January 2025, I received an encouraging note from Farley Chase, Chase Literary NY, part of which read: “I think this is great. I like the art, I like the message, and I like the voice and mood. Feels like a classic to me.” This was Farley’s initial response to a now earlier version of The City Noises. Farley did not offer immediate representation, but instead the promise of such if we could get on the same page editorially. Unfortunately, I proceeded then to stretch Farley’s editorial wherewithal to the breaking point with one too many revisions. A lesson learned…