Michelle Hauck's Blog, page 34
August 22, 2016
Cover Art for REALITY STAR
Today, I'm excited to share the cover for AMERICA'S NEXT REALITY STAR by Laura Heffernan, which is being published March 7, 2017 by Kensington's Lyrical Shine Press.
SEEKING THE SMART ONE
Twenty-four-year-old Jen Reid had her life in good shape: an okay job, a tiny-cute Seattle apartment, and a great boyfriend almost ready to get serious. In a flash it all came apart. Single, unemployed, and holding an eviction notice, who has time to remember trying out for a reality show? Then the call comes, and Jen sees her chance to start over—by spending her summer on national TV.
Luckily The Fishbowl is all about puzzles and games, the kind of thing Jen would love even if she wasn’t desperate. The cast checks all the boxes: cheerful, quirky Birdie speaks in hashtags; vicious Ariana knows just how to pout for the cameras; and corn-fed “J-dawg” plays the cartoon villain of the house. Then there’s Justin, the green-eyed law student who always seems a breath away from kissing her. Is their attraction real, or a trick to get him closer to the $250,000 grand prize? Romance or showmance, suddenly Jen has a lot more to lose than a summer . . .
Without further adieu, here it is!
[image error]
AMERICA'S NEXT REALITY STAR is available for preorder now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, and Google Play. Click here to add it to your Goodreads shelves.
Laura Heffernan is living proof that watching too much TV can pay off: AMERICA'S NEXT REALITY STAR, the first book in the REALITY STAR series, is coming from Kensington’s Lyrical Press in March 2017. When not watching total strangers participate in arranged marriages, drag racing queens, or cooking competitions, Laura enjoys travel, baking, board games, helping with writing contests, and seeking new experiences. She lives in the northeast with her amazing husband and two furry little beasts.
Some of Laura's favorite things include goat cheese, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Battlestar Galactica, the Oxford comma, and ice cream. Not all together. The best place to find her is usually on Twitter, where she spends far too much time tweeting about writing, Canadian chocolate, and reality TV. Follow her @LH_Writes.
Laura is represented by Michelle Richter at Fuse Literary.
SEEKING THE SMART ONE
Twenty-four-year-old Jen Reid had her life in good shape: an okay job, a tiny-cute Seattle apartment, and a great boyfriend almost ready to get serious. In a flash it all came apart. Single, unemployed, and holding an eviction notice, who has time to remember trying out for a reality show? Then the call comes, and Jen sees her chance to start over—by spending her summer on national TV.
Luckily The Fishbowl is all about puzzles and games, the kind of thing Jen would love even if she wasn’t desperate. The cast checks all the boxes: cheerful, quirky Birdie speaks in hashtags; vicious Ariana knows just how to pout for the cameras; and corn-fed “J-dawg” plays the cartoon villain of the house. Then there’s Justin, the green-eyed law student who always seems a breath away from kissing her. Is their attraction real, or a trick to get him closer to the $250,000 grand prize? Romance or showmance, suddenly Jen has a lot more to lose than a summer . . .
Without further adieu, here it is!
[image error]
AMERICA'S NEXT REALITY STAR is available for preorder now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, and Google Play. Click here to add it to your Goodreads shelves.
Laura Heffernan is living proof that watching too much TV can pay off: AMERICA'S NEXT REALITY STAR, the first book in the REALITY STAR series, is coming from Kensington’s Lyrical Press in March 2017. When not watching total strangers participate in arranged marriages, drag racing queens, or cooking competitions, Laura enjoys travel, baking, board games, helping with writing contests, and seeking new experiences. She lives in the northeast with her amazing husband and two furry little beasts.Some of Laura's favorite things include goat cheese, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Battlestar Galactica, the Oxford comma, and ice cream. Not all together. The best place to find her is usually on Twitter, where she spends far too much time tweeting about writing, Canadian chocolate, and reality TV. Follow her @LH_Writes.
Laura is represented by Michelle Richter at Fuse Literary.
August 18, 2016
Cover Reveal for Faithful
If you'd like to help host the cover reveal for volume two of my Birth of Saints series, I'd certainly love your help. No blog is too big or small because it's all about creating a wave.
The cover reveal for FAITHFUL will be August 25th and you can sign up here. RockStar Book Tours is creating the reveal and there will be a giveaway of the first book, GRUDGING. Thanks!
Following Grudging--and with a mix of Terry Goodkind and Bernard Cornwall--religion, witchcraft, and chivalry war in Faithful, the exciting next chapter in Michelle Hauck's Birth of Saints series!
A world of Fear and death…and those trying to save it.
Colina Hermosa has burned to the ground. The Northern invaders continue their assault on the ciudades-estados. Terror has taken hold, and those that should be allies betray each other in hopes of their own survival. As the realities of this devastating and unprovoked war settles in, what can they do to fight back?
On a mission of hope, an unlikely group sets out to find a teacher for Claire, and a new weapon to use against the Northerners and their swelling army.
What they find instead is an old woman.
But she’s not a random crone—she’s Claire’s grandmother. She’s also a Woman of the Song, and her music is both strong and horrible. And while Claire has already seen the power of her own Song, she is scared of her inability to control it, having seen how her magic has brought evil to the world, killing without reason or remorse. To preserve a life of honor and light, Ramiro and Claire will need to convince the old woman to teach them a way so that the power of the Song can be used for good. Otherwise, they’ll just be destroyers themselves, no better than the Northerners and their false god, Dal. With the annihilation their enemy has planned, though, they may not have a choice.
A tale of fear and tragedy, hope and redemption, Faithful is the harrowing second entry in the Birth of Saints trilogy.
The cover reveal for FAITHFUL will be August 25th and you can sign up here. RockStar Book Tours is creating the reveal and there will be a giveaway of the first book, GRUDGING. Thanks!
Following Grudging--and with a mix of Terry Goodkind and Bernard Cornwall--religion, witchcraft, and chivalry war in Faithful, the exciting next chapter in Michelle Hauck's Birth of Saints series!
A world of Fear and death…and those trying to save it.
Colina Hermosa has burned to the ground. The Northern invaders continue their assault on the ciudades-estados. Terror has taken hold, and those that should be allies betray each other in hopes of their own survival. As the realities of this devastating and unprovoked war settles in, what can they do to fight back?
On a mission of hope, an unlikely group sets out to find a teacher for Claire, and a new weapon to use against the Northerners and their swelling army.
What they find instead is an old woman.
But she’s not a random crone—she’s Claire’s grandmother. She’s also a Woman of the Song, and her music is both strong and horrible. And while Claire has already seen the power of her own Song, she is scared of her inability to control it, having seen how her magic has brought evil to the world, killing without reason or remorse. To preserve a life of honor and light, Ramiro and Claire will need to convince the old woman to teach them a way so that the power of the Song can be used for good. Otherwise, they’ll just be destroyers themselves, no better than the Northerners and their false god, Dal. With the annihilation their enemy has planned, though, they may not have a choice.
