Michelle Hauck's Blog, page 134
July 29, 2013
Query Questions with Tamar Rydzinski
Before we get to the interview, the details for my Agent Greeting contest are here. The prize is a query critique by mystery agents who will be announced Wednesday. And there are now three four agents involved, which means three four winners and a runner-up! And it's official, there will be four agents and one of them, hint hint, is doing this interview!
Writers have copious amounts of imagination. It's what makes their stories so fantastic. But there's a darker side to so much out of the box thinking. When a writer is in the query trenches, their worries go into overdrive. They start pulling out their hair and imagine every possible disaster.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions.
Please welcome Tamar Rydzinski of the Laura Dail Literary Agency shares her answers to common query questions. Thank you so much Ms. Rydzinski for taking the time to respond and ease some fears about the query process.
Is there a particular time of year that is better to query?
Nope!
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?
It depends. If the typo is in my name, then that makes me think the querier isn't being careful and that isn't something I appreciate. However, we all mistype sometimes. And we all make grammatical mistakes. So if there aren't many, then I have overlooked mistakes in the past.
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?
As long as the query is decent, I will look at the sample pages included.
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript?
I don't mind chit-chat, so long as it's applicable. Like, I read ____ that you represent and loved it and think my manuscript is similar in these ways ______. That works for me.
Writing, I see you live in New York so you'll definitely like my query. That doesn't work because it's super general and you're not telling me why the place I live relates in any way to your manuscript.
Is there a bias against querying authors who have self-published other books?
Nope. But don't bash self-publishing or traditional publishing! Authors make choices for specific reasons. If you chose to self-publish because you believed in the quality of your work but it's a paranormal YA and you knew it would be difficult to find a traditional publisher, that's a valid, smart decision. And perhaps it helped you build an audience. Don't knock that decision.
Have you form rejected great projects you think could be accepted elsewhere or do you try to give some feedback?
I do form reject great projects that someone else might love but aren't right for me.
What themes are you sick of seeing?
I get a ton of queries for Holocaust books. I've yet to request one.
What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?
Sci-fi. Either YA or adult.Contemporary women's fiction--a big, sweeping story.Middle grade adventure.
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?
I'll give you three of my favorite books I've read this year (my clients not included, of course):
Defiance by CJ Redwine. I love dual perspectives. I love strong women and men who respect strong women.
Out With It by Katherine Preston. I love books that make me see the world in a way I have never seen it before, and this memoir did that for me.
Defending Jacob by William Landay. I'm only half way through, but am totally obsessed. I love the way this book is structured and Andy is an incredibly strong narrator.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tamar Rydzinski worked at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates prior to joining the Laura Dail Literary Agency. She graduated from Yeshiva University in 2003 with a major in literature and a minor in business.
Tamar is not interested in prescriptive or practical non-fiction, humor, coffee table books or children’s books (meaning anything younger than middle grade). She is interested in everything else that is well-written and has great characters, including graphic novels. A fantastic query letter is essential – “you need to make me want to read your book, and be excited to read it,” she says, “with those first couple of paragraphs.”
Follow her on twitter @trydzinski
Writers have copious amounts of imagination. It's what makes their stories so fantastic. But there's a darker side to so much out of the box thinking. When a writer is in the query trenches, their worries go into overdrive. They start pulling out their hair and imagine every possible disaster.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions.
Please welcome Tamar Rydzinski of the Laura Dail Literary Agency shares her answers to common query questions. Thank you so much Ms. Rydzinski for taking the time to respond and ease some fears about the query process.
Is there a particular time of year that is better to query?
Nope!
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?
It depends. If the typo is in my name, then that makes me think the querier isn't being careful and that isn't something I appreciate. However, we all mistype sometimes. And we all make grammatical mistakes. So if there aren't many, then I have overlooked mistakes in the past.
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?
As long as the query is decent, I will look at the sample pages included.
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript?
I don't mind chit-chat, so long as it's applicable. Like, I read ____ that you represent and loved it and think my manuscript is similar in these ways ______. That works for me.
Writing, I see you live in New York so you'll definitely like my query. That doesn't work because it's super general and you're not telling me why the place I live relates in any way to your manuscript.
Is there a bias against querying authors who have self-published other books?
Nope. But don't bash self-publishing or traditional publishing! Authors make choices for specific reasons. If you chose to self-publish because you believed in the quality of your work but it's a paranormal YA and you knew it would be difficult to find a traditional publisher, that's a valid, smart decision. And perhaps it helped you build an audience. Don't knock that decision.
Have you form rejected great projects you think could be accepted elsewhere or do you try to give some feedback?
I do form reject great projects that someone else might love but aren't right for me.
What themes are you sick of seeing?
I get a ton of queries for Holocaust books. I've yet to request one.
What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?
Sci-fi. Either YA or adult.Contemporary women's fiction--a big, sweeping story.Middle grade adventure.
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?
I'll give you three of my favorite books I've read this year (my clients not included, of course):
Defiance by CJ Redwine. I love dual perspectives. I love strong women and men who respect strong women.
Out With It by Katherine Preston. I love books that make me see the world in a way I have never seen it before, and this memoir did that for me.
Defending Jacob by William Landay. I'm only half way through, but am totally obsessed. I love the way this book is structured and Andy is an incredibly strong narrator.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tamar Rydzinski worked at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates prior to joining the Laura Dail Literary Agency. She graduated from Yeshiva University in 2003 with a major in literature and a minor in business.
Tamar is not interested in prescriptive or practical non-fiction, humor, coffee table books or children’s books (meaning anything younger than middle grade). She is interested in everything else that is well-written and has great characters, including graphic novels. A fantastic query letter is essential – “you need to make me want to read your book, and be excited to read it,” she says, “with those first couple of paragraphs.”
Follow her on twitter @trydzinski
July 27, 2013
Agent Greeting Contest
Dear Sweetie-pie Agent:
Announcing my teeny-tiny contest. I know very well that writers love to experiment on their queries, tweaking words and sentences, creating version after version. Obsessing over whether it is good enough. The only area where you can have fun and relax is the greeting, which no one will ever see because it is doomed to be replaced with your dream agent's name.
On August 5th, I will launch a post in which you can comment with your best and most imaginative Dear Agent greeting. One entry per customer, but no limit to the creativity. Well, one limit. Keep it clean. Obscene comments will be deleted.
Dear Hearts-forever Agent:
In return, please be a follower of this blog. If you feel like shouting about your greeting, which I'd appreciate, use the hash #agentgreeting. Querying can be a depressing business. I want this to be fun and twitter makes everything fun.
Dear Smarticus Agent:
I'm sure you are wondering about the prize. I will randomly draw one winner on August 7th, who will receive an email query critique from a generous real-life dream agent. A runner-up winner will receive a copy of Summer's Double Edge, featuring my short story Frost and Fog. Runner-up winner must live in the United States or Canada. First place winner can live anywhere.
Winners must get in touch with me to claim their prizes. Runner-up winner must provide their address.
If--that's right if--other agents volunteer their critique skills, I will draw more than one winner. UPDATE: I now have two agents. We'll see if I can find some more!
So that's it. I will give more details about the agent next week. Stay tuned.
Announcing my teeny-tiny contest. I know very well that writers love to experiment on their queries, tweaking words and sentences, creating version after version. Obsessing over whether it is good enough. The only area where you can have fun and relax is the greeting, which no one will ever see because it is doomed to be replaced with your dream agent's name.
On August 5th, I will launch a post in which you can comment with your best and most imaginative Dear Agent greeting. One entry per customer, but no limit to the creativity. Well, one limit. Keep it clean. Obscene comments will be deleted.
Dear Hearts-forever Agent:
In return, please be a follower of this blog. If you feel like shouting about your greeting, which I'd appreciate, use the hash #agentgreeting. Querying can be a depressing business. I want this to be fun and twitter makes everything fun.
Dear Smarticus Agent:
I'm sure you are wondering about the prize. I will randomly draw one winner on August 7th, who will receive an email query critique from a generous real-life dream agent. A runner-up winner will receive a copy of Summer's Double Edge, featuring my short story Frost and Fog. Runner-up winner must live in the United States or Canada. First place winner can live anywhere.
Winners must get in touch with me to claim their prizes. Runner-up winner must provide their address.
If--that's right if--other agents volunteer their critique skills, I will draw more than one winner. UPDATE: I now have two agents. We'll see if I can find some more!
So that's it. I will give more details about the agent next week. Stay tuned.
July 26, 2013
Summer Query Extravaganza 17
You know the drill. Contact me on twitter if you want your query showcased. Comment on the query before and after yours. All query critiques are subjective. And rabbits don't come out of my hat, but I'll do my best. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Buy one and I'll throw in a set of free steak knives, just pay separate shipping and handling fees.
