Many of us often love waiting for that magic date or hour to set sail on a new adventure or making whatever change brewing in our minds. But I’m not waiting for the full moon or the New Year or any of that. I designate this moment magical enough.

For a variety of reasons (that maybe I’ll tell a therapist one day), I’ve had trouble focusing on a project long enough to get it out into the world. My first novel, The Blue Jar, sits on a few bookshelves in other people’s houses, but her sisters remain here with me. I want that to change, obviously. I used to send out so many queries and stories!

This morning I listened to a (new-to-me) podcast: The Liars Club Oddcast. In the newest episode, they interviewed literary agent Donald Maass. (I met him at the Writer Unboxed UnConference. We ended up sitting together on the train back to Boston–which I’m sure he’s forgotten–but he was as gracious and friendly as you’d hope.) In the podcast, he mentioned his idea of the five book threshold. Basically, an author usually needs five books out there before their name is generally known.

Well, I certainly have five manuscripts. (I have nine, people!)

First up, a collection of short stories. Then I’ll work some magic and find out what happens next. Conjure up an agent, perhaps? Probably not with short stories though. This may make little sense, but I feel that if I can get a story collection done, I can move on to getting a novel done. Honestly, two are done. They’re just waiting.
And waiting.
I need to call them out into the light of day.

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Thanks for reading.