A tale of fear and tragedy, hope and redemption, Faithful is the harrowing second entry in the Birth of Saints trilogy.
August 12, 2016
Getting the Submission Call with Brooke Johnson
Sometimes you just never know until you take that jump. I hope you enjoy this unusual submission story from Brooke Johnson!
The way I ended up signing a contract with a major publisher is not the usual path most authors take. I didn’t have to deal with the agonizing stress of perfecting my pitch, querying agents or submitting to publishers and collecting rejections, hoping and praying that someone along the line was looking for that exact kind of story. It’s a process that can normally take months, even years.
And all I did was upload a manuscript.
Long story short, back in 2012, Harper Voyager, the SFF imprint of HarperCollins, held an open call for submissions. I uploaded my then self-published manuscript, and now, four years later, my third book has been traditionally published under their Impulse imprint.
To be honest, at the time of signing the contract (and even now, sometimes), I felt like I cheated, that by bypassing the headache of querying and submitting to publishers, that I didn’t really deserve to have a three-book deal with a major publisher. I’m slowly overcoming that, especially now that the books are out and garnering positive reviews. It proves that I wrote a good book—a good series—and that there was a little more than just pure luck that landed me the contract. But for a long time, I really doubted myself. Why did I deserve a contract when writers who worked harder and longer than me at querying and submitting hadn’t signed a contract with a publisher yet?
And the truth is… I was very very lucky.
When I submitted, I knew that the odds were against me, that hundreds (if not thousands) of authors would submit their manuscripts, that my book would be one in a sea of many. The chances of my book being chosen were beyond slim, but there was a chance. A simple what if that pushed me to submit despite the odds.
At worst, the publisher would pass me over, and I’d be no worse off than before. I would keep on trying to find my audience as a self-published author, seeking any other opportunities that might help me do that, whether it was with this book or another, an open call from another publisher, or a determined flurry of queries five years from now.
So I polished the various entry components to the best of my ability and made sure I followed the submission guidelines and double-checked and triple-checked that I hadn’t screwed anything up, and when submissions opened, I crossed my fingers, held my breath, and pressed submit.
The original plan was that Harper Voyager would notify the to-be-published authors by the end of the following January (the submissions window being in October), and so when I didn’t get an email by that date, I just assumed they passed on it, and I promptly forgot about it. I’ve entered contests before and never made it beyond the first stage. I never thought that the book would actually make it through the slush pile and that I would end up with a contract. It was just a hope. A what if. An opportunity.
I think if I had known the truth—that the publisher had received over 4500 submissions and that they were going to respond to every single one and that my book was still in the running for months and months and months—I think I would have literally lost my damn mind. But I never checked for updates. I never wondered who might have signed contracts because of the contest. I had other things to worry about, and it quickly slipped my mind.
Oddly enough, I’m thankful for that. I can’t imagine the sort of anxiety of knowing that my book was still under consideration as the remaining submissions dwindled. It would have occupied my every thought, all hours of the day, until finally, that fated email arrived a year and a half later…
It was a typically ordinary Tuesday afternoon in May (2014 by this point), when the email notification popped up on my tablet screen:
Harper Voyager Impulse offer for THE CLOCKWORK GIANT
I was, for a moment, confused. I think I read the subject like five or six times in the breadth of a second before confirming that yes, it actually did say that, though I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why. I thought that maybe an email had gone astray and landed in my inbox by accident. Someone else named Brooke Johnson must have written a book titled The Clockwork Giant and given the publishers my email address by mistake, because no way would I get an offer from a major publisher for my already self-published novel.
But I did.
And now, a little over two years later, I have three books published with Harper Voyager Impulse, with the promise of another contract with them in the future. My books are selling better that expected after a year of publication, and I’m now a few steps further along my career path to author stardom. Those doubts I had… they’re fading more and more every day. It’s amazing what can happen in just a few short years.
In the face of impossible odds, can one girl stem the tides of war?It has been six months since clockwork engineer Petra Wade destroyed an automaton designed for battle, narrowly escaping with her life. But her troubles are far from over. Her partner on the project, Emmerich Goss, has been sent away to France, and his father, Julian, is still determined that a war machine will be built. Forced to create a new device, Petra subtly sabotages the design in the hopes of delaying the war, but sabotage like this isn’t just risky: it's treason. And with a soldier, Braith, assigned to watch her every move, it may not be long before Julian finds out what she’s done. Now she just has to survive long enough to find another way to stop the war before her sabotage is discovered and she's sentenced to hang for crimes against the empire. But Julian's plans go far deeper than she ever realized ... war is on the horizon, and it will take everything Petra has to stop it in this fast-paced, thrilling sequel to The Brass Giant.
BOOK LINKS: Amazon Barnes & Noble Kobo iTunes Google Play HarperCollins
_______________________________________________________________
Brooke Johnson is a stay-at-home mom and tea-loving author. As the jack-of-all-trades bard of the family, she journeys through life with her husband, daughter, and dog. She currently resides in Northwest Arkansas but hopes one day to live somewhere a bit more mountainous.
Twitter Tumblr Facebook Google+ Website
The way I ended up signing a contract with a major publisher is not the usual path most authors take. I didn’t have to deal with the agonizing stress of perfecting my pitch, querying agents or submitting to publishers and collecting rejections, hoping and praying that someone along the line was looking for that exact kind of story. It’s a process that can normally take months, even years.
And all I did was upload a manuscript.
Long story short, back in 2012, Harper Voyager, the SFF imprint of HarperCollins, held an open call for submissions. I uploaded my then self-published manuscript, and now, four years later, my third book has been traditionally published under their Impulse imprint.
To be honest, at the time of signing the contract (and even now, sometimes), I felt like I cheated, that by bypassing the headache of querying and submitting to publishers, that I didn’t really deserve to have a three-book deal with a major publisher. I’m slowly overcoming that, especially now that the books are out and garnering positive reviews. It proves that I wrote a good book—a good series—and that there was a little more than just pure luck that landed me the contract. But for a long time, I really doubted myself. Why did I deserve a contract when writers who worked harder and longer than me at querying and submitting hadn’t signed a contract with a publisher yet?
And the truth is… I was very very lucky.
When I submitted, I knew that the odds were against me, that hundreds (if not thousands) of authors would submit their manuscripts, that my book would be one in a sea of many. The chances of my book being chosen were beyond slim, but there was a chance. A simple what if that pushed me to submit despite the odds.
At worst, the publisher would pass me over, and I’d be no worse off than before. I would keep on trying to find my audience as a self-published author, seeking any other opportunities that might help me do that, whether it was with this book or another, an open call from another publisher, or a determined flurry of queries five years from now.
So I polished the various entry components to the best of my ability and made sure I followed the submission guidelines and double-checked and triple-checked that I hadn’t screwed anything up, and when submissions opened, I crossed my fingers, held my breath, and pressed submit.
