Woops, that's me who is confused. I obviously *was* because I thought I was already logged in.
Rebekah - sorry to have taken over your topic!
You gonna post pics of the puppies when you get back home? - Message 481356 by Mystery Guest on 2006-03-11 18:17:57. Feedback: 0
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Now I'm confused. - Message 481353 by Robert Hole, Jr. on 2006-03-11 17:33:19. Feedback: 0
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heheheheh. That's the suprise, Terry. - Message 481343 by Terry Hickman on 2006-03-11 15:42:37. Feedback: 0
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Robert, of course not! But...it does kinda beg the question: Who's going to be surprised? - Message 481339 by Robert Hole, Jr. on 2006-03-11 15:28:19. Feedback: 0
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You think, Terry, that I would mention the surprise party in a public forum if you weren't in on it? Duh. I can be dense sometimes, but really. Give me some credit.
:) - Message 481299 by Terry Hickman on 2006-03-11 07:38:45. Feedback: 0
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Surprise party?
lol
Er, Robert, *I'm* the one trying to organize it.
And DO let's keep in touch, Rebekah, about that. It will probably be sometime in the week leading up to May 20. Prolly not the 19th (I'm reserving that one in case there's a rehearsal dinner, or we have to go hunting for my son in the desert, or something), but sometime in there... 'k? - Message 481281 by Lori White on 2006-03-10 20:44:18. Feedback: 0
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Ow-ow-ow! Hang in there, Rebekah. - Message 481275 by Robert Hole, Jr. on 2006-03-10 19:15:52. Feedback: 0
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Rebekah, Remember to make sure you know of Terry's surprise party if you're in town the week before Baycon so you can come to that if you're not yet in Illinois.
While I will miss you, thank you for Linz's presence at Baycon. I'm kinda hoping I'm there too.
With Terry, sympathy on root canal. My favorite part though is those percodan-type things after dental surgery. - Message 481267 by Terry Hickman on 2006-03-10 18:24:49. Feedback: 0
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*ouch!* My sympathy, Rebekah! That sucketh in sooth.
I hope you're spoiling yourself tonight. Bubble bath, nice hot - well, warm - tea, a good book...take care, sweetie! - Message 481260 by Rebekah Jensen on 2006-03-10 16:49:23. Feedback: 0
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Feeling put upon by the universe today, or at least the gene fairies. Just had to go in and get a second root canal on the same tooth. The first one lasted for 8 years on and off and I just couldn't take it anymore. Only a 75% chance that this one will stick. - Message 480400 by Rebekah Jensen on 2006-02-27 08:52:28. Feedback: 0
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Yay, that worked! Spanking new Rumormill
The membership is going to Lindsey, so when you all enjoy her presence at Baycon, you can thank me. :D
So my inlaws are getting _two_ puppies! One for him and one for her ... Two Westies, of course. So they will have four Westies. I'm surprised they're getting a new puppy so soon - their most beloved Westie just died a few months ago too young. He was the real people dog, the other two are more into food and chasing rabbits. One is even the mother of the Westie that died, and she's getting up in years. Looking forward to playing with puppies! - Message 480398 by Rebekah Jensen on 2006-02-27 08:47:34. Feedback: 0
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Testing, testing - Message 479993 by Mystery Guest on 2006-02-20 15:37:14. Feedback: 0
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Well, now, puppy's good but you not being at Baycon sucks.
law@work - Message 479991 by Mystery Guest on 2006-02-20 15:14:58. Feedback: 0
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Rebecca, I think I'd like it, if you still have it. Email me at frabjouslsj at yahoo dot com. It'd maybe save me a little...
-Linz - Message 479984 by Rebekah Jensen on 2006-02-20 14:27:07. Feedback: 0
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I just realized that I'm not going to make it to Baycon this year! I'll be in Illinois for the Grandparents' 60th anniversary and father-in-law's retirement party. While this is more important, I'm bummed that they're the same weekend. Some consolation is that by then there is a good possibility that my in-laws will have a new puppy that I can play with. :)
Anyone want a Baycon membership? (If I don't get any takers, I'll post over in the con topic.) - Message 479983 by Rebekah Jensen on 2006-02-20 14:26:53. Feedback: 0
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Okay good, now just to type in again my previous post ... - Message 479982 by Rebekah Jensen on 2006-02-20 14:26:33. Feedback: 0
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Testing ... (been having posting problems) - Message 471975 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-11-03 02:21:09. Feedback: 0
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Hey Amy! I just got back from a lovely trip to the San Simeon area. Jeff and I were taking an early anniversary trip (having an anniversary next to Christmas is always a bother). We stayed in Cambria and the weather was gorgeous! Great restaurants and of course the stunning Hearst Castle ...
