Waiting Game

The hardest part about querying agents (or submitting to publishers directly) is waiting for the response.  When I had first written An Unexpected Kingdom I sent off my first query to Stephenie Meyer's agent (as did everyone who wrote a young adult novel in the two years after Twilight was released, I'm sure).  I was so sure that she would drop everything when she read my dazzling query and call me directly that I would hyperventilate whenever an unknown number showed up on my caller i.d..  Of course, she passed on my novel as did the other six carefully selected agents I queried over the next year (March 2008- March 2009).  Two sent form rejections through the regular mail, the others sent emails (actually one I never heard back from as he only sends a reply if he is interested).  The letters were actually an unintended cruelty because it was so tangible to hold a letter from my dream agent in my hand and think that it could be a "yes".  Email is easier; the band-aid is ripped off more quickly.  Now that I know those early queries were terrible (cringe-worthy to read now) and that my writing was not ready it is easier to think about that whole process, but now I am about to enter it again.  I called Grub Street today as I had not heard from them about what is happening with my agent meeting (was supposed to see an agent on Sunday as part of the Manuscript Mart at their conference but he was not available to see me) but I did not get a return call.  I hope to hear from them tomorrow.  I am waiting to move forward on my query process until I get the first-hand feedback from this agent.  Hopefully soon!