Michelle Hauck's Blog, page 48
February 9, 2016
Book Birthday for DARK CONFESSIONS
About DARK CONFESSIONS
For Sherrif's Deputy Elizabeth Caine, seeing is believing. But in the past few months, she's witnessed an otherworldy realm of ancient magic and ghostly spirits that defies explanation. When a friend connected to that world of witchcraft is taken captive by a ruthless criminal, Bess will risk anything to find her, even if it means enlisting the help of a former lover she can no longer trust.
Ferdinand Lafitte can't tell Bess the truth about his feelings for her, not while a powerful spell binds him. But he can guide her through the lush bayou in search of Mala LaCroix, whose fate means as much to him as it does to Bess. Yet as their search reveals the darkest kinds of sorcery, they find themselves drawn together more passionately than ever before . . .
http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Confessions-Angie-Sandro-ebook/dp/B01AGR87FGhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-confessions-angie-sandro/1123242151?ean=9781455537662https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/dark-confessionshttps://play.google.com/store/books/author?id=Angie+Sandrohttps://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dark-confessions/id1073661680?mt=11
Excerpt:
“Does that include working with me?” Ferdinand asks.
With a gasp, I turn. He lounges against the doorframe, and I’m caught in his trap again, mesmerized by sheer perfection. He reminds me of a priceless Egyptian statue, painstakingly carved from ebony by a master craftsman. A real piece of work, this man. More beautiful than anything I saw in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and more cunning than a grifter running a long con.
I blink to dispel the haze clouding my eyes. “I don’t like the idea, but it seems I don’t have a choice.”
Ferdinand shakes his head. “You have free will. It’s a gift, which shouldn’t be taken for granted.”
I refrain from snorting. It’s not at all lady-like. “Well, if I did, then I’d still have you in handcuffs.”
Ferdinand’s dark eyebrows rise. “Is that so?” His gaze travels leisurely down my body, leaving a trail of heat that pools between my thighs. “Your wish is my command, Chérie doux.” His accent thickens. “Any time. All I require is for you to say the magic word. Merci.”
My breath catches. It feels like I’ve got a stray piece of apple pie lodged in my throat, and no matter how much I swallow, I can’t clear the block. “I need some water,” I choke out, eyeing the door. Why won’t he move?
“I’ll go with you.” He turns sideways, waving his arm for me to precede him. As if I want him hovering behind where I can’t see his hands. Oh God. I don’t know how much more of this I can take.
Five quick steps take me to the door. My skin puckers as I brush past him. Every inch of me feels jittery, on edge, like I’m about to leap out of my skin. His long fingers skim the small of my back beneath the edge of my bulletproof vest, and a spark arcs between us. The resulting burst of liquid heat causes my overly sensitive nerves to tingle. My bound breasts ache from being confined. The bathroom is only a few paces away, but I can’t reach it fast enough. Ferdinand almost walks on my heels. He’s so close that the space between our bodies hums with electricity. Does he plan on waiting for me to come out? That won’t do.
I throw open the door to the single stall bathroom and flip on the light. Ferdinand rocks forward on his toes, head close to brushing the top of the doorframe. My hand whips out, and I grab the waistband of his jeans and yank him into the room. The door slams shut behind us.
Confusion and hunger war within his dark eyes. The heady combination threatens to bring me to my knees. His long eyelashes fan down, then up. “Lieutenant Caine?”
“Shut up. Not another word.” I thumb the door lock. Neither of us can escape now. “I can’t…not one more second.”
His hand lifts, but I wrap my fingers around his wrist and shove it down. “Don’t touch me.” I can’t take it anymore. So why be miserable and keep fighting?
Rising onto my tiptoes, I grab his collar and drag him toward me. His lips part. Perfect. My mouth slams against his—hard and rough. I steal his kiss. The one owed to me. He’s been taunting me with the possibility for hours—holding this moment over my head while playing on my emotions. No more. It’s my reward for being so damn patient.
About Angie Sandro Angie Sandro was born at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Within six weeks, she began the first of eleven relocations throughout the United States, Spain, and Guam before the age of eighteen.
Friends were left behind. The only constants in her life were her family and the books she shipped wherever she went. Traveling the world inspired her imagination and allowed her to create her own imaginary friends. Visits to her father's family in Louisiana inspired this story.
Angie now lives in Northern California with her husband, two children, and an overweight Labrador.https://www.facebook.com/Angie-Sandro-253044268078356/https://twitter.com/AngieSandrohttp://anjeasandro.blogspot.com/
February 8, 2016
Getting the Call with Josh Hlibichuk
A timely reminder that contests aren't the only way to finding your agent. Thanks for sharing your journey with us, Josh!
I had been writing for years, but the first project I ever queried was a YA fantasy. In retrospect, I have no idea what I was thinking. I queried across thirty or so agents, all of whom realized what I should have at the time: it wasn’t ready. The whole manuscript was one giant darling. The death knell came months later when I got accepted into PitchWars 2013 with a different manuscript, a YA steampunk. I put away the old and got excited about the new.
I was beyond thrilled to be in PitchWars. I’d heard the stories about other writers getting a bajillion requests and offers from their PitchWars projects, and I was certain this was going to be my debut. My mentor and I busted our butts to get ready; I cut something like fifteen thousand words. I chopped a beloved character. I cleaned up the beginning. I wrote a query letter I didn’t hate!
When the agent round came, the entries around mine collected request after request. By the time the dust settled, I had gotten only one request--a partial--and it was quickly rejected. Undaunted, I queried widely. This one caught more eyes, got more partials and even a couple fulls, but in the end none of the agents wanted to go in on it. This continued for several months until I decided it was time put this one away too.
I was frustrated, and I was disappointed, but I wasn’t done writing. I began writing a new story that had been rattling around in my brain for a while: a fantasy heist novel. I love heist and con stories, be they books (Scott Lynch) or movies (Ocean’s Eleven) or television (Leverage). This was something I could do.
Over the course of the next year I wrote The Violets of Tavarem in fits and spurts. I eventually finished the first draft in August of 2014 after powering through the final 30,000 words in about three weeks. I revised, I sent it out to crit partners, and we made it even better.
I began querying in July 2015, and my query garnered only a nibble or two. More revision, more querying. My community of writer friends rallied with me and helped shine my query to sparkling, and then the nibbles turned into bites. I entered PitchWars 2015 to hopefully boost my chances (even going so far as to write a dreaded synopsis), but I was not selected.
The PitchWars rejection was a huge blow to morale. I had already gotten in once, two years ago. What did it say about this project, if I couldn’t get picked this time? Was I delusional, or was this simply a matter of taste?
