Aw, thank you for your lovely comments! I guess it went well because I've been invited back to speak on another topic. I'm having aftershocks—overanalysing everything I said wrong, could’ve, should’ve, etc. I'm really pleased I went ahead with it, though. I'll be sure to post links when it's released in about two weeks. I won’t listen to it, of course.
I’m sending out a fresh round of queries today with my new bio and platform-building efforts. I’m not expecting it to be enough, but I’m an A/B tester who can’t resist dipping my toes in the water. I’m also planning to dedicate the next month writing and pitching essays to periodicals, then get more experience with podcasts.
On a side note, I found an agent on Bluesky doing an AMA for the day. I asked if my memoir matched her requirements for fiction, would she consider my query. She said yes, so I immediately personalised my query based on her go-ahead. It was a rejection because of platform, but she took the time to give me personalised feedback:
"Great title! There is a lot that I find interesting here. I think this topic is fascinating, and you have addressed an interesting niche within the topic."
So, my ghosts have taken on human form at last. It's progress.
