Have a ten-leaf clover (or three)!

Tip of the Day: If you want to spend more time writing, do NOT, under any circumstances, become an adventurer in Kingdom of Loathing at www.kingdomofloathing.com. I only provide the website addy so you know what to avoid.

TV is not a time suck for me, but I do get sucked into computer games. Right now my biggest time suck is Kingdom of Loathing, an old-school role playing game with a wicked sense of humor. Special products can be purchased from the Hermit, who offers ten-leaf clovers for sale. The ten-leaf clovers increase your luck in the game but there are only a few available for sale, usually three.

In honor of St. Patrick's week, I'm not going to use my three ten-leaf clovers to get special quest items (although I really need an antique rusty spear to give my enemies tetanus). I'm going to spend them on YOU.

For my first ten-leaf clover, the next communication you receive from an agent or editor will have a drastically increased chance of being good news.

For my second ten-leaf clover, this week you will be struck by inspiration and the idea you get will WORK.

For my third ten-leaf clover, there will be a time block in your near future without kids' birthday parties, family commitments, car inspections, dentist appointments or, in fact, anything but writing.

Since I've passed my ten-leaf clovers on to you, you don't have to forward any chain emails to reap the rewards of good luck. They're yours. But I'd love to hear from you when your ordered luck comes in!

Have I been the recipient of any writing ten-leaf clovers? Oh, definitely. My best luck has been connecting with my talented critique partner, our Wednesday Miss Subbing for Pubbing, Deena. She has shared her time and advice with me so generously, encouragingly, and meaningfully that I know my writing would never have reached the level it's at today without her. She met me back when I didn't know what an agent was and she's been my mentor ever since. This is how I found her: my friend Jason told me "So I play poker with this guy whose wife is a librarian arranging a teen book festival and you really should go and meet her."

I didn't meet the librarian, but Deena and I recognized each other from someplace we both worked, started chatting, and the rest is history. I wonder how to break it to Jason that I got better luck from his poker games than he has.

This is also how I learned to tell people that I'm a writer. It's tempting when you're starting out to want to keep it a secret, but you never know if the person you talk to is holding your ten-leaf clover.

I have another wonderful critique partner, Kelley, who I met when I was feeling so discouraged, I was planning on giving up writing. I spent the afternoon in bed, swearing I was done. My daughter had arranged a McDonalds dinner with the new kid in school, so I dragged myself out of my funk to drive her to dinner. The mother of the new kid was Kelley, who was new to town, writing a YA novel, and searching for a critique group. It was like an instant shot of enthusiasm for me. The timing was so critical. We talked for hours and I knew by the end of the night that I didn't want to give up.

We'll be talking about writing luck all week here at Author2Author, so come on in and let the Blarney Stone rub off on you. Happy St. Patrick's Day, stay away from the soda bread, and let us know about the ten-leaf clovers you've gotten.

-- Kate, Miss Perfecting the Pages