I've set myself a couple of tasks for the remainder of the week. I'll note them down here for the sake of a little greater accountability.

First off, I'm hoping to use a verse from the Eurythmics' "Missionary Man" as an epigram at the start of the book. I need to look up their publishing company, figure out whom to approach, and write for permission. I know it will probably cost money, but I'm not sure how much. This is going to be an interesting and educational process.

I also want to include a few lines from a tune from the old Primary songbook for children, "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission." Trying to get permission for that one should be even more interesting.

Also, I need to get some query letters to magazines pounded out. Another step in the manuscript-selling process, as outlined by Shawna and me, is to sell excerpts from the book to magazines. I'm handling that bit, and the names at the top of the list are The New Yorker, Atlantic Monthly, Rolling Stone, Playboy, and, er, Maxim.

(Yes, to be honest, I'm rather more embarrassed about Maxim than about Playboy, but Shawna insists it's a great market for this kind of stuff. There's a chapter about my companion and I teaching a discussion to this really hot woman with a deep V-neck sweater and no undies that would probably be perfect for either market.)

Anyway, I have my copy of Writer's Market 2002, and shall get my queries out in short order. And I will return and report.