Well, first things first, Happy New Year everyone! May 2012 bring you everything you're hoping for.
Before we get back into the swing of things around here, I've got a couple of announcements.
Thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh, whose continued friendship and support seems to be able to net me followers, even on days when I'm not posting. His post from yesterday, featured me along with four other awesome bloggers who are all nearing 1000 followers. If you don't follow Alex, or you don't follow the bloggers he mentions, you should go take care of that.
Other than that, 2012 will probably be a bit different here at the QQQE. I've almost got this novel ready for submission, and I've got a couple agents waiting on me, so I'll be posting less often, and reading blogs less often than I'd like to, but I expect to make up for missing quantity with some great quality posts.
For one thing, my good friend and personal inspiration, Adam Heine, has recently signed with an agent for author representation, and he's going to be sharing and analyzing his query letter with me this Friday, harking back to the series of Successful Queries that are probably what first put this blog on the map.
In the same vein, I'll be doing a lot of query critiques early this new year, but if you have a letter you think might need a little work, feel free to send me an email. And if you are an author, or you know an author, whose query letter landed them an agent, and they'd like to help others by analyzing why it worked, get in touch.
You might notice I changed my blog photo. I do not actually wear my hair like that. I'd probably be fired from my soul-sucking day job if I did. I shave my own head, because there's very little left up top, so I was messing with my daughter over the holidays, and showing her what a mohawk was, and we took that photo. Just for fun.
Finally, I've got some big news coming up, about some exciting things I'll be taking part in this year, but I can't reveal it just yet.
How was your holiday?
76 comments:
I came by your blog via Alex and am pleased I did. I hope you reach your 1000th follower soon.Me? I have a long way to go.
Take care.
Happy New Year.
Yvonne.
Happy New Year! I have a feeling this is going to be a very interesting year. Congrats on almost making the milestone of 1000 followers, no doubt in my mind that you as well as the others listed by Alex will have no problem reaching that goal. Looking forward to another year of lurking, sharing, and laughing with you.
That look would be quite a change!
Good news on your writing. Focus on that.
And you are so close to a thousand followers now!
The holiday was fine but I'm glad it's over so I can spending more time writing. If you have agents waiting on you.....why are you talking to us?? Just kidding! I'm working on the dreaded query. Maybe someday you can post it as one that worked! Good luck in 2012!!!
It seems you've got a lot going on already in 2012. I look forward to your posts and your news.
Happy new year and congrats on almost 1000 followers, even if stupid blogger is going to screw with them come march, blah.
Congrats on finishing up the novel. Agents waiting...YIKES. Your first on my list for a look at my query when I get there (hopefully soon).
You,Alex and DL head up my list of 'good guys'. Thanks.
I have to say...it makes me feel bad every time you mention the 'soul sucking day job'. Life is too short. May you be onto better things in 2012.
Happy New Year too! Agents waiting? Now that's the way to start a new year. No matter when you blog, I'll be reading, you always have great content.
Happy New Year! Awesome that you're almost to 1000 followers. I know you'll hit it soon.
Sounds like you have a great year planned for us and glad to see you're writing more.
I can't wait for your exciting news.
First things first: Happy New Year!
And then...Hello there, nice to meet you, too! Thank you for stopping by my blog!
New follower here, too ; P
Tessa.xx
Don't take this the wrong way but that pic! You look like scrummy Edward Norton when he went all freaky in American History X
http://www.nndb.com/people/224/000026146/
(It's a fab film btw - loved it - scary but amazing!).
Ahem!! Off I go to swoon. At Edward Norton! *cough*.
take care
x
Only 11 to go - awesome! Funny how much hair matters in soul-sucking jobs.
Hi, Matthew. So happy you came by to see me. Will be back!!
Yeh, and why should someone else dictate how we wear our hair? Hair is personal and fun to change out. I should know, I can't even remember what color my original hair color was.
Teresa
Good luck with your querying, Matt. I'm sure you'll find success.
Too funny you messed with your daughter like that. Haha...
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!! So excited for you, Matt! Off to say congrats to Adam (woot)!
You're not the first person talking about blog changes or cutting back a bit! I think it will be an exciting year for everyone!
Thanks for following my blog, I'm now signed up to yours. Only 9 before you make that 1000 now :-)
Looking forward to those quality posts - good luck with all your goings-on! :)
My son recently started shaving his head and is delighted with it - no muss, no fuss :-)
Congrats on the +1000 followers - and, along with everyone else, wondering what the big news will be. Happy New Year, btw!