(You’ve probably already guessed, in this industry so much is a matter of taste. Don’t let a contest rejection keep you from pressing onward!)
After I recovered, I entered PitchSlam and was selected for entry. This time, I got six requests; three of them were fulls. I was ecstatic, despite the rejections that still trickled in--even the rejections were encouraging. Partials turned into fulls. I was finally on track, and this train was moving.
Fast forward to November. I first met Caitie Flum on a Reddit writing community (shout out to /r/yawriters!). Caitie was a smart new agent who had a lot of great industry experience, but she did not rep my genre (YA Fantasy). Imagine my pleasant surprise when she announced that she was now going to accept scifi and fantasy queries for YA, having opened doors that were previously closed.
Meanwhile, another agent at her agency already had my partial. I let her know as much. She offered to look at the query and the partial anyway, even to give feedback if it wasn’t for her. (Caitie is huge on helping writers--one of the many things I love about her.)
A few emails later, Caitie had gotten her hands on my query, and I sent her my partial. Less than a week later, she wanted to see the full. Twelve days after that, on a Friday, I got a phone call from a number I didn’t recognize.
Now, I live in Iowa during a heated election season. Most of the phone numbers I don’t recognize are robocalls or other pollsters. I usually let everything go to voicemail and come back later. So, I ignored it. And then I got an email from Caitie: “I just finished and would love to talk to you about this. Do you have time for a call today?”
Proceed to freak out. I replied that yes, I did, and in a few minutes the very same phone number from earlier came back on my phone.
I had ignored a phone call from an agent!
Caitie was a great sport about it, and we talked for a bit. She offered representation. From Reddit and following her online, I knew so much about her--two of my writer-friends were already clients--that I didn’t have as many questions as I might have had for another agent. I researched further to get a sense for Caitie and for Liza Dawson Associates, but I had queried the agency in the past and already knew that this agent and agency were perfect for me.
I gave the other agents a week to read partials and fulls, but I knew in my heart they would need to make strong cases to change my mind. In the end I picked Caitie to champion my work. As we continue through a revision ahead of going on submission, I still couldn’t be more thrilled at the opportunity to work with her.
--
Josh Hlibichuk writes YA fantasy and dabbles in contemporary. He works as a web developer in the Midwest where he lives with his wife and kids who tolerate his flights of fancy and occasional outbursts of song. When he’s not writing or powering the Internet, Josh enjoys board games, amateur photography, and tweeting at other writers.
Website: http://www.caffeinatedpages.comTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/qrevolution
I had been writing for years, but the first project I ever queried was a YA fantasy. In retrospect, I have no idea what I was thinking. I queried across thirty or so agents, all of whom realized what I should have at the time: it wasn’t ready. The whole manuscript was one giant darling. The death knell came months later when I got accepted into PitchWars 2013 with a different manuscript, a YA steampunk. I put away the old and got excited about the new.
I was beyond thrilled to be in PitchWars. I’d heard the stories about other writers getting a bajillion requests and offers from their PitchWars projects, and I was certain this was going to be my debut. My mentor and I busted our butts to get ready; I cut something like fifteen thousand words. I chopped a beloved character. I cleaned up the beginning. I wrote a query letter I didn’t hate!
When the agent round came, the entries around mine collected request after request. By the time the dust settled, I had gotten only one request--a partial--and it was quickly rejected. Undaunted, I queried widely. This one caught more eyes, got more partials and even a couple fulls, but in the end none of the agents wanted to go in on it. This continued for several months until I decided it was time put this one away too.
I was frustrated, and I was disappointed, but I wasn’t done writing. I began writing a new story that had been rattling around in my brain for a while: a fantasy heist novel. I love heist and con stories, be they books (Scott Lynch) or movies (Ocean’s Eleven) or television (Leverage). This was something I could do.
Over the course of the next year I wrote The Violets of Tavarem in fits and spurts. I eventually finished the first draft in August of 2014 after powering through the final 30,000 words in about three weeks. I revised, I sent it out to crit partners, and we made it even better.
I began querying in July 2015, and my query garnered only a nibble or two. More revision, more querying. My community of writer friends rallied with me and helped shine my query to sparkling, and then the nibbles turned into bites. I entered PitchWars 2015 to hopefully boost my chances (even going so far as to write a dreaded synopsis), but I was not selected.
The PitchWars rejection was a huge blow to morale. I had already gotten in once, two years ago. What did it say about this project, if I couldn’t get picked this time? Was I delusional, or was this simply a matter of taste?
(You’ve probably already guessed, in this industry so much is a matter of taste. Don’t let a contest rejection keep you from pressing onward!)
After I recovered, I entered PitchSlam and was selected for entry. This time, I got six requests; three of them were fulls. I was ecstatic, despite the rejections that still trickled in--even the rejections were encouraging. Partials turned into fulls. I was finally on track, and this train was moving.
Fast forward to November. I first met Caitie Flum on a Reddit writing community (shout out to /r/yawriters!). Caitie was a smart new agent who had a lot of great industry experience, but she did not rep my genre (YA Fantasy). Imagine my pleasant surprise when she announced that she was now going to accept scifi and fantasy queries for YA, having opened doors that were previously closed.
Meanwhile, another agent at her agency already had my partial. I let her know as much. She offered to look at the query and the partial anyway, even to give feedback if it wasn’t for her. (Caitie is huge on helping writers--one of the many things I love about her.)
A few emails later, Caitie had gotten her hands on my query, and I sent her my partial. Less than a week later, she wanted to see the full. Twelve days after that, on a Friday, I got a phone call from a number I didn’t recognize.
Now, I live in Iowa during a heated election season. Most of the phone numbers I don’t recognize are robocalls or other pollsters. I usually let everything go to voicemail and come back later. So, I ignored it. And then I got an email from Caitie: “I just finished and would love to talk to you about this. Do you have time for a call today?”
Proceed to freak out. I replied that yes, I did, and in a few minutes the very same phone number from earlier came back on my phone.
I had ignored a phone call from an agent!
Caitie was a great sport about it, and we talked for a bit. She offered representation. From Reddit and following her online, I knew so much about her--two of my writer-friends were already clients--that I didn’t have as many questions as I might have had for another agent. I researched further to get a sense for Caitie and for Liza Dawson Associates, but I had queried the agency in the past and already knew that this agent and agency were perfect for me.
I gave the other agents a week to read partials and fulls, but I knew in my heart they would need to make strong cases to change my mind. In the end I picked Caitie to champion my work. As we continue through a revision ahead of going on submission, I still couldn’t be more thrilled at the opportunity to work with her.
