To continue yesterday's story, I need to backtrack a little to introduce you to my agent and friend, the late Ray Peekner, who plays a major part in the history of DL. I was an aspiring writer in need of an agent in the early 80s. I worked an editor at the time for a very small publisher in Kansas City. We published "Missouriana" books for kids. No agent ever bothered to contact us, so I was amazed to receive a letter and a ms from the Ray Peekner Literary agency out of New York and Milwaukee. The ms was titled "Pug-Wud-Gee Land" and Mr. Peekner promised that it was greater than Lord of the Rings. I read it and it was the worst writing ever! I was so angry at Mr. Peekner, I sent him a letter that read, "This is awful. May an orc eat you for breakfast." To my chagrin, I received a letter back from Mr. Peekner! I was mortified, certain I had been blacklisted by agencies everywhere. (To be continued.)