Michelle Hauck's Blog, page 53

Teaser Thursday

Grudging details here

Getting the Call with Laura Brown

I haven't had one of these inspiration posts for so long that I was starting to get blue. Happily, Laura came to the rescue to start us up again! I feel better already!


This is the post every writer dreams of writing and secretly fears may never happen. The ending of my story moved fast, but make no doubt about it, this has been a journey.The first novel I seriously queried was my second novel, an adult contemporary romance. As I went through querying, entering contests, and meeting more writers and critique partners, I learned a ton. My novel changed for the better. When I stopped actively querying I had sent out 80 queries and had two requests pending.I kept writing, penning drafts to three more adult romances. Then I wrote something different. Darker. Edgier. Younger. My first New Adult novel, a single POV story with a hard of hearing main character. From the beginning I got great feedback from my readers. Before querying, I entered it into my first contest, Nest Pitch. I was thrilled to receive requests for more writing from more than one team! I was chosen as a finalist and had two lovely mentors provide feedback on my first chapter and help me clean it up.The contest came and I watched as most of the other participants received requests. I received none. I was crushed and bummed but I took faith in the fact I had been chosen for a team. I started querying. My first ten queries yielded me two full requests! I started to believe I was onto something with this novel.I entered a second contest, The Writer’s Voice. I ended up with two teams fighting over me! Something I always dreamed of from watching contests and not getting through. For those who still dream: yes, it’s wonderful, but it’s also brutal! Two wonderful teams want you and you can only choose one. I hemmed and hawed, bit my nails, and drove my friends crazy. When the agent round came I was prepared for nothing, again. I got three requests! I knew it, something good was coming.But then the rejections started coming back. Generic rejections, with no information to let me know what was wrong. I’d learned so much from rejections with my previous novel, I knew something wasn't working and I wanted to know what.
Then I received a rejection from my very first query request (this one from the slush, not through any contest). I got a little feedback: the agent wanted the novel to go in a different direction than I did. I was bummed, but more so, I was curious. I summoned up my courage and sent off a short—two sentence—email asking the agent if she minded sharing her thoughts.A few weeks later I received a response. A long e-mail pointing out some areas that needed work. And it ended in an offer to resubmit! An R&R! I was thrilled, but unsure about the notes.Side point here, this novel is very close to my heart. So those comments on what needed to change were hard to swallow. I wasn’t sure it was the right path for me or not, but I also knew I had nothing to lose by trying. I had recently penned my male’s POV of the story, allowing me to delve deeper into his character. I personally love dual POV stories, and even though I worried about juggling dual in first person, I decided to merge the two together, taking in the agent’s notes, to see what happened.I finished the revision, only I had no idea if I liked it or not. I sent if off to one of my betas, who loved the original version. She came back with hearts in her eyes, she loved the dual POV revision even more. I still doubted but by then it was time for another contest, PitchWars. I sent off the revision to PitchWars.I didn’t get in. But I did receive some very encouraging words back from one mentor. I dived back in and realized I liked the revision. A lot. It worked, it hit the notes a romance needed to hit, and—I hoped—it hit the agent’s vision.I entered one more contest, WriteInclusively, even though I had this feeling my contest days were over and I was ready to move on to the other side. Foolish, right? I made it to the finals and received four requests! So even though I was still waiting for some critique partner feedback, I took comfort in my cheerleader beta telling me it was ready. I sent it off to the contest requesters, and to the others who were waiting for my revision, including the original agent.All e-mails went out on a Monday. On Friday I was feeling sick, a sore throat brewing, and planned to take it easy. I settled down on my bed and checked my e-mail. In it was a message from the original agent, requesting to chat with me about my manuscript.
When I say I freaked out, I mean that to the fullest extent of the words! My hands shook, my heartrate skyrocketed! I sent my husband a text he had to use a code master to decipher. I sent my writer buddies a message they needed no codes to decipher and jumped up and down with me.I had to respond to the agent. But I was in my pajamas and my hearing aids weren’t on. Foolish, we weren’t talking right then, but I should at least shower first? Right? I showered. I sent off the e-mail with my availability. I made lunch and settled back at my computer, to the hordes of messages from my cheerleaders.And an e-mail from the agent. Could we talk in a half hour?

