In which a NY literary agent answers your questions and then bites off your head:

"I'm shopping a novel (historical fiction). I have one previous publication, which is a college-text in an unrelated field. Should I mention the book in my query letter?"

This is why you do NOT make a list of three "dream agents" and get all pouty when they say no, or worse, get pouty if they pass it along to an assistant or colleague who DOES like it.

"I sent out maybe fifty queries on a novel about two years ago. No bites. I've since taken some writing courses and entirely rewritten it, though the basic plot and title, which I love, remain the same. When I send out queries now, with a totally different letter, might agents recognize it from before and not even read it? Would it be a good idea to change the title and even alter my name slightly so they don't recognize it as something they've already passed on?"

"Just sent in my query to EvilEditor and he brought to my attention that there is such a thing as ' too short a book'. My own is just about 40,000 words for a non-fiction piece. Will this be a big problem when soliciting an agent?"

"What are the chances that the NYC publishing houses and/or literary agencies would take a chance on someone who is well into her 30s and willing to start at the bottom of the barrel along with the just-graduated 22-year-olds?"

"Question: Would I be exhibiting nitwit behavior if I asked said agent if she could recommend an editor (book doctor) who works in this genre?"