The original plan was that Harper Voyager would notify the to-be-published authors by the end of the following January (the submissions window being in October), and so when I didn’t get an email by that date, I just assumed they passed on it, and I promptly forgot about it. I’ve entered contests before and never made it beyond the first stage. I never thought that the book would actually make it through the slush pile and that I would end up with a contract. It was just a hope. A what if. An opportunity.
I think if I had known the truth—that the publisher had received over 4500 submissions and that they were going to respond to every single one and that my book was still in the running for months and months and months—I think I would have literally lost my damn mind. But I never checked for updates. I never wondered who might have signed contracts because of the contest. I had other things to worry about, and it quickly slipped my mind.
Oddly enough, I’m thankful for that. I can’t imagine the sort of anxiety of knowing that my book was still under consideration as the remaining submissions dwindled. It would have occupied my every thought, all hours of the day, until finally, that fated email arrived a year and a half later…
It was a typically ordinary Tuesday afternoon in May (2014 by this point), when the email notification popped up on my tablet screen:
Harper Voyager Impulse offer for THE CLOCKWORK GIANT
I was, for a moment, confused. I think I read the subject like five or six times in the breadth of a second before confirming that yes, it actually did say that, though I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why. I thought that maybe an email had gone astray and landed in my inbox by accident. Someone else named Brooke Johnson must have written a book titled The Clockwork Giant and given the publishers my email address by mistake, because no way would I get an offer from a major publisher for my already self-published novel.
But I did.
And now, a little over two years later, I have three books published with Harper Voyager Impulse, with the promise of another contract with them in the future. My books are selling better that expected after a year of publication, and I’m now a few steps further along my career path to author stardom. Those doubts I had… they’re fading more and more every day. It’s amazing what can happen in just a few short years.
In the face of impossible odds, can one girl stem the tides of war?It has been six months since clockwork engineer Petra Wade destroyed an automaton designed for battle, narrowly escaping with her life. But her troubles are far from over. Her partner on the project, Emmerich Goss, has been sent away to France, and his father, Julian, is still determined that a war machine will be built. Forced to create a new device, Petra subtly sabotages the design in the hopes of delaying the war, but sabotage like this isn’t just risky: it's treason. And with a soldier, Braith, assigned to watch her every move, it may not be long before Julian finds out what she’s done. Now she just has to survive long enough to find another way to stop the war before her sabotage is discovered and she's sentenced to hang for crimes against the empire. But Julian's plans go far deeper than she ever realized ... war is on the horizon, and it will take everything Petra has to stop it in this fast-paced, thrilling sequel to The Brass Giant.
BOOK LINKS: Amazon Barnes & Noble Kobo iTunes Google Play HarperCollins
_______________________________________________________________
Brooke Johnson is a stay-at-home mom and tea-loving author. As the jack-of-all-trades bard of the family, she journeys through life with her husband, daughter, and dog. She currently resides in Northwest Arkansas but hopes one day to live somewhere a bit more mountainous.
Twitter Tumblr Facebook Google+ Website
August 10, 2016
Notes from the Pitchwars 2016 Slush
I've read through all my entries and have moved on to reading fulls. Thanks to everyone who picked me as a possible mentor. I took the responsibility very seriously and tried to remember how I felt when entering contests. (I was never picked for a major contest, by the way, but got my agent from querying.) So I gave every entry my attention and consideration.
I received one hundred and fifty entries, give or take a few. I read each query. I only skipped reading the pages if the genre was very obviously not SFF. There were five or six of those. Last year I read the entire chapter sent to me. With double the entries to read, I had to nix that practice this year and read at least four pages on each entry, but often not all the way to the end. I wish it were otherwise, but time constraints have to be considered. If the pages held my attention I went all the way to the end.
I used labels in my gmail to help tag each entry. Some tags are for the pages and some for the query. Examples of those for queries are rhetorical question, short query, lacks stakes, interesting concept, tight query, telling, synopsis-like query, confusing. I saw a big increase in the use of rhetorical questions in queries this year. (You might want to reword those so they aren't questions anymore.)
I based my decision much less on the state of the query as reworking queries is one of my strong points.
Mostly my decision was made by the pages. I had many more tags for the pages, such as starts in wrong place, good writing, overdone concept, grammar/punctuation, great characters, can't get close to characters, telling, info dumps, bad dialogue, engaging, funny, head jumping, rambles and several more.
One of my most frequently use tags was "just not for me." I'm afraid with 150 entries and only one pick many times it really came down to my subjective opinion. Is this the kind of story I would want to read over and over? I am looking for the one I love the most, so great interest and attachment to the pages is critical.
Often there was nothing wrong with the pages, and the writing and characters were strong and engaging, but the type of story just wasn't for my tastes. Not really fair, but the nature of contests.
I also consider other things such as will agents go for this concept? Does it have enough unique elements to stand out? Can my vision for revision be completed in time? And to a lesser degree, does it translate well to a pitch. I say lesser on that one because adult entries get less love in contests. Whether that's because more of the agents want YA or other things, I'm not sure. I just know that most of the adult entries are going to find their agent after the contest ends and from querying so pitch-ability is a bonus.
I've requested a few fulls and will request more shortly. My plan is to read requested pages right up to the deadline, even if I find "the one," with the idea being to give feedback on the ones where I request additional material. I want to be able to send as much feedback as possible. Sadly, I don't think I'll be even able to read all the ones I marked as maybe or yes. I just promise to do my best and give it as much of my time as possible.
So there's where I am at this time. I found great talent in the slush and great potential. Not every story is at the same level of readiness, just as none of us are in the same place of our journey as writers.
The true benefits of a contest isn't agent requests but learning new skills as a writer and making contacts with other writers. We all continue to learn and grow no matter our place in the journey.
I received one hundred and fifty entries, give or take a few. I read each query. I only skipped reading the pages if the genre was very obviously not SFF. There were five or six of those. Last year I read the entire chapter sent to me. With double the entries to read, I had to nix that practice this year and read at least four pages on each entry, but often not all the way to the end. I wish it were otherwise, but time constraints have to be considered. If the pages held my attention I went all the way to the end.
I used labels in my gmail to help tag each entry. Some tags are for the pages and some for the query. Examples of those for queries are rhetorical question, short query, lacks stakes, interesting concept, tight query, telling, synopsis-like query, confusing. I saw a big increase in the use of rhetorical questions in queries this year. (You might want to reword those so they aren't questions anymore.)
I based my decision much less on the state of the query as reworking queries is one of my strong points.
Mostly my decision was made by the pages. I had many more tags for the pages, such as starts in wrong place, good writing, overdone concept, grammar/punctuation, great characters, can't get close to characters, telling, info dumps, bad dialogue, engaging, funny, head jumping, rambles and several more.
One of my most frequently use tags was "just not for me." I'm afraid with 150 entries and only one pick many times it really came down to my subjective opinion. Is this the kind of story I would want to read over and over? I am looking for the one I love the most, so great interest and attachment to the pages is critical.
Often there was nothing wrong with the pages, and the writing and characters were strong and engaging, but the type of story just wasn't for my tastes. Not really fair, but the nature of contests.