I tried to eat my lunch. It wasn’t happening. I put it in the fridge. I paced, I drank water for my sore parched throat. Then the agent called and within a few minutes I knew this was it. This was THE CALL!When I hung up the phone I had an offer from an agent. I fired up my "offer of representation" emails, messaged my writer friends, and tried to keep my head on straight. Did that just happen?Next began the waiting. If you thought you checked your e-mail a lot before an offer, ratchet it up a few thousand degrees when you’re waiting for responses. At this point I was very happy with the offering agent, I was ready to sign. But I couldn’t do so until either I heard from everyone, or the end date arrived. Such a short amount of time but it felt like absolutely forever.

Now I can finally announce that I am represented by Rachel Brooks of L. Perkins Agency. And no, I am not entirely sure I am not dreaming...


A few stats:I started writing my first novel in 2002.
To date, I have completed three novels, and have four more in completed draft form.
I started my NA in October of 2014, sent my first query in May of 2015.
I’ve sent about 114 queries total for all projects, but only 30 for this one.---------------------------------------------
Laura Brown lives in Massachusetts with her quirky abnormal family. Laura and her three cats are disabled. Laura is Hard of Hearing, her oldest cat is deaf and partially blind, and the other two cats have cerebellar hypoplasia (they shake, and they don’t find it endearing). The “normal” members of her family include her husband, who has put up with her since high school, and their young son. Laura is the author of New Adult and Adult romances, featuring characters with hearing loss. She’s represented by Rachel Brook of L. Perkins Agency.
Links:
http://LauraBrownAuthor.comhttp://Facebook.com/LauraBrownAuthor@...

Book Birthday for HYBRID

HYBRID (The Domino Project #2) goes out into the world today.We're celebrating with an excerpt reading, and a giveaway! 
If you haven't read CHAMELEON - it's on sale until the end of 11/12/15 for $0.99 K.T. Hanna reads an excerpthttps://youtu.be/0iLxBQxALEI
BlurbAs Sai recovers from her life-threatening injuries, she struggles to piece together her damaged relationship with Dom. He fights the parasite within, suddenly freed from the interference of the other Dominos in his head. Inside Central, Bastian’s Shine dosing has become a dangerous dance. Enhanced security protocols and endless meetings have him on a tightrope, with little room to move without revealing himself. When the GNW release the Damascus to begin their systemic hunt of the Exiled, the noose closes around the rebels and their allies. If they can’t disable the threat, the Exiled won’t be the Damascus’ only agenda.~Praise for Chameleon - The Domino Project #1“Wow! A fast-paced, science fiction delight with fabulous action, a seamless world, and the most unique characters I’ve read in a long time.”Elana Johnson, Author of the Possession Series.“Nikita-like post-apocolyptic novel with a heroine that would give Katniss a run for her money.” Alina @ Unfazeable.comPsionics is wicked cool and I wish a meteor would give me some super-secret powers. The logistics of the abilities are many, and normally would have been a nightmare to follow. Hanna handles it with enough subtle description laced through the opening chapters that you’re able to grasp their powers naturally. Heather @ Aussie Owned and ReadA seriously great sci-fi. Dark, edgy and complex. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s a gripping read because of the author’s tense voice; the characters are well defined, believable and likeable, despite all of their flaws; the story flows well; and the ending leaves you on edge to read more. If you like sci-fi, you will love this book. Kate Foster – Author of Winell RoadHYBRID is available at the following retailersAMAZON | INDIEBOUNDWatermark Books - Signed Copies!Celebrate HYBRID's release with us!Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Getting the Submission Call with Beth Cato

I was at a point where I wondered if I should give up. After years of effort, I had signed with a literary agent. I thought all my dreams were about to come true, then my book didn't sell. I was devastated. Then I sent another manuscript to my agent, and she thought it was too flawed to sell.

Doubly devastated. I continued with my next novel, though. For me, it was a litmus test. If this one didn't sell, maybe I wasn't cut out to be a novelist. Maybe getting an agent was a fluke. I threw everything into this book, The Clockwork Dagger, and spent months doing intense edits with my agent before she deemed it ready to submit to editors. At that point, I was ready to have a nervous breakdown. It didn't help that my beloved cat was diagnosed with cancer and quickly dying. I tried to focus on him and ignore that whole "on submission" thing completely. My cat died. I mourned. My agent was quiet. I was thankful for that. I couldn't have taken the inevitable bad news.

Months passed. I wanted to talk to my agent about starting another book. I needed a new project to keep me busy. We arranged the phone call, exchanged pleasantries, then she said, "I've had a little news about The Clockwork Dagger..." We had an offer. It was for an ebook only. No advance. But it was something. Most importantly, my agent could now contact other editors with a 'hey, this project has an offer, can you get back to me?' query, which looks a whole lot more appealing. About a week later, she called me again. We had a second offer! This one was also ebook-only, but with a larger publisher. The overall offer was much better.