--
Josh Hlibichuk writes YA fantasy and dabbles in contemporary. He works as a web developer in the Midwest where he lives with his wife and kids who tolerate his flights of fancy and occasional outbursts of song. When he’s not writing or powering the Internet, Josh enjoys board games, amateur photography, and tweeting at other writers.
Website: http://www.caffeinatedpages.comTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/qrevolution
February 7, 2016
Team Snow Picks for 2016
It's that time! And when better to announce the news then on Super Sunday!
I hope everyone had a good time and learned something. Contests are for fun and meeting new friends after all!
As I said on twitter there were a ton of great entries, but I only had room for sixteen. With 200 entries that means a lot left behind. Be sure to check the Team Sun picks over at Amy's blog, and remember that contests aren't the only means to get in front of agents.
I never made it in to any large contests, so I know exactly how you feel. I got my agent from a query. And everyone's journey is different. Keep on keeping on!
The following entries will be on Team Snow:
Middle Grade:
#Momolives- Contemporary
The Princess of Tangled Days- Fantasy
Sixth Grade Secret Service- Humor, Adventure
Riley Cooper, Inventor- Contemporary
Young Adult:
Down and Across- Contemporary
Ophelia- Gothic
The First Idol- Fantasy
The Wish Stone- Contemporary Fantasy
The Curious Will of John Glenarm- Contemporary
Mongrels- Science Fiction
The Green Well- Fantasy
Ballad of a Teenage Cannibal- Humor, Fantasy
Swimming Lessons- Contemporary
New Adult:
If You're Ever in Town- Contemporary Romance
Adult:
Here and Open- Women's Fiction
Spy Act- Espionage Thriller
Mentors should be contacting you soon, but give them until Monday afternoon.
Get your revised entry back to me no later than Thursday, February 18 at 3:00 pm EST. That’s so I have time to format the entries and have them ready to post for the agent round on Monday, February 22. Mail your revised entry to the contest email Sunversussnow (at) yahoo (dot) com. Please use the exact same format and don't forget the Sun versus Snow question.
And do find me on twitter (@Michelle4Laughs) so I can add you to my list before the agent round! I hope everyone sticks around to party and see if Sun or Snow gets the most requests.
Team Snow will be ready to kick it to the sun!
February 3, 2016
Getting the Call with Peggy Rothschild
It seems appropriate to share a success story from previous contests this week. It's not necessary the requests from a contest that are the most important part. The advice is priceless. Thanks for sharing, Peggy.
I entered Query Kombat in 2014 and received so much helpful feedback that I decided to enter the June 2015 contest with a new manuscript. (You might remember it was called Guilt by Association.) Once again, the critiques were enormously helpful. Using that feedback, I polished my query between each round. Although I’d sent out queries in the past, I hadn’t actually queried my contest manuscript. In late June, as the dust was settling from the competition, the wonderful Melissa Jeglinski of the Knight Agency requested the first 50 pages of my manuscript. I sent them off, then turned my attention to a different manuscript. Three months later, I received a request for the full. After giving it a quick polish, I sent it off. Then in November, I received an email giving me some feedback. Melissa also wanted to set up a time when we could talk.
I didn’t immediately realize that this was "The Call". I was anticipating feedback and a possible revise and resubmit, but not an offer of representation. Maybe it was because I wasn’t expecting an offer, or maybe it’s because Melissa is genuinely warm and easy to talk to, or maybe it was the fun of chatting with a fellow cat-lover, but I was relaxed and had a great time getting to know her. The offer was the unexpected icing on top of that cake!
--------------------------------------------------
Peggy Rothschild grew up in Los Angeles. Always a mystery-lover, she embraced the tales of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys before graduating to the adult section of the library. An English major in high school, she switched to art her – other passion – in college. Peggy has authored two adult mysteries, CLEMENTINE’S SHADOW and ERASING RAMONA. PUNISHMENT SUMMER is her first young adult book.
At present, Peggy lives in the beach community of Ventura with her husband and their cats. In her spare time she focuses on transforming their yard into a drought-tolerant paradise and creating art pieces.
Website - www.peggyrothschild.netPunishment Summer - http://amzn.to/1VIgnLu@pegrothschildhttps://www.facebook.com/peggyrothschildauthor
amazon.com/author/peggyrothschild
I entered Query Kombat in 2014 and received so much helpful feedback that I decided to enter the June 2015 contest with a new manuscript. (You might remember it was called Guilt by Association.) Once again, the critiques were enormously helpful. Using that feedback, I polished my query between each round. Although I’d sent out queries in the past, I hadn’t actually queried my contest manuscript. In late June, as the dust was settling from the competition, the wonderful Melissa Jeglinski of the Knight Agency requested the first 50 pages of my manuscript. I sent them off, then turned my attention to a different manuscript. Three months later, I received a request for the full. After giving it a quick polish, I sent it off. Then in November, I received an email giving me some feedback. Melissa also wanted to set up a time when we could talk.
I didn’t immediately realize that this was "The Call". I was anticipating feedback and a possible revise and resubmit, but not an offer of representation. Maybe it was because I wasn’t expecting an offer, or maybe it’s because Melissa is genuinely warm and easy to talk to, or maybe it was the fun of chatting with a fellow cat-lover, but I was relaxed and had a great time getting to know her. The offer was the unexpected icing on top of that cake!
--------------------------------------------------
Peggy Rothschild grew up in Los Angeles. Always a mystery-lover, she embraced the tales of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys before graduating to the adult section of the library. An English major in high school, she switched to art her – other passion – in college. Peggy has authored two adult mysteries, CLEMENTINE’S SHADOW and ERASING RAMONA. PUNISHMENT SUMMER is her first young adult book.
At present, Peggy lives in the beach community of Ventura with her husband and their cats. In her spare time she focuses on transforming their yard into a drought-tolerant paradise and creating art pieces.
Website - www.peggyrothschild.netPunishment Summer - http://amzn.to/1VIgnLu@pegrothschildhttps://www.facebook.com/peggyrothschildauthor
amazon.com/author/peggyrothschild
February 1, 2016
Sun versus Snow 2016 Submission and Twitter Party
CLOSED!
Today is the day for Sun versus Snow to begin! Michelle and I are beyond excited to get this party started!
Here is a reminder of all the rules and details...
The submission window for Sun versus Snow will open TODAY at 4 pm Eastern time!
Act fast. We will only be taking the first 200 entries. Please do not enter early or your entry will be deleted. You can resend at the proper time if this happens accidentally. Confirmation emails will be sent. If you don’t receive one, don’t resend. We don’t want duplicate entries. Please check with us on Twitter first to confirm your entry did or did not arrive, then you may resend. There is only ONE, yes that’s right, ONE entry per person allowed. Any attempt to cheat will result in entries being thrown out. This contest is only for finished and polished stories.