I also consider other things such as will agents go for this concept? Does it have enough unique elements to stand out? Can my vision for revision be completed in time? And to a lesser degree, does it translate well to a pitch. I say lesser on that one because adult entries get less love in contests. Whether that's because more of the agents want YA or other things, I'm not sure. I just know that most of the adult entries are going to find their agent after the contest ends and from querying so pitch-ability is a bonus.
I've requested a few fulls and will request more shortly. My plan is to read requested pages right up to the deadline, even if I find "the one," with the idea being to give feedback on the ones where I request additional material. I want to be able to send as much feedback as possible. Sadly, I don't think I'll be even able to read all the ones I marked as maybe or yes. I just promise to do my best and give it as much of my time as possible.
So there's where I am at this time. I found great talent in the slush and great potential. Not every story is at the same level of readiness, just as none of us are in the same place of our journey as writers.
The true benefits of a contest isn't agent requests but learning new skills as a writer and making contacts with other writers. We all continue to learn and grow no matter our place in the journey.
August 1, 2016
Getting the Call with Laura Rueckert
Fairy tales can come true. They can happen to you. Sorry, for some reason this song got stuck in my head. Read this story and you'll see why! Congrats Laura!
I've heard sometimes when you get to the point where you consider giving up, something good will come about. That's exactly how it was for me. A lot happened before The Call...and The Call, and The Second Call, too (don't worry, it'll make sense soon).
2012: After years of on-again/mostly off-again writing, inspiration strikes and I begin writing once more. This time, I don't stop.
October 23, 2015: I have six trunked manuscripts, a ton of progress in my writing, a truckload of rejections and a pretty thick skin. And a seventh manuscript I really believe in, a YA Fantasy called A DRAGONBIRD IN THE FERN. I start querying. Again.
March 7, 2016: the day of emotional whiplash
6:00 am: I wake up to a detailed rejection from an agent I'd been really excited about. It basically means I need major revisions, so I spend the day moping about making the same writing mistakes for the past four years and doubting whether I'm ever going to improve. Maybe this is The Final Sign that I should stop wasting so many hours pounding away on my laptop. (See also "Where did that thick skin go?")
5:30 pm: I made the agent round of Pitch Madness! First, elation, then—holy smokes, isn't my manuscript a mess? Panicked, I DM my CP. Should I withdraw to avoid wasting my chances with these agents and revise instead?
6:30 pm: One of my kids is throwing a temper tantrum, and I'm still trying to decide what to do about Pitch Madness, when my e-mail dings with a response to one of the very first queries I'd sent, back in October 2015. I force myself to open the inevitable bad news.
The agent I queried had passed my full onto Agent Z...who now wants to talk to me. My child's screams in the background, I re-read the e-mail over and over trying to let it sink in.
My mouth goes dry. Agent Z wants to talk to me! But wait, I tell myself, it might be an R&R. We set a date for a couple of days later, and I start researching Agent Z.
March 9: the Pitch Madness agent round goes live, but the requests will be kept hidden until March 11.
March 10: For The Call with Agent Z, I perch at my daughter's little kid desk because I don't have one myself. I listen to what Agent Z loves about my story (swoon!) and what she envisions (yippee!). Then I ask my (ahem) long list of questions.
Agent Z offers to represent me! It's so exciting! But I keep calm and tell her I'll get back to her by March 23.
Since the agent round of Pitch Madness already began, I decide not to withdraw. I send the other agents who have my queries and requested materials OFFER OF REP e-mails. Over the next twelve days, I happily send a couple more fulls and collect very nice step-asides that don't feel so bad anymore.
March 11: Pitch Madness requests are revealed, and I have two! I send the requested materials with the subject line PITCH MADNESS - OFFER OF REP. That feels pretty cool.
March 12: A Ninja Agent at Pitch Madness adds another partial request!
March 13: Just after midnight, Ninja Agent writes to say she's ten chapters in and is adding her offer to the table!
Four hours later, she writes again saying she's finished reading and loves my story. I'm living a dream!
March 16: The Call with Ninja Agent. It's a very thoughtful, wonderful conversation. And oh, how I love what she has to say about my manuscript!
I spend the next days researching like mad and communicating with happy clients of both amazing agents. DMs fly as my CPs and writer friends also help me out with their opinions and experiences.
March 21: Agent Z sends me another note to remind me how much she loves my story. She says if anyone else has offered, she'd like A Second Call to try to convince me to go with her! Talk about making me feel wanted!
March 22: Agent Z calls me again. We get into the nitty gritty details of a couple of questions I'd forgotten, despite my well-prepared list. Agent Z is absolutely not pushy. In fact, she even offers to extend the deadline for my decision in case I'm still not sure. But I'm a woman of my word; I'm sticking with March 23.
March 23: Both agents are truly terrific, and I've agonized over it for days, but I feel great about my decision.
I'm absolutely thrilled that I am now represented by Agent Z: Zoe Sandler of ICM Partners!
_________________________________________________
Laura grew up in Michigan but dove into a whirlwind romance just after college, which meant moving to southern Germany without a job, but with a lot of love. She and her husband married a blink of an eye later, and they've now lived there happily for more years than seem possible. By day, Laura manages process and system projects, and she's a mother of two. Nights and stolen daytime hours are devoted to living in her head: writing YA science fiction and fantasy novels. Laura is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, and her work is represented by Zoe Sandler of ICM Partners.
LINKSTwitterWebsite
I've heard sometimes when you get to the point where you consider giving up, something good will come about. That's exactly how it was for me. A lot happened before The Call...and The Call, and The Second Call, too (don't worry, it'll make sense soon).
2012: After years of on-again/mostly off-again writing, inspiration strikes and I begin writing once more. This time, I don't stop.
October 23, 2015: I have six trunked manuscripts, a ton of progress in my writing, a truckload of rejections and a pretty thick skin. And a seventh manuscript I really believe in, a YA Fantasy called A DRAGONBIRD IN THE FERN. I start querying. Again.
March 7, 2016: the day of emotional whiplash
6:00 am: I wake up to a detailed rejection from an agent I'd been really excited about. It basically means I need major revisions, so I spend the day moping about making the same writing mistakes for the past four years and doubting whether I'm ever going to improve. Maybe this is The Final Sign that I should stop wasting so many hours pounding away on my laptop. (See also "Where did that thick skin go?")
5:30 pm: I made the agent round of Pitch Madness! First, elation, then—holy smokes, isn't my manuscript a mess? Panicked, I DM my CP. Should I withdraw to avoid wasting my chances with these agents and revise instead?
6:30 pm: One of my kids is throwing a temper tantrum, and I'm still trying to decide what to do about Pitch Madness, when my e-mail dings with a response to one of the very first queries I'd sent, back in October 2015. I force myself to open the inevitable bad news.
The agent I queried had passed my full onto Agent Z...who now wants to talk to me. My child's screams in the background, I re-read the e-mail over and over trying to let it sink in.