The announcement about my baby contest called Agent Greetings will be up tomorrow. Stay tuned. Now here's number 17:
As sent to me:
Dear Agent of Unfathomable Wisdom and Impeccable Taste,
Ian Jonas was a rock star. He was a Super Bowl winning quarterback, a secret agent, a soldier, and a consort to the stars. Ian has been all of those things and many more, because Ian Jonas is awesome at dreaming. Doctors call him a habitual lucid dreamer, but what it means to Ian is that the best part of every day is the time he spends asleep, in a world that’s been all his for as long as he can remember.
In the real world, Ian is a tech reporter in the suburbs of D.C., living with his wife and young daughter. His hum-drum picket-fence life is upended, though, when one of his many Hollywood dream romances, Alyssa May, calls him in the waking world. Ian finds out that he and Alyssa can be in other people’s dreams, and they are not the only ones. Only a handful of people around the world can do what Ian and Alyssa can, including those who abuse that talent in a way that Alyssa is all too familiar with. When Alyssa begs for Ian’s help, the monsters from her past follow her to Ian and into the dreams of his wife and daughter, where a maestro of nightmares gives Ian a choice: give him Alyssa, or he will destroy the minds of Ian’s family.
If Ian can’t figure out how to stop a practiced dream terrorist, he’ll have to sacrifice his sanity, his family, and his promise to protect an innocent starlet whose connection to him goes back farther than either of them know. With Alyssa’s help, Ian has to master a world he never knew was real or lose everything.
NIGHTLIVES is an adult modern fantasy novel complete at 55,000 words which will appeal to fans of Jim Butcher and Kelly Armstrong.
Thank you for your time,
[Name redacted for national security reasons]
Now with some nutty girl's comments:
Dear Agent of Unfathomable Wisdom and Impeccable Taste, Now that's a greeting! But use a colon for a business letter after the greeting. Dear Kissy agent:
Ian Jonas was a rock star. He was a Super Bowl winning quarterback, a secret agent, a soldier, and a consort to the stars. Ian has been all of those things and many more, because Ian Jonas is awesome at dreaming. I'm a little worried about the originality factor because I guessed this conclusion. Why not skip the sentence telling us he is a dreamer and let the reader figure it out. Try it this way: Rock star. Super bowl winning quarterback. Secret Agent. Soldier. Lover of the famous. Ian Jonas has been all these and more. Doctors call him a habitual lucid dreamer, but what it means to Ian is that the best part of every day is the time he spends the best part of every day asleep, in a pretend world that’s been all his for as long as he can remember.
In the real world, Ian is a tech reporter in the suburbs of D.C., living with his wife and young daughter. His hum-drumcomma picket-fence life is upended, though, when one of his many Hollywood dream romances, Alyssa May, calls him in the waking world. Which makes me wonder about Ian's likeability if he's been cheating on his wife in his 'real' dreams. Ian finds out that filtering He and Alyssa can be stronger verb- invade in other people’s dreams, and they are not the only ones. Only a handful of people around the world can do what Ian and Alyssa can, including those who Dark terrorists abuse that talent in a way that Alyssa is all too familiar with be specific--by taking off the head of anyone who threatens them/influencing the powerful. When Alyssa begs for Ian’s help, The monsters from her Alyssa's past follow her to Ian and into the dreams of his wife and daughter. where A maestro of nightmares gives Ian a choice: give him surrender Alyssa, or he will destroy the minds of Ian’s family. I like maestro of nightmares. That's a nice phrase!
If Ian can’t figure out how to stop a practiced maestro? dream terrorist, he’ll have to sacrifice his sanity, his family, and his promise to protect an innocent starlet whose connection to him goes back farther than either of them know. I'm not sure I'd dwell on the relationship with the starlet if they cheated together. But that's my old-fashioned taste. With Alyssa’s help, Ian has to master a world he never knew was real or lose everything.
NIGHTLIVES is an adult modern fantasy novel complete at 55,000 words which will appeal to fans of Jim Butcher and Kelly Armstrong. Oh, this is a very low word count for adult fantasy. It worries me and will probably be a red flag for agents. Big fan of Jim Butcher! Reading his Dresden series now.
Thank you for your time,
[Name redacted for national security reasons] Hello, redacted!
Wordy, but I think everything needed is here for this query. Plot, stakes. I would like a little more about the MC's personality. We don't know much about him. Does he feel guilt for what he's done to his family, getting them involved? Guilt should be a big part of him. Maybe use some adjectives to give a taste of him.
I'm also a little worried about word count and that this is a concept that has been done often. You really need to play up with is unique with your story. Best of luck and I hope this helps.
The announcement about my baby contest called Agent Greetings will be up tomorrow. Stay tuned. Now here's number 17:
As sent to me:
Dear Agent of Unfathomable Wisdom and Impeccable Taste,
Ian Jonas was a rock star. He was a Super Bowl winning quarterback, a secret agent, a soldier, and a consort to the stars. Ian has been all of those things and many more, because Ian Jonas is awesome at dreaming. Doctors call him a habitual lucid dreamer, but what it means to Ian is that the best part of every day is the time he spends asleep, in a world that’s been all his for as long as he can remember.
In the real world, Ian is a tech reporter in the suburbs of D.C., living with his wife and young daughter. His hum-drum picket-fence life is upended, though, when one of his many Hollywood dream romances, Alyssa May, calls him in the waking world. Ian finds out that he and Alyssa can be in other people’s dreams, and they are not the only ones. Only a handful of people around the world can do what Ian and Alyssa can, including those who abuse that talent in a way that Alyssa is all too familiar with. When Alyssa begs for Ian’s help, the monsters from her past follow her to Ian and into the dreams of his wife and daughter, where a maestro of nightmares gives Ian a choice: give him Alyssa, or he will destroy the minds of Ian’s family.
If Ian can’t figure out how to stop a practiced dream terrorist, he’ll have to sacrifice his sanity, his family, and his promise to protect an innocent starlet whose connection to him goes back farther than either of them know. With Alyssa’s help, Ian has to master a world he never knew was real or lose everything.
NIGHTLIVES is an adult modern fantasy novel complete at 55,000 words which will appeal to fans of Jim Butcher and Kelly Armstrong.
Thank you for your time,
[Name redacted for national security reasons]
Now with some nutty girl's comments:
Dear Agent of Unfathomable Wisdom and Impeccable Taste, Now that's a greeting! But use a colon for a business letter after the greeting. Dear Kissy agent:
Ian Jonas was a rock star. He was a Super Bowl winning quarterback, a secret agent, a soldier, and a consort to the stars. Ian has been all of those things and many more, because Ian Jonas is awesome at dreaming. I'm a little worried about the originality factor because I guessed this conclusion. Why not skip the sentence telling us he is a dreamer and let the reader figure it out. Try it this way: Rock star. Super bowl winning quarterback. Secret Agent. Soldier. Lover of the famous. Ian Jonas has been all these and more. Doctors call him a habitual lucid dreamer, but what it means to Ian is that the best part of every day is the time he spends the best part of every day asleep, in a pretend world that’s been all his for as long as he can remember.
In the real world, Ian is a tech reporter in the suburbs of D.C., living with his wife and young daughter. His hum-drumcomma picket-fence life is upended, though, when one of his many Hollywood dream romances, Alyssa May, calls him in the waking world. Which makes me wonder about Ian's likeability if he's been cheating on his wife in his 'real' dreams. Ian finds out that filtering He and Alyssa can be stronger verb- invade in other people’s dreams, and they are not the only ones. Only a handful of people around the world can do what Ian and Alyssa can, including those who Dark terrorists abuse that talent in a way that Alyssa is all too familiar with be specific--by taking off the head of anyone who threatens them/influencing the powerful. When Alyssa begs for Ian’s help, The monsters from her Alyssa's past follow her to Ian and into the dreams of his wife and daughter. where A maestro of nightmares gives Ian a choice: give him surrender Alyssa, or he will destroy the minds of Ian’s family. I like maestro of nightmares. That's a nice phrase!
If Ian can’t figure out how to stop a practiced maestro? dream terrorist, he’ll have to sacrifice his sanity, his family, and his promise to protect an innocent starlet whose connection to him goes back farther than either of them know. I'm not sure I'd dwell on the relationship with the starlet if they cheated together. But that's my old-fashioned taste. With Alyssa’s help, Ian has to master a world he never knew was real or lose everything.
NIGHTLIVES is an adult modern fantasy novel complete at 55,000 words which will appeal to fans of Jim Butcher and Kelly Armstrong. Oh, this is a very low word count for adult fantasy. It worries me and will probably be a red flag for agents. Big fan of Jim Butcher! Reading his Dresden series now.
Thank you for your time,
[Name redacted for national security reasons] Hello, redacted!
Wordy, but I think everything needed is here for this query. Plot, stakes. I would like a little more about the MC's personality. We don't know much about him. Does he feel guilt for what he's done to his family, getting them involved? Guilt should be a big part of him. Maybe use some adjectives to give a taste of him.
I'm also a little worried about word count and that this is a concept that has been done often. You really need to play up with is unique with your story. Best of luck and I hope this helps.
