On the eve of my trip to NY to attend my very first BEA, there’s a whole lot going on…including what I suspect is a raging case of hip bursitis. I suspect it’s my new running habit that did it–this morning during my run, my hip abruptly caught on fire (not in the literal sense, of course), and then I limped pathetically home. Alas. This is my second experience with this particular injury. It happened four years ago when I was dragon boating. I really need to start picking sports with less possibility of repetitive movement injuries. I suspect there is no such thing.

Anyway, when you see me tomorrow at BEA and it looks like I might be gritting my teeth, you’ll know why! Be nice, and offer me a cocktail (how’s that for a bid to get a free drink?).

Speaking of drinking, I recently wrote a post for The Writers Collective. Head over there and check it out. As an enticement, here’s an excerpt:

Craft a carefully composed, personalized email to each agent. This is going to sound crass, but you are attempting to seduce an agent in the same manner you might try to seduce a potential lover. You have to make an agent feel special, like he or she is the only one you’re courting. You must woo. But just enough. Too much woo makes you come off desperate, and no one—not an agent, not a lover—is going to respond the stinky sweat flop of neediness.

I’m pretty sure my wonderful agent (who, for the record, already knows I’m a spaz) just sniffed our contract in an effort to detect neediness flop sweat.