My mouth goes dry. Agent Z wants to talk to me! But wait, I tell myself, it might be an R&R. We set a date for a couple of days later, and I start researching Agent Z.
March 9: the Pitch Madness agent round goes live, but the requests will be kept hidden until March 11.
March 10: For The Call with Agent Z, I perch at my daughter's little kid desk because I don't have one myself. I listen to what Agent Z loves about my story (swoon!) and what she envisions (yippee!). Then I ask my (ahem) long list of questions.
Agent Z offers to represent me! It's so exciting! But I keep calm and tell her I'll get back to her by March 23.
Since the agent round of Pitch Madness already began, I decide not to withdraw. I send the other agents who have my queries and requested materials OFFER OF REP e-mails. Over the next twelve days, I happily send a couple more fulls and collect very nice step-asides that don't feel so bad anymore.
March 11: Pitch Madness requests are revealed, and I have two! I send the requested materials with the subject line PITCH MADNESS - OFFER OF REP. That feels pretty cool.
March 12: A Ninja Agent at Pitch Madness adds another partial request!
March 13: Just after midnight, Ninja Agent writes to say she's ten chapters in and is adding her offer to the table!
Four hours later, she writes again saying she's finished reading and loves my story. I'm living a dream!
March 16: The Call with Ninja Agent. It's a very thoughtful, wonderful conversation. And oh, how I love what she has to say about my manuscript!
I spend the next days researching like mad and communicating with happy clients of both amazing agents. DMs fly as my CPs and writer friends also help me out with their opinions and experiences.
March 21: Agent Z sends me another note to remind me how much she loves my story. She says if anyone else has offered, she'd like A Second Call to try to convince me to go with her! Talk about making me feel wanted!
March 22: Agent Z calls me again. We get into the nitty gritty details of a couple of questions I'd forgotten, despite my well-prepared list. Agent Z is absolutely not pushy. In fact, she even offers to extend the deadline for my decision in case I'm still not sure. But I'm a woman of my word; I'm sticking with March 23.
March 23: Both agents are truly terrific, and I've agonized over it for days, but I feel great about my decision.
I'm absolutely thrilled that I am now represented by Agent Z: Zoe Sandler of ICM Partners!
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Laura grew up in Michigan but dove into a whirlwind romance just after college, which meant moving to southern Germany without a job, but with a lot of love. She and her husband married a blink of an eye later, and they've now lived there happily for more years than seem possible. By day, Laura manages process and system projects, and she's a mother of two. Nights and stolen daytime hours are devoted to living in her head: writing YA science fiction and fantasy novels. Laura is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, and her work is represented by Zoe Sandler of ICM Partners.
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July 28, 2016
Four Questions with #Pitchwars SFF Mentors- Part 2
As you know, there are a few #PitchWars mentors with a preference for SFF this year. Some of the Adult SFF mentors got together and decided to answer some fun questions. There are other mentors accepting adult SFF, so please don’t take this as a comprehensive list. But here’s hoping that our answers to these questions will help you narrow it down.See the first part of this question and answer session over at Dan Koboldt's blog. Here are the participating mentors, with links to their #PitchWars wish lists:Michelle HauckDan KoboldtHolly FaurMichelle HazenNazarea AndrewsCarrie CallaghanE.B. WheelerJ.C. NelsonHayley StoneMichael Mammay
Question 1: Name the one SFF character you'd like to meet, and briefly say why.Michelle Hauck: Yoda. I want to learn the ways of the Force.
Dan Koboldt: Lews Therin, because the guy was awesome/crazy.
Holly Faur: Does Doctor Who count? Because why not?
Michelle Hazen: Zuzana from Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy. Because I think she might be the fictional equivalent of me. If I were a puppetmaker in Prague as well as being tiny, fierce, and terrifyingly creative in revenge schemes against people who hurt my friends.
Nazarea Andrews: Severo. (Red Rising) um. He's amazing. And awful. And loyal but utterly complex and I just adore him.
Carrie Callaghan: Yvaine, from Stardust. She was a star! Think of the amazing things she saw and decided to give up for love.
E.B. Wheeler: Merlin from the BBC's series, because I love his character, and he needs a hug.
Haley Stone: This question is just not fair. Okay. Um. At the moment? Margaery Tyrell. I'd love to pick her brain about politics, discuss marketing strategies (I just feel like she'd have great insight into self-promotion?) and also go shopping with her because damn, girl can pick out a flattering dress.
Michael Mammay: Ender
Question 2: You have three PW submission and all three are really, really good. Do you go with the Space Opera, the Epic Fantasy, or the Urban Fantasy?Michelle Hauck: All things being equal, I'd go for the epic fantasy. I read more of that genre.
Dan Koboldt: Space Opera
Holly Faur: AHHHHH....I'd have to decide from the first two with a chocolate duel. (I find that Thibault cancels out Capa Ferro, don't you?)
Michelle Hazen: Urban Fantasy
Nazarea Andrews: Depends on the story. I know that's a cop out answer, but it's also true. I love everything about all three but the story has to sell me on the book.
Carrie Callaghan: So hard! But I'm a sucker for Epic Fantasy, especially if it has a literary touch.
E.B. Wheeler: Urban if it has a historical setting, otherwise, epic.
J.C. Nelson: THIS year, I'd go for the Space Opera, because I love it and want to see more.
Haley Stone: Epic Fantasy
Michael Mammay: Space Opera if they're equal
Question 3: Favorite fantasy or SF world?Michelle Hauck: Wheel of Time
Dan Koboldt: Midkemia
Holly Faur: The one I really *felt* was Arrakis. Though I DO NOT wish to live there. Maybe somewhere I can get second breakfast.
Michelle Hazen: Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series. I love how she dealt with the political repercussions of a world with multiple magical species.
Nazarea Andrews: Narnia of Middle Earth. Classics and a childhood favorite.
E.B. Wheeler: Alternate England in Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
J.C. Nelson: Hyperion
Haley Stone: I'm really fascinated by Terra D'Ange of Kushiel's Dart. But if we're talking more generally, the Star Wars Galaxy.
Michael Mammay: I find the world from Mirror Empire fascinating.
Question 4: Favorite male SF Character?Michelle Hauck: F'nor from Dragonriders of Pern. I have a soft spot for this secondary character.
Dan Koboldt: Quinn Bradley. WINK.
Holly Faur: Paul Atreides or Thomas from Maze Runner
Michelle Hazen: Mark Watney from The Martian
Nazarea Andrews: Spock. I have a thing for brilliant, socially awkward creatures who don't really get the 'normal' people around them. And Spock's relationship with Bones and Kirk makes me happy. Like. Ridiculously happy.
J.C. Nelson: Ian Malcolm in the Jurassic Park Novels
Haley Stone: Garrus Vakarian
Michael Mammay: Rico from Starship Troopers
That's it for today! Be sure to visit Haley Stone's blog for more Questions and Answers on Friday.
Question 1: Name the one SFF character you'd like to meet, and briefly say why.Michelle Hauck: Yoda. I want to learn the ways of the Force.
