I'm sorry to all the very talented writers out there, but I've quit agenting.

I really liked a lot of things about it. I liked feeling like a part of the publishing industry, this big monster that I was afraid of before. I liked the people involved. I liked my clients and I liked falling in love with stories that I could represent.

But I never, ever had time for it between grad school and parenting. It always got shoved to the back of my schedule and that was never fair to my clients. It's impossible to make that kind of a commitment and go to graduate school, because graduate school by its nature demands all your emotional and mental involvement. Some teachers are really kind, but even those are pushing you and testing you on a level they would never approach with undergraduates. And then there's the little bundle of joy that takes up my time. (Today she fell down the stairs. Again. And she cried so hard for me that Chrissy brought her to the friends' house where I was. Turns out she dislocated her elbow. You see how crazy it gets?)

So sorry world. It had to be done. It may not be forever, though. We'll see what happens with the PhD and all that jazz. If for some reason you're reading this and you sent me something, know that if it's gold it'll get passed on to other agents at the L. Perkins Agency.