A snowball's chance

Just wanted to let ya'll know that I FINALLY got my novel submission mailed to that literary agent in New York. You know, the one I interviewed with back in September (yikes)! It was stamped and in the mail July 21st. My synopsis is probably still too long and I completely cut the prologue. Now what is a snowball's chance in Hades, anyway?

So I sat on pins and needles, deliriously optimistic, for the next four weeks. Monday, August 17th, I got a reply.

I swear the moment was like receiving a letter from your top college pick. Open it, don't open it, open it, don't open it. If it stays shut, then there is hope, but if you open it, then whatever the decision is, it's final. It's real.

I videotaped the event, but as you can see, it doesn't accompany this post. I can't seem to convert the file into a Windows Media Player format, so I can edit and put it to some cool music. The way it is now, makes me look like a total dork. Okay, you can stop laughing now.

Anyway, here's what the agent hand-wrote:ear Ms. Greene-

Thanks for the look, but I'm afraid my response to the manuscript sample isn't what you'd want from the agent representing it. No doubt another agent will feel more engaged by it.

Now, I wasn't sure how to react to this. Did he hate it? Did it bore him? What was he really trying to say? So I took the letter to my writing group and they were very supportive and helped me to put things into perspective. The fact that the note was hand written was a good sign and that he believes another agent would like was the best news ever. So hey, there is hope after all! Woo hoo!

So now I'm gathering information to do a 5-8 agent submission blast in the next week or two. I'm focusing on the fantasy angle and keeping my fingers crossed. Couldn't hurt if you kept yours crossed too.

Fun With Movie Maker

Eric and I have been experimenting with capturing video of Ariel on our cameras. Some turns out really cute, while others are just a mess. I was bored today (while Ariel took her nap) and decided to return to Windows Movie Maker for some movie making fun. In truth, I should have started writing the next chapter of my novel, but this required less brain power. Just a note, the lighting is horrible, but this is just an experiment. When I get everything down to an art, there will be better video to come. Also, movie maker is not the best software on the planet, but it's fairly easy to use. Enjoy the clip, it's about 20 seconds long (or so).

1, 2, and 3 Mo

The summer has flown by and our little girl is three months old. When did that happen?

While we had our backs turned (0r while we had our eyes open), Ariel started to master the adorable art of laughing and smiling. She even talks to us (or at us) with her cooing. We like to say that Ariel is "telling us how it is." She is also working on reaching, grasping and putting whatever she finds into her mouth.

Ariel has experience some significant firsts this month, like her first airplane ride and first play date (with my friend Mina's son, Haylen). She also had her first 12 hour night of sleep.

Right now, she is going through a growth spurt and her lovely 8-9 hr sleeping streak at night, has now dwindled to 3-4 hrs. Thankfully, this should only last 2-7 days. Right.

Ariel has also been drooling quite a bit and chomping on her fingers ceaselessly. Eric and I believe she's pre-teething. I checked her gums and I can't feel anything popping through, but I'm sure there's something going on. She also enjoys smiling at herself in the mirror. Oh, its just a taste of things to come.

Ariel's likes and dislikes are becoming more apparent. The other day, she threw the biggest hissy fit about her tinkling dragonfly. We had taken it off to get through airport security. I went to put it back on her car seat, and this is what set her off. Each time I took it off, she was quiet, but when the dragonfly made its appearance, Ariel let loose. I guess they must have had some kind of disagreement.

So here are some pictures from the past month. Enjoy!

daddy's garden gnome

strike a pose and vogue

cheesecake smile

can i help you?

turkey leg can-can

Love in the Rose Garden

Friday night, we witnessed the marriage of Cheryl and Shane. It was held outdoors in a lovely rose garden under a gazebo. The lighting was just right for some fabulous pics and a beautiful ceremony. There were about 150 people who came from all over to attend this event. It's funny because even though we live close to Eric's family in Colorado, it took a wedding in Oregon for us to finally get together.

Ariel had been such a trooper, putting up with her her parents carting her all over creation. However, this night, she had had enough. Right around dinner time, as she was falling asleep, the loud welcome of the wedding party startled her. The ruckus upset Ariel and we spent the next hour or so, trying to calm her down. This isn't the first time Eric and I have eaten a cold diner and I'm sure it won't be the last. The entire situation was a little embarrassing because I felt like we were disturbing the other guests. Plus, with everyone wanting to "help", I felt as is they were telling me that I wasn't handling my child right. Believe me. I think I know what I'm doing. But once Ariel finally crashed, she slept through the reception (especially the loud music). She was very tired.

wedding partyAriel and cousin Emily

Eric and I made sure we danced as long as we could. We needed the adult time for sure. The next day, Shane's parents hosted a brunch and we were able to spend some time with the bride and groom. Congratulations to Cheryl and Shane, may your lives always be blessed!

Ariel with cousin Cheryl (bride)

Vacation In the Pacific Northwest

Eric, Ariel and I enjoyed a nice vacation in Oregon this past weekend. Eric's cousin, Cheryl was married to a great guy and we flew out to attend the wedding. Ariel did great on the plane (thank the heavens) and overall, the flight was quiet and uneventful.

Well you can't just go out of state and sit around, so we embarked on an adventure or two.

We rented a Saturn Vue and Eric and I had some serious car envy, as our cars are costing more money than they're worth (in repairs). It was a much needed expense, however, since we have Ariel. Anywho, We visited a Catholic sanctuary, called The Grotto. A beautiful altar is carved into the side of the mountain. The upper level featured this peaceful garden that is perfect for reflection and meditation. It was worth the trip.

We next visited the International Rose Test Garden. It began in like 1920 and features between 7,000 and 10,000 different types of roses. We've been trying to introduce different scents to Ariel, so she got to sniff quite a few flowers. This inevitably backfired and all we did was overwhelm her (whoops), but we got some nice pics before the meltdown.

David and the Team went to Hood River where we visited a couple vineyards. Our favorite was the Naked Winery, which had some very provocative names for their wines and even more scandalous descriptions for them. We loved the ambiance and the wine was pretty good too! We also stopped by Multnomah Falls which were beautiful and very crowded. We didn't stay long, but got a nice shot of the fam.

Saturday, we ventured downtown to Waterfront Park, which was right next to the Columbia River. They also had a food festival and a farmer's market. We skipped these events and just took some time to relax.

The trip back home was uneventful and we're happy to be home and back on a regular schedule.

Impromptu Date Night

Last night, Eric and I had an impromptu date night. We went out for pizza and snuggled up close (as close as we could get with Ariel between us) and sat down for Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal." Yes, this is a feature film from the guy who brought us "The Muppets." Anyway, Eric had never seen TDC and last time I saw it, I think I was eight.

I was surprised at how good my memory was. While I'm more aware of the dialogue, the images are what were burned into my memory. At the time (the early 80's), the movie received mixed criticisms. I personally believe that Henson was a freaking genius. The entire movie was cast with his puppets/marionettes. There was not one human cast member. Period. While CGI was still a long way away, this movie is a classic as far as traditional (and non-traditional) film-making went. I love it. Eric on the other hand . . .thought it was alright.

If you get a chance to see it (or see it again), take it for what it is. But being a fantasy writer, I can truly appreciate the imagination and artistry that went into this movie.

Through a little web surfing, I discovered that a sequel is in the works. "The Power of the Crystal" is due to come out sometime in 2011. Expect a heavy hand in the CGI department.