Dan Koboldt: Lews Therin, because the guy was awesome/crazy.
Holly Faur: Does Doctor Who count? Because why not?
Michelle Hazen: Zuzana from Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy. Because I think she might be the fictional equivalent of me. If I were a puppetmaker in Prague as well as being tiny, fierce, and terrifyingly creative in revenge schemes against people who hurt my friends.
Nazarea Andrews: Severo. (Red Rising) um. He's amazing. And awful. And loyal but utterly complex and I just adore him.
Carrie Callaghan: Yvaine, from Stardust. She was a star! Think of the amazing things she saw and decided to give up for love.
E.B. Wheeler: Merlin from the BBC's series, because I love his character, and he needs a hug.
Haley Stone: This question is just not fair. Okay. Um. At the moment? Margaery Tyrell. I'd love to pick her brain about politics, discuss marketing strategies (I just feel like she'd have great insight into self-promotion?) and also go shopping with her because damn, girl can pick out a flattering dress.
Michael Mammay: Ender
Question 2: You have three PW submission and all three are really, really good. Do you go with the Space Opera, the Epic Fantasy, or the Urban Fantasy?Michelle Hauck: All things being equal, I'd go for the epic fantasy. I read more of that genre.
Dan Koboldt: Space Opera
Holly Faur: AHHHHH....I'd have to decide from the first two with a chocolate duel. (I find that Thibault cancels out Capa Ferro, don't you?)
Michelle Hazen: Urban Fantasy
Nazarea Andrews: Depends on the story. I know that's a cop out answer, but it's also true. I love everything about all three but the story has to sell me on the book.
Carrie Callaghan: So hard! But I'm a sucker for Epic Fantasy, especially if it has a literary touch.
E.B. Wheeler: Urban if it has a historical setting, otherwise, epic.
J.C. Nelson: THIS year, I'd go for the Space Opera, because I love it and want to see more.
Haley Stone: Epic Fantasy
Michael Mammay: Space Opera if they're equal
Question 3: Favorite fantasy or SF world?Michelle Hauck: Wheel of Time
Dan Koboldt: Midkemia
Holly Faur: The one I really *felt* was Arrakis. Though I DO NOT wish to live there. Maybe somewhere I can get second breakfast.
Michelle Hazen: Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series. I love how she dealt with the political repercussions of a world with multiple magical species.
Nazarea Andrews: Narnia of Middle Earth. Classics and a childhood favorite.
E.B. Wheeler: Alternate England in Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
J.C. Nelson: Hyperion
Haley Stone: I'm really fascinated by Terra D'Ange of Kushiel's Dart. But if we're talking more generally, the Star Wars Galaxy.
Michael Mammay: I find the world from Mirror Empire fascinating.
Question 4: Favorite male SF Character?Michelle Hauck: F'nor from Dragonriders of Pern. I have a soft spot for this secondary character.
Dan Koboldt: Quinn Bradley. WINK.
Holly Faur: Paul Atreides or Thomas from Maze Runner
Michelle Hazen: Mark Watney from The Martian
Nazarea Andrews: Spock. I have a thing for brilliant, socially awkward creatures who don't really get the 'normal' people around them. And Spock's relationship with Bones and Kirk makes me happy. Like. Ridiculously happy.
J.C. Nelson: Ian Malcolm in the Jurassic Park Novels
Haley Stone: Garrus Vakarian
Michael Mammay: Rico from Starship Troopers
That's it for today! Be sure to visit Haley Stone's blog for more Questions and Answers on Friday.
July 27, 2016
Happy Release Day to MACHINATIONS
Perfect for fans of Robopocalypse, this action-packed science-fiction debut introduces a chilling future and an unforgettable heroine with a powerful role to play in the battle for humanity’s survival.
The machines have risen, but not out of malice. They were simply following a command: to stop the endless wars that have plagued the world throughout history. Their solution was perfectly logical. To end the fighting, they decided to end the human race.
A potent symbol of the resistance, Rhona Long has served on the front lines of the conflict since the first Machinations began—until she is killed during a rescue mission gone wrong. Now Rhona awakens to find herself transported to a new body, complete with her DNA, her personality, even her memories. She is a clone . . . of herself.
Trapped in the shadow of the life she once knew, the reincarnated Rhona must find her place among old friends and newfound enemies—and quickly. For the machines are inching closer to exterminating humans for good. And only Rhona, whoever she is now, can save them.
Praise for Machinations:
"A tension-filled story of loss, loyalty, and forgiveness, with abundant Terminator-style shoot-em-up scenes and a snarky, kickass female warrior. I inhaled it!” – Jennifer Foehner Wells, bestselling author of Fluency
“This violent, bloody, romantic tale is full of awesome mechanical foes and authentic characters you love or hate, like real people . . . The nuances of the title promise more than meets the eye, and the prose delivers.”- Perihelion
“An SF techno-thriller with heart and soul.” – Alex Bledsoe, author of The Hum and the Shiver
“Machinations is an action-packed SF thriller loaded with fantastic characters and gut-wrenching emotional twists. [. . .] The prose is stunning, the action is non-stop.” – Linnea Sinclair, RITA Award-winning author of Gabriel’s Ghost
“Machinations is a thrilling fusion of action and heartbreak, with quick pacing, rich characters, and a one-of-a-kind story. A great debut.” – G.T. Almasi, author of Blades of Winter
Order your copy of Machinations today!
Amazon| Barnes & Noble | Kobo
And don’t forget to add it to your Goodreads!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest
Hayley Stone has lived her entire life in sunny California, where the weather is usually perfect and nothing as exciting as a robot apocalypse ever happens. When not reading or writing, she freelances as a graphic designer, falls in love with videogame characters, and analyzes buildings for velociraptor entry points. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a minor in German from California State University, Sacramento.
Machinations is her debut novel from Hydra/Random House. Its sequel, Counterpart, releases October 11th, 2016.
Query Questions with Lauren Spieller
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 series 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.
How about an interview from a brand-spanking new agent! This is a real opportunity as Lauren Spieller with TriadaUS has just started looking for clients.
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query? I’d never hold a typo or two against someone, especially if the book sounds promising. That being said, your query is your first impression. Dress to impress!
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?I always look at sample pages, but I also read every single query. If you’ve written a concise and dynamic summary, I’ll read your pages with particular interest.
Do you have an assistant or intern go through your queries first or do you check all of them?Nope. I read them all myself. If the manuscript has a prologue, do you want it included with the sample pages?Yes. If your book can stand alone without the prologue, then you should rethink whether or not you actually need one.
How important are comp titles? Is it something you want to see in a query?I find comp titles helpful, but they aren’t a necessity.
Some agencies mention querying only one agent at a time and some say query only one agent period. How often do you pass a query along to a fellow agent who might be more interested?The agents at TriadaUS regularly share queries we think are a better fit for another agent.
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript?I appreciate a personalized query. It shows me that the author has done their homework on what I’m looking for.
