I recently gave my novel-in-progress, Thirty Minutes Or Less, its first peek at daylight. Specifically, I sent off a query letter and the first five pages to a very respectable literary agent.

Well, strike one. Although he was polite and indirectly complimentary, he said, “No thanks.” Am I disappointed? Sure. But marketing a novel is never an easy task, so it’s sure to be the first of many “No thanks” emails ahead before the novel finally lands somewhere.

I believe this one will. Of course, like any proud parent, I believe all of them will, until they don’t. But this is my first serious stab at a complete novel in well over a decade, and I’m a much better, more experienced writer these days than I was back then.

I have to believe this one will land sunny-side up.

Unless, of course, it doesn’t. In which case, it’s not as much fun as hitting golf balls around, but a heck of a lot less expensive.