Yes, Apples to Apples was the game and it's great. :> I took it to my family reunion and everybody liked it so much that it went on everyone's christmas list. - Message 471479 by Mystery Guest on 2005-10-25 20:06:21. Feedback: 0
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Duh, that would be Rebekah, not Rebakah. Teach me not to preview....
(Amy again) - Message 471470 by Mystery Guest on 2005-10-25 17:52:01. Feedback: 0
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Hi Rebakah!
During the hurricane evacuation (Rita, that is, not Katrina or Wilma!) we played that game "Apples to Apples" (?) with the friends we were staying with, and it made me think of you. That's the game you mentioned at NasFic, right?
Hope you're doing well!
-- Amy S. (not signed in) - Message 469201 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-09-07 17:09:58. Feedback: 0
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Neither. Both my roof and my hair match my couch. Good thing I decided to match the downstairs reddish couch instead of the upstairs one - which is eggplant purple. - Message 469162 by Lori White on 2005-09-06 19:12:31. Feedback: 0
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So....does your roof match your hair or your hair match your roof? - Message 468826 by Robert Hole, Jr. on 2005-08-29 21:13:46. Feedback: 0
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Red is a lovely color. - Message 468825 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-08-29 20:01:23. Feedback: 0
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I love red in all forms. :) Jeff has complained that the longer we live in a place, the more red the decor becomes ... - Message 468813 by Terry Hickman on 2005-08-29 11:59:59. Feedback: 0
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"It's a complete coincidence that in the same week my roof and my hair went from brown to reddish-brown."
Oh, SURRRRRRRE! *I* believe that.
*nudge nudge* *wink wink* - Message 468810 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-08-29 11:47:04. Feedback: 0
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Robert, wood shakes absorb more oxygen than asphalt shingles so the sky above our house _is_ bluer now. The house looking brighter is just an optical illusion created by the bluer sky. The movement of the shadows, err, is just your imagination. - Message 468809 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-08-29 11:41:39. Feedback: 0
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The roof color is called "Spanish Tile". It's a complete coincidence that in the same week my roof and my hair went from brown to reddish-brown. - Message 468807 by Robert Hole, Jr. on 2005-08-29 11:37:55. Feedback: 0
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Wow! In addition to looking good itself, it makes the house look brighter and sky a deeper blue too!
:) - Message 468795 by Terry Hickman on 2005-08-29 07:49:28. Feedback: 0
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Super, Rebekah! Er, did you tint it a little bit red?
;^> Looks good from here! - Message 468791 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-08-29 01:43:07. Feedback: 0
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Yay our roof is done!! Before and after picture above.
If you're interested in in-process pictures, go to --
http://spaces.msn.com/members/bookjeff/
(If you have any trouble with that site, please let me know - this is the first time I've used it.) - Message 468708 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-08-26 14:10:20. Feedback: 0
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It might have to be seen from your distance to look natural ...
(Ok Rebekah, give it a chance) - Message 468686 by Terry Hickman on 2005-08-26 07:47:11. Feedback: 0
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It's entrancing from here, too! - Message 468680 by Robert Hole, Jr. on 2005-08-26 01:05:11. Feedback: 0
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It looks good from here.
:) - Message 468678 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-08-25 22:40:18. Feedback: 0
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So I've been meaning to do this for ages, and today the work on the roof finally drove me out of the house to get my hair highlighted! I got red highlights to my medium brown hair. Not to sure about it yet, but I'm glad I'm trying it. - Message 468677 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-08-25 22:37:58. Feedback: 0
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Lori, bone up on your Algebra too. :Q - Message 468642 by Lori White on 2005-08-25 13:07:04. Feedback: 0
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Hey, Rebekah--I will do that soon. I actually dropped the class for now--but I'll need it sooner or later, so I want to talk to *somebody* about how to be better prepared. I'm thinking a hard-core refresher in integration techniques and mucho practice in visualizing the graphs and domains of functions....
Uh--um--geek mode off.