Most agents have said they don’t care whether the word count/genre sentence comes first or last. But is it a red flag if one component is not included?I agree—it doesn’t matter where the word count is, as long as you include it. But a query without a word count? That would make me nervous…
Should writers sweat the title of their book (and character names) or is that something that is often changed by publishers?I appreciate a unique title that shows the author is aware of the conventions in their genre, but a bad title isn’t a deal breaker. We can always come up with a new one together. Some writers have asked about including links to their blogs or manuscript-related artwork. I’m sure it’s not appropriate to add those links in a query, but are links in an email signature offensive?I encourage writers to include links in their email signatures! It saves me the work of Googling them! ;)
What bio should an author with no publishing credits include?Authors stress too much about this aspect of the query. Just include where you live and what you do for a living, plus maybe a hobby if it’s something you’re passionate about. I’d also be interested in hearing about any experience that’s relevant to your book. If you wrote a book about mountain climbing and you’ve been a climber for years, let me know!
What does ‘just not right' mean to you?“Just not right” might mean the voice doesn’t speak to me, or perhaps the conflict isn’t as gripping as I’d like. I try to be specific when I reject a project, especially if I’ve read more than the sample pages.
Do you consider yourself a hands-on, editorial type of agent?I’m very editorial. I worked as an editorial consultant for multiple years before I started agenting, so it’s a big part of my process. That being said, the author always has the final say. It’s their book, and they have to believe in every word of it. What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?I’d love to see a funny, magical Middle Grade or a Middle Grade along the lines of BETTER NATE THAN EVER by Tim Federle, a high concept YA fantasy with a female friendship at the center, and a diverse contemporary Young Adult novel along the lines of ALL AMERICAN BOYS by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely and THE HATE U GIVE by Angela Thomas.
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Literary Agent Assistant Lauren Spieller comes to TriadaUS with a background in literary scouting and editorial consulting. She is seeking Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction, as well as commercial Adult fiction. Whatever the age group or genre, Lauren welcomes diverse voices.In MG, she’s drawn to heartfelt contemporaries, exciting adventures, contemporary fantasy, and magical realism. Some of her favorite recent novels include Rules for Stealing Stars, George, My Seventh-Grade Life In Tights, The Seventh Wish, and Rooftoppers. In YA, she’d love to find authentic teen voices in any genre. Her recent favorites include Dumplin’, Scorpio Races, Since You’ve Been Gone, Feed, The Lunar Chronicles, Six of Crows, and Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda.
In Adult, Lauren is seeking commercial fiction, particularly twisted thrillers in the vein of Lauren Beukes and Gillian Flynn, and immersive fantasies, such as The Night Circus, The Miniaturist, The Rook, and A Darker Shade of Magic. She is also interested in Women’s Fiction and pop-culture non-fiction.
July 25, 2016
Getting the Call with Kelly DeVos
This story is interesting in so many ways. It shows something about contests and how agents work together. Kelly also gives us a huge does of inspiration right before Pitchwars starts. Enjoy!
Here are the two words I would use to describe the feeling of getting the call: MORTAL TERROR.
Not that my agent, Kathleen Rushall, is at all terrifying. She is amazing and helpful and great to speak with. It was just that the stakes of this call, which would be only a few minutes out of my whole life, seemed impossibly high. Not only is Kathleen a very successful agent with a strong sales track record, I’d spent what seemed like a billion years in the query trenches. It was possible that this could be my one and only chance to make an agent connection. And it was equally possible that I could say or do something totally idiotic.
Backing up a little bit, FAT GIRL ON A PLANE, which will be published in August 2017 by Harlequin Teen (shameless plug: I will love you forever if you add it to your Goodreads TBR shelf), was not my first book. When I decided to start writing seriously again, I worked on a YA mystery. In retrospect, I can see why I wasn’t successful in landing an agent with my first book. It contained elements I later recognized as over utilized in young adult fiction and there were pacing issues I never managed to fully resolve. But I spent the better part of two years writing, rewriting, querying and re-querying it.
Once I made the decision to shelve that book and move on, I decided I didn’t want to make the same mistakes I made the first time around – especially querying way too early. To combat this, with FAT GIRL ON A PLANE I decided, early on, to enter an online contest, Michelle’s New Agent Contest. I recommend these kinds of contests, and Michelle’s specifically, to any querying writer. While contests don’t work for everyone and there are many, many success stories from conventional queries, these events are a great way to meet other writers and receive mentoring (as I received from the wonderful Natasha Raulerson). For me, New Agent was a safeguard against beginning the query process too early. I thought if I could get past the contest judges, I was probably in okay shape to approach agents.
During the contest, agent Patricia Nelson requested my MS. I had been a fan of Patricia’s for a long time. I followed her on social media and loved her taste in books. A few days after sending along my files, I got a message from Patricia saying that she enjoyed my book but felt it might be a better fit for her colleague, Kathleen Rushall.
I’ll admit, this surprised me. I’d read that, within many agencies, the agents work collaboratively. But I always thought that when agents said they’d pass work on to someone else if they believed it would be a good fit, they were giving a gentle brush off. It was the publishing equivalent of, “We’ll keep your resumé on file.” But Patricia did me an incredible favor for which I will always be grateful.
About a week later, Kathleen e-mailed me and said she’d like to set up a time to talk. I thought, “I’m getting the call! I’m getting the call!” The is where the mortal terror comes in. After I read the e-mail, I’m pretty sure I went around asking every writer friend I have what is okay to say and not okay to say. I fully charged my phone, made sure I had a back up phone, set an alarm, checked and double checked the volume of my ringtone and even cleaned my desk.
I’ve got kind of a Type A personality. I even wrote out a little script for myself so that I didn’t start blathering about my knitting projects or obsession with the TV show Pretty Little Liars.
Kathleen was so gracious during our conversation and told me what she loved about my book. It was such an amazing rush to have someone with expertise in publishing validate my writing. But as the call went on, she also began to talk about things she didn’t like about the MS or things she felt that editors would not respond to positively. I had the sinking feeling that this was not quite THE CALL. At the conclusion, she offered me an R&R.
At first I was sort of depressed, I wanted to get THE CALL. The kind where you get your agent and go out and get 5,000 cupcakes and dance all around. But I realized progress was being made and the changes Kathleen suggested made sense. I got back to work. I sent her my revised version and she liked the changes. A few weeks later, we had a for real THE CALL that ended in an offer of representation.
It’s kind of funny because I did so much prep work for the first conversation, but when I got the real call I was in the carline at my daughter’s school, waiting for the release bell to ring. My dog, Cocoa, jumped out of the car window right as I finished speaking with Kathleen. The first thing I did after landing an agent was chase my Yorkie all across a middle school campus.
In retrospect, I’m glad things progressed the way they did. When you’re out there in the query trenches, one of the hardest things to accept is that there is no real advantage to landing an agent if your work isn’t in a place where he or she can successfully sell it. So I ended up feeling very positive that my offer was based on a draft Kathleen felt good about. It was also a lesson in being patient, which I think is essential during all stages of publishing. The path to publication can be lined with long waits and delays and, during the process, patience really is a virtue.
