Help help help

OK - So I've hit a stumbling block with my book. *hates research hate hate
hate*

I have a boy who wants to go to Oxbridge - this is 1960...

He's got an engineering kind of mind, but I don't think degrees in
"Engineering" were actually offered until the 1990's - so what sort of
carreer path would he have? anyone know?

Degree in Maths? or Physics? Then what? Not an apprentice?

Squee - books - Boo.

nassima is a goddess. A little while ago she painted THIS (Lucius/Severus asleep - R) for me and that was wonderful enough - I've had the sketch on my wall ever since, but today I got home and found on my doorstep that she'd sent me the coloured original.

I opened it and sat there weeping. It's SO much more beautiful in real life. For a start it's HUGE, about A3 for Brits, double the size of a piece of printer paper, and it's so detailed, the colours much more vibrant than I imagined on the screen. Thank you so MUCH Nassima - I can't offer you anything that will ever be able to match it. What a wonderfully kind, sweet gift.

It's a lovely thing to take out of fandom, too. And very moot. My boys, forever asleep, forever in love. *wells up*

I'm off to a framing shop on Saturday. Oh dear. That's going to be embarrassing. evremonde do you still do framing? Do you snigger over women who bring naked men in?

I started to read A Many-Splendored Thing and had to stop because I think it will influence me too much for Junction X - but really enjoyed the few chapters I did read. What struck me is that she writes in present tense, then past tense, then present tense, then past tense. I sort of guess why she does it, the present tense seems to be used for the more diary chapters, and the past tense is used for her impressions... I think.

But I have to say, any editor today would probably Make a Fuss. However it's just another thing that shows me that you can break the rules if you do them with style.

Another agent rejection. Quite a nice one, but a wap on the nose with a newspaper, nevertheless.

Many thanks for sending us this proposal, which I read with interest. I considered it carefully but I'm afraid on balance it just doesn't quite grab my imagination in the way that it must for me to offer to represent it. So I must follow my instinct and pass on this occasion. I'm sorry to be so disappointing, but thanks for thinking of us. Of course this is a totally subjective judgement, so do try other agents and I wish you every success.

Ho hum. Onwards and upwards!