Gee, I'm looking forward to next weekend....
:-)
law - Message 468560 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-08-24 01:00:20. Feedback: 0
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Jeff says that he remembers some and would be willing to help. Email him at jeff at riddlemaster dot com - Message 468544 by Mystery Guest on 2005-08-23 18:25:21. Feedback: 0
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Hey, Rebekah--
Does Jeff remember his differential equations? Does he want to be a tutor?
Just checking....
:-/
law - Message 468177 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-08-16 16:42:58. Feedback: 0
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Yep, Jeff and I are planning on being there. :) - Message 468169 by Lori White on 2005-08-16 15:51:46. Feedback: 0
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Cool! You coming to Jim's B-day on Sunday? - Message 468015 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-08-12 14:24:44. Feedback: 0
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I don't know about other writers but I'll talk your ears off about my writing if you're not careful. :)
Got another no-thank-you today, though this one specifically said that they don't do YA. (Which is weird because I tried to send only to agents who had sales of YA listed in Locus, but maybe it was from one of their regular adult writers)
Good progress on putting that new character into the book. Definitely adds some needed tension. - Message 468010 by Lori White on 2005-08-12 12:44:34. Feedback: 0
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Kinda figured, and it was more a snoopy question for my own curiousity--not saying that it needs to be shoehorned into the blurb. - Message 467977 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-08-11 14:54:06. Feedback: 0
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Being a mage is sort of the family trade, and the majority of people who are mages don't have these problems, just his family has had a bad few years. His mother was a mage and loved it, as well as his grandfather. - Message 467974 by Lori White on 2005-08-11 14:39:33. Feedback: 0
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Happy late birthday, Rebekah, and I like your blurb. But why the hell would anybody subject their kid to that? Power for the family? - Message 467973 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-08-11 14:33:14. Feedback: 0
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Oh, I meant to tell you thanks for the suggestions, Will. I'll keep them for the next round of queries. Two no-thank-yous already *sigh*
So I thought I was done writing this novel, just needing to do a thorough edit. It came to me a few days ago though that I needed to add an entirely new character. Jon needs more peril. It shouldn't be TOO awful to add this character, but it's going to take some serious time ... Ah well. - Message 467384 by Mystery Guest on 2005-07-30 10:25:43. Feedback: 0
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This part --
"Immersion in magic can cost mages their sight, their sanity, even their lives – Jon has seen each happen to his own family. Now that family has arranged for him to train as a mage. Scared and desperate, Jon runs away to the wastelands, and straight into a deadly rockstorm."
May sound better like this --
Immersion in magic can cost mages their sight, their sanity, even their lives. Jon, born noble, has seen each happen to members of his own family -- a family that has now arranged for him to train as a mage. Scared and desperate, Jon runs away to the wastelands, and straight into a deadly rockstorm.
Of course, this may affect wordage of the query, but it still seems a little better a grab.
Just a suggestion....hope I don't affront anything by making it.
Will. - Message 467383 by Robert Hole, Jr. on 2005-07-30 10:13:50. Feedback: 0
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The first query was good - the second great.
Happy Birthday. - Message 467367 by Carol Orosco on 2005-07-29 18:33:31. Feedback: 0
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Hippo Birdie! ;)
The query's looking good, too. - Message 467355 by Mystery Guest on 2005-07-29 11:44:18. Feedback: 0
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Happy Birthday, Rebekah! And I like the query - it looks good.
Have fun in Vegas,
-Linz - Message 467351 by Terry Hickman on 2005-07-29 10:26:41. Feedback: 0
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Happy Birthday, Rebekah!!!
Whee! A birthday!!! Have a big slice of virtual triple-layer chocolate-frosted chocolate chip chocolate cake!
Woohoo! Rebekah's birthday! *blows kazoo* - Message 467344 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-07-29 01:38:36. Feedback: 0
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Oh, hey, it logged me out when I wasn't looking. That was me that's going to Vegas. - Message 467343 by Mystery Guest on 2005-07-29 01:37:53. Feedback: 0
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Sent out a new batch of 10 queries today. I really wanted to get them out the door before I go out of town next week. It's my birthday and my husband is shipping me off to Vegas with my sister. :) - Message 467327 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-07-28 22:01:05. Feedback: 0
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Ah, yes, err, thanks for the warning, Terry. :D
This is my revised query--
Immersion in magic can cost mages their sight, their sanity, even their lives – Jon has seen each happen to his own family. Now that family has arranged for him to train as a mage. Scared and desperate, Jon runs away to the wastelands, and straight into a deadly rockstorm.