July 25, 2013
Query Questions with Jennifer Laughran
As well as the interview with Jennifer Laughran, I want to announce I'm having a baby contest. No, not an actual baby. It's a tiny contest called Agent Greetings which will start August 5th, and the prize will involve something from an agent(s?). All the details will be on the blog Saturday. Now on to the interview:
Writers have copious amounts of imagination. It's what makes their stories so fantastic. But there's a darker side to so much out of the box thinking. When a writer is in the query trenches, their worries go into overdrive. They start pulling out their hair and imagine every possible disaster.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions.
Jennifer Laughran of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency shares her answers to common query questions. Thank you so much Ms. Laughran for taking the time to respond and ease some fears about the query process.
Is there a particular time of year that is better to query?
No. Major holidays like the week between Christmas and New Year, Passover/Easter, July 4 and sometimes the last couple of weeks of August, lots of people are on vacation... sort of like in every other business. Lots of other people, however, use that "downtime" to catch up on queries. So it doesn't really matter - you're just getting in line, and queries get read when the agent has time to read them.
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?
Make it as clean as you can, obviously -- since it's less than a page long, if you can't proofread THAT, chances are your manuscript will be a hot mess. But an honest mistake is not enough to stop me reading if the premise and everything else looks good.
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?
I always glance. The strength of the query may play a part in whether I am looking interestedly or reluctantly.
Do crazy fonts caused by email gremlins make for an automatic rejection?
I have not noticed email programs that change things into crazy fonts. If you have such a program, I suggest that you change programs. I don't care what the font is as long as it is legible and normal. Whatever the default font is, is fine -- or Times, or similar.
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript?
If you want to give me a line about why you're querying me, that is fine - but you have a very short window. I REALLY want to know about the manuscript. And at the end, yes, a short bio is fine, but I have no interest in digging deep into your personal life.
Does it matter whether the word count/genre information is first or last in a query?
No.
Is there a bias against querying authors who have self-published other books?
No.
Do you go through a large group of queries at a time or hold yourself to a few?
I do as many as I have time to do in a given time. If I only have 15 minutes, I do that many. If I have hours, I will do it until I get tired of doing it.
How many queries do you receive in a week? How many requests might you make out of those?
I probably get 60-80 queries in a week. Of those I might request.... 4 or 5 fulls.
In a year, I might take on 4 or 5 new clients.
Have you form rejected great projects you think could be accepted elsewhere or do you try to give some feedback?
Many things could be accepted elsewhere. I hardly take anything on. My rejecting it does not mean it is BAD -- it just means it's not for *me.*
I give form rejections to pretty much all queries unless I know the person. I give somewhat personalized rejections to pretty much all fulls.
Many agents say they don’t care if writers are active online. Could an active/known online presence by an author tip the scales in getting a request or offer?
If it is an EXTREMELY well known web presence, sure, that could translate into more interest -- but ultimately the strength of the work is the most important thing.
What does ‘just didn’t connect enough’ mean to you?
It means I didn't like it enough to want to read it dozens of more times and spend the next couple of years of my life thinking about it.
What themes are you sick of seeing?
I am not the person to query for depressing "issue" books about abuse and the like.
What’s the strangest/funniest thing you’ve seen in a query?
Perhaps the most memorable was the book of Hillary Clinton erotic fanfiction. Needless to say, I kept the email.
What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?
An exciting middle grade adventure. Really heartfelt, beautiful middle grade that will make me cry. A sweeping, epically romantic and awesome YA.
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?
Classics: MIXED-UP FILES by EL Konigsberg. LITTLE PRINCESS by Frances Hodgson Burnett. BALLET SHOES by Noel Streatfeild. FIVE CHILDREN AND IT by E Nesbit. Anything by Bill Peet, William Steig.
Modern: BETTER NATE THAN EVER, Tim Federle. SEE YOU AT HARRY'S, Jo Knowles. CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT, Linda Urban. SKY IS EVERYWHERE, Jandy Nelson. ANNA and LOLA by Stephanie Perkins. HOW TO SAY GOODBYE IN ROBOT by Natalie Standiford. I could seriously go on for years.Adult: THE THURBER CARNIVAL by James Thurber. FINGERSMITH, and pretty much anything else by Sarah Waters. Also I love regency romances, particularly by Tessa Dare and Courtney Milan.
Movies/TV: THE APARTMENT, and pretty much anything by Billy Wilder. Gilmore Girls.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jennifer began her career in agenting after working as a long-time children's bookseller and buyer. She is also the founder of the extremely popular YA event series "Not Your Mother's Book Club". She joined Andrea Brown Literary Agency in 2007. Always on the lookout for sparkling YA and middle grade fiction with unusual and unforgettable characters and vivid settings, she is drawn to all kinds of books, whether realistic comedies or richly imagined magical adventures. However, the common thread in her favorite stories is an offbeat world-view. Jennifer adores simplicity, but she is not interested in the conventional, predictable, mechanical, gimmicky or ordinary. Jennifer loves funny books, thrilling books, romantic books, books that make her cry, and all-around un-put-downable books... and her true favorites are all of the above.
Writers have copious amounts of imagination. It's what makes their stories so fantastic. But there's a darker side to so much out of the box thinking. When a writer is in the query trenches, their worries go into overdrive. They start pulling out their hair and imagine every possible disaster.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions.
Jennifer Laughran of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency shares her answers to common query questions. Thank you so much Ms. Laughran for taking the time to respond and ease some fears about the query process.
Is there a particular time of year that is better to query?
No. Major holidays like the week between Christmas and New Year, Passover/Easter, July 4 and sometimes the last couple of weeks of August, lots of people are on vacation... sort of like in every other business. Lots of other people, however, use that "downtime" to catch up on queries. So it doesn't really matter - you're just getting in line, and queries get read when the agent has time to read them.
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?
Make it as clean as you can, obviously -- since it's less than a page long, if you can't proofread THAT, chances are your manuscript will be a hot mess. But an honest mistake is not enough to stop me reading if the premise and everything else looks good.
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?
I always glance. The strength of the query may play a part in whether I am looking interestedly or reluctantly.
Do crazy fonts caused by email gremlins make for an automatic rejection?
I have not noticed email programs that change things into crazy fonts. If you have such a program, I suggest that you change programs. I don't care what the font is as long as it is legible and normal. Whatever the default font is, is fine -- or Times, or similar.
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript?
If you want to give me a line about why you're querying me, that is fine - but you have a very short window. I REALLY want to know about the manuscript. And at the end, yes, a short bio is fine, but I have no interest in digging deep into your personal life.
Does it matter whether the word count/genre information is first or last in a query?
No.
Is there a bias against querying authors who have self-published other books?
No.
Do you go through a large group of queries at a time or hold yourself to a few?
I do as many as I have time to do in a given time. If I only have 15 minutes, I do that many. If I have hours, I will do it until I get tired of doing it.
How many queries do you receive in a week? How many requests might you make out of those?
I probably get 60-80 queries in a week. Of those I might request.... 4 or 5 fulls.
In a year, I might take on 4 or 5 new clients.
Have you form rejected great projects you think could be accepted elsewhere or do you try to give some feedback?
Many things could be accepted elsewhere. I hardly take anything on. My rejecting it does not mean it is BAD -- it just means it's not for *me.*
I give form rejections to pretty much all queries unless I know the person. I give somewhat personalized rejections to pretty much all fulls.
Many agents say they don’t care if writers are active online. Could an active/known online presence by an author tip the scales in getting a request or offer?
If it is an EXTREMELY well known web presence, sure, that could translate into more interest -- but ultimately the strength of the work is the most important thing.
What does ‘just didn’t connect enough’ mean to you?
It means I didn't like it enough to want to read it dozens of more times and spend the next couple of years of my life thinking about it.
What themes are you sick of seeing?
I am not the person to query for depressing "issue" books about abuse and the like.
What’s the strangest/funniest thing you’ve seen in a query?
Perhaps the most memorable was the book of Hillary Clinton erotic fanfiction. Needless to say, I kept the email.
What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?
An exciting middle grade adventure. Really heartfelt, beautiful middle grade that will make me cry. A sweeping, epically romantic and awesome YA.
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?
Classics: MIXED-UP FILES by EL Konigsberg. LITTLE PRINCESS by Frances Hodgson Burnett. BALLET SHOES by Noel Streatfeild. FIVE CHILDREN AND IT by E Nesbit. Anything by Bill Peet, William Steig.
Modern: BETTER NATE THAN EVER, Tim Federle. SEE YOU AT HARRY'S, Jo Knowles. CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT, Linda Urban. SKY IS EVERYWHERE, Jandy Nelson. ANNA and LOLA by Stephanie Perkins. HOW TO SAY GOODBYE IN ROBOT by Natalie Standiford. I could seriously go on for years.Adult: THE THURBER CARNIVAL by James Thurber. FINGERSMITH, and pretty much anything else by Sarah Waters. Also I love regency romances, particularly by Tessa Dare and Courtney Milan.
