Today is the twenty-sixthin a series of posts by San-Diego-based writer Thomas Shess who has decided to keep a journal on his journey to find a publisher for his novel.

Hit the Hangouts-When I first began this journal outlining my search for a publisher or an agent (or both) for my new novel, one of the first bits of advice came from Cathy Anderson, the Chief of San Diego's Film Commission. She said simply try to hang around where agents go. "If they're at a conference-go to that conference."

Peer Pressure--Ex-Sleuth Tom Basinski, a true crime writer (more about his upcoming book next spring in a future column) called wondering if I was going to the 20th Annual Southern California Writers' Conference in San Diego next month. Tom is like me he's made his mark writing non-fiction, but his passion is fiction. "There will be at least ten literary agents there," he said. That was good enough for me to grab a brochure.

Agents in the House. The San Diego Writers conference is touting the presence of the following agents and publishers: Sunbelt Publications Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Redmond has just been added to the Advance Submission Readers list. She'll be accepting fiction, nonfiction and short stories... . Ken Atchity, author & AEI Literary Management CEO is the keynote speaker and is already booked solid for reading advance submissions.
Castiglia Literary Agency's Sally Van Haitsma is also closed to advance submissions. But Kelly Skillen and Regina Brooks are freshly sighed on to do advance submissions as is Little, Brown and Company editor Michael Mezzo.

From Trident Media Group, one of Book Publishing Report's top-ranked agents, Scott Miller, will be accepting advance submissions, as will Ken Sherman and Paul S. Levine.

Late Bard. Well I procrastinated and missed the "early bard special" ($50 off) if you sign up before puberty. So, I paid full rate--$365--including an advance 20-page submission reading of my novel by Trident Media's Scott Miller. The event is Feb. 17-20 in San Diego's Red Lion Hotel.

Badges. My pal Basinski, the ex-DA investigator and bodyguard is joining me. We've both promised ourselves to attend with minds open and mouths shut and plastic badges primly attached. We're there to learn and anything good that happens is gravy. More info on the conference.

Off Campus. San Diego in February is usually sunny. We have a false spring about that time before we hit the rainy season in March and April. A real soaker of a rainy season is ten inches for the entire year. The new Ball Park district downtown is hot. The adjoining Gaslamp Quarter is worth the trolley ride from Mission Valley, where the Red Lion is located. For editors, agents, publishers and fellow writers, I have a list of hot restaurants and literary dives free for the asking; TomShess@aol.com.

If you can't make it to San Diego, I'd like to remind any literary agent that my first recently completed thriller is ready to go. Drop me an e-mail for a pithy synopsis.

* Because it's a jungle out there.