I realise that despite promises to the contrary, I haven’t actually written much about the querying journey on this blog. Mostly that was because it’s slow and boring and I can’t even make decent Simpsons jokes about it. Partly because if there was no happy ending coming (and who knew, at that stage), it would make for pretty bloody depressing reading: Here, let me tell you about how I tried something and it didn’t work. Maybe it could not-work for you too! Let’s go drink lukewarm tea and watch sad youtube videos of animals in cages.

So let me summarise the past 6 months or so: I sent out queries, time passed, I checked my emails too many times (sorry, actual employer), I made spreadsheets (sorry Jane), I alternately felt incredibly encouraged and discouraged about my book’s prospects. If that was the end of it, it wouldn’t make much of a story.

So luckily that’s not the end.

Instead, let us drink champagne and watch happy youtube videos of dogs and birds making friends and cute children being reunited with their deployed parents, because I have an aaaaaaaggggggent!

I am so, so thrilled to say that I am now represented by the absolutely wonderful Julie Crisp, who only last month was the commissioning editor at Tor UK (working with amazing genre authors like Peter F Hamilton, China Mieville, Ann Cleeves, Jay Kristoff) but – to my great good fortune – has had a career shift to now work more directly with authors as an agent and script doctor. I feel so lucky to be working with Julie that I can’t even make a decent joke here. Not even a rambly footnote. You can check out her stupidly great list of testimonials at www.juliecrisp.co.uk. Go on, go check them out. She’s totally brilliant.

We will be working together to get Proof into the best shape possible over the next few months. I’m looking forward to being the beneficiary of her insightful red pen and in the meantime will be hard at work on the next project. Stay tuned!

* Yes, I do realise the word ‘small’ is missing from the quote. It didn’t feel right for the context. 🙂