Hi Matt!
Remember that ole Genesis Tune, "Follow You, Follow me..." :-)
Wish you a happy new year and all the best for your upcoming novel!!
Congrats on the book! It's a wonderful feeling, yet very nerve wrecking. I'm looking forward to more news on your work. Good Luck in 2012 Matt!
Thanks for dropping by and commenting at my place. I have your blog in my Google reader subscription list and look forward to all your wisdom. Good luck on this latest submission.
Looking forward to your big news! And I literally squeed when I found out about Adam getting representation (he can verify this, as I think he heard it all the way to Thailand)!
2012 is going to be a great year (in spite of the Mayans)!
Happy New Year to you Matthew. Glad that you have good news already to hold--nice start to 2012.
Happy New Year!
It sounds like you have great things coming up this year. I'm sure you'll also get those 1000 followers soon and more. :)
Good luck with your new book! Great that you have agents waiting in the wing. Looking forward to the big exciting news. Thought it might be a new haircut but obviously that's not it. Best wishes for 2012!
Are we critiquing YOUR query? Or did I miss that when I was on blog-vacation?
good luck with it all and Happy new year!
It is inspiring to read about your success. Keep the good news coming and best wishes to you in 2012!
Happy New Year Matthew. It's only a few days into the new year and you already have exciting things going on! Looking forward to hearing about them!
Well, once I got my most recent draft of my current project finished on Christmas Eve, I had a quiet holiday. But now the holiday is over and it's time to enter the final draft phase of this manuscript. Minor fixes mostly, although there was one major plot point to fix near the end of the story.
Happy New Year Matthew! I hope this year is awesome for you and it sounds like it's going great already. Congrats on the book and almost hitting 1000. I can't wait to hear your news!
You are so good at attracting followers. I'll be lucky to ever break 300, but then I've never been really good at social stuff. I just post whenever and whatever I want.
We had a really mellow New Year, especially since the fireworks here in Budapest weren't much compared to Iceland.
Happy New Year!! And yay for almost being done with your book! That's awesome, Matt! :)
Love the mohawk, by the way.
Almost at the 1k mark, well done Matt! Best of luck submitting the novel too!
Found you through Alex, consider me a rabid "follower"! Looking forward to catching up on your past posts, and also reading you in the future!
Only 5 more to go, woohoo!
I wish you the best of luck finding the perfect agent for you!
Sweet mohawk, Matt! Looking forward to hearing the news! Good luck querying!
I shaved my hubby's head once before he went on a fishing trip. He asked if I would as a joke and then I did!
I've been a stranger. Sorry about that. I'm making my way to being a better commenter on the blogs I read regularly. You can bet I'll be back to look at your friend's query. Congrats to him, and good luck to you. Having agents waiting for you rocks (not that I would know, yet)!
Happy New Year!
You have a soul-sucking job? I do as well. Actually I think most of us do. It may be what life is all about.
Love the hair, well done on nearly 1000, amazing news re your book and looking forward to your news. Phew, think I got everything in there! Happy 2012 :)
Congrats on almost 1,000! Sounds like an exciting new year for you! Good luck with querying- and it's awesome you have a few agents waiting on you!
Congrats on both having nearly 1000 followers & finishing your novel! Must be exciting to have agents waiting on YOU. And I can't wait to read Adam's query. I've been bugging him about putting it up for us to analyze. I'm also looking forward to all the others who'll be posting their queries on The QQQE! Happy New Year!
Ahh, we conversed over the holiday, no? And look at you. Just three away. I knew you when...
Psycho Killer
Qu'est-ce que c'est
How freaking exciting! Nearing a 1000 and agents eagerly waiting for you to submit! That's incredibly wonderful, congratulations! And congrats to your friend Adam!!
Dude! How dare you tantalize me with things that are happening that you can't talk about?! That's just cruel.
It seems like 2012 will be the year of the query for a lot of bloggers. I know i'll be querying Glimpse again in a week or so and plan to query Break Free later in the sping/summer.
We're gonna rock it!
Take care of your writing business. It sounds so exciting that you have agents waiting for you. I'm almost stoked for the post that says "And is has happened..."
That's wonderful that Adam will be sharing his query here. We all wonder what a "winning" query looks and sounds like.
