Mandy Hubbard's Blog, page 9

Ummm

That sound you just heard was me screeching because... YOU WISH is shipping fromB&N.com! 

The one with the recap....

So, my trip to NYC was a whirlwind of meetings, dinner dates, and general fun.

I flew in on a red-eye flight Sunday evening, and managed to sleep four whole hours, which trust me, was SO AWESOME becuase last year I only managed 45 minutes.

My first meeting was an hour after I got to the hotel, so I took a shower, threw on some clothes, and hoped I didn't look like I'd been traveling for the last 18 hours. I met up with my lovely agent, Zoe Shacham,  who is basically adorable personified. She ...

On the state of the market...

I got back from NYC on Sunday! Man, it was an intense, whirlwind trip, but so much fun. It's amazing how easily you can fill an hour, talking about books and nothing else. Or Veronica Mars. That too. ;-)

Anyway, I wanted to do a quick-- and hopefully encouraging-- post about what editors are excited about, looking for, etc.

First the elephant in the room: Yep, there are more vampires and werewolves coming. Actually, the majority of the editors I visited had at least one "big" Vamp or Werewolf ...

Friday 5- the NYC edition!

1. Sunday, I am flying out. To here:

In the make believe, hollywood version of my trip, I strut down the sidewalks in four inch heels while syrupy pop music blasts out, just like the opening credits to THE CITY. You know, that one show on MTV I totally DO NOT watch.

In the real version, I'm schlepping around the city in converse, more sweaty than swanky.

2. I have 23 meetings. TWENTY THREE, people. I'll do a mega post later, after the trip, recapping how the meetings went and what sorts of stu...

Discussion post: Where do you get your ideas?

The most oft-asked question a writer gets is, arguably, "Where do you get your ideas?"

Someday I'll come up with a witty reply. Like, "Safeway. Freezer Section. Right next to the frozen pretzels. There's a whole bunch of ideas, just sitting there. Don't grab those ones in front, though, they're kind of freezer-burned."

The thing is, every time someone asks me this question, I want to channel Lucas from Empire Records:
I mean, come on. It's not like I have some kind of top secret method. I don...

The one with all the book reviews... and a CONTEST!

I haven't done a book round up in a while, so here goes:

In TEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU by Julia Quinn, Annabel is destined to marry a rich dude she can't stand, just to save her family from dire straights. But rich dude's newphew, Sebastian, is far more appealing.

That's really all you need to know about the subject, becuase, COME ON, It's a Julia Quinn regency romance. And you KNOW Julia's witty dialogue reins supreme, and TEN THINGS Is no exception. I actually found myself giggling. A lot. ...

The process of a book: A primer for newbies

A slightly tongue-in-cheek guide for your road to publication:

Step 1: You write the damn book. Yeah, this part is a lot of work. That's what seperates the wussies from the real writers. But that part you knew, right?

Step 2: You revise the damn book. And this doesn't mean running spell check or having your bff Sally proof read it. It means finding critique partners who you may never meet in real life, and trusting them to rip apart your book with a red pen. You'll wallow, you'll cry, and you'...

A single line can change your career...

A few weeks ago, during an #askagent session on twitter, I mentioned something about how I HIGHLY Reccomend that writers add a small line, toward the end of the query, about other projects.

This seemed to catch people off guard, and I got a flurry of responses saying, "What?! I thought we had to focus on one project only!" "But everyone else says "ONE AT A TIME!"

But you know what? I've ended up signing a client becuase of that line. And another agent chimed in and said the exact same thing.

A simple PS can change your career...

A few weeks ago, during an #askagent session on twitter, I mentioned something about how I HIGHLY Reccomend that writers add a small line, toward the end of the query, about other projects.

This seemed to catch people off guard, and I got a flurry of responses saying, "What?! I thought we had to focus on one project only!" "But everyone else says "ONE AT A TIME!"

But you know what? I've ended up signing a client becuase of that line. And another agent chimed in and said the exact same thing.

Random Wednesday

*I broke my wireless on my laptop yesterday. Sigh. The switch wasn't working, so naturally I popped it off and shoved a shishkabob stick in there. Turns out all that's good for is abruptly shutting the computer off.

*I am now offering my computer repair services! Really resasonable rates. Just email me.

*I just wanted to see if anyone was really reading this.

*I got to see a preliminary RIPPLE cover! It amazes me this will be my third YA. Tentatively scheduled for August, 2011!
Edited to add:...