Important note: The story can’t have been in the agent round of any other contest in the past five months. We are doing this at our agents's request to prevent contest overlap.
Also, Michelle and I have decided not to accept picture books for this contest. Though we love picture books, contests just don’t seem to be the best place to get them requests. We do accept all MG, YA, NA and Adult genres, excluding erotica. To enter you must be followers of our blogs. Click the “join this site" button on my blog. Find Amy's blog here.
Also consider checking out the FAQ for answers to other questions.
The Format:
Send submission to Sunversussnow (at) yahoo (dot) com. Only one submission per person is allowed. It doesn’t matter if you write under different names or are submitting different manuscripts. You are still one person and get one entry.
Here’s how it should be formatted (yes, include the bolded!) Please use Times New Roman (or equivalent), 12 pt font, and put spaces between paragraphs. No indents or tabs are needed. No worries if your gmail doesn’t have Times New Roman. No worries if the email messes up your format. Yes, we will still read it! :-) (Here’s a trick to keep your paragraph spacing: copy and paste your entry into your email and then put in the line spaces. They seem to get lost when you copy and paste. It may look right but sending scrambles the spacing.)
Subject Line: SVS: TITLE, Age Category + Genre(example: SVS: GRUDGING, Adult Epic Fantasy)
In The Email:
Title: MY FANTASTIC BOOK (yes, caps!)Genre: YA dystopian (Age category and genre. YA/MG is not a genre.)Word Count: XX,XXX (round to the nearest thousand)
My Main Character would use sun or snow to battle their biggest obstacle:
Which would your character find more helpful in fighting through their biggest obstacle–hot or cold. And why? Tell us which weather would be the most helpful to your character.
(Can be in your MC’s POV, but doesn’t have to be. 100 words or less.)
Query:
Query goes here! Include greeting and main paragraphs. Please leave out bio, closing, and word count + genre sentence. You may include comps if you’d like. There is no word count limit on the query but please aim for 250 – 300 words.
First 250 words:
Here are the first 250 words of my manuscript, and I will not end in the middle of a sentence. But I will not go over 257 words. Be reasonable and don’t make us count. Don’t forget to space between paragraphs!
If you have any questions prior to the sub window opening, please let Michelle or I know.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing your entries!
Twitter Party Time!
Here are the topics for the twitter party. Come join the fun at #sunvssnow! We'll be tweeting tips about slush.
February 1st: Submission day! What genre and age category will/did you enter?
February 2nd: It’s very important to read new books in your genre to get a sense of pacing and timing as well as style. What book in your genre have you read recently?
February 3rd: Is the setting of your manuscript sun or snow?
February 4th: Is your next project in the same category and genre? If not, what made you change? Basically do you write in the same category and genre all the time?
February 5th: Where do you write? Coffee shop, office, kitchen table?
February 6th: Do you make a playlist for your manuscripts? If so, what music style do you tend to choose?
February 7th: What's your best editing advice?
February 8th: It's announcement day! Celebrate by posting a silly picture of you in sun or snow wear.
January 30, 2016
Book Review of Arena
A fast-paced and gripping near-future science fiction debut about the gritty world of competitive gaming...
Every week, Kali Ling fights to the death on national TV.
She’s died hundreds of times. And it never gets easier...
The RAGE tournaments—the Virtual Gaming League’s elite competition where the best gamers in the world compete in a no-holds-barred fight to the digital death. Every bloody kill is broadcast to millions. Every player is a modern gladiator—leading a life of ultimate fame, responsible only for entertaining the masses.
And though their weapons and armor are digital, the pain is real.
Chosen to be the first female captain in RAGE tournament history, Kali Ling is at the top of the world—until one of her teammates overdoses. Now, she must confront the truth about the tournament. Because it is much more than a game—and even in the real world, not everything is as it seems.
The VGL hides dark secrets. And the only way to change the rules is to fight from the inside...
Expected publication: April 5th 2016 by Ace
My Review:
I was so excited to get an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Net Galley. You might remember this book from the second year of Query Kombat. It's nickname was Tag, You're Dead! After Query Kombat, Holly went on to get an agent and a book deal and we are so happy for her!
I couldn't wait to dig into this story about virtual gaming. I want to say upfront that it wasn't what I expected. I keep waiting for the scenario where Kali has to diffuse a bomb in the virtual world that will carry over to the read world. Or stop some kind of creep inside the game. That's totally not what this book is about. It's about the players and how the game effects their lives. The pressures involved, like adjusting to the social stardom, the drugs, the sponsors, and the whole atmosphere of big name sports. That's actually a way cooler plot.
I found it so refreshing that Kali's problems handling her teammate's death don't just magically get better after a few kind words. Real life isn't like that. Problems can't be solved quickly. You can't snap your fingers and stop feeling guilt or using drugs as a substitute. Kali had real struggles and she didn't resolve those with one therapy session.
This would actually be a great role model book for younger women. That's not to say that it is preachy or sermonizes, because it doesn't. But it takes familiar problems and puts them in an intriguing setting and shows glitz and glamour aren't the answers. That you have to put in the hard work to find a balance in your life.
Oh, and there are great virtual game scenes too. I love how Kali pulled her estranged teammates together and made a true team out of them.
January 28, 2016
Sun versus Snow Chat with the Mentors
Are you excited for Sun versus Snow to start?
Here's how you can get a jump on the fun. As mentioned in our mentor post we are having a chat time on twitter Friday, January 29th. You can ask about your writing genre. Tips about editing. Word count rules. About how they got their agents. What to expect from submission. What it feels like to be published. Just about anything writing oriented you want to know about.
Oh, and the hosts will be there too to keep things rolling!
So join us at 3:00 PM and 9:00 PM EST at the hashtag #SvSChat. Each session will last an hour. And bring some questions!
Find the rules to submit here. Submission day is February 1st. Find the list of Snow mentors here.
January 26, 2016
Dan Koboldt on Writing and Selling Standalone SFF
I grew up reading doorstopper fantasy novels. It started with J.R.R. Tolkien, and continued with the likes of Robert Jordan, Tad Williams, and Raymond Feist, and Robin Hobb. If a series didn't have at least three books in it already, I wasn't interested. Naturally, when I started writing my own novels, I wanted to have a long-running series of my own.