Movies/TV: THE APARTMENT, and pretty much anything by Billy Wilder. Gilmore Girls.
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Jennifer began her career in agenting after working as a long-time children's bookseller and buyer. She is also the founder of the extremely popular YA event series "Not Your Mother's Book Club". She joined Andrea Brown Literary Agency in 2007. Always on the lookout for sparkling YA and middle grade fiction with unusual and unforgettable characters and vivid settings, she is drawn to all kinds of books, whether realistic comedies or richly imagined magical adventures. However, the common thread in her favorite stories is an offbeat world-view. Jennifer adores simplicity, but she is not interested in the conventional, predictable, mechanical, gimmicky or ordinary. Jennifer loves funny books, thrilling books, romantic books, books that make her cry, and all-around un-put-downable books... and her true favorites are all of the above.
July 24, 2013
Summer Query Extravaganza 16
Yesterday's critique must have been a winner because the heat burst and left my part of Indiana with nice cool air!
You know the drill. Contact me on twitter if you want your query showcased. Comment on the query before and after yours. All query critiques are subjective. And rabbits don't come out of my hat, but I'll do my best. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Buy one and I'll throw in a set of free steak knives, just pay separate shipping and handling fees.
The original version:
Dear Agent,
When vengeful spirits kidnap the mother of seventeen-year-old witch Agatha Crowe, she must do the one thing she promised herself she’d never, ever do. Ask her dark warlock father she’s never met for help. Even though he’s supposed to be dead, Agatha knows better, and according to a note her mother left, he’s the only one who can help.
But Agatha’s father is not exactly what she expects. Sure he’s volatile and solitary, but he’s also still recklessly in love with her mother. Then there’s his roguish and infuriatingly handsome huntsman, Digger Hawke, who makes it his life mission to drive Agatha completely mad.
If she wants to free her mother and protect their land for the living, Agatha must embrace the side of herself she’s tried to suppress and accept that there may be more than one side to the legend of the wicked Adrian Crowe.
THE CROWES is YA Fantasy and complete at 70,000 words.
Thanks for your consideration,
Now with crazy commentary:
Dear Agent,
When vengeful spirits kidnap the mother of seventeen-year-old witch Agatha Crowe, she must do the one thing she promised herself she’d never, ever do. These need to be connect in some way with a colon or an em dash. And it leaves me wondering why the spirits are vengeful against her mother. It's also a little wordy. When vengeful spirits kidnap seventeen-year-old witch Agatha Crowe's mother, Agatha must ...Ask her dark warlock father she’s never met for help assistance. Vary the word choice. Even though he’s supposed to be dead, Agatha knows better, and according to a note her mother left, he’s the only one who can help. I can't help wondering why Agatha needs the help. I'm seeing helicopter parents. First her mom has to leave her a note. Then Agatha needs her dad to kick ass. It makes her sound like a weak, passive MC. Maybe if dad was her ticket into the dark neverworld, that would explain she's strong on her own and just needs a bit of an edge. Or if her dad came around to fix her lawnmower (Thanks, Dad!) that's the kinda help that doesn't overshadow her. Dad's the only one who can get her into the haunted mansion, where the spirits are plotting to ... using her mother as ...
But Agatha’s father is not exactly what she expects. Sure he’s volatile and solitary, but he’s also still recklessly in love with her mother. You are stripping away the conflict from your query. Oh, dad's not so terrible. He's really a good guy--for a dark warlock. Happy family reunion. Probably the sort of thing that can stay out of the query, but works great in the manuscript. Then there’s his roguish and infuriatingly handsome huntsman, Digger Hawke, who makes it his life mission to drive Agatha completely mad. This takes us away from the plot and into kissy-kissy land. The genre says fantasy, not romance. Not that I object to a touch of romance, quite the contrary. If you had why Agatha needs him around, then added the kissiness of him, that's another barrel of apples. If you decide to stick with Digger in the query, I'd be more specific about how he drives her mad. Put I think I'd stick with the vengeful spirits and what they are doing.
If she wants to free her mother and protect their land for the living Hmm? Protect the land? This kinda crept in there with nothing in the rest of the query to back it up. , Agatha must embrace the side of herself she’s tried to suppress and accept that there may be more than one side to the legend of the wicked Adrian Crowe. Keep it focused on Agatha. Less dad and more MC.
THE CROWES is YA Fantasy and complete at 70,000 words. Sounds good.
Thanks for your consideration,
So I think the hook works, but then you need to lighten up about dad and focus on Agatha and the spirits. What chaos are the spirits causing? Why did they take her mother? What is the threat to the land of the living?
You know the drill. Contact me on twitter if you want your query showcased. Comment on the query before and after yours. All query critiques are subjective. And rabbits don't come out of my hat, but I'll do my best. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Buy one and I'll throw in a set of free steak knives, just pay separate shipping and handling fees.
The original version:
Dear Agent,
When vengeful spirits kidnap the mother of seventeen-year-old witch Agatha Crowe, she must do the one thing she promised herself she’d never, ever do. Ask her dark warlock father she’s never met for help. Even though he’s supposed to be dead, Agatha knows better, and according to a note her mother left, he’s the only one who can help.
But Agatha’s father is not exactly what she expects. Sure he’s volatile and solitary, but he’s also still recklessly in love with her mother. Then there’s his roguish and infuriatingly handsome huntsman, Digger Hawke, who makes it his life mission to drive Agatha completely mad.
If she wants to free her mother and protect their land for the living, Agatha must embrace the side of herself she’s tried to suppress and accept that there may be more than one side to the legend of the wicked Adrian Crowe.
THE CROWES is YA Fantasy and complete at 70,000 words.
Thanks for your consideration,
Now with crazy commentary:
Dear Agent,
When vengeful spirits kidnap the mother of seventeen-year-old witch Agatha Crowe, she must do the one thing she promised herself she’d never, ever do. These need to be connect in some way with a colon or an em dash. And it leaves me wondering why the spirits are vengeful against her mother. It's also a little wordy. When vengeful spirits kidnap seventeen-year-old witch Agatha Crowe's mother, Agatha must ...Ask her dark warlock father she’s never met for help assistance. Vary the word choice. Even though he’s supposed to be dead, Agatha knows better, and according to a note her mother left, he’s the only one who can help. I can't help wondering why Agatha needs the help. I'm seeing helicopter parents. First her mom has to leave her a note. Then Agatha needs her dad to kick ass. It makes her sound like a weak, passive MC. Maybe if dad was her ticket into the dark neverworld, that would explain she's strong on her own and just needs a bit of an edge. Or if her dad came around to fix her lawnmower (Thanks, Dad!) that's the kinda help that doesn't overshadow her. Dad's the only one who can get her into the haunted mansion, where the spirits are plotting to ... using her mother as ...
But Agatha’s father is not exactly what she expects. Sure he’s volatile and solitary, but he’s also still recklessly in love with her mother. You are stripping away the conflict from your query. Oh, dad's not so terrible. He's really a good guy--for a dark warlock. Happy family reunion. Probably the sort of thing that can stay out of the query, but works great in the manuscript. Then there’s his roguish and infuriatingly handsome huntsman, Digger Hawke, who makes it his life mission to drive Agatha completely mad. This takes us away from the plot and into kissy-kissy land. The genre says fantasy, not romance. Not that I object to a touch of romance, quite the contrary. If you had why Agatha needs him around, then added the kissiness of him, that's another barrel of apples. If you decide to stick with Digger in the query, I'd be more specific about how he drives her mad. Put I think I'd stick with the vengeful spirits and what they are doing.
If she wants to free her mother and protect their land for the living Hmm? Protect the land? This kinda crept in there with nothing in the rest of the query to back it up. , Agatha must embrace the side of herself she’s tried to suppress and accept that there may be more than one side to the legend of the wicked Adrian Crowe. Keep it focused on Agatha. Less dad and more MC.
THE CROWES is YA Fantasy and complete at 70,000 words. Sounds good.
Thanks for your consideration,
So I think the hook works, but then you need to lighten up about dad and focus on Agatha and the spirits. What chaos are the spirits causing? Why did they take her mother? What is the threat to the land of the living?
July 23, 2013
Summer Query Extravaganza 15
I would venture to say we are in the Dog Days of summer. Hot and muggy everywhere. The flowers don't even want to bloom anymore. So since I can't offer a pool, cool off with this query critique.
You know the drill. Contact me on twitter if you want your query showcased. Comment on the query before and after yours. All query critiques are subjective. And rabbits don't come out of my hat, but I'll do my best. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Buy one and I'll throw in a set of free steak knives, just pay separate shipping and handling fees.
Here is number 15 without my comments:
Dear Fabulous Agent,
Being a medium means two things for seventeen-year-old Ivory Jack: the living avoid her at school and the dead creep on her twenty-four/seven. According to her rural school, she should feel like she’s marked by the Devil himself, but she’s anything but ashamed. Ivory, with the help of her sisters, starts Jack & Sprat Incorporated, a paranormal investigative group with one mission, send ghosts back where they belong.
