Have You Heard? - Starting very soon!

   I've contacted a couple of blogs to request support for the event - to help gather interest and participants and the like - and though I've not heard back from all of them, I'm going to make a start hopefully in the next few days! So keep your eyes peeled!

   In the mean time, here's the event page. Deadlines will be posted at the top the second it goes live! And if you can't join in this time around, if it goes well, it'll come around again soon after!

   I love Lush. I never used to, I used to think the handmade cosmetic stuff would never catch on. I was wrong. But a few years ago I went in there anyway, since it was different, and had a look about. I was only interested in bathbombs (my favourite that I've used so far has been Blackberry Bath Bomb - once it fizzes away, there's a sticker inside that says "boom!" It was awesome.), but in January this year, my dear friend Lucy bought me shower jelly (yes, jelly) and a massage bar from Lush. I'd never tried either, but was always interested in the jelly, so when I used it the first time, after a little confusion, I loved it! I've since bought a few more, and was then brave enough to try a face mask for the first time. I bought the Cupcake one thinking "mm, chocolate" - no, I couldn't stand it. I tried a different one afterwards, Love Lettuce - it smelt so good and left my face feeling so nice that it's worth putting up with Seeg following me around singing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Boyfriends, right?

   I placed an order with them online for the first time yesterday and it arrived already despite 2-4 day shipping!

   I've yet to use any of it, the Phoenix Rising and Dragon's Egg bath bombs (you just know I had to!) and The Comforter bubble bar were bought specially for my anniversary with Seeg, but the face masks and body butter are for me! And the best part was, these face masks cost £6 - I got a free one with the package! And they're so conservative with their packaging that if you turn in 5 clean, empty Lush pots, regardless of the product that was in them, you get a free face mask. I've got 3 clean, empty ones so far, and I'm half way through my cleanser, but these face masks last me a long time anyway.
   I always get so excited when I go to Lush, but the staff can be a little too eager to demonstrate their products - and that's fine if you're a first timer, but if you've already used several masks, you don't need to be shown how to use them or what skin type they're best for. Maybe it's just because I'm a shy person and also don't like to say "no thank you" but they always get me sat down and putting face masks on my hand. Seeg wanders off so he doesn't get cornered (no one is safe!) and I find myself desperately searching for an excuse, because a simple "I don't really have the time" never seems to work. I've considered just putting some earphones in my ears and putting the jack in my pocket and just going in and getting what I want. They'll never know the earphones aren't connected to anything!

   But I love Lush. I can't wait to buy again, and I really can't wait to use these new products, especially the bath bombs. There are dragon scales in the egg! :O

Etsy Favourite Feature

I've been coming up with a few ideas for my writing lately, and it feels great. I've redesigned

characters I've not even written about yet, changing their histories and who they are, and I finally

have a solid idea of how the trilogy ends! But, through that excitement, I forgot about this feature

until Monday! But here are the wonderful pieces I fished out for you anyway!

When next you make a purchase...

   You know that little box that requests any extra information? Like where to leave the parcel if there's no response, or to request a particular colour of something, or some other request? Request a drawing instead - anything you can think of. Otherwise that box will just remain empty.
   There's been a recent rise in the number of people requesting drawings on their pizza boxes, so I thought I'd get in on this, expand it to any online purchase, and create a gallery - but I can't do it without you!

   The idea is simple: the next time you make a purchase online (or over the phone or something) - be it Etsy, Amazon, NOTHS, whatever - wherever a box appears asking for extra information, request a drawing. These boxes are usually used for requesting the parcel to be left in a certain place, or requesting a particular colour of something or making some kind of extra request, so if you have nothing better to ask, ask for that.
   Then, when you receive your order, grab a picture of the part of the invoice where they printed your request, then another picture of the drawing (in context if possible, for example if it's in a pizza box, I want to see the pizza, if it was with a parcel, put the drawing next to or on top of the product, etc), and send them to me, along with your name (here is an opportunity to include a link to your own website, blog, 9gag profile or whatever) and the name of the place that did the drawing, and I'll post them on the gallery page.

   It's so easy to participate. Just the next time you place an order anywhere - hell, even a restaurant! - ask for a drawing and see what happens. Or your food to be arranged as a face. It's likely they won''t comply, but let's just believe they will!

Agency update

Use the code ShipToMyLou for free shipping until May 18th!

   I sent those Guild letters out to the literary agencies last week, and so far I've heard back from four of them. Like I said in the original post, agencies generally expect the first three chapters, a synopsis and a covering letter from the off, and don't generally require a preliminary letter or email, but one agency from the extremely short list of fantasy-accepting agencies did.

