Thanks for sharing the experience. i just recently quit sending out query letters, I decided the emotional strain was not worth the trouble. I now am working on entering some writing contests to get something noticed on my "resume." I have not won anything yet, although at the time of each entry I am so delusional I actually expect to win. My first entry was decades ago to the AAA magazine. The topic they gave was "My Most Memorable Trip in the West."
On the other hand, I have had responses, letters, phone calls, and article responses from my written correspondence over the years:
1) I wrote a 10 page letter to the newspaper "Salinas Californian" regarding the night a jealous boyfriend trapped me driving my '65 Valiant bracket car in the Burger King drive-through lane. He and a delinquent companion pulled up some 2" X 4"'s supporting some newly planted trees and used them to smash the windows of my vehicle, cutting the arm of the girl riding with me. The cops were very stupid in performing an investigation and arrest.
The newspaper printed an article on the first page of the second section of the paper, including my picture! Not what I expected, but I was overjoyed to have exposed the stupidity of the local cops. (I later became a CHP officer and U.S. Border Patrol Agent).
2) When I began bracket racing, my Dad (paranoid of a law suit) who never gave a damn about participating in my hobby, called his insurance agent. I wrote a letter to "Super Stock" magazine, who printed my letter regarding my question about liability insurance at the track. The magazine editor printed my letter and a brief answer to my question.
3) When I called 411 to find the phone number of a friend in Oxnard with the last name "Garcia", I provided the street address so the operator could find me the correct number. She told me there were too many Garcia's and could not help me, then hung up.
I called the John Steinbeck branch of the Salinas Library where the person answering the phone told me they had an Oxnard phone book on the shelf. The librarian offered to look the number up for me. It only took about 2 minutes and I had the number.
I wrote the "Salinas Californian" a letter, praising the library staff for helping me and expressing my disgust with ATT. The letter was published. I later received either a phone call or letter from an ATT representative apologizing for their lack of customer service. This was back when a human being was still working the information inquiries.
3) I wrote the Catholic Bishop of Sacramento a letter regarding the lack of faith in modern times, and he wrote me back, including a tiny "relic" belonging to Saint Therese of Lisieux. I believe the relic is a fragment of her habit/robe that she wore. (see foto of the young saint)
4) I wrote a letter to a Catholic newspaper explaining I did not believe priests had a "calling" from God, it was a personal decision to choose that vocation. My letter was printed, as well as the letters of two other readers who sent in responses disagreeing with my opinion. This was years and years before the pedophile scandals.
5) I read an article in the San Diego newspaper about a guy who married a girl who was disfigured after suffering extensive burn scars all over her body, including her face. I wrote a letter praising the couple for providing an example of true love and empathizing with their situation after myself having had re-construction facial surgery. (I hit a power pole on my Harley Sportster). My letter was published.
My point is this (which we already know): one can be a very good writer, know how to capture the attention of the reading public, and meet nothing but dead ends when trying to find help publishing a manuscript with an agent or publisher.
