A Discouraging Word

Publishers Marketplace has sent me the weekly list of deals, and it's a litany of discouraging words. One of those "Why do I bother?" moments.

What do we have for debut fiction? Who is buying what from the first time author?

Loads of hype for Julie Buxbaum's first ever novel. She's a Harvard Law grad who gave up the corporate life for a year to pen a novel. And the story is about? A lawyer, of approximately the same age as little old Julie. There's a plot of love and failing to commit and how the protagonist's life falls apart when she can't commit and so on and so on. The rich, they are very different from you and I. And that goes for Harvard-educated lawyers. Is there any point in sending a query to Elaine Koster? Would she want to be bothered with a query from me?

Who else might offer me a glimpse of hope? Is there no ordinary person getting publishing contracts these days? Fiona Maazel is being published, but not exactly for the first time. This debut novelist is a 2005 Lannan Fiction Fellow and once edited the Paris Review, one of the most prestigious literary journals around. Can't beat that sort of resume.

Finally, there is Hillary Jordan, who has the Bellwether Prize under her belt. But hold on here, her agent is Chris Parris-Lamb of The Gernert Company. A new agent! Quick, where's the paper? Is the printer warmed up? Get the query out, now. Go, go, go!