I know I'm not alone in this, because many of the query letters I've seen (through Pitch Wars and similar contests) from aspiring SF/F authors promise books that are "the start of a trilogy" or "part of a planned 6-book series." It worked for Robert Jordan, didn't it? In my opinion, you should not say these things in a query letter, for three specific reasons:
It can be daunting to the agent. Attracting the attention of a literary agent is kind of like trying to lure a wild turkey into a clearing. You don't want to make any sudden movements to scare them off. That's what you're doing when you say you've written three books and have planned four more.
The first book needs to stand on its own. When you're trying to break into a crowded, selective industry, you have to deliver your very best writing in a single book. If you try to hold things back or leave too many open questions for subsequent books, your first book may not be satisfying enough.
It's assumed. Look, unless you've done absolutely zero research, you can assume that the agent you're querying has read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy. They know how it works. They will expect you to leave room for a book.
My debut novel, The Rogue Retrieval, is about the mission to retrieve a scientist from a pristine medieval world. The gateway to that world was discovered and kept secret by a powerful corporation. When the head of their research team goes rogue, they obviously want to get him back before he can reveal the secret of the gateway's existence.
When that mission ended, however, I had an entire secondary world that I'd just begun to explore. There were compelling characters that undoubtedly had more adventures in front of them. I was thinking, this should at least be a trilogy. Before we went on submission, my agent asked me to write a brief synopsis of the subsequent books in the series.
The model for this was straightforward: I thought of the original Star Wars trilogy. Every book would be a self-contained story, but they'd all feature most of the same characters. Book 1 is the adventure story where the scrappy upstarts score a victory. Book 2 is the great revelation, where the characters explore to develop newfound skills while under duress from the antagonist's counterstrike. Book 3 is when everyone must choose a side in the epic battle, with the fate of the world (or universe) in the balance.
Even though I had an agent and was about to go on submission, I didn't write the subsequent books. As Michelle remarked in her guest post about writing and selling a fantasy series, you generally shouldn't write book 2 until you sell book 1.
And fast forward past a long period of submissions agony, and we had the unprecedented: an offer from Harper Voyager for The Rogue Retrieval. It was a thrilling moment! After talking with my agent, however, we decided not to push for a multi-book deal. There were a few strategic reasons for that:
1. The option clauseMost traditional publishing contracts have something called an option clause, which requires that you grant the publisher an exclusive first look at your next work of fiction. The logic behind these is that the publisher is investing in building you up as an author, so they should have an advantage over their competitors when your next book is ready.
The scope of the option clause varies by the deal, the house, and the agent. Houses obviously want it as all-encompassing as possible. Agents fight to narrow the scope to the next work in the same world, or featuring the same categories, or in the same genre. Sometimes they succeed. Other times, they don't. There's still a huge power differential between major publishers and most agented authors.Bottom line, no matter how many books are included in your contract, you'll still have an option clause. In other words, if you write a sequel or prequel in the world of your book, your publisher's going to have first dibs on it.
2. Unknowns at the publisherAs this was my first book deal, I hadn't yet worked with David Pomerico (or anyone at HarperCollins). Artistic differences are always possible. If it turned out that I didn't like working with him in particular or them in general, I'd be stuck for however many books we'd committed to. Alternatively, I might love working with David, only to see him leave for another publishing house. Editors move around from time to time, but an author's contract remains with the publishing house if the editor leaves. When you sell a trilogy, that's usually at least a two-year commitment.
3. Long-term publicityThis last strategic reason might seem Machiavellian, and it's not nearly as critical (in my opinion) as the first two. When you announce the sale of a single book, I think it generates slightly less fanfare than the sale of a trilogy or quadrology. That's a disadvantage, but a slight one. But there's a long-term perk: it allows for a second burst of publicity if and when you announce the contract for future books.
Those Publisher's Marketplace announcements of book deals are widely read in the industry. They generate buzz, and all things being equal, I'd rather have two or three chances to do that to keep my name in people's minds.
Deadlines: A Double-edged SwordAnother important difference between selling a standalone and a series has to do with deadlines. When you commit to a series, the timetable and deadlines for subsequent books are often written right into the contract. This is useful, because it helps everyone involved in a book – the author, the publishing team, the readers – know when to expect the next one. Yet it also establishes firm deadlines that the writer is expected to meet. Sometimes life gets in the way of writing, and we can't finish a book as quickly as we'd like to. Turning a draft in late tends to wreak havoc on its publishing schedule.
Then again, some writers work better with deadlines. When you sell a standalone novel, there's no deadline for the next book. No expected publication date, no slot in the publisher's promotion schedule. The fate of future books rests, as it so often does, only with the author.
--------------------------------------------
About the Author
Dan Koboldt is a genetics researcher and fantasy/science fiction author. He has co-authored more than 60 publications in Nature, Genome Research, The New England Journal of Medicine, and other scientific journals. Dan is also an avid hunter and outdoorsman. He lives with his wife and children in St. Louis, where the deer take their revenge by eating the flowers in his backyard.
Author of The Rogue Retrieval (Harper Voyager, January 19th, 2016)E-mail: dankoboldt@gmail.comTwitter: @DanKoboldtWeb: http://dankoboldt.com
I know I'm not alone in this, because many of the query letters I've seen (through Pitch Wars and similar contests) from aspiring SF/F authors promise books that are "the start of a trilogy" or "part of a planned 6-book series." It worked for Robert Jordan, didn't it? In my opinion, you should not say these things in a query letter, for three specific reasons:
It can be daunting to the agent. Attracting the attention of a literary agent is kind of like trying to lure a wild turkey into a clearing. You don't want to make any sudden movements to scare them off. That's what you're doing when you say you've written three books and have planned four more.
The first book needs to stand on its own. When you're trying to break into a crowded, selective industry, you have to deliver your very best writing in a single book. If you try to hold things back or leave too many open questions for subsequent books, your first book may not be satisfying enough.
It's assumed. Look, unless you've done absolutely zero research, you can assume that the agent you're querying has read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy. They know how it works. They will expect you to leave room for a book.
My debut novel, The Rogue Retrieval, is about the mission to retrieve a scientist from a pristine medieval world. The gateway to that world was discovered and kept secret by a powerful corporation. When the head of their research team goes rogue, they obviously want to get him back before he can reveal the secret of the gateway's existence.
When that mission ended, however, I had an entire secondary world that I'd just begun to explore. There were compelling characters that undoubtedly had more adventures in front of them. I was thinking, this should at least be a trilogy. Before we went on submission, my agent asked me to write a brief synopsis of the subsequent books in the series.
The model for this was straightforward: I thought of the original Star Wars trilogy. Every book would be a self-contained story, but they'd all feature most of the same characters. Book 1 is the adventure story where the scrappy upstarts score a victory. Book 2 is the great revelation, where the characters explore to develop newfound skills while under duress from the antagonist's counterstrike. Book 3 is when everyone must choose a side in the epic battle, with the fate of the world (or universe) in the balance.
