Friday, December 9, 2011

Quotes and Cookies: Who is Going to Stop Me

Crazy thanks to Cherie from Cherie Writes for the Beautiful Blogger award! I really appreciate it, Cherie.

I have to admit: I felt a little guilty after yesterday's post. Okay, it may be that I'm a little methodical when it comes to writing and writing-related things. I'm not that way with everything, though. Like if I'm going to buy a camera, I'm not going to research to find the best one. I just hope someone I know has already done the research enough to make a recommendation, or I choose the one that LOOKS the best. If I need to choose a doctor, I'm pretty much going to choose the one that either a) has the coolest-sounding name or b) has the easiest to remember phone number. (Oh, admit it. You've chosen this way before, too. Right?)

SOoooo, I know what it feels like to have the methodical way feel daunting. Unreachable. Frustrating. I sincerely hope that yesterday's post didn't make anyone feel those things! Here's the thing I had hoped to accomplish: that my theory would go into that holding bin in your mind reserved for querying, along with everyone else's theories you've read about, where it can tumble around with the others. When it comes time to use query information, you empty the bin and see what sticks. It could be someone's entire theory. It could be the parts of five different people's theories that work best for you and your personality. The important thing is to use the parts that work FOR YOU. Whether that be all the things I did or none of the things I did.

Then, just do it! And while you're at it, think of this quote that I absolutely love.


Does anything more need to be said? I think not.

But do stop for long enough to stare at these pretties. Because oh, my goodness. I can't stop with the staring at the pretty.

Photo credit and recipe: Secret Life of a Chef's Wife Lime Linzer Cookies

Have a fabulous weekend!

27 comments:

Kelley Lynn said...

So true!

Have a great weekend!

DRC said...

mmm...I was going to comment on the rest of your post but those beauties have distracted me far too much...lol...

Anonymous said...

Those look good. Yummy.

Tara Tyler said...

num num, and the cookies look good too.
i actually like the challenge of writing a query. i am determined to find the agent who says, "well done, give me more!"

Angela Cothran said...

Do you test drive all these cookies before you post them? If you do than you are more than a regular rock star :)

Cassie Mae said...

Hang on, my mouth is still watering...

I loved your post yesterday! I think the most common mistake is querying too soon, but research allows us to take the time needed to evaluate our work and whether a specific agent would represent it. Agents say that they receive tons of emails daily they either delete or send an instant reject because it's not a genre they rep. I think the method you suggested will in the end save us more time in the query process.

prerna pickett said...

great advice! Also, I gave you a couple of blogging awards. Stop by and pick them up!

Patti said...

That photo makes me want to go home and bake.

I think what you said about querying is true. You need to sort through all of the advice you've read and figure out what works for you, which I'm still trying to do.

Ruth Josse said...

No worries! Appreciate all that you share and like you said, we will use everything we've learned to find what works for us. :)

Angela Brown said...

Drooling. Can't stop drooling at the yummy.

Um, yeah, this was a great tasty - I mean - great post.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

Oh my gosh...I want a taste of those cookies. Did you bake them?

Jessie Humphries said...

All your posts leave me salivating on Fridays! ERg... its not good for my diet! And I think everyone is pumped about the querying info...I know I am.

Iain said...

Yesterdays was (as usual) inspirational. It hadn’t really registered how important it was to get the right agent. I pretty much assumed that they were all relatively even. I would have been happy just to get an agent. But now… I want one that's right for me. After all, I'm going to be working with them for quite a few years.
And yes, it did open my eyes to a pretty world full of sunshine and lollipops.
P.S. These are the first cookies that actually made me want to lick the screen :o)

Leigh Covington said...

Those fancy dancy cookies are killing me! So cool!

And I love that quote - so true. :)

Congrats on the award! You deserve it! :)

Lan said...

Yesterdays post was awesome. Sometimes being methodical is the best way to go and it helps to know that there are things you can do to make the query process easier and that hard work and not just luck is involved.

wow, I can't believe how pretty those cookies are!

Kristine said...

I love that quote. I've never seen it before - but it's my new fave!

Golden Eagle said...

Congratulations on the award!