My dream was to have a book in print, though. My agent told me to hold on because several editors still had my book and were intrigued. At this point, I was ready to explode any time the phone rang. A few more weeks passed. We were at the point where we had to respond to the existing offers. That's when my agent called again with the big news: Harper Collins Voyager wanted my book. Print, ebook, the whole shebang. Worldwide rights. Two book deal.

 My husband was right there with me. He held me as I cried, the phone pressed to my ear. Those two books in my initial deal are now out: The Clockwork Dagger and The Clockwork Crown. I have a new book deal with Harper Voyager for an entirely new steampunk fantasy series to start next year. Right now I am finishing up smaller works set in my Clockwork Dagger world. This latest is a novella set after the events of The Clockwork Crown.



You can find out more about "Wings of Sorrow and Bone" just below. It's a story of girl power and gremlins in a steampunk fantasy world. It feels good to see it published. It feels good to still be writing books, period. There are still lots of lows that come with publishing, but at this point, I'm pretty sure my publications aren't a mere fluke.



 Wings of Sorrow and Bone: A Clockwork Dagger Novella 

 After being rescued by Octavia Leander from the slums of Caskentia, Rivka Stout is adjusting to her new life in Tamarania. But it’s hard for a blossoming machinist like herself to fit in with proper society, and she’d much rather be tinkering with her tools than at a hoity-toity party any day. When Rivka stumbles into a laboratory run by the powerful Balthazar Cody, she also discovers a sinister plot involving chimera gremlins and the violent Arena game Warriors. The innocent creatures will end up hurt, or worse, if Rivka doesn’t find a way to stop Mr. Cody. And to do that means she will have to rely on some unexpected new friends. 99-cents

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play | iTunes


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Beth Cato hails from Hanford, California, but currently writes and bakes cookies in a lair west of Phoenix, Arizona. She shares the household with a hockey-loving husband, a numbers-obsessed son, and a cat the size of a canned ham. She's the author of THE CLOCKWORK DAGGER (a 2015 Locus Award finalist for First Novel) and THE CLOCKWORK CROWN from Harper Voyager.Site: http://www.bethcato.comTwitter: http://twitter.com/#!/BethCatoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/beth.catoPinterest: http://pinterest.com/bethcato/

Notes from the Agent Rounds of Pitchwars and NoQS

Now that Pitchwars and Nightmare on Query Street are over, I have a few thoughts about changing trends and maybe just a touch of advice.

Once again the adult entries got much less attention than the Young Adult and Middle Grade ones. Some speculate that it's because they are last on the list of entries. Perhaps agents limit themselves to a certain number of requests and have reached their max before hitting the adult entries. They don't bother scrolling to the end of the blog to read the adult entries. Others consider whether the agents doing contests are much more interested in the children market than in adult. Many of the agents who are active in contests are younger themselves. And perhaps the demand of the young adult market is just more open for debut writers.

I figure it's probably a combination of many of these factors. Whatever the reason, it's impossible not to notice that adult entries got fewer requests in Pitchwars. There was no one with twenty requests like in the YA section.  I did notice a strong uptick in the quality of the adult entries from last year in Nightmare on Query Street. I had a harder time locating great adult entries with unique plots last year and earlier this year. But that seems to have changed. 

I do know that I plan a little experiment for Sun versus Snow in February. This time, I want to list the adult entries first, then young adult and middle grade. Just to see if there are any changes in the amount of requests. 

And now the biggest and most startling change I've seen in contests in the last month. Agents are offering within days. I don't think it's a secret that at least five Pitchwars entries got offers by a day after the agent round. It's more of a secret that there have been three offers to Nightmare on Query Street entries in less than a week. This is a big change from past contests. Agents aren't waiting. They are obviously feeling some kind of pressure to strike first and are reading manuscripts and making decisions literally overnight. 

It's certainly wonderful that some writers aren't waiting three months to hear back from agents. To hear news so fast is a blessing! But I think this calls for a different strategy for the writers who are picked for contests. First off, they need to send their requests in to the agents quickly. Possibly within hours of the request and not be tardy and wait a few days to reread their work. If agents are signing people overnight, they need to make sure their manuscripts are among those arriving first. 

Second, if agents are offering so quickly, that can mean the writer's options are slimmer. Typically when you get an offer, the writer has to notify all other agents with requests and queries and give them an opportunity to read and pass or offer. That gives writers an opportunity to have multiply offers. Writers can go with the best agent offer. If they don't have a batch of queries out already and an agent offers, they can't send out more queries. That just isn't done. It would be rude.