When Ivory and her sisters start their new gig at Scott Manor, it’s clear the ghosts are no longer the tame farmers and confused high schoolers they’re used to. Those were the easy ones. This ghost has no face, no voice, and no name. It only wishes to kill anyone who steps into the house and add them to its long list of puppets.
Between being on a spirit induced lockdown, running from children with sharp teeth and pure black eyes, and bumping into a ghost who won’t stop hanging himself in the kitchen, Ivory and her sisters are quickly in over their heads. If they can’t destroy the ghost in three days’ time, they’ll just be three more souls added to its collection, trapped inside Scott Manor forever.
MOTHER MAY I is a young adult horror novel complete at 58,000 words, which will appeal to fans of Kendra Blake and Lindsay Barraclough.Thank you for your time,Hopeful Writer
And number 15 with my comments:
Dear Fabulous Agent, (Now we're talking. And I am planning a contest for the best opening greeting. Stay tuned on that.)
Being a medium means two things for seventeen-year-old Ivory Jack: the living avoid her at school and the dead creep on her twenty-four/seven. (I do like that this opening has nice voice, but I would try to avoid starting with a colon. Unfortunately, I can't think of a better way to phrase it than you already have.) According to her rural school red-neck peers, she should feel like she’s marked by the Devil himself, but she’s anything but ashamed. (Also try to avoid starting all the sentences with phrases. Her red-neck peers believe she's marked by the Devil himself, but Ivory's not ashamed) Ivory, wWith the help of her sisters, she starts Jack & Sprat Incorporated, a paranormal investigative group with one mission, -- send ghosts back where they belong. (I would use an em dash here.) Is there a personal reason she wants to send ghosts back? Do they bug the heck out of her? Or does she just need the money. Work on inserting her motivation here. With the porch sagging and the roof not fixing itself, Ivory turns to her abilities and starts a paranormal investigation group with one mission--send those pesky ghost back where they belong and earn her a boatload of money while she's at it.
When Ivory and her sisters start their (get a rich?) new gig at Scott Manor, it’s clear the ghosts are no longer the tame farmers and confused high schoolers they’re used to. Those were the easy ones. (Easy money is over.) This ghost has no face, no voice, and no name. It only wishes to kill anyone who steps into the house and add them to its long list of puppets. (More direct. This ghost has no face, no voice, and no name. But it ain't harmless. It kills anyone who steps into the house, adding them to its long list of puppets.)
Between being on a spirit induced lockdown, running from children with sharp teeth and pure black eyes, and bumping into a ghost who won’t stop hanging himself in the kitchen, Ivory and her sisters are quickly in over their heads. (Change this around? Ivory and her sisters are quickly in over their heads with sprit-induced lockdowns, child ghosts who are vampire-wannabes, and a ditzy/sobbing ghost who won't stop hanging himself in the kitchen.) If they can’t destroy the mastermind ghost in three days’ time, they’ll just be three more souls added to its collection, trapped inside Scott Manor forever. Nice stakes.
MOTHER MAY I is a young adult horror novel complete at 58,000 words, which will appeal to fans of Kendra Blake and Lindsay Barraclough. Nice. But I'd like to see how the title comes into the story. And I got a fun vibe from the query rather than horror.Thank you for your time,Hopeful Writer
I would suggest getting a little more of Ivory into this query by detailing her motivation for starting the new business. Don't be afraid of using a few adjectives to add life to these ghosts. Since you don't use a lot of scary imagery, I went the other way and tried humor. You'll probably want to change that to match with your horror genre.
You know the drill. Contact me on twitter if you want your query showcased. Comment on the query before and after yours. All query critiques are subjective. And rabbits don't come out of my hat, but I'll do my best. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Buy one and I'll throw in a set of free steak knives, just pay separate shipping and handling fees.
Here is number 15 without my comments:
Dear Fabulous Agent,
Being a medium means two things for seventeen-year-old Ivory Jack: the living avoid her at school and the dead creep on her twenty-four/seven. According to her rural school, she should feel like she’s marked by the Devil himself, but she’s anything but ashamed. Ivory, with the help of her sisters, starts Jack & Sprat Incorporated, a paranormal investigative group with one mission, send ghosts back where they belong.
When Ivory and her sisters start their new gig at Scott Manor, it’s clear the ghosts are no longer the tame farmers and confused high schoolers they’re used to. Those were the easy ones. This ghost has no face, no voice, and no name. It only wishes to kill anyone who steps into the house and add them to its long list of puppets.
Between being on a spirit induced lockdown, running from children with sharp teeth and pure black eyes, and bumping into a ghost who won’t stop hanging himself in the kitchen, Ivory and her sisters are quickly in over their heads. If they can’t destroy the ghost in three days’ time, they’ll just be three more souls added to its collection, trapped inside Scott Manor forever.
MOTHER MAY I is a young adult horror novel complete at 58,000 words, which will appeal to fans of Kendra Blake and Lindsay Barraclough.Thank you for your time,Hopeful Writer
And number 15 with my comments:
Dear Fabulous Agent, (Now we're talking. And I am planning a contest for the best opening greeting. Stay tuned on that.)
Being a medium means two things for seventeen-year-old Ivory Jack: the living avoid her at school and the dead creep on her twenty-four/seven. (I do like that this opening has nice voice, but I would try to avoid starting with a colon. Unfortunately, I can't think of a better way to phrase it than you already have.) According to her rural school red-neck peers, she should feel like she’s marked by the Devil himself, but she’s anything but ashamed. (Also try to avoid starting all the sentences with phrases. Her red-neck peers believe she's marked by the Devil himself, but Ivory's not ashamed) Ivory, wWith the help of her sisters, she starts Jack & Sprat Incorporated, a paranormal investigative group with one mission, -- send ghosts back where they belong. (I would use an em dash here.) Is there a personal reason she wants to send ghosts back? Do they bug the heck out of her? Or does she just need the money. Work on inserting her motivation here. With the porch sagging and the roof not fixing itself, Ivory turns to her abilities and starts a paranormal investigation group with one mission--send those pesky ghost back where they belong and earn her a boatload of money while she's at it.
When Ivory and her sisters start their (get a rich?) new gig at Scott Manor, it’s clear the ghosts are no longer the tame farmers and confused high schoolers they’re used to. Those were the easy ones. (Easy money is over.) This ghost has no face, no voice, and no name. It only wishes to kill anyone who steps into the house and add them to its long list of puppets. (More direct. This ghost has no face, no voice, and no name. But it ain't harmless. It kills anyone who steps into the house, adding them to its long list of puppets.)
Between being on a spirit induced lockdown, running from children with sharp teeth and pure black eyes, and bumping into a ghost who won’t stop hanging himself in the kitchen, Ivory and her sisters are quickly in over their heads. (Change this around? Ivory and her sisters are quickly in over their heads with sprit-induced lockdowns, child ghosts who are vampire-wannabes, and a ditzy/sobbing ghost who won't stop hanging himself in the kitchen.) If they can’t destroy the mastermind ghost in three days’ time, they’ll just be three more souls added to its collection, trapped inside Scott Manor forever. Nice stakes.
MOTHER MAY I is a young adult horror novel complete at 58,000 words, which will appeal to fans of Kendra Blake and Lindsay Barraclough. Nice. But I'd like to see how the title comes into the story. And I got a fun vibe from the query rather than horror.Thank you for your time,Hopeful Writer
I would suggest getting a little more of Ivory into this query by detailing her motivation for starting the new business. Don't be afraid of using a few adjectives to add life to these ghosts. Since you don't use a lot of scary imagery, I went the other way and tried humor. You'll probably want to change that to match with your horror genre.
July 22, 2013
Query Questions with Danielle Smith
Writers have copious amounts of imagination. It's what makes their stories so fantastic. But there's a darker side to so much out of the box thinking. When a writer is in the query trenches, their worries go into overdrive. They start pulling out their hair and imagine every possible disaster.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions.
Today I'm very pleased to bring you answers from new agent, Danielle Smith of the Foreword Literary Agency. Thank you so much Ms. Smith for taking the time to respond and maybe ease some fears about the query process.