I am so excited to say that, in 2017, my dream of becoming a published author will come true. And if you’re still querying, take heart and #keepgoing! I hope I’ll be reading your “Getting the Call” story next.
----------------------------------------------------------------
A third generation native Arizonan, Kelly deVos can tell you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about cactus, cattle and climate. She holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Arizona State University. She is represented by Kathleen Rushall of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency and her debut novel, FAT GIRL ON A PLANE, will be published in August 2017 by Harlequin Teen.
Links:Blog: http://insanity.todayTwitter: https://twitter.com/KdeVosAuthorTumblr: http://kellydevosauthor.tumblr.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellydevos/Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15236443.Kelly_deVos
Here are the two words I would use to describe the feeling of getting the call: MORTAL TERROR.
Not that my agent, Kathleen Rushall, is at all terrifying. She is amazing and helpful and great to speak with. It was just that the stakes of this call, which would be only a few minutes out of my whole life, seemed impossibly high. Not only is Kathleen a very successful agent with a strong sales track record, I’d spent what seemed like a billion years in the query trenches. It was possible that this could be my one and only chance to make an agent connection. And it was equally possible that I could say or do something totally idiotic.
Backing up a little bit, FAT GIRL ON A PLANE, which will be published in August 2017 by Harlequin Teen (shameless plug: I will love you forever if you add it to your Goodreads TBR shelf), was not my first book. When I decided to start writing seriously again, I worked on a YA mystery. In retrospect, I can see why I wasn’t successful in landing an agent with my first book. It contained elements I later recognized as over utilized in young adult fiction and there were pacing issues I never managed to fully resolve. But I spent the better part of two years writing, rewriting, querying and re-querying it.
Once I made the decision to shelve that book and move on, I decided I didn’t want to make the same mistakes I made the first time around – especially querying way too early. To combat this, with FAT GIRL ON A PLANE I decided, early on, to enter an online contest, Michelle’s New Agent Contest. I recommend these kinds of contests, and Michelle’s specifically, to any querying writer. While contests don’t work for everyone and there are many, many success stories from conventional queries, these events are a great way to meet other writers and receive mentoring (as I received from the wonderful Natasha Raulerson). For me, New Agent was a safeguard against beginning the query process too early. I thought if I could get past the contest judges, I was probably in okay shape to approach agents.
During the contest, agent Patricia Nelson requested my MS. I had been a fan of Patricia’s for a long time. I followed her on social media and loved her taste in books. A few days after sending along my files, I got a message from Patricia saying that she enjoyed my book but felt it might be a better fit for her colleague, Kathleen Rushall.
I’ll admit, this surprised me. I’d read that, within many agencies, the agents work collaboratively. But I always thought that when agents said they’d pass work on to someone else if they believed it would be a good fit, they were giving a gentle brush off. It was the publishing equivalent of, “We’ll keep your resumé on file.” But Patricia did me an incredible favor for which I will always be grateful.
About a week later, Kathleen e-mailed me and said she’d like to set up a time to talk. I thought, “I’m getting the call! I’m getting the call!” The is where the mortal terror comes in. After I read the e-mail, I’m pretty sure I went around asking every writer friend I have what is okay to say and not okay to say. I fully charged my phone, made sure I had a back up phone, set an alarm, checked and double checked the volume of my ringtone and even cleaned my desk.
I’ve got kind of a Type A personality. I even wrote out a little script for myself so that I didn’t start blathering about my knitting projects or obsession with the TV show Pretty Little Liars.
Kathleen was so gracious during our conversation and told me what she loved about my book. It was such an amazing rush to have someone with expertise in publishing validate my writing. But as the call went on, she also began to talk about things she didn’t like about the MS or things she felt that editors would not respond to positively. I had the sinking feeling that this was not quite THE CALL. At the conclusion, she offered me an R&R.
At first I was sort of depressed, I wanted to get THE CALL. The kind where you get your agent and go out and get 5,000 cupcakes and dance all around. But I realized progress was being made and the changes Kathleen suggested made sense. I got back to work. I sent her my revised version and she liked the changes. A few weeks later, we had a for real THE CALL that ended in an offer of representation.
It’s kind of funny because I did so much prep work for the first conversation, but when I got the real call I was in the carline at my daughter’s school, waiting for the release bell to ring. My dog, Cocoa, jumped out of the car window right as I finished speaking with Kathleen. The first thing I did after landing an agent was chase my Yorkie all across a middle school campus.
In retrospect, I’m glad things progressed the way they did. When you’re out there in the query trenches, one of the hardest things to accept is that there is no real advantage to landing an agent if your work isn’t in a place where he or she can successfully sell it. So I ended up feeling very positive that my offer was based on a draft Kathleen felt good about. It was also a lesson in being patient, which I think is essential during all stages of publishing. The path to publication can be lined with long waits and delays and, during the process, patience really is a virtue.
I am so excited to say that, in 2017, my dream of becoming a published author will come true. And if you’re still querying, take heart and #keepgoing! I hope I’ll be reading your “Getting the Call” story next.
----------------------------------------------------------------
A third generation native Arizonan, Kelly deVos can tell you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about cactus, cattle and climate. She holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Arizona State University. She is represented by Kathleen Rushall of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency and her debut novel, FAT GIRL ON A PLANE, will be published in August 2017 by Harlequin Teen.
Links:Blog: http://insanity.todayTwitter: https://twitter.com/KdeVosAuthorTumblr: http://kellydevosauthor.tumblr.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellydevos/Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15236443.Kelly_deVos
July 23, 2016
Cover Reveal for DECOHERENCE
Readers of Blake Crouch's DARK MATTER and Wesely Chu's TIME SALVAGER will love Liana Brooks' DECOHERENCE--the thrilling, time-bending conclusion to the Time & Shadow series!Samantha Rose and Linsey MacKenzie have established an idyllic life of married bliss in Australia, away from the Commonwealth Bureau of Investigation, away from mysterious corpses, and—most of all—away from Dr. Emir’s multiverse machine.But Sam is a detective at heart, and even on the other side of the world, she can’t help wonder if a series of unsolved killings she reads about are related—not just to each other, but to the only unsolved case of her short career.She knows Jane Doe’s true name, but Sam never discovered who killed the woman found in an empty Alabama field in spring of 2069. She doesn’t even know which version of herself she buried under a plain headstone.When Mac suddenly disappears, Sam realizes she is going to once more be caught up in a silent war she still doesn’t fully understand. Every step she takes to save Mac puts the world she knows at risk, and moves her one step closer to becoming the girl in the grave.
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Liana Brooks write sci-fi and crime fiction for people who like happy endings. She believes in time travel to the future, even if it takes a good book and all night to get there. When she isn’t writing, Liana hikes the mountains of Alaska with her family and giant dog. Find her at LianaBrooks.com or on Twitter as @LianaBrooks
