I'm teaching again this fall in Portland

I'm going to be teaching mystery and thriller writing again this fall in Portland. With two books a year (one adult and one YA) for the foreseeable future, this will probably be the last time I do this for a while. I've got two spots left. The 10-week class will be begin Sunday, September 13, at Annie Blooms Books. Email me if you are interested in learning more. aprilhenrymysteries (at) yahoo (dot) com.

The mail I get

This week I got an email with an offer. Stripping out the contact info, it says: === I have written an action-adventure novel (complete at 206,000 words). The work has been has been edited, and it has undergone extensive rewriting. It should be awfully close to publish-ready! Due to a recent financial disaster, I’m forced to sell the manuscript outright as quickly as I possibly can. My goal was to have it published, but that is no longer an option. I need whatever money I can get from this work as quickly as I can possibly get it. Call it an emergency, and you won’t be wrong by much. The book offers plenty of action, drama, and intrigue; a touch of romance, a few near-disasters, and a number of scenes that will touch your heart. I know you’re a busy professional. I also know the book has the potential to become a serious “hit” for someone with foresight who has the ability to do something with it. === A. 206,000 is too long. At least twice too long. B. Why would an author buy someone else's book, when she could write her own? C. And why would a publisher buy a book from someone who hasn't authored the book? Pretty much every publisher right now wants an author who has a platform, or failing that, someone who is willing to promote, part of which involves telling about your relationship to the book you wrote. D. Nothing right now is a sure thing in the publishing world. E. And who says authors have a lot of money - money that they want to throw at something that is definitely less than a sure thing? F. I hope you have a back up plan.