Even though I had an agent and was about to go on submission, I didn't write the subsequent books. As Michelle remarked in her guest post about writing and selling a fantasy series, you generally shouldn't write book 2 until you sell book 1.
And fast forward past a long period of submissions agony, and we had the unprecedented: an offer from Harper Voyager for The Rogue Retrieval. It was a thrilling moment! After talking with my agent, however, we decided not to push for a multi-book deal. There were a few strategic reasons for that:
1. The option clauseMost traditional publishing contracts have something called an option clause, which requires that you grant the publisher an exclusive first look at your next work of fiction. The logic behind these is that the publisher is investing in building you up as an author, so they should have an advantage over their competitors when your next book is ready.
The scope of the option clause varies by the deal, the house, and the agent. Houses obviously want it as all-encompassing as possible. Agents fight to narrow the scope to the next work in the same world, or featuring the same categories, or in the same genre. Sometimes they succeed. Other times, they don't. There's still a huge power differential between major publishers and most agented authors.Bottom line, no matter how many books are included in your contract, you'll still have an option clause. In other words, if you write a sequel or prequel in the world of your book, your publisher's going to have first dibs on it.
2. Unknowns at the publisherAs this was my first book deal, I hadn't yet worked with David Pomerico (or anyone at HarperCollins). Artistic differences are always possible. If it turned out that I didn't like working with him in particular or them in general, I'd be stuck for however many books we'd committed to. Alternatively, I might love working with David, only to see him leave for another publishing house. Editors move around from time to time, but an author's contract remains with the publishing house if the editor leaves. When you sell a trilogy, that's usually at least a two-year commitment.
3. Long-term publicityThis last strategic reason might seem Machiavellian, and it's not nearly as critical (in my opinion) as the first two. When you announce the sale of a single book, I think it generates slightly less fanfare than the sale of a trilogy or quadrology. That's a disadvantage, but a slight one. But there's a long-term perk: it allows for a second burst of publicity if and when you announce the contract for future books.
Those Publisher's Marketplace announcements of book deals are widely read in the industry. They generate buzz, and all things being equal, I'd rather have two or three chances to do that to keep my name in people's minds.
Deadlines: A Double-edged SwordAnother important difference between selling a standalone and a series has to do with deadlines. When you commit to a series, the timetable and deadlines for subsequent books are often written right into the contract. This is useful, because it helps everyone involved in a book – the author, the publishing team, the readers – know when to expect the next one. Yet it also establishes firm deadlines that the writer is expected to meet. Sometimes life gets in the way of writing, and we can't finish a book as quickly as we'd like to. Turning a draft in late tends to wreak havoc on its publishing schedule.
Then again, some writers work better with deadlines. When you sell a standalone novel, there's no deadline for the next book. No expected publication date, no slot in the publisher's promotion schedule. The fate of future books rests, as it so often does, only with the author.
--------------------------------------------
About the Author
Dan Koboldt is a genetics researcher and fantasy/science fiction author. He has co-authored more than 60 publications in Nature, Genome Research, The New England Journal of Medicine, and other scientific journals. Dan is also an avid hunter and outdoorsman. He lives with his wife and children in St. Louis, where the deer take their revenge by eating the flowers in his backyard.Author of The Rogue Retrieval (Harper Voyager, January 19th, 2016)E-mail: dankoboldt@gmail.comTwitter: @DanKoboldtWeb: http://dankoboldt.com
January 25, 2016
Getting the Call with Greg Andree
This is a super example of how to personalize your query letter. Please take note! Enjoy your inspiration for this week and thanks to Greg for sharing.
No Expectations (Or: How I Found My Perfect Agent)
“We’ll see what happens.”
That’s what I told myself when I started writing my Inconceivable Wisdom manuscript in July 2014. Before this manuscript I’d written four others, and queried two (with dozens of rejections between them). They weren’t good, but through writing them, and reading hundreds more YA books since, I got to a place where I was ready to try one last time.
“We’ll see what happens.”
In January 2015 more than half the MS was finished, and I dusted off my Twitter account. I didn’t care about followers, or building an author platform, or any of that. I followed my favorite YA authors and their agents. Then I went through which agents that each agent followed, checked agency pages, and followed the ones that represented books like mine. I watched what agents complained about. I read #WriteTips, #MSWL, #AskAgent, and all the other hashtags that applied. I made time for every “Ask Agent” type event I could. I kept notes on each agent whenever they said something about a book, movie, or tv show they liked that had a sensibility in line with my manuscript. I made private lists of agents that fit my MS best, and obsessively checked that list for their tweets every day.
“We’ll see what happens.”
I followed recently agented, and soon to be published authors, reading all their interviews about how they made this first step into the business side of book world. When their books debuted I read them, asked questions about their writing, and experiences leading to publication. Writers were incredibly generous with their time (especially considering how socially awkward I was, even by Twitter standards). I was beyond lucky, and made so many friends.
“We’ll see what happens.”
I sent my first query on October 18th and every day for the next week I sent off two more. Each query was personalized with a line or two about why I chose that agent: Specifics on their #MSWL, their clients I read, things I chatted with them about, something they tweeted about a book or movie or whatever. Sometimes I’d spend an hour trying to craft that perfect personalized line.
“We’ll see what happens.”
On October 20th I got requests from two agents to read my full manuscript, and in the next two weeks got requests from five others. Then I waited, and waited. One of my favorite agents rejected me, but referred me to another agent, and they requested my full.
“We’ll see what happens.”
While I was refreshing my inbox, and watching the premiere of Supergirl I noticed an agent tweeting about it. Caitie Flum was nerdy, and funny, so I started following her, and eventually queried her:
“I’m querying you because when tweeting about Supergirl, John Oliver, and other topics I can see your sense of story, politics, and humor are very similar to mine. I think you’ll particularly like Izzy Kim, one of my main characters. She’s smart, funny, and always calls people on their nonsense.”
The next day she requested my full manuscript. Ten days after that she emailed:
“I took a look and I love the voice and the concept, but I don't think it is quite there yet. Would you be able to do a call tomorrow?”
After work I barricaded a room against my children. Caitie was kind, and incisive. She clearly understood what I was trying to do in my book, but said it wasn’t ready. She asked for an R&R on the first 30 pages.
I knew it was a test: How would I take a critique? How would I incorporate her ideas? How would I work with another person? Could I take an idea from someone, and build on it?