In Pitchwars where the writers weren't allowed to query, many of them didn't have anything out with agents. Their only opportunity is the requests they got in the contest. So the advice would be to send a batch of cold queries at the same time they sent the agent requests, just to give themselves possible options. That's how I advised my mentees to proceed. 

And there's just a brief update and a change happening within contests. I'm interested to see if the trend continues. Sun versus Snow will be my next contest and submission is in late January. See you then!

Keeping Track of Contest Friends

So as the years have gone by (three) since I started hosting contests, I've begun to lose track of things. In the beginning, I kept lists on index cards of who I picked for contests. Gradually I used a notebook as a more permanent way to keep track. When someone gets an agent, I can circle their entry and write AGENT in big letters with lots of !!!!

But Max Wirestone asked about book deals for entries that have been featured in a contest. I really had no idea. I mean, I remember some. Yet, other writers might not have let me know past getting an agent. 

So he came up with the idea of a Goodreads list for books that came through a contest where I was a co-host. I made one!

Having your book on a Goodreads list is exciting. But this list is the most joyous list ever! I had a tiny hand in helping to push all these books to the finish line! How awesome is that! 

And best of all, there are eight books already! With several more that aren't on Goodreads yet! Everyone who supported the contests helped with that!

I want to include my other co-hosts with this. A big thanks to Amy, Mike, Sharon, and SC for doing this journey with me. And especially to Mike for getting me started. Please claim a big part of this. 

If your book was in one of my contests (even if I didn't pick you for my team and even if your agent didn't directly result from the contest) please add your book to the FROM CONTEST TO CONTRACT list. This includes all my picture book friends! I've added a few titles, but I'm sure there may be more.

Also, this is a such a great idea, that I decided the mentors and judges who help out in the contests need one, too! So I made another list just for you! Please enter your books in the WRITERS WHO HELP WRITERS list. Then in all my future contest, I can direct people to your books! Isn't that fabulous!

There have been so many mentors and judges that I won't be able to track down your books to put on this list. I'll have to rely on you doing it for me. Please don't be shy. Go at it!

I'll need your help to spread the word. Please poke your friends and former mentors and judges. Let everyone who might have a book know.

What do you think? I hope this grows and grows and becomes a huge deal. Of all the friendships and fun to come from contests, this might just be the very best thing of all! 

Teaser Thursday

Grudging Details here.

GRUDGING SPOTLIGHT POST

I'm throwing this out there and seeing how it goes. For the last two weeks, I've been filling out interview questions and writing guest posts for the release of Grudging on November 17th. It's time consuming, but sort of awesome when you remember what they are all for! So totally exciting!




I have a book tour, but they can only encompass so many stops.

I've already made a spotlight post for some book bloggers and though I'd offer a copy of it to anyone interested in posting about Grudging around November 17th. Every little bit of promotion helps, no blog is too small. Why not see how many of these can go out there to the unsuspecting public. :-) 

It sounds fun. And I'm all about fun, whether it's contests or book releases.

And in terms of promotion, you never know what might work until you try it.

Anyway, if you'd like to help me out and host a spotlight post, just fill out the form below and put Spotlight post as your subject. I'll send you a copy of the html (for easy cut and pasting into blogger) or a Word file. 




foxyform

Spotlighting Publicists- What do they do?