May 2012 bring you and your lovely daughters all the best things, EVER!
Now, it's only 3 more to go. I've posted your address to help things along on my blog. Hope you finally get accepted by an agent and a publisher this year!! Roland
Writers and teasing seem to be synonymous. Kind would work, also. Such a great community. Happy New Year!
Do what you have to do, Matt, and best wishes for 2012. Looking forward to hearing your good news.
I was wondering about that haircut, I thought it might be the warrior monk style. . .and you were getting into character.
Here in Vancouver, Canada we had a nice green Christmas but I'm always glad when that rush is over. Hubby gave me a new writing desk, much better than my old set-up, so I'm ready. I posted my resolutions on my blog, or 'goals' as some call them.
Wishing you success!
Happy New Years Matt! Can't wait to see what your novel has in store for us.
Happy 2012! Congrats on reaching a great milestone. You do a lot for the community and I appreciate all the good advice I've read since I started following. Can't wait to see what's in store here for the new year.
I came via Alex's blog. Congratulations on such a great landmark in blogging. Hope you had good holidays.
So very close! 998!! Way to go, man. I wonder if I'll be there someday? Long way to go before that.
Love the mohawk pic. Is that new?
Yes, just two more!!!
Make that one more. I'm 999. Does that mean I bare the mark of the Beast?
Congrats!....so many good things to look forward to~ Happy for you and Happy New Year! :D
I need me a mohawk.
Um, I still picture you as Yoda. Can't help it.
You're at 999 followers right now. Awesome!
Good luck on getting your manuscript ready, and looking forward to your big news!
Happy New Year, Matt. Can't wait to hear this news of which you speak!
Hope your voyage this year is AWESOME. May the winds be ever at your back, and your sails filled with the breaths of your muses.
I see you are at 999. I'd follow again, but you won't have any trouble getting to four digits.
Then five, then six.....etc.
To the Last of the Georgian Mohicans,
Congrats on 1000 Followers!
WooHoo! You made it!
1000...What a beautiful number!
A sign of big things to come in 2012 methinks.
Congrats and a Happy New Year to you and your family!
Happy New Year! Congrats on the followers. It seems like it will be a good year. I can't wait to hear about your news and wish you the best in your submissions. You will rock it. :) I can't thank you enough for your help on my query (I'm going on my 4th pass on it), but without your input I know it would be no where.
Again, congrats and can't wait to get this year started!!
"big news" you "can't reveal just yet"? Uh, you better email me.
And yay for 1000 followers and for you getting your book ready to send out! All huge things.
Tease!
I saw Alex's post yesterday. That was really nice.
And you're over a thousand! Welcome to the club.
Yay! You're over 1000 followers!
That's great news about Adam. He's awesome! And exciting about your own querying. Can't wait to hear how that goes.
Happy New Year. And huge congrats on the (now over) 1,000 followers. You rock. I can't wait to hear about your news.
Huge congrats to Adam.
Just clicked over from Alex's site. Congrats on the 1000+ followers!
Holy shit, that's incredible. I just read all 69 comments and it was pretty cool following the count-down. Congratulations and I'm looking forward to your news.
My holiday was good, filled with hibernation-like activities. Here's to a great 2012 for you and your family.
Ooh, BIG SECRET THINGS. Awesome!
Congrats on almost being ready to query!
And congrats on PASSING the 1000 followers mark! You rock, man!
(love the photo btw)
Happy New Year!!! And congrats on reaching 1000 followers.. yay.. happy dance!!! :)
I wish you all the best in the new year... I'm very excited for these secret things!
Happy New Year! Looking forward to your exciting news!!! :o)
Fun having a daughter, isn't it?
What did she think of your mid-shave mohawk?
Did she want you to keep it or was she happy when you finished your shave? (grin)
Kids definitely add the "fun" to life! (my girl is now twenty-four - we still have Lego Mania nights!)
And congrats on passing the 1000 mark - how cool is that!
Jenny @ PEARSON REPORT
oooh! i'm super excited about your topsecret big news! and i'm even more excited you'll be querying and giving your ms to already interested agents! i'm happy for adam too! he really persevered there!
AND!
i gotta say, although it was a goofing off photo, there is something really moving about it. i think it's the way your head is bent over. very emotive, and cool!
Cheese and rice I love your new picture over there!
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