tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post2941362844938956463..comments2024-03-08T15:14:31.312-05:00Comments on Landless: #FridayFlash: Nom de PlumeTony Nolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090583562737225942noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-62905904464814978012010-02-21T16:47:41.545-05:002010-02-21T16:47:41.545-05:00Excellent :) Great concept.Excellent :) Great concept.Clive Martynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15057496284523957955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-14510772565306733562010-02-19T13:49:03.199-05:002010-02-19T13:49:03.199-05:00Thanks for the reads, guys. I wrote a sequel to th...Thanks for the reads, guys. I wrote a sequel to this story titled <a href="http://www.tonynoland.com/2010/02/fridayflash-truth-lies-beneath.html" rel="nofollow">"Truth Lies Beneath"</a>. Feel free to check it out.<br /><br /><b>Donald & Eric</b>: What is he? A vampire? A zombie? Why does he live so long?<br /><br />I'm not telling, guys. Sorry. Keep reading, though.Tony Nolandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090583562737225942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-71486939105185638202010-02-16T17:48:57.295-05:002010-02-16T17:48:57.295-05:00Very cool story. I liked the format, though I was ...Very cool story. I liked the format, though I was hoping to see what the agent's response would be to the first letter. I'm wondering just what sort of creature this guy is.Eric J. Krausehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05774468607814244185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-43628579069891084502010-02-16T07:41:10.425-05:002010-02-16T07:41:10.425-05:00Very witty Tony... coming in as the last commenter...Very witty Tony... coming in as the last commenter. I caught the start when I came to read your CW post earlier on in the week.<br /><br />I am a huge fan of the letter and wish there was more time to indulge in this passion... and I always enjoy a new a varied way of telling a story. Nice wry twist. Can't wait for your turn to strut your stuff on the CW stage.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-36492389347856555252010-02-15T08:42:36.078-05:002010-02-15T08:42:36.078-05:00Clever bit of letter writing. Who in their proper ...Clever bit of letter writing. Who in their proper frame would wring their cranial wadding for four hundred years of midlist penny-dreadfuls is beyond me. I had the guy down as a vampire, but there was the part "...with the sun up and shining..." so now I'm perplexed.<br />Fun thoughtful read, thanks.Donald Conradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11299995538611948494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-39924879531558269812010-02-14T18:47:01.574-05:002010-02-14T18:47:01.574-05:00I LOVED the premise as well. And I figure all his ...I LOVED the premise as well. And I figure all his skills are being tested and demonstrated in making sure he *doesn't* write a literary masterpiece or bestseller. (Although I would like to think that secretly he has a masterpiece he's working on, or already tucked away somewhere--just in case he's staked or--well, not exactly sure why he's been living so long--but just in case year 401 doesn't come...Melissahttp://windspirit-girl.livejournal.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-77766967189268438572010-02-14T15:14:55.424-05:002010-02-14T15:14:55.424-05:00This was great, especially after the guy's tru...This was great, especially after the guy's true motive was revealed. Does he skip around with his taxes, too? ;) <br /><br />CDCecilia Dominichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12799727636246434837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-69114757978484416412010-02-13T19:46:50.888-05:002010-02-13T19:46:50.888-05:00Thanks for the comments, guys. I'm glad you li...Thanks for the comments, guys. I'm glad you liked it. This was an exercise in epistlary form, just in case I need to use it in a novel someday.<br /><br /><b>Olivia</b>: Well, I got the distinct impression that the agent thought my query was lousy, so I wouldn't try to read these particular tea leaves.<br /><br />8-)Tony Nolandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090583562737225942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-81402136224804877232010-02-13T19:29:54.831-05:002010-02-13T19:29:54.831-05:00Very creative! I was thinking your story was a pra...Very creative! I was thinking your story was a practice in visualization.... in other words, write the letter and it will come true. Is that the case? Are you trying to tell us something?? I enjoyed this a lot and am especially impressed that you reached out to an agent and got a response. Interesting input! Thanks ~ OliviaOlivia Tejedahttp://oliviatejeda.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-14338145226541953912010-02-13T18:31:44.604-05:002010-02-13T18:31:44.604-05:00I love the premise of this story! Excellent writin...I love the premise of this story! Excellent writing. I am usually not a fan of stories in the form of letters, but this was great. I loved it.Cat Russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14160039271069426174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-80277377158997591222010-02-13T17:51:21.556-05:002010-02-13T17:51:21.556-05:00That is awesome that Mr. Brown responded. And ins...That is awesome that Mr. Brown responded. And insightful too. <br /><br />Hopefully agents have not been around 400 years, too. What would happen if one recognized the style from, say, 320 years ago? What would his answer be? I'm just intrigued with your whole concept.Melanie Shermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01385073936714563295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-18023816692546649852010-02-13T15:54:55.857-05:002010-02-13T15:54:55.857-05:00So, Marc Nash wondered if my protag was likely to ...So, <b>Marc Nash</b> wondered if my protag was likely to get a deal with that query letter. I asked the question on Twitter, addressed to any #agent who would care to respond.<br /><br />Here's <a href="http://twitter.com/agentrobert/statuses/9068752411" rel="nofollow">the response I got</a> from Robert Brown, a literary agent with Wylie-Merrick Literary Agency: <i>"@TonyNoland Think it's too long and too personal. Keep you out of your query. Think business letter between professionals. #agent"</i><br /><br />I'm going to assume that Mr. Brown was just looking at the final part of the story, the query letter. In that letter, I had Mr. Smith put in more detail about his service in Vietnam than would be advisable in a query. For the purposes of this story, I wanted to show that he makes up a new persona every thirty or forty years, with a fresh excuse for why he will never appear in public.