I NEED ONE MINUTE OF YOUR HELP

Mr. Smith was my favorite teacher in middle school, an adept 6th-grade math instructor who found a way to keep me in lock-step with the numerical whizzes to my left and right. This says a lot for a girl who’d give anything to play with words all day. I loved his math class, but I had a lot of questions. My longer-than-everyone-else’s arm was always waving in the air (I’ve been tall since birth. Terri said everyone would catch up one day, but in fact, everyone did not catch up.).

A few months into the year Mr. Smith turned away from the chalkboard to notice my hand raised in the air like a flagpole, again. He asked the whole room to look my way.

Why is Maxie the only one asking questions? I’ve seen your homework. I know you’re not all getting it. Maxie, thank you for having the courage to raise your hand.

Little does that man know, this moment emboldened me and set me on a path of forever asking questions. A career of it. I’ll ask you to explain what the heck “truculent” means or what part of your boss's comment got you so fired up, or what your future self would tell you to do in this situation.

But today I’ve got four of the most important questions I’ve ever asked.

Will you take one minute and answer them for me?

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Question 1: Have you purchased a historical novel in the last 12 months?

Question 2: Would you be excited to read a novel (by me), set in the 1890s with a strong, female lead? 

Question 3: If I published this historical novel, would you buy it? 

Question 4: What’s your favorite genre of fiction?

Submit your answers

From these questions, you already have a sense of what I’m getting at. That Novel is written and being considered by decision-makers, and I want to give my team some extra ammo in the form of data about your reading preferences (trying not to lead the witness here!). This book has taken three years to get to this stage. It’s probably the most work, love, tears and sweat that I’ve ever given anything. And it’s a damn good book. Your answers will help my team as we fight for That Novel to find her perfect home.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. And thank you to Mr. Smith for reminding me to keep my hand raised when I’m feeling blocked. We’re always just one answer away from moving forward again.

Woman on xx!