I took a day to think. Another day to reread, and make notes. Then I revised. Ten days later on December 14th I emailed:
“Hi Caitie, I know you're probably very busy, but attached is the R&R you asked for. Reading it through (a million times) over the past few days I see how much better these pages are. I shifted the scenes around so they're more chronological, and made it easier to understand the amount of time that passes between (especially) the first few scenes. It also gets Scott and Izzy together in the book right away, instead of waiting for 17 pages, and it really sets the tone for the book, and their relationship right from the start.”
Two days later she offered representation.
I contacted authors represented by Liza Dawson Associates, and heard great things about how the agency worked. I talked with friends who had gone through this. We discussed signing with a new agent versus a more established agent, differences between agencies, and they all asked what my gut instinct was when I talked with Caitie. My wife and I talked, and talked. When it came down to it Caitie loved my book, and based on the initial notes she gave me I trusted her vision, and plan for it. That’s why I signed with her.
“We’ll see what happens” wasn’t, and isn’t, about me having low expectations. It’s about no expectations. I set out to write a good book, and see where it would lead. I wrote Inconceivable Wisdom chapter by chapter to find out where the story would lead. It’s also how I approached the business possibilities, as I move forward with Caitie it’s what I’m still thinking.
--------------------------------------------------
I am a YA Writer, and a reasonably competent parent and husband. I have a BA in Literature, an MA in writing, and teach 8th graders about all that fun stuff. Working with teenagers is a constant reminder of how awkward, horrible, fun, and overwhelming their lives can be, which keeps my writing reality-based, and mostly nostalgia free.
Greg Andree
Twitter: @GregAndree71
Classroom: www.AndreeInstitute.com
No Expectations (Or: How I Found My Perfect Agent)
“We’ll see what happens.”
That’s what I told myself when I started writing my Inconceivable Wisdom manuscript in July 2014. Before this manuscript I’d written four others, and queried two (with dozens of rejections between them). They weren’t good, but through writing them, and reading hundreds more YA books since, I got to a place where I was ready to try one last time.
“We’ll see what happens.”
In January 2015 more than half the MS was finished, and I dusted off my Twitter account. I didn’t care about followers, or building an author platform, or any of that. I followed my favorite YA authors and their agents. Then I went through which agents that each agent followed, checked agency pages, and followed the ones that represented books like mine. I watched what agents complained about. I read #WriteTips, #MSWL, #AskAgent, and all the other hashtags that applied. I made time for every “Ask Agent” type event I could. I kept notes on each agent whenever they said something about a book, movie, or tv show they liked that had a sensibility in line with my manuscript. I made private lists of agents that fit my MS best, and obsessively checked that list for their tweets every day.
“We’ll see what happens.”
I followed recently agented, and soon to be published authors, reading all their interviews about how they made this first step into the business side of book world. When their books debuted I read them, asked questions about their writing, and experiences leading to publication. Writers were incredibly generous with their time (especially considering how socially awkward I was, even by Twitter standards). I was beyond lucky, and made so many friends.
“We’ll see what happens.”
I sent my first query on October 18th and every day for the next week I sent off two more. Each query was personalized with a line or two about why I chose that agent: Specifics on their #MSWL, their clients I read, things I chatted with them about, something they tweeted about a book or movie or whatever. Sometimes I’d spend an hour trying to craft that perfect personalized line.
“We’ll see what happens.”
On October 20th I got requests from two agents to read my full manuscript, and in the next two weeks got requests from five others. Then I waited, and waited. One of my favorite agents rejected me, but referred me to another agent, and they requested my full.
“We’ll see what happens.”
While I was refreshing my inbox, and watching the premiere of Supergirl I noticed an agent tweeting about it. Caitie Flum was nerdy, and funny, so I started following her, and eventually queried her:
“I’m querying you because when tweeting about Supergirl, John Oliver, and other topics I can see your sense of story, politics, and humor are very similar to mine. I think you’ll particularly like Izzy Kim, one of my main characters. She’s smart, funny, and always calls people on their nonsense.”
The next day she requested my full manuscript. Ten days after that she emailed:
“I took a look and I love the voice and the concept, but I don't think it is quite there yet. Would you be able to do a call tomorrow?”
After work I barricaded a room against my children. Caitie was kind, and incisive. She clearly understood what I was trying to do in my book, but said it wasn’t ready. She asked for an R&R on the first 30 pages.
I knew it was a test: How would I take a critique? How would I incorporate her ideas? How would I work with another person? Could I take an idea from someone, and build on it?
I took a day to think. Another day to reread, and make notes. Then I revised. Ten days later on December 14th I emailed:
“Hi Caitie, I know you're probably very busy, but attached is the R&R you asked for. Reading it through (a million times) over the past few days I see how much better these pages are. I shifted the scenes around so they're more chronological, and made it easier to understand the amount of time that passes between (especially) the first few scenes. It also gets Scott and Izzy together in the book right away, instead of waiting for 17 pages, and it really sets the tone for the book, and their relationship right from the start.”
Two days later she offered representation.
I contacted authors represented by Liza Dawson Associates, and heard great things about how the agency worked. I talked with friends who had gone through this. We discussed signing with a new agent versus a more established agent, differences between agencies, and they all asked what my gut instinct was when I talked with Caitie. My wife and I talked, and talked. When it came down to it Caitie loved my book, and based on the initial notes she gave me I trusted her vision, and plan for it. That’s why I signed with her.
“We’ll see what happens” wasn’t, and isn’t, about me having low expectations. It’s about no expectations. I set out to write a good book, and see where it would lead. I wrote Inconceivable Wisdom chapter by chapter to find out where the story would lead. It’s also how I approached the business possibilities, as I move forward with Caitie it’s what I’m still thinking.
--------------------------------------------------
I am a YA Writer, and a reasonably competent parent and husband. I have a BA in Literature, an MA in writing, and teach 8th graders about all that fun stuff. Working with teenagers is a constant reminder of how awkward, horrible, fun, and overwhelming their lives can be, which keeps my writing reality-based, and mostly nostalgia free.
Greg Andree
Twitter: @GregAndree71
Classroom: www.AndreeInstitute.com
January 22, 2016
Query Questions with Sam Morgan
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.
I've been trying for some time to get an agent from this fabulous agency. Many of my favorite authors are represented there. I'm so happy to have a chat with Sam Morgan of JABberwocky Literary Agency.
-Is there a better or worse time of year to query?
Not really. It always helps to make sure the agent is actually accepting queries at the time though, so a little research beforehand is good. -Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?
True story: my first form rejection had a typo in it. I must’ve sent it to hundreds of authors before someone pointed it out. So I’m quite aware that typos happen. But it’s still something that shouldn’t happen, so you’re better off combing through your query one last time, checking each word (start backwards so you’re seeing it from a different light) before sending it off. After all, if you don’t have any typos you don’t have to worry about that being the thing that gets you rejected. -Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?