Meeji drags Jon from the storm, into the safety of her family’s cliff-side home. There Jon, a noble boy from green hills, and Meeji, a horse-loving girl from harsh wastelands, discover they share more than might appear – each seeks to avoid a frightening path in life laid out by family.
In search of alternatives, Jon and Meeji travel to a spectacular city inside a rock mountain, the home of the D’Honi horsemasters. There they find a city under pressure, ready to ignite ... and Jon and Meeji carry the spark. - Message 467326 by Mystery Guest on 2005-07-28 21:58:03. Feedback: 0
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I answered your email, Rebekah. :) - Message 467322 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-07-28 20:26:15. Feedback: 0
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Terry, I'm afraid I that "association" was completely unintended since I have no idea what you're talking about! :) - Message 467184 by Carol Orosco on 2005-07-26 11:53:16. Feedback: 0
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LOL, Terry!
But, yes, what she said. ;) - Message 467173 by Mystery Guest on 2005-07-26 10:04:37. Feedback: 0
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Ya got me hooked, Rebekah - but then I got to read the first chapter or three - and was hooked already.
It seems to me that what you've got there is the set-up, and it's great. Do you have a sentence or two about the adventures and/or dangers that ensue? What do they want? What do they have to overcome? You might just give hints of how the deck's stacked against them, as colorfully as possible in a few words...
My 2 p, FWIW.
(And I do love the first sentence. You left out "hair growing on their palms," though. If you want to avoid that association, maybe you need to replace "can lead to" with something like "can cost the mage her sight, her sanity, even her life" - again, FWIW. If you *wanted* that association, I'm here to tell you it worked. *g*)
Terry - Message 467123 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-07-25 13:29:28. Feedback: 0
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I need/want to revise my query letter for the next round of letters. This is the meat of the query, any feedback would be appreciated:
Magecraft can lead to blindness, insanity, and death -- Jon has seen each happen to his own family. Now that family has arranged for him to train as a mage. Scared and desperate, Jon runs away to the wastelands … and straight into a deadly rockstorm.
Meeji drags Jon from the storm, into the safety of her family’s cliff-side home. There Jon, a noble boy from green hills, and Meeji, a horse-loving girl from harsh wastelands, discover they share more than might appear – each seeks to avoid a frightening path in life laid out by family. - Message 466576 by Terry Hickman on 2005-07-15 14:04:10. Feedback: 0
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*sniff* *wipes eyes* That Rebekah, what a gal! What a golden heart... - Message 466571 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-07-15 12:06:55. Feedback: 0
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Obviously if it wasn't meant to be mine, someone else would have snatched it up. If I hadn't have bought it since it was waiting for me, it would be all lonely and sad, and there's nothing worse than a sad book. It's purely out of the tenderness of my heart that I took this book in ... - Message 466496 by Carol Orosco on 2005-07-14 12:04:44. Feedback: 0
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Ah, yes, the "it was meant to be mine" rationalization. A wonderful thing, that: works on all sorts of purchases. ;-) - Message 466471 by Robert Hole, Jr. on 2005-07-14 02:34:54. Feedback: 0
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Good for you. - Message 466469 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-07-14 01:32:50. Feedback: 0
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I just ordered a book for $150, almost a buck a page for an ex-library paperback. Still, it's a book that I've been looking for for years and this ABEbooks hit is the first time I've ever seen it for sale. The book? "Linguistics and Language in Science Fiction Fantasy" by Myra Barnes, 1975. I first saw the listing before I went on vacation and figured since it was still there when I came back it was meant to be mine. :) - Message 466464 by Robert Hole, Jr. on 2005-07-14 01:01:18. Feedback: 0
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Ah I remember Chiggers. Fortunately I've never been overly sensative to them. And fire ants aren't bothersome to me. And I have this big orange bridge in San Francisco to sell you. - Message 466463 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-07-13 23:19:28. Feedback: 0
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Soon, maybe next week I'll rework my query letter and send it out to agent tier two. - Message 466398 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-07-13 00:57:01. Feedback: 0
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Eh, reunion was mixed. Enjoyed seeing my family (extended family - 73 or so of them for three days, immediate family - 27 for the remainder), but on the 4th Jeff and I managed to discover what must be the only chigger nest in Utah and spent the rest of the week miserable and itchy. Still itchy but finally getting better. - Message 466395 by Robert Hole, Jr. on 2005-07-13 00:49:21. Feedback: 0
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Commiserations - but hey! You had I hope an otherwise nice family reunion. - Message 466390 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-07-12 23:27:04. Feedback: 0
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So I just got back from a family reunion. The day before I left I got a no-thank-you from the agent that had been looking at my novel. I wasn't the most cheerful at the reunion. The agent said some nice things but ... - Message 463961 by Mystery Guest on 2005-06-13 15:12:15. Feedback: 0
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Rebakah,
If you like you can e-mail me offline at amysisson (-at-) prodigy dot net, re: possible room sharing at NasFic? (I'm nonsmoking, btw, and I do have an existing room reservation, although I'd have to check something before being able to definitely commit.)