As I've been working with a publicist lately and didn't have much of a clue what they do, it seemed a topic that needed a post. Luckily, I found just the person to help. Meredith is a publicist with Spencer Hill Press and she will shed some light on the subject. 
What exactly does a publicist do for an author? There are a number of things a publicist can assist with. It’s up to the author and publicist to discuss what’s right for the book and what the author should and shouldn’t do on their own. A publicist can assist with the cover reveal, blog tour and release week activities. They can field ARC and interview requests from bloggers. They can set up bookstore signings (launch parties, regular signings and tour signings), library events and school signings. They can help an author sign up for conferences, or at least guide them through the process. They can also send out book blurb requests and mail out ARCs to professional reviewers.
About how far from the release date do you start planning events and other promotion?Promotion can start as early as a year out, with a big push 3-6 months before release. The sooner you can start creating buzz, the better! Early promotion usually includes the author spending a LOT of time on social media, chatting with readers, bloggers, librarians and booksellers. The goal is to create relationships with them so they’ll be excited for your book. Building relationships with your local librarians and booksellers also helps!
With events, it really depends on the guidelines of each event. Some conferences start planning their author line-up a year out. Bookstores often need 4-8 months to plan an event. Libraries and schools often book events months in advance, as well. Research is key – most bookstores/libraries/conferences have their guidelines on their websites. For those that don’t, you can usually call or email them to ask.
Do you usually wait for the cover art to be ready or are there things you can work on before that? The best time to do a cover reveal is 8-9 months before release. After that, the cover is in the system and online retailers start placing the cover images on the book pages. So if you want to do a big cover reveal to create buzz, you have to do it before that happens. There are still plenty of things authors can do before the cover reveal – including being active on social media – though it’s definitely easier to build buzz when you have a cover and description to draw readers in.
However, you can drop hints and sneak peaks of the cover. You can also put out short teaser quotes and images. Typically, the author coordinates this with their editor, to make sure they aren’t releasing material that hasn’t been copy-edited or that belongs in a scene that was removed from the book.
Does a publicist set up cover reveals and blog tours and do you think this type of promotion leads to sales? Personally, I always help my authors with cover reveals and blog tours if these are things they want to do. Cover reveals can build a lot of buzz, especially if the book synopsis and exclusive content (such as an excerpt) are included. Blog tours seem to be losing steam, but there are other things that can be done instead. For example, a one-week blog tour with unique material each day is a great way to keep things interesting.  Does a publicist set up book signings and arrange for authors to visit conventions? Have you ever had an author that just didn’t want to do public events?I’m always happy to help my authors set up signings. But I’ve also had authors who were comfortable booking their own signings because they had a great relationship with their local bookstores. So it depends!
With conventions, it depends on the guidelines. Sometimes, they ask that the author reach out. Other times, the author’s publicist can help them with registration, as well as with panel participation sign-ups.
I’ve never had an author who simply didn’t want to go to signings or events. Often, an author has to pay his or her own travel expenses and convention fees. So it makes it difficult for them to go. And sometimes they live in a small town that doesn’t have a lot of bookstores, so they’d have to travel far for a signing, which isn’t always feasible.
Do you have a set group of places to arrange for author interviews or does it vary depending on the book? It varies. As I’ve mentioned, it’s important for authors to establish relationships with bloggers. So each author might have certain bloggers they’re eager to work with. As for local and national media, that depends on where the author lives and who responds to press releases. There are certain professional reviewers who, upon receiving an ARC, might decide to interview the author, as well.  What sort of book swag would an author get the most use from? What would you recommend an author spend the money on? Teaser images? Bookmarks? Postcards? Book trailer videos? Something more unique? This is very book-specific and completely up to the author. I think every author should have bookmarks because they can be handed out at events or sent out as mini giveaway prizes. But since many authors spend their own money on swag, it’s really up to them. From what I’ve seen, book trailers are hit or miss. Teaser images are fun and can be helpful.
My advice is to think about your book. What are some key elements in it? What stands out to you? If that thing can be made into a fun, unique piece of swag, then go for it!
I heard getting reviews is so important to sales. Would you agree with that and what are some tips for getting reviews? Does it matter if they go on Goodreads or Amazon? Reviews are important, but there are other things that help sales, such as word-of-mouth. However, having reviews on Goodreads and Amazon can definitely be beneficial. Book blurbs are great, too. Often, if an author blurbs a book, fans of that author will pick that book up. The logic is this: if an author they love enjoyed the book, they will, too!
As far as reviews, do you use services like NetGalley or Edelweiss? Do you stick with book bloggers? How would you suggest author find book bloggers to contact?With my job, so far we’ve only used NetGalley. Anyone can use NetGalley – from bloggers to media professionals to librarians and booksellers.
When reaching out to bloggers, the most important thing is to read and follow their review policy.  Make sure you reach out to them individually and personalize your request, if possible. Make sure you spell their name right, too! Bloggers love working with authors, but it’s important to respect them and their time.
What type of book giveaways work best? I’ve noticed that readers really love annotated ARC giveaways and signed book giveaways. Giveaways can be done on your social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc) or on your website/blog via Rafflecopter.   Is there any type of promotion we haven’t talked about that would be something you recommend? Many authors have street teams. Street teams can be hit or miss, but they can be very beneficial for an author! Street teams allow authors to interact with their readers on a more personal/individual level, as well.
Is there anything an author can do to get more marketing attention? Do larger pre-sales help convince the publisher to spend more money? Or do all your authors get the same amount of help? I know I’ve said this a lot, but it really depends on the publisher, the author and the book. There’s no universal answer. Some authors take on more of the legwork when it