Does anyone remember grab bags?

Back in the day, post dinosaur but pre internet, some stores sold sealed bags of surprises for a quarter or 50 cents or a dollar.

It was gambling for children.

I don’t remember what was in the bags I bought, but I sure do remember the excitement of choosing one, handing over my allowance, and opening the bag once we got back to the car with all the anticipation of a kid hoping for treasures.

So today’s post is like that.

Except free.

$1 grab bag: Are you one of the 80% of Americans who want to write a book?

That, by the way, is a huge number!

And here I thought I was all by myself.

But if you’re one of those 80%, do yourself a favor and sign up for a query-letter writing course.

Even if you don’t have a completed manuscript.

Is that putting the cart before the horse?

Nope.

I just participated in a 5-day query-letter course that—had I taken it before I finished my manuscripts—would have gotten me to a better finished product much sooner.

Not to mention with less angst.

The query course, GetABookDeal101.com, taught by Kathy Ver Eecke, was by far the most worthwhile course on writing I’ve taken.

Insert blown-mind emoji here.

Kathy honed in on what makes a saleable product and provided a flood of information, not just about query letters, but about writing itself.

You don’t have to take this course.

There are a lot of free lessons online.

Two-cent grab bag: How many dog lovers are reading this?

My most recent manuscript is about a dog, so I’m trying to find comparative titles—books that are similar to the one the writer is querying so that the agent and the publisher know who the book’s audience will be when it’s published.

One of the books I read hoping it might be a comparative title was Good Dog by Dan Gemeinhart.

It’s not a comp title for me, as it turns out, plus it’s a few years too old (2018).

But here’s a brief review in case you’re looking for stocking stuffers or just something to read.

Good Dog is about a dog who has died and gone to the animal park that precedes heaven but realizes he has unfinished business on Earth.

While living, he had made a promise to his boy, Aiden, that he would be with him always to protect him.

The dog knows that he needs to get back to Earth to protect Aiden NOW.

But going back down is not encouraged because it causes an animal’s soul to lose its light.

The dog goes down anyway.

This book has many animal fight scenes and flashbacks to animal abuse and child abuse at the hands of a parent.

If you’re sensitive to that, pass over this book.

But this book?

It also has heart.

And heart?

It’s what every book needs to keep a reader turning pages.

Because turning pages?

That’s what a writer and publisher hope for.

And all these weird questions?

That’s what Gemeinhart kept doing in his book.

In fact, he did it so often, I was rolling my eyes and shaking my head and wondering WHY?

It was unnecessarily intrusive, like being hit on the head with a hammer.

It was as if Gemeinhart kept saying, “Look at me, I’m a great writer, and I’m bringing you along on a terrific journey and I’m going to point out what you need to be thinking.”

The story definitely kept me turning pages, though.

It could have ended in so many ways.

But I could have done without the author intrusions.

With those caveats in mind, I would recommend this book to older middle grade readers.

So that’s my two cents.

Fifty-cent grab bag: It’s fall (or autumn, if you prefer).

Do you know what that means?

If you answered “candy corn,” you are absolutely correct!

I almost made it to October 1 without eating any, but my sweet daughter bought me a giant bag of these yummy things.

I succumbed.

Fall also means fireplaces and hot drinks and good books.

It means shorter days with darkness descending far too early.

So we have to discover our own light…

Fireplaces, hot drinks, good books, and candy corn.

Permission granted.

You’re welcome.

Until next week,

~ Gail

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