Oh yes. Some writers are natural marketers and can make a pile of trash seem like the next great American novel. But then they actually write like trash. Meanwhile, your next great novelist might not be able to sell water in a desert. I don’t want to miss out because the writer isn’t able to sell a book, after all, that’s my job. -Do you have an assistant or intern go through your queries first or do you check all of them?
Assistant? What’s that? -Do you keep a maybe pile of queries and go back to them for a second look?
Absolutely. I’ve been doing this long enough to know whether I need to give something a little more attention or not. The problem is that ‘maybe’ pile keeps growing! -If the manuscript has a prologue, do you want it included with the sample pages?
I ask for the first five pages, so if the book begins with a prologue then yes, that should be in the first five pages. That’s where the editor will start. More importantly, that’s where the reader will start. If you want to introduce me to the “good stuff” that happens after the prologue, why even have a prologue? -How important are comp titles? Is it something you want to see in a query?
They’re definitely helpful. But be careful. I honestly had a query once that compared the book to “Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Twilight, and the Lord of the Rings.” Literally the five biggest genre titles of the past twenty years. Don’t do that. Find smaller, more specific comparisons. If you do emulate something from a bigger property, get specific about the aspect of you’re comparing your work to, like it has the multi-generation spanning history like Game of Thrones but with the magic system of Harry Potter, or something like that. -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?
Not that often but only because our tastes don’t really overlap. But when someone does send me something that I think another agent might like I do not hesitate to show it to them. -Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript?
Absolutely! It’s my theory that an agent/author relationship is just that - a relationship. We have to be compatible to work together. But like a first date, don’t overdo it. Be cool, be confident, but don’t be cocky. Remember we’re mostly here about your book, but a little personality doesn’t hurt. -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?
Definitely a red flag. Genre and word count are two vital pieces of information an agent needs to know. -Writers hear a lot about limiting the number of named characters in a query. Do you feel keeping named characters to a certain number makes for a clearer query?
This is actually something I’ve never thought about, but since you’ve asked it, it does make sense. You want to make your pitch as clear as possible and the more named characters you have the more muddled it does become. There’s a great XKCD cartoon about how the more made up words for fantasy items you have in your story, the less interesting it is. If only there were a way for me to send you the link to that cartoon! Oh wait, this is the internet. Here it is! -Should writers sweat the title of their book (and character names) or is that something that is often changed by publishers?
For starters, if you do get a publishing contract, the title of the book should be agreed to by mutual consent by the publisher and the author (that’s your free tip of the day). A good title helps, but it’s not necessary. One of my clients grabbed my attention because he had the greatest title of all time, in fact, the title came before the story, and now he’s in the middle of writing his third book for a Big Five publisher. But if you don’t have a SUPER DUPER AMAZING title, don’t sweat it. -How many queries do you receive in a week? How many requests might you make out of those?
How many stars shine but we don’t see? I’d probably say about 100 a week, but it varies. As does the requests, but the average is probably 5 partial requests a week. And of those partials, probably 1 becomes a full request. -Many agents say they don't care if writers are active online. Could a twitter account or blog presence by a writer tip the scales in getting a request or offer? And do you require writers you sign to start one?
The only way it would tip the scales for me is if you are “known” for your blog or twitter. If it’s just your own personal thing or you’ve gathered up a couple thousand followers or page views, probably won’t make a difference. I don’t require you to do anything you don’t want to do. It definitely helps, but you do you. -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?
Offensive like clutch my pearls offensive? Absolutely not. I’ll check them out on occasion too, just to get a sense of who you are. But it’s one of those things, if you include the link and it leads to something you might not want me to see, why would you send me the link? -If a writer makes changes to their manuscript due to feedback should they resend the query or only if material was requested?
I’d say only if the material was requested. Another true story: I had one author query me three time with the same manuscript. Same query each time, but the word count grew and grew each time. Always make sure your draft is finished when you query, please. -What bio should an author with no publishing credits include?
Treat it like a boxing announcer. “IN THIS CORNER - THE BARD WITH A YAAAAARD!” Kidding, of course. Just tell me something about yourself. I want to know who you are! -What does ‘just not right mean for me’ mean to you?
I distinctly remember the first time I read each of my client’s manuscripts. There was this feeling in my gut, something changed inside of me, imprinted on my memory. It’s a feeling you have when you recognize that you’re in the middle of something special. And when I read something that does everything correctly, I see all the parts working together smoothly, creating a good solid story, hitting all the correct plot points with a wonderful voice, when I know I could sell it but my heart wouldn’t be behind it, when I know this book deserves love but I’m not in love with it, when it’s a good book... but it just doesn’t give me that same feeling in my gut, then it’s just not right for me. -What themes are you sick of seeing?
I’ve been getting a lot of fantasy police procedurals that talk more about the mystery than the detective. It’s never about the mystery. It’s always about the character. Oh, there’s also been a glut of books about virtual reality for some reason? -Do you consider yourself a hands-on, editorial type of agent?
That’s why I do my job! I love getting my hands dirty. -What’s the strangest/funniest thing you’ve seen in a query?
I always appreciate the ones addressed to different people. -What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?
1) Skins meets Harry Potter: take the grounded stories of Skins, but add it into a world with magic like Harry Potter. No characters learning about magic. No ‘chosen one’ prophecies or anything like that. Real people, real problems, but with magic. If you don’t want to write about kids, I understand, so do FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS instead of Skins. 2) I love high concept TV like Pushing Daisies. More of that, but in book form, please.3) Ready Player One but with newspaper comics instead of 80’s video games. 4) I’ll do four because I’m insatiable: being stuck in a space ship on a multi-lightyear journey would devolve into some high school drama antics. Show me that. -What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?
I actually give a big ole list of just what you’re looking for on my agency’s page about me! You can check that out here and also find out a bit more specifically about what I’m looking for in new clients.
------------------------------------------------------
Sam is the Right Hand of Darkness at JABberwocky. He is a native of Shelby, North Carolina and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Communications – Media Studies and Production. Before joining Jabberwocky in late 2012, Sam worked throughout New York City as a television critic, pizza guy, and several other glamorous positions. He’s an active nerd across all media from British television (Doctor Who and Black Mirror), to videogames (Injustice and Nintendo), to SF and fantasy novels (Prattchett, Adams, Gaiman), to college basketball (Go Heels, Go America). Sam is also active in the New York comedy scene at the Upright Citizens Brigade theater and making his own little rinky-dink videos in his spare time. He is ridiculously handsome, gut-busting witty, and prone to hyperbole.