Great post. :) And once again, those cookies look delicious . . .

Anonymous said...

Yummo! now I'm hungry!
I think we're all different some methodical and some not - and some methodical only in certain areas - keeps life interesting.
xx

Anonymous said...

That quote could be our family motto. Now, about those cookies ...

Elizabeth said...

I am adopting that saying. That is me. :)

And those cookies look super Yummy.

THANKS.

Elizabeth

http://silversolara.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Hmmm these cookies are calling my name :-)

Congrats on the awards! (I love your blog so I think you deserve it)

Thank you for sharing your experience, you are right it might be different for everybody but it is very useful to hear somebody´s perspective who went through the ropes :-)

Anonymous said...

Hmmm these cookies are calling my name :-)

Congrats on the awards! (I love your blog so I think you deserve it)

Thank you for sharing your experience, you are right it might be different for everybody but it is very useful to hear somebody´s perspective who went through the ropes :-)

Sarah Tokeley said...

Your previous post didn't leave me daunted, it left me thinking, 'oh good, more good advice to consider when the time comes'.

As for the yummies. I'm on a diet, I refuse to comment on them as just looking at them will make me gain 2lbs :-)

Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking said...

Oh what an awesome saying. I am going to start using that quote today!! So glad that I found your blog!!

Romance Reader said...

So yummy looking! Lol, I can't keep my eyes away from these!

Paul Tobin said...

I always liked the Ann Rand quote, it turns the whole question on its head, very good. I think I like your taste in cookies even more-where do you come up with these boss biscuits from?

Peggy Eddleman said...

Kelley-- I hope you had a great weekend, too!

DRC-- I know what you mean! I've caught myself staring at these far too many times.

Joshua-- I agree.

Tara-- Yay! I think it's definitely better if you love the challenge! I hope you find the one that's absolutely perfect for you.

Angela C-- Nope. Regular rock star here. ;D And I'm still laughing about your comment! I enjoy staring at the cookies almost as much as eating them. My friend doing the twelve days of cookies has brought me over several to try (I know! I lucked out big time), but I haven't tried these.

Cassie-- I'm glad you didn't get scared from it! I agree-- the more research you do ahead of time, the more time you save during the actual querying process. That time is never wasted! In fact, just the opposite.

Prerna-- Thanks SO MUCH for the awards, Prerna! I love them.

Patti-- Yes. Sort through it and pick what you think will work best for you. Have fun baking!

Ruth-- Your comment makes me happy. :)

Angela B-- Hahaha! Your comment killed me.

Michael-- I didn't-- a friend of mine did. She's amazing!

Jessie-- That's why I do it. To make you drool on your keyboard. ;)

Iain-- Aww. I'm glad you're seeing a world of sunshine, lollipops, a perfect-for-you agents. But I wouldn't recommend licking your screen. I've tried it. It tends to leave streaks.

Leigh-- I thought they were so cool, too! They're like a feast for your eyes. :)

Lan-- Thanks! I think that if you can stand to be methodical, it will definitely help. If you can't, then you should do what does work. You're right about luck. Although there is luck involved, luck itself won't get you there. Hard work FTW!

Kristine-- I know. I love it.

Golden Eagle-- Thank you! Twice! And I know. I want to lick out the middles.

Michelle-- I think you're right.

Gene Pool Diva-- Hahahaha! The quote has entirely different connotations when you think of it as a family motto, doesn't it? ;) I love it!

Elizabeth-- I'm glad you found the you saying to adopt. :)

commutinggirl-- You know, every time I opened my blog, I kept hearing a quiet "commutinggirl. commuting girl!" I had wondered what was up with that. Now I know. ;) And thanks for the congrats and for your kind words.

Sarah-- Oh, good! I'm glad it didn't leave you daunted. And wait, what? Commenting on cookies makes you gain two pounds?! DARN IT. I just commented on them like twenty times! I'm in trouble.

Alicia-- I'm glad you like it! And I'm glad you found my blog, too. :D

Romance Reader-- I agree!

Paul-- It's a pretty great quote. I really like it, too. "Boss biscuits." :D Love it! My friend made them. Her website link is in the photo caption.