When I checked my Duotrope submission tracker last night, I was annoyed to realize I only had two stories out, one of which I don't like anymore, and a novel query pending. And since I don't have any other stories ready to send out (or even close to ready), I dug around on my hard drive for older stuff I could dust off.
There I found the complete 96,000 word manuscript of a fantasy novel I wrote back in--1998? Just after I learned to spin, I know, because I was all fired up about the craft and I made my main character a weaver who has to find work as a spinster. The title is Weaver's Shroud, and as far as I'm concerned that's A) the best title ever for any book, ever, and B) the best thing about the book.
I spent last night and this morning going over the manuscript in search-and-destroy edit mode, fixing weak constructions and wordiness. I had hoped to get all excited about its possibilities, but I've read it too often. I was just bored. But I remember once finding the book completely absorbing and fun. So is it dull or not dull? I absolutely can't tell.
But anyway, back in 1999 or so when I was a complete noob at submitting stuff anywhere, I sent queries/chapters of Weaver's Shroud to four publishers. Two of them responded that they weren't taking unsolicited stuff anymore, and the other two--Ace and another publisher I can't recall (Zebra?) asked for fulls. At the same time. I had to withdraw the ms. from the second publisher with huge regret, and Ace eventually passed on it.
And that, children, is why I only query to one publisher at a time these days.
A few years ago I took another look at the ms. and sent it off to Mundania Press, who batted it right back at me with a no thanks. And that's all I've done with it. So basically, three sets of eyes have seen the book and I've had two requests for fulls. It can't be that boring. I sent it off to Cerridwen Press today. Cross your fingers.
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