Tag: letter

In case you know anyone who might be interested …

I’ve been getting lots of rejections for Prodigies, many of which tell me how beleagured the agents are with all the queries they’ve been getting. So I’m going to try this for fun:

Dear Ms. _________:
My name is Lauren Leach-Steffens, and I was recommended to you by an attendee of the Pike’s Peak Writers’ Conference as being open to fantasy with strong women of color as protagonists.. My novel, Prodigies, 92,000 words long, is a literary fiction/magical realism crossover. This book covers young adult themes with an adult focus. The intended audience is well-read women who enjoy intelligent, strong protagonists and magical realism themes.
Prodigies tells the story of Grace Silverstein, a multiracial teen musical prodigy, who flies to Poland to perform in a showcase for young prodigies. However, nothing is as it seems, and Grace must flee with Japanese graphics prodigy Ichirou Shimizu and his chaperone Ayana Hashimoto. Before long, Grace and her companions grapple with the fact that they are Prodigies, people with preternatural talent.  An emergent threat against the United Nations on General Assembly Day leaves Grace and her compatriots a choice: weaponize their talents or watch people die.

I am new to the fiction writing world. When I am not writing, I am an associate professor of family resource management at a regional Midwestern university. I have written several research articles under my name (vita available upon request). I have written several manuscripts in the magical realism/literary crossover genre. My work is distinguished by its roots in psychology and sociology, emotional honesty, consequences of actions, and poetic word use.
Sincerely,
Lauren Leach-Steffens

To All My Lurkers

Dear Lurker:

I don’t know who you are except by your country of origin, although even that could be spoofed. You read my blog for reasons I may never know (unless you’re a bot, in which case I can guess that you don’t really read my blog).

I will admit that I want to know who you are. First of all, I want to know for the same reasons that children launch a note in a bottle into the ocean and someone finds it on the shore 500 miles away and sends the child back a note. Or maybe it’s like sending Flat Stanley to your favorite aunt halfway across the country and she sends it on a series of local adventures and takes pictures. I have people from Turkmenistan and Russia and Portugal and Peru, and I want to see who I’ve rubbed elbows with — digitally at least.

I also want to know you because I want to hear your stories. My life is measured in others’ stories and I have had the pleasure of hearing many excellent stories. You have stories with power and poetry, or with humor, or with pathos — and I would love to hold those gifts in my hands.

Love,

Lauren