Is there a particular time of year that is better to query?So far, not that I can tell. I've been told summer is slower in publishing, but from what I can tell it's just as busy as the rest of the year. Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?Not at all. Now if there are multiple errors that's another story. Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?Almost always. Do crazy fonts caused by email gremlins make for an automatic rejection?No, but I am not at all a fan of crazy colors or weird google avatars. You'd be shocked by the number of semi-nude google avatars people have. If I were an agent that representing anything other than children's books this might be something to overlook, but I only work with children's literature. Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript?I do prefer the query to be personalized. It shows me that the writer sending the query did their homework and isn't just sending out mass-queries. Does it matter whether the word count/genre information is first or last in a query?I prefer most queries to be set up in some variation of this format: "The hook, the book and the cook." Three concise paragraphs and then the story. Do you go through a large group of queries at a time or hold yourself to a few?I generally set aside a large chunk of time to focus just on queries. How many queries do you receive in a week? How many requests might you make out of those?Anywhere from 50-150 depending on the week. Usually I'll make requests on between one to five of those. Have you form rejected great projects you think could be accepted elsewhere or do you try to give some feedback?I'm certain I have, it's inevitable in this business, but it's one of the great things about having so many great agents and editors out there. Not everything will work for everyone, but hard work and talent pay off when the right match is made. Many agents say they don’t care if writers are active online. Could an active/known online presence by an author tip the scales in getting a request or offer?Yes. It's without a doubt not a qualifier, but if someone has an active positive presence online it's something I will take into consideration when evaluating whether to take on a client. I recently even reached out to an author who wasn't represented yet based solely on how much I enjoyed their blog and interactions online. What does ‘just didn’t connect enough’ mean to you?Usually for me it means that I thought the writing was good, but for one reason or another the story didn't "sing" to me.
What themes are you sick of seeing?Stories where the message is forced on the reader. Things like teaching lessons to children that could be told in subtle more creative ways. What’s the strangest/funniest thing you’ve seen in a query?I'd hate to say anything too specific for fear of hurting someone's feelings. Something pretty general (and strange to me) that happens frequently is addressing the query to a different agent, but sending it to me. What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?Magical realism mixed with food in an MG. (Think Sarah Addison Allen for tweens.)Books featuring a multi-cultural cast or character without feeling like that's the focus of the story.Sweet PBs featuring good sibling relationships or unique fairytale re-tellings.
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?TV/Movies: BBC's Sherlock, Hannibal, Heroes, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Matrix series.Books: Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, Millie Fierce by Jane Manning, In A Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz and The Pellinor series by Alison Croggon.
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Danielle Smith an associate literary agent at Foreword Literary Agents where she represents picture books and middle grade authors and illustrators. Her enthusiasm for children’s literature began as a young child, but grew exponentially when her own two children were born and shortly thereafter she began reviewing books at her top rated children’s book review site There's A Book. For more than five years she’s been involved professionally with books through print and online publications such as Women’s World and Parenting Magazine, as a member of the judging panels for The Cybils awards for fiction picture books, as well as locally by serving on the board of The Central Coast Writer’s Conference. She is most interested in finding new author/illustrator talent, children’s fiction and creative non-fiction from picture books through middle grade.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions.
Today I'm very pleased to bring you answers from new agent, Danielle Smith of the Foreword Literary Agency. Thank you so much Ms. Smith for taking the time to respond and maybe ease some fears about the query process.
Is there a particular time of year that is better to query?So far, not that I can tell. I've been told summer is slower in publishing, but from what I can tell it's just as busy as the rest of the year. Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?Not at all. Now if there are multiple errors that's another story. Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?Almost always. Do crazy fonts caused by email gremlins make for an automatic rejection?No, but I am not at all a fan of crazy colors or weird google avatars. You'd be shocked by the number of semi-nude google avatars people have. If I were an agent that representing anything other than children's books this might be something to overlook, but I only work with children's literature. Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript?I do prefer the query to be personalized. It shows me that the writer sending the query did their homework and isn't just sending out mass-queries. Does it matter whether the word count/genre information is first or last in a query?I prefer most queries to be set up in some variation of this format: "The hook, the book and the cook." Three concise paragraphs and then the story. Do you go through a large group of queries at a time or hold yourself to a few?I generally set aside a large chunk of time to focus just on queries. How many queries do you receive in a week? How many requests might you make out of those?Anywhere from 50-150 depending on the week. Usually I'll make requests on between one to five of those. Have you form rejected great projects you think could be accepted elsewhere or do you try to give some feedback?I'm certain I have, it's inevitable in this business, but it's one of the great things about having so many great agents and editors out there. Not everything will work for everyone, but hard work and talent pay off when the right match is made. Many agents say they don’t care if writers are active online. Could an active/known online presence by an author tip the scales in getting a request or offer?Yes. It's without a doubt not a qualifier, but if someone has an active positive presence online it's something I will take into consideration when evaluating whether to take on a client. I recently even reached out to an author who wasn't represented yet based solely on how much I enjoyed their blog and interactions online. What does ‘just didn’t connect enough’ mean to you?Usually for me it means that I thought the writing was good, but for one reason or another the story didn't "sing" to me.
What themes are you sick of seeing?Stories where the message is forced on the reader. Things like teaching lessons to children that could be told in subtle more creative ways. What’s the strangest/funniest thing you’ve seen in a query?I'd hate to say anything too specific for fear of hurting someone's feelings. Something pretty general (and strange to me) that happens frequently is addressing the query to a different agent, but sending it to me. What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?Magical realism mixed with food in an MG. (Think Sarah Addison Allen for tweens.)Books featuring a multi-cultural cast or character without feeling like that's the focus of the story.Sweet PBs featuring good sibling relationships or unique fairytale re-tellings.
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?TV/Movies: BBC's Sherlock, Hannibal, Heroes, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Matrix series.Books: Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, Millie Fierce by Jane Manning, In A Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz and The Pellinor series by Alison Croggon.
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Danielle Smith an associate literary agent at Foreword Literary Agents where she represents picture books and middle grade authors and illustrators. Her enthusiasm for children’s literature began as a young child, but grew exponentially when her own two children were born and shortly thereafter she began reviewing books at her top rated children’s book review site There's A Book. For more than five years she’s been involved professionally with books through print and online publications such as Women’s World and Parenting Magazine, as a member of the judging panels for The Cybils awards for fiction picture books, as well as locally by serving on the board of The Central Coast Writer’s Conference. She is most interested in finding new author/illustrator talent, children’s fiction and creative non-fiction from picture books through middle grade.
July 20, 2013
Cover Reveal for Lucky Number Four
I'm really honored to bring you the cover reveal of Lucky Number Four the third in the Fortune Cookie Diaries books, along with an interview from the author.
In New Orleans, Louisiana, something with a weird sense of humor is stranding myth in a nonmagical world.
Dr. Tiffany Crews and gang find themselves no longer chasing Damn Duck, running into walls or spilling soup. As a matter of fact, no accidents have happened in the last week.
It isn't until they find Damn Duck sitting quietly on the balcony, Miracai, the carnivorous unicorn, eating greens without flatulence, and her klutz tendencies missing, Tiffany realizes something is up.
Only when her best friend, Janet, begins dating a man named Aiden Murphy, does Tiffany understand - Murphy has been dropped into New Orleans. Not a far stretch of imagination considering the Fairy Godmother identifies him during lunch at Chopstix.
All the years of pent up frustration leads the entire gang into trouble as they decide it is time to get revenge, giving Murphy, and those bloody laws of his, a taste of his own medicine.
If only it was that simple.
I read the first book of TJ Loveless's Fortune Cookie Diaries just the other week, and it blew me away with its inventiveness. A crotchety unicorn with rainbow flatulence. A fairy godmother who is thrust upon some very un-Cinderellaish ladies from the real world in New Orleans. Lucky Number Six was a fun ride, and I eagerly await the release of Odd Number Five, the next in the series.
Thank you so very much! One for hosting me for a day, and two, for reading the book. I really do worry whether or not people liked it. And so far, they have. Thank goodness!
What made you decide to self-publish your first book, Lucky Number Six? And did you always intend to follow it up with a series?
Research decided, really. When the idea popped into my head, I realized they wouldn't be full length novels, but novellas. And traditional publishing was out, as was indie. I'd also been interested in self publishing, and the series was a great opportunity.
Yes, I did, and planned it as a series. I needed breaks between holidays, which is generally the timeframe they are all centered around, and putting it all in one book didn't work. Plus I kind of liked the idea of leaving a few things hanging only to have them continue in another novella.
Odd Number Five will be available on Amazon any day now while Unlucky Number Four releases on August 1st. How did you get so many books ready so quickly? What’s your secret?
Before I started The Fortune Cookie Diaries series, I sat down and listed the ideas for the entire series - characters, plots, holidays, what had to happen in each book to push the series forward, the creatures and the research. Also, with all of them only averaging 24k words, I could type them out faster. I'm not one to do a steady stream of 3k - 4k words a day, I do it in sprints, generally, of about 8k - 12k at a time, with a few days between each sprint.
I also decided to do three in the summer, and the last three out by late fall.
Where do the quirky mythical characters come from? Every reader really loves them; did they have a certain inspiration? I have to know about the rainbow flatulence.
Honestly? I can only credit my 13 yo daughter, Filly, for Miracai. She made an off-hand remark that she would love to have a Great Dane sized unicorn for a pet. So we had a discussion, okay, a Laugh Fest, about what the unicorn would be like. I came up with the rainbow flatulence, which I can credit that idea to Editor Kitty and a certain kind of cat food. She decided on the gold. We talked about personality - and decided that instead of going with the usual "Unicorn is sweet, compliant and always perfect" it was gonna be "Uncle George on salads."
Yes, it is a typical conversation in this house. Wait til you see what Hubby and I came up with for Weird Number Three.
