Mark Terry

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Opening Doors

January 20, 2007
Yesterday I got an e-mail from Tobias Buckell--see link over there to the right--saying he was going to be in my area for a conference, maybe we could get together for a drink or lunch.

So we did. We met in the lobby of the Troy Marriott and took a seat in the bar and chatted for a few minutes, wondering if the barista was going to approach us and try to ply us with legally controlled beverages. She didn't seem all that interested.

After a few minutes a gent stopped by who seemed to know Toby and asked who I was. I commented I was a groupie, and he commented that I wasn't good looking enough to be a groupie, to which I replied, "That's for damned sure." We shook and I introduced myself and he introduced himself as a senior editor for Tor/Forge, and he asked us to lunch.

So in we went and I found myself having my very first editor lunch, although the editor in question was not an editor for Toby or me. Yet, perhaps. We chatted and Jim, the editor, was quite the chatter, and we ate and at the end of the conversation Jim asked me to send him my best thriller for him to read and handed me his business card. I suggested I had something in mind and I'd have my agent send it to him and gave him my own card. We shook, I thanked him for lunch, and we all pretty much parted ways.

And when I got home I whipped off an e-mail to my agent.

You know, nothing may come of this. But it was the first time I've ever experienced something like this--we hear about them all the time, don't we?--and it's certainly energizing, I can tell you that much.

Best,
Mark Terry

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow! It's all happening. Good luck, again. You're stockpiling those tickets.

4:52 PM  
Blogger Aimlesswriter said...

The excitement of meeting an editor or agent (I'm still looking for the agent) is like scoring that 50 yard seat at the superbowl! Inside I'd be sceaming "YES! YES! YES!" and mentally warning myself not to say something stupid. (often engage mouth before brain)
WhoooHooooo! Mark! lets hope this is magic. The universe opens its arms and all you have to do is say I'M HERE!
If I had the choice of meeting Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise or an editor. I'd pick the editor hands down.
Sending positive vibes to that editor with your name on them!

5:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Didn't someone say it was going to be your year?

6:50 PM  
Blogger Mark Terry said...

It does sort of reinforce the truth of Woody Allen saying 90% of success is just showing up, doesn't it?

7:46 AM  
Blogger Steve Buchheit said...

Jim Frenkel is an excellent guy, alright. I didn't meet him in that personal of a setting, there were about eight other people around the table, but he is certainly a really nice guy. And he is quite the chatterer. Very funny, many stories, and all of it engaging. Congrats on the editor lunch.

9:43 AM  

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