Have You Seen My Manuscript Bag?

Tip of the Day: This is the perfect time of year to plan a trip to your local Farmer's Market. With fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic and onions, you can be a "localvore" and make sauce to freeze.

Have you seen my missing manuscript bag? It's a cheap, camouflage messenger bag I got on sale at Clare's. I bring it to conferences and in-person critique group meetings. I've lost some very valuable things! It contains:

1. Critiques from my crit group members, and possibly some that I owe members. I know, hard copy seems so 1980s, but it really comes in handy during revisions. I'm not that great at switching between too many screens. I scribble notes from several electronic critiques onto one hard copy critique from a trusted reader.

2. Conference handouts, including editor's addresses and secret conference "passwords."

3. Books my crit group members and I trade. There's a novel from Deena I really wanted to read in that bag!

4. Notes from crit group meetings, like story ideas, title brainstorming, gossip, and the name of that website "I have to check out."

5. Hand lotion, pretty pens and fancy paper clips.

So if you have seen this bag, please let me know right away. My husband knew I was worried, so he searched my car for me. Then he left the hatchback light on overnight. Sigh. Thanks anyway, sweetie.

-- Kate, Miss Perfecting the Pages