Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Are You Feeling Lucky, Punk?

First off, just a picture to show the frogs are still around! We'd feared the cold nights had driven our green friends underground, but now proof that they are hanging in there.

Jean-Bob


Luck. So much of life relies on luck, and that certainly includes the query trenches. So I was wondering what sort of superstitions do people rely on to bring them luck.

I will admit to being superstitious when it comes to sports. I've resorted to sitting in the same seat for each game, wearing the same clothes, and even eating the same food. Back when the Cubs were in the playoff--yes it did happen--I sat on the same spot on the floor for each game, listening to the game on the radio, while watching it on TV with the sound turned off. (Those national TV announcers just weren't the same. Much too fair-minded, give both sides equal time. Who needs that?)

As far as querying, I might have had a trick up my sleeve. A little something my son brought me back from his trip to Japan in June.




This is no ordinary strange white fox. It's a lucky fox spirit. This spirit called Kitsune, or Japanese for fox, is able to henge or shapeshift. Besides being the messenger of the harvest spirit, Oinari, and known for luring the opposite sex when in it's human form, Kitsune is also considered by some to be lucky.

I may or may not have plunked my Kitsune down on my nightstand and given him a pet each night. I may or may not have wished my lucky fox would bring me an agent.

But I do know that two months later, that wish came true. 

So do I still pet Kitsune each night now that I'm on submission? What do you think?

Time for your confession. What lengths do you go to to secure your luck? What tricks have worked for you?

7 comments:

  1. Ah luck, a fickle mistress at best. I admit to being fairly superstitious when it comes to sports even though I KNOW my actions cannot change the outcome of players who train professionally (though, the logic part of my brain wants to run stats on the number of times my team has scored while I was away from the screen!).

    I love luck, but I think Luck dumped me. I queried an agent who said she liked stuff like mine. She requested a partial. I did the happy dance. It comes back with a big fat R (personalized at least). Turns out, she can't stand elves. My elf showed up on page 16

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  2. I guess blogger was done listening to that story. Ah well, some other day.

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  3. Well, I'm unpublished so far, but I have a smooth piece of Indian jasper that's a specked mix of cream, sienna and gold that I rub when I send out a query. It was my grandmother's (she's gone now but don't be sad, she lived a fun life until age 96). It brought her luck, and I hope it does the same for me.

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    1. What a sweet confession. Very heartwarming. I'm sure it will bring you luck.

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  4. It hasn't worked for writing yet (but I feel like it might!)...but (and this might be silly) I "talk" to three people: my grandmothers (both now deceased) and my favorite musician (also deceased). We "talk" nightly...and whenever I dream of my favorite musician, something good usually happens. I've dreamt of him twice this month...and next month I send out my first feelers of project #2. Ironically, I dreamt of his after I decided to start prepping project #2 for querying..and everything has fallen right into place for me. *fingers crossed*

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