Update

So, the owner of the agency wrote back and said my agent is no longer with the agency. She said she is trying to get a submission list from her. Apparently they work very independently. The bummer here is I can't look for a new agent with that book without a submission history.

I have a right to be furious, I know. Strangely, I'm not. I almost want to laugh. Not in a belly-chuckle kind of way, but in a 'okay universe, I've got your number' kind of way. I'm beginning to notice a pattern in life, in mine anyway. I go along...la de da da...and bam, something that could be construed as a negative event comes along and derails whatever I was trying to do. I know this happens to everyone. I'm just noticing my pattern as an observer.

The funny thing about this though is if I wait awhile, something useful always comes out on the other side. Something better. So, I guess that's why I was frustrated at first, confused, a bit down but now that I've had a chance to think about it, I'm actually excited. I've gotten a bunch of good advice from writers much wiser in the mysterious ways of the publishing industry than I. After processing it all, I''ve decided on a plan that feels like the right course of action and am looking forward to a new adventure.

Here's the plan: I'll wait two weeks to see if the agency comes up with a submission history. If they don't, I will operate with the assumption it wasn't submitted at all. I'll revise the book, which by the way, I'm changing back to my original title 'Sahara's Song', solicit some blurbs and requery. Meanwhile, I will work on book 2, which I'm about to throw myself into because I'm at that point finally where the story is pouring out. Love this point with a capital L!

Yes, it is a daunting task to revisit book 1 on these terms but I'm up for it...or I'm just stubborn.

Lots of work, long road ahead...still happy.