   A few months ago I read through the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook and searched all of their agencies. Very few of them said anything about fantasy, but I checked all of the websites of everyone who mentioned nothing about it. I ended up emailing about seven agencies who never stated they did or did not accept fantasy novels - I've heard back from half, all of whom have declined - but the few agencies who have expressed interest in fantasy didn't accept email. This was where my letters came in.

   So I wrote them up, printed them out, sealed them and made them lurvely. I made sure to state in the letter that it was a fantasy novel, and also included a brief 3-line plot outline, so once I sent them out the balls were well and truly in the agencies' courts. The four I've heard back from have all asked me to send out my first three chapters. One sent me a standard form letter, but, surprisingly, the other three agencies actually took the time to hand write a request - one of them was only a line written at the top of the letter I sent them, but the other two put more effort in. I'm a little more hopeful with this now. Each of these four agencies know I'm sending in fantasy, but are interested anyway, so I'm hoping that now, finally, I'll be judged on my work rather than my genre.

   I'm still waiting on an order from the wonderful Fawn and Flora - some giant paperclips (and cute notepaper which has little to do with anything) to bundle my manuscript together and post it out to them, since they don't want them bound any other way, but since I don't have them yet and heard back from these agencies much faster than I expected, I'm going to just send this first one out as it is.

   I've also decided that, after printing merely the first three chapters and seeing it reach 79 sheets of paper (required to be printed on one side, and double spaced), I'm only printing it once. Generally, if you send a stamped addressed envelope, an agency will return your manuscript to you. I hate to think what this will cost to send, but in the face of a future career, no cost is too great. Of course I only just managed to find an envelope big enough, I have little idea of what to do if I'm lucky enough to be requested the full manuscript - though that will  be a problem I'll enjoy having.

   My plan for this is to wrap the bubble wrap envelope (it was all I could find big enough at my tiny post-office/chemist) in parcel paper, tie it with string and use the wax seal again, to keep it visually consistant.

   None of this means anything, not really, what counts is the writing itself, of course. And since it's a trilogy, as I've said time and time again, even if my manuscript is good, the series factor will decrease the likelihood of a contract. But I have plenty of ideas, so if this doesn't work, I'll try something else. I'm submitting the first book of the trilogy, but I'm already writing the second, and have plans for the third, and then on top of that I have plans for a duology in the same world with a few thousand years between them, and two other books in their own worlds and with new stories. If this trilogy won't be my debut, something else will be. I want this too badly and am working too hard for it to never happen.

   The response I got today, however, and fortunately, requested my work by email, so yay, saving paper (and postage and ink). I've sent that to them this morning, but I probably won't hear anything back for a month or so. As for the rest, I'll be sure to update when they're sent out, and whenever, if ever, I receive a positive response.

Have You Heard? - A Sellers' Opportunity

   I've been all in a cuffuffle these past few weeks, and as such I have nothing crafty to share with you on my usual (ha!) Project 52 post day - instead, I offer sellers an opportunity.

   I recently made a trade with a friend of mine, but we decided to not only trade a product, but also a few business cards. The idea was that with each sale one of us made we'd send the other's business card with it. Our shops are different but both quite unique so it seemed like a good idea.

   But as I put one of her business cards into my most recent package, I added a piece of paper and wrote "have you heard?" on it - to make it seem less pushy and more like exciting news, but then an idea occurred to me: create an event where people send their own business cards to other sellers for the same purpose. Well I put a little more thought to it, came up with some rules, but also decided I'd need some supporters to help spread the word. I've contacted one such person today, and intend to contact a few others once I've created a button for the event.

   But for now I'll outline for you the most important parts:

·         It will be international - as long as you have a handmade shop, on Etsy, storenvy or anything similar and you ship internationally - you can join in, but you must be willing to send your business cards internationally too.
·         There will be deadlines - opt-in, opt-out and dispatch
·         Participants will be categorised by theme, not product. I don't wish to pair two jewellery makers or two stationery makers together, instead I wish to pair whimsical, nature, retro and so on.

   I've put a page together with the entrant details, the entrant form, full rules and a share button, but the button still needs work. When I have the page ready, and enough supporters, I'll announce here the deadline dates and get the event running.

   Don't worry if you miss out or can't join in this time around, if this goes well it will happen again a few months on. Successive deadline dates will be announced each time the previous one is reached so notice will be given.

   If you're interested in participating, keep your eyes open. I'm hoping to have the page available in the next few days, but when everything is ready I'll announce it.

Etsy Favourite Feature

I totally spaced last week and forgot all about this feature! I don't have any idea what I was doing
that made me forget but it totally slipped my mind. So here it is this week instead. I promise I
won't forget again! Also, have you seen the letters I finally wrote to the literary agencies?
And have you met VividPlease?