I love the humor in your writing. It is more than just gags; humor is part of your characters’ outlook on life. Would you say that is a reflection on your own character?
Yes, a lot of that is me. Life is hard, and laughs are necessary just to put one foot in front of the other at times. And if I can help others at least smile, well, then I've done what I set out to do. I credit my grandmother and great aunt for teaching me to try and find humor, a smile, something, even in the darkest moments.
Your human characters are very down to earth and real. That makes an interesting contrast with your mythical characters. Was that a deliberate choice?
Yes. I wanted it to be as realistic as possible. I wanted to explore what would happen if all the fantasies I've watched, read, heard, or written, suddenly dropped into my reality. Granted, I would have probably hidden in a closet for a few days first, but eventually, curiosity would take over.
Can we look forward to more crazy characters to come in books two through six?
Oh yes, and for each of the gang to get their day in the sun as well. For example, in Odd Number Five - Mark has the wheel, Janet gets Four, Miracai gets Three ... and so on. Plus, as they close in on Quirky Number One, they begin to explore, and try to understand, why they get to have all the fun of meeting mythical creatures.
Where did the idea for using numbers in the titles come from?
Watching the movie, with Robert Duvall, Broken Trail, believe it or not. One of the scenes shows the girls refusing to be called Number Four. So I researched why - out of sheer curiosity. When I learned how numbers are perceived by different cultures, I couldn't help myself.
Plus, I suck at titles. Seemed a quirky way to go, and that fit with The Fortune Cookie Diaries.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About the Author:T.J. Loveless can generally be found covered in Muses and Editor Kitty, ignoring the growing herd of dust bunnies and trying to put the HD movies of her imagination into a document that makes sense.
Writing in the Spec Fic genre, she's usually trying to figure out how to put a dragon into every book, and how to twist old myths for her own nefarious purposes.
You can find T.J. Loveless all over, usually showcasing the lack of brain - mouth filter normal people seem to have in abundance.
TJLoveless.comFacebookTwitterGoogle+GoodreadsAmazonCliffhanger Editing
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In New Orleans, Louisiana, something with a weird sense of humor is stranding myth in a nonmagical world.
Dr. Tiffany Crews and gang find themselves no longer chasing Damn Duck, running into walls or spilling soup. As a matter of fact, no accidents have happened in the last week.
It isn't until they find Damn Duck sitting quietly on the balcony, Miracai, the carnivorous unicorn, eating greens without flatulence, and her klutz tendencies missing, Tiffany realizes something is up.
Only when her best friend, Janet, begins dating a man named Aiden Murphy, does Tiffany understand - Murphy has been dropped into New Orleans. Not a far stretch of imagination considering the Fairy Godmother identifies him during lunch at Chopstix.
All the years of pent up frustration leads the entire gang into trouble as they decide it is time to get revenge, giving Murphy, and those bloody laws of his, a taste of his own medicine.
If only it was that simple.
I read the first book of TJ Loveless's Fortune Cookie Diaries just the other week, and it blew me away with its inventiveness. A crotchety unicorn with rainbow flatulence. A fairy godmother who is thrust upon some very un-Cinderellaish ladies from the real world in New Orleans. Lucky Number Six was a fun ride, and I eagerly await the release of Odd Number Five, the next in the series.
Thank you so very much! One for hosting me for a day, and two, for reading the book. I really do worry whether or not people liked it. And so far, they have. Thank goodness!
What made you decide to self-publish your first book, Lucky Number Six? And did you always intend to follow it up with a series?
Research decided, really. When the idea popped into my head, I realized they wouldn't be full length novels, but novellas. And traditional publishing was out, as was indie. I'd also been interested in self publishing, and the series was a great opportunity.
Yes, I did, and planned it as a series. I needed breaks between holidays, which is generally the timeframe they are all centered around, and putting it all in one book didn't work. Plus I kind of liked the idea of leaving a few things hanging only to have them continue in another novella.
Odd Number Five will be available on Amazon any day now while Unlucky Number Four releases on August 1st. How did you get so many books ready so quickly? What’s your secret?
Before I started The Fortune Cookie Diaries series, I sat down and listed the ideas for the entire series - characters, plots, holidays, what had to happen in each book to push the series forward, the creatures and the research. Also, with all of them only averaging 24k words, I could type them out faster. I'm not one to do a steady stream of 3k - 4k words a day, I do it in sprints, generally, of about 8k - 12k at a time, with a few days between each sprint.
I also decided to do three in the summer, and the last three out by late fall.
Where do the quirky mythical characters come from? Every reader really loves them; did they have a certain inspiration? I have to know about the rainbow flatulence.
Honestly? I can only credit my 13 yo daughter, Filly, for Miracai. She made an off-hand remark that she would love to have a Great Dane sized unicorn for a pet. So we had a discussion, okay, a Laugh Fest, about what the unicorn would be like. I came up with the rainbow flatulence, which I can credit that idea to Editor Kitty and a certain kind of cat food. She decided on the gold. We talked about personality - and decided that instead of going with the usual "Unicorn is sweet, compliant and always perfect" it was gonna be "Uncle George on salads."
Yes, it is a typical conversation in this house. Wait til you see what Hubby and I came up with for Weird Number Three.
I love the humor in your writing. It is more than just gags; humor is part of your characters’ outlook on life. Would you say that is a reflection on your own character?
Yes, a lot of that is me. Life is hard, and laughs are necessary just to put one foot in front of the other at times. And if I can help others at least smile, well, then I've done what I set out to do. I credit my grandmother and great aunt for teaching me to try and find humor, a smile, something, even in the darkest moments.
Your human characters are very down to earth and real. That makes an interesting contrast with your mythical characters. Was that a deliberate choice?
Yes. I wanted it to be as realistic as possible. I wanted to explore what would happen if all the fantasies I've watched, read, heard, or written, suddenly dropped into my reality. Granted, I would have probably hidden in a closet for a few days first, but eventually, curiosity would take over.
Can we look forward to more crazy characters to come in books two through six?
Oh yes, and for each of the gang to get their day in the sun as well. For example, in Odd Number Five - Mark has the wheel, Janet gets Four, Miracai gets Three ... and so on. Plus, as they close in on Quirky Number One, they begin to explore, and try to understand, why they get to have all the fun of meeting mythical creatures.
Where did the idea for using numbers in the titles come from?
Watching the movie, with Robert Duvall, Broken Trail, believe it or not. One of the scenes shows the girls refusing to be called Number Four. So I researched why - out of sheer curiosity. When I learned how numbers are perceived by different cultures, I couldn't help myself.
Plus, I suck at titles. Seemed a quirky way to go, and that fit with The Fortune Cookie Diaries.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About the Author:T.J. Loveless can generally be found covered in Muses and Editor Kitty, ignoring the growing herd of dust bunnies and trying to put the HD movies of her imagination into a document that makes sense.
Writing in the Spec Fic genre, she's usually trying to figure out how to put a dragon into every book, and how to twist old myths for her own nefarious purposes.
You can find T.J. Loveless all over, usually showcasing the lack of brain - mouth filter normal people seem to have in abundance.
TJLoveless.comFacebookTwitterGoogle+GoodreadsAmazonCliffhanger Editing
July 19, 2013
Summer Query Extravaganza 14
So you know the drill. Contact me on twitter if you want your query showcased. Comment on the query before and after yours. All query critiques are subjective. And rabbits don't come out of my hat, but I'll do my best. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Buy one and I'll throw in a set of free steak knives, just pay separate shipping and handling fees.
I will have another Query Questions interview Monday July 22th with another great agent. So stay tuned.
Dear [agent], I need to have a contest to see who can come up with the best never-sent query greeting.
When a dying alien crashes into Chrissy’s car, she’s told the only way to save the planet—and her children—is to join an archaic group of galactic peacekeepers, the Knights of Mourning. Nice straightforward sentence. Is there anyway to spice it up? Try using unexpected verbs at the beginning. When a dying alien splatters/elephant-pounds into Chrissy's car... Chrissy joins up, but once she arrives at headquarters, the Knights tell her that humans need not apply. (Consider letting us figure out she joins, and this doesn't go with them being stuck with her. Why don't they kill her themselves to get rid of her. When she arrives at alien-bug headquarters, the Knights prefer the goo on the the bottom of their size 23 shoes to humans.) Worse, the only way out is through the morgue so they’re stuck with each other. (This made me think the morgue is inside the headquarters. maybe: Worse, the only way out of this organization is a one-way trip to the morgue, so they're stuck with each other.) A traitor is more than willing to help Chrissy collect her death benefits, but only a set of supposedly accidental deaths suggests the traitor even exists. (I would hold off on the traitor business. Consider cutting this sentence for now. And watch out for overusing 'only.')
