Finally, the Penn degree means something

Over the weekend I was doing some research on the literary agent who had just requested the full MS of The Frontier Team, and found out that he went to Penn at the same time I did. I went back and forth over whether I should contact him again and tell him that. I finally decided to do it, and 10 minutes after I sent that email I got this back:

Wow, I wonder if we were in any classes together--­I was English/creative writing and took 19 classes, and grew to have a pretty intense love/hate relationship with Bennett Hall (which I understand has been completely renovated and even has air conditioning now!)…

I look forward to reading your book.

Best,

Josh

To some people, though not to me (wouldn't do it again), it means a lot to have gone to Penn. That's what made me come down on the side of sending the agent a short email to that effect, even at the risk of it seeming that I was bugging him (agents hate to be bugged). So, it was the right decision! My fingers are crossed, although not too tightly because then I couldn't type.