For the past few weeks, we’ve been taking Noah, our rambunctious Golden Retriever, to doggie training with a wonderful woman named Madison. The training is conducted at her home, usually with two other goldens. Today, it was just Noah and Jake and during doggie play time in Madison’s backyard, the humans stood around talking.
Madison and Jessie, Jake’s owner, were talking about Madison’s hunt for a publisher for her book on dog training. I overheard her mention how so many publishers won’t even look at unagented material and I remarked that finding an agent is often more difficult that finding a publisher.
“Yeah, even when you have a connection,” Madison said, and stabbed her thumb toward Jessie. “His cousin owns one of the biggest literary agencies in New York.”
“Which agency?” I asked Jessie.
“Writers’ House.”
I exclaimed, “You’re kidding. Who’s your cousin?”
“Al Zuckerman,” he replied.
My jaw dropped. Al sold our synchronicity book and has represented me since 1994. What are the odds?
Jessie was as astounded as we were. We tried to trace the six degrees of separation, with Madison as the connector. It goes something like this:
Rob met Madison through yoga.
Jessie got his golden from the same rescue organization where we got Noah, and called Madison out of the blue, inquiring about the cost of dog training.
Madison has one cost for private training and another for class training, done with a group of dogs. Jessie opted for class training, but there wasn’t any class at the time and Madison gave him the class rate. Her husband chided her for not charging what she’s worth. Her response? “You never know why people enter your life. I just had a feeling. Then it turns out his cousin owns Writers House and I was looking for an agent for my book.” Again, what are the odds?
Another funny layer of synchronicity is found in names. Our previous golden retriever was named Jessie.
Great post and interesting synchros.
It is so fascinating when these things happen.
Beautiful dog!
Love it, love it……Of course!
Sansego – I've submitted to Writer's House a few times in the past, both fiction and nonfiction. You just reminded me how they responded to my queries and submissions.
It's funny to say but Writer's House rejections are my favorites. LOL!
Amazing synchros and six degrees! Great post!
Does anyone walk the perfect path? YOU do, Butternut. You're the american connection to Nepal.You even dream of the Dalai Lama!
I'm gone for a couple of days and I miss everything. Congratulations on the book and the birthday!
You have so many synchros, you must be walking a perfect path.
You just never know who you might be talking to -it pays to be positive. This is a pretty amazing "six degrees."
Noah is my son's name. We have a yellow lab named Jersey. Any connections there?
It's a fantastic agency. I've been there since 1994.
Raksha – why not me?- is the perfect question.
Mike – I love that quote, too.
Dang! Writer's House is one of the literary agencies I've been considering for my novel. Sounds like a great place.
Correcting a typo in my last comment: I meant to say, "But then I never tried to either." (of course) I hate making dumb misteaks!
The synchro for me? Learning just this minute that there was such a person as Al Zuckerman, and that he wrote a book called "Writing the Blockbuster Novel." Ever since yesterday, when I learned that Rob is the author of quite a few Indiana Jones books, I've been thinking: "Hey, why not me?" I've been writing all my life, after all. I've just never gotten paid for it! But then I never really tried either to, because everyone always acted like "getting published" was as likely as winning the lottery. But maybe that's not as true as I was led to believe.
The copy of Al's book on my shelves is very worn from use. 🙂 But it really was a big deal for me to choose to put all fiction projects away and work on a "one-shot-deal" memoir. I did flip through Al's book at that time and took hope at that concept of family stories.
That's why it makes me laugh today. My writing teacher 10 years ago stated I should fictionalize my family stories and so I bought Al's book.
The picture of Noah made me connect the 13 years since what's going on in my life today is another layer of that story and its really weird at the level of connections and themes being repeated.
Stories like this are great and I love the quote: "You never know why people enter your life." How true that is.
Terri – Al's book is fantastic.
Gypsy – I loved that Jessie part of the synchro, too.
Every time you post a picture of Noah, I see my golden Amber who enhanced our lives for 13 years.
Mr. Zuckerman's book, "Writing the Blockbuster Novel" encouraged me to write my memoir because he states great stories are family stories.
I'm feeling this post as a synchro encouragement for me, that I'm doing the right project, writing a family story from 13 years ago. 🙂
oh, what a fabulous six degree trail! i think my favorite degree is where you both got your dogs from the same rescue organization – and the synchro in the jessie name! great story!