The power of advice from other writers!

I recently posted a thread on http://www.absolutewrite.com requesting that my query letter be critiqued. I received four responses, and wow, did it help. They indicated that my description was all over the map, my hook was far from intriguing, I don't explain "what happens in my book" relying on theme, and recommended eliminating certain pieces of information that was either counter-productive, carries no weight, and that I am not even giving my novel a chance because of the title being an imitation of The Da Vinci Code. In one part I was told that in a query it is essential to keep even a complicated thriller simple. The query's focus should be on stating the stakes. The most important piece of advice said, "don't try to sell your book by putting down another, allow your book to sell on its own merits." Indicating my methods of marketing came off as first overly agressive, and secondly left the impression that I really don't know how to market, which is probably not a good image to give to an agent. The last person did indicate that the book looks like an exciting thriller she'd pick up in the bookstore, but the query needs some work to make it shine.

You know, such criticism would have had me in a ball in the corner a few years ago, but now it taught me, excited me, and pushed me to make the query, and the novel, better. As a result, I have changed the name to THE WAY OF DECEPTION, and I am currently totally revamping my query letter. I am forever in debt to these writers that so graciously gave me what I needed (a swift kick in the you-know-what), and I wish there was more of a way to thank them than just saying thank you, but I think just knowing that they helped me is thanks enough.