<br /><br />The advice is valuable nonetheless. Keep it professional, sell the book (not the author), get to the point and wrap it up quick.Tony Nolandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090583562737225942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-65466784947308546132010-02-13T12:58:16.861-05:002010-02-13T12:58:16.861-05:00Ha, if I was forced to write mediocre fiction of t...Ha, if I was forced to write mediocre fiction of that nature for 400 yrs, I think I'd have to find a way to end the torture. Pen through the eye? :-) Creative piece, though.shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17063218369150683990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-18869415841241665982010-02-13T09:20:11.502-05:002010-02-13T09:20:11.502-05:00Laura: What drives anyone to write, write and keep...<b>Laura</b>: What drives anyone to write, write and keep writing? Once an author, always an author, at least until you run out of things to say. As he's focused on workmanlike genre titillation, a bottomless well, he'll be at it for a long time.Tony Nolandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090583562737225942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-88958274988021204362010-02-13T08:43:58.380-05:002010-02-13T08:43:58.380-05:00Thanks for giving me the perfect pen name, Tony! :...Thanks for giving me the perfect pen name, Tony! :) Great read! I wonder what drives him to keep writing after 400 years? You didn't explore that.Laura Enohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09982794146667832204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-55046308350879016182010-02-12T23:25:33.884-05:002010-02-12T23:25:33.884-05:00I liked the detail of the Underwood. Not quite su...I liked the detail of the Underwood. Not quite sure why this is set in the 70's--unless it was a time that was easier to get agents and publishers!<br /><br />As always, it's a pleasure peeking into your imagination.peggyhttp://pegjet.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-8345484203388850072010-02-12T16:35:31.082-05:002010-02-12T16:35:31.082-05:00Hey, ThomG, thanks for the thumbs up, but stay out...Hey, <b>ThomG</b>, thanks for the thumbs up, but stay out of my daydreams, OK?<br /><br />The one where five agents all read my blog and end up fighting over how big an advance they can tempt me with? That's my favorite one!Tony Nolandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090583562737225942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-45431748974342855562010-02-12T16:33:25.462-05:002010-02-12T16:33:25.462-05:00Rather than lunching over the keyboard, it was imp...Rather than lunching over the keyboard, it was impatience on the submit button when nothing seemed to be happening. More haste, less speed as I believe the homily preaches...<br /><br />Bests<br /><br />marcSulci Collectivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03293833259808943096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-32811289572229238702010-02-12T16:32:44.266-05:002010-02-12T16:32:44.266-05:00Tony, wouldn't it be great if agents actually ...Tony, wouldn't it be great if agents actually took a whirl around the blogs to read new flash fiction, like a record A&R person? Ahh, dreams. <br /><br />And this was great, by the way.Thom Gabrukiewiczhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13286670695334830471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-2918320454548115162010-02-12T16:26:52.647-05:002010-02-12T16:26:52.647-05:00No problem on the repeats, Marc, it happens. Tip: ...No problem on the repeats, <b>Marc</b>, it happens. Tip: if you want to keep your Enter key from sticking, you need to eat lunch AWAY from the computer.<br /><br />8-)<br /><br />Is he likely to get a deal with that query? I have no idea. Maybe I'll invite an agent to take a look and comment.Tony Nolandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090583562737225942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-9017429088894323202010-02-12T16:21:27.787-05:002010-02-12T16:21:27.787-05:00Sorry Tony, don't quite know how this happened...Sorry Tony, don't quite know how this happened - could only delete one duplication.<br /><br />marcSulci Collectivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03293833259808943096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-70156071462132315782010-02-12T16:12:51.699-05:002010-02-12T16:12:51.699-05:00He's likely to get a deal with that query lett...He's likely to get a deal with that query letter? That's where I've been going wrong...<br /><br />This was cunningly crafted and hits all the right targets in subtle fashion. Twitter & social networking are made for this man who wishes to remain anonymous.<br /><br />marc nashSulci Collectivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03293833259808943096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-10335952836957331072010-02-12T15:34:56.369-05:002010-02-12T15:34:56.369-05:00Tony,
I agree with the other comments - this is i...Tony,<br /><br />I agree with the other comments - this is insightful humor.<br /><br />I can see that others felt the same way I did - wanting to live vicariously through these letters.<br /><br />It is an interesting twist for the goal to be a mid-list author for a LONG period of time rather than a best-selling author, even just once.<br /><br />This is very creative storytelling!!Anne Tyler Lordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16909141266966569378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-67167343062726878422010-02-12T14:09:23.653-05:002010-02-12T14:09:23.653-05:00I'm happy to show them to you, David. Typical ...I'm happy to show them to you, <b>David</b>. Typical sort of business correspondence & query letter an immortal hack writer might turn out, I think.Tony Nolandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090583562737225942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797188666559531190.post-89645941268234593422010-02-12T13:24:32.213-05:002010-02-12T13:24:32.213-05:00Yes, this is very funny, but like all the best hum...Yes, this is very funny, but like all the best humour, it's also deeply insightful.<br /><br />I particularly liked the line: "The key to staying safely in the obscurity of the mid-list is to keep the blood flowing and the tits showing, and leave it at that."<br /><br />And I appreciated that you treated us to two of Bill's letters.David Mastershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12809185582216906363noreply@blogger.com