With no choice but to take her on(Stuck with the flabby human), the Knights throw her a dead-end case: the some accidental deaths. Determined not to make a laughing stock out of humanity, Chrissy, a PhD wielding scientist, puts all her considerable intellect into solving the problem. That’s when she discovers the deaths are covering up the destruction of remote stars and planets associated with a secret research project. The trail leads back to a traitor within the Knights. Worse (One is your limit. lol) , another human worked on the doomed project, and now the traitor is coming for Sol. (Sorry, but you lost me. Who is Sol? Is that the other human? I can sense this is your stakes, but it doesn't mean anything to me as I don't know what Sol means to Chrissy.)
KNIGHT FALL, a science fiction similar to what might happen if Stephanie Plum joined Men In Black, is complete at 77,000 words. Awkward. Maybe: A science fiction complete at 77,000 words, KNIGHT FALL is what might happen if Stephanie Plum joined Men in Black.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
A little rearranging, some unexpected verbs, bigger and clearer stakes, and I think this will get some agent's attention! I hope this helps.
I will have another Query Questions interview Monday July 22th with another great agent. So stay tuned.
Dear [agent], I need to have a contest to see who can come up with the best never-sent query greeting.
When a dying alien crashes into Chrissy’s car, she’s told the only way to save the planet—and her children—is to join an archaic group of galactic peacekeepers, the Knights of Mourning. Nice straightforward sentence. Is there anyway to spice it up? Try using unexpected verbs at the beginning. When a dying alien splatters/elephant-pounds into Chrissy's car... Chrissy joins up, but once she arrives at headquarters, the Knights tell her that humans need not apply. (Consider letting us figure out she joins, and this doesn't go with them being stuck with her. Why don't they kill her themselves to get rid of her. When she arrives at alien-bug headquarters, the Knights prefer the goo on the the bottom of their size 23 shoes to humans.) Worse, the only way out is through the morgue so they’re stuck with each other. (This made me think the morgue is inside the headquarters. maybe: Worse, the only way out of this organization is a one-way trip to the morgue, so they're stuck with each other.) A traitor is more than willing to help Chrissy collect her death benefits, but only a set of supposedly accidental deaths suggests the traitor even exists. (I would hold off on the traitor business. Consider cutting this sentence for now. And watch out for overusing 'only.')
With no choice but to take her on(Stuck with the flabby human), the Knights throw her a dead-end case: the some accidental deaths. Determined not to make a laughing stock out of humanity, Chrissy, a PhD wielding scientist, puts all her considerable intellect into solving the problem. That’s when she discovers the deaths are covering up the destruction of remote stars and planets associated with a secret research project. The trail leads back to a traitor within the Knights. Worse (One is your limit. lol) , another human worked on the doomed project, and now the traitor is coming for Sol. (Sorry, but you lost me. Who is Sol? Is that the other human? I can sense this is your stakes, but it doesn't mean anything to me as I don't know what Sol means to Chrissy.)
KNIGHT FALL, a science fiction similar to what might happen if Stephanie Plum joined Men In Black, is complete at 77,000 words. Awkward. Maybe: A science fiction complete at 77,000 words, KNIGHT FALL is what might happen if Stephanie Plum joined Men in Black.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
A little rearranging, some unexpected verbs, bigger and clearer stakes, and I think this will get some agent's attention! I hope this helps.
July 18, 2013
Query Questions with Jordy Albert
Writers have copious amounts of imagination. It's what makes their stories so fantastic. But there's a darker side to so much out of the box thinking. When a writer is in the query trenches, their worries go into overdrive. They start pulling out their hair and imagine every possible disaster.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions
Today I'm very pleased to bring you answers from agent extraordinary Jordy Albert of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. Thank you so much Ms. Albert for taking the time to respond and maybe ease some fears about the query process.
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query? No, because I might really like the story, or the overall writing might be really good.
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong? I will always look at the sample pages; however, I may not look at the entire sample. I can often tell a few paragraphs in if I'd like to read further.
Do crazy fonts caused by email gremlins make for an automatic rejection? No, because it's difficult to control what happens once you send an email.
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript? A little bit of a bio is nice because it tells us about you, and it's always a good idea to include if you do have previous publishing credentials.
Does it matter whether the word count/genre information is first or last? I don't think it matters so much which comes first, but it is important information that we need to know, so just as long as it's in there.
Is there a bias against querying authors who have self-published other books? I don't think so, especially with how well some self-published books are doing.
Many agents say they don’t care if writers are active online. Could an active/known online presence by an author tip the scales in getting a request or offer? I don't think an active/or lack of an online presence would encourage/discourage an agent from offering representation, but I definitely think it helps to get an author's name out and build a readership.
What does ‘just didn’t connect enough’ mean to you? For me, it means that I wasn't emotionally invested enough in the character(s)/story to see what happens.
What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?
New Adult Contemporary RomanceYA (sci-fi, contemporary, historical ...with a strong romantic element.).Romance (contemporary/historical)
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?
Books: Harry Potter, Poison Princess, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Fault in Our Stars. Once an Angel by Teresa Medeiros and Beware a Scot's Revenge by Sabrina Jeffries. I love anything by Karen Marie Moning and Kresley Cole! I also love Larissa Ione and Stacia Kane.
Movies: Shawshank Redemption, Galaxy Quest, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Indiana Jones, The Princess Bride, The Goonies, The Neverending Story.
Jordy Albert is a Literary Agent and co-founder of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. She holds a B.A. in English from Pennsylvania State University, and a M.A. from Millersville University of Pennsylvania. She has worked with Marisa Corvisiero during her time at the L. Perkins Agency and the Corvisiero Literary Agency. Jordy also works as a freelance editor/PR Director. She enjoys studying languages (French/Japanese), spends time teaching herself how to knit, is a HUGE fan of Doctor Who, and loves dogs.
She is looking for stories that capture her attention and keep her turning the page. She is looking for a strong voice, and stories that have the ability to surprise her. She loves intelligent characters with a great sense of humor. She would love to see fresh, well-developed plots featuring travel, competitions/tournaments, or time travel. Jordy is specifically looking for:
* Middle Grade: contemporary, fantasy, action/adventure, or historical.
* YA: sci-fi, dystopian/post-apocalyptic, contemporary, historical--Though I am open to looking at other sub-genres, I'm looking for YA that has a very strong romantic element.
* NEW ADULT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
* Romance (contemporary and historical).
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions
Today I'm very pleased to bring you answers from agent extraordinary Jordy Albert of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. Thank you so much Ms. Albert for taking the time to respond and maybe ease some fears about the query process.
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query? No, because I might really like the story, or the overall writing might be really good.
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong? I will always look at the sample pages; however, I may not look at the entire sample. I can often tell a few paragraphs in if I'd like to read further.
Do crazy fonts caused by email gremlins make for an automatic rejection? No, because it's difficult to control what happens once you send an email.
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript? A little bit of a bio is nice because it tells us about you, and it's always a good idea to include if you do have previous publishing credentials.
Does it matter whether the word count/genre information is first or last? I don't think it matters so much which comes first, but it is important information that we need to know, so just as long as it's in there.
Is there a bias against querying authors who have self-published other books? I don't think so, especially with how well some self-published books are doing.
Many agents say they don’t care if writers are active online. Could an active/known online presence by an author tip the scales in getting a request or offer? I don't think an active/or lack of an online presence would encourage/discourage an agent from offering representation, but I definitely think it helps to get an author's name out and build a readership.
What does ‘just didn’t connect enough’ mean to you? For me, it means that I wasn't emotionally invested enough in the character(s)/story to see what happens.
What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?
New Adult Contemporary RomanceYA (sci-fi, contemporary, historical ...with a strong romantic element.).Romance (contemporary/historical)
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?
Books: Harry Potter, Poison Princess, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Fault in Our Stars. Once an Angel by Teresa Medeiros and Beware a Scot's Revenge by Sabrina Jeffries. I love anything by Karen Marie Moning and Kresley Cole! I also love Larissa Ione and Stacia Kane.
Movies: Shawshank Redemption, Galaxy Quest, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Indiana Jones, The Princess Bride, The Goonies, The Neverending Story.
.jpg)
Jordy Albert is a Literary Agent and co-founder of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. She holds a B.A. in English from Pennsylvania State University, and a M.A. from Millersville University of Pennsylvania. She has worked with Marisa Corvisiero during her time at the L. Perkins Agency and the Corvisiero Literary Agency. Jordy also works as a freelance editor/PR Director. She enjoys studying languages (French/Japanese), spends time teaching herself how to knit, is a HUGE fan of Doctor Who, and loves dogs. She is looking for stories that capture her attention and keep her turning the page. She is looking for a strong voice, and stories that have the ability to surprise her. She loves intelligent characters with a great sense of humor. She would love to see fresh, well-developed plots featuring travel, competitions/tournaments, or time travel. Jordy is specifically looking for:
* Middle Grade: contemporary, fantasy, action/adventure, or historical.
* YA: sci-fi, dystopian/post-apocalyptic, contemporary, historical--Though I am open to looking at other sub-genres, I'm looking for YA that has a very strong romantic element.
* NEW ADULT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
* Romance (contemporary and historical).