-- Amy Sisson (not signed in) - Message 463587 by Carol Orosco on 2005-06-07 18:03:26. Feedback: 0
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Yahoo! Best of luck!
(And yer most welcome! :)) - Message 463579 by Mystery Guest on 2005-06-07 16:34:12. Feedback: 0
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Hurrah! Yippeee!!
Frank - Message 463576 by Terry Hickman on 2005-06-07 16:17:08. Feedback: 0
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Got all my hooves & withers crossed for your good fortune, Rebekah! (no, don't try to visualize that) - Message 463570 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-06-07 14:42:13. Feedback: 0
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Thanks to everybody that looked at my work, particularly Carol for the indepth critique and Frank for the scattershot but often useful suggestions. Now it's just the waiting. I've already gotten two more "no-thank-yous" from agents so this may be my only nibble this go around. - Message 463569 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-06-07 14:33:41. Feedback: 0
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Yay, so it's finally out the door! Just sent out my partial manuscript to the agent. It's been a month since she responded but hopefully she won't hold that against me. Whew! - Message 462576 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-05-22 01:44:23. Feedback: 0
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Sure, the more the merrier! Are you still at shaw . ca ? - Message 462574 by Lenora Rose on 2005-05-22 00:58:43. Feedback: 0
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Rebekah, if you still need, I could. I'm not knowledgeable about horses, though. - Message 462515 by Carol Orosco on 2005-05-20 23:25:48. Feedback: 0
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Non-writer, but avid reader and gamer. I figure if I ever impress one as jaded as he, I'm getting close to publishable. :) - Message 462507 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-05-20 21:38:57. Feedback: 0
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Carol, is your husband a writer or a non-writer? I have no idea which is better ... - Message 462498 by Carol Orosco on 2005-05-20 17:33:09. Feedback: 0
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Sure! cao girl1 at excite dot com. - Message 462493 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-05-20 16:23:01. Feedback: 0
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Anyone else out there willing to read the first 50 pages? (about 23 pages single-spaced) I'd like to get more feedback but I'm anxious to get it to the agent too. - Message 462485 by Carol Orosco on 2005-05-20 14:23:16. Feedback: 0
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Heh. One of my hubby's recent comments was to the effect of "better than what's online". :/ - Message 462482 by Rebekah Jensen on 2005-05-20 13:47:35. Feedback: 0
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Argh the agony of having a non-writer for an SO, or maybe it's just the agony of having my husband for an SO ... I just had him read the first 2 chapters of my new novel (the first 50 pages which I've been prepping for the agent). I'd been putting it off having him read any part of the novel since he hasn't liked anything I've written since high school. Figured he should read it before a total stranger does so I printed it out for him last night.
It's a lose-lose situation all around, I can't not have him read it but I have a suspicion he won't like it. For his part it's also lose-lose since he can't not read it when offered and he thinks anything other than glowing praise will hurt my feelings.
I don't have to have glowing praise, I can usually handle criticism, even from my nearest and dearest. But he can't find anything good at all to say - when questioned, he said the writing didn't flow, word choice was repetitive and awkward, writing felt padded, the danger faded off to quickly and things got dull, felt like the writer was just forcing things to happen not having things come out of natural reactions to previous events, and that one of the two main characters was whiny and uninteresting. When I asked if there was anything positive that he could say, he said that it was a lot better than he could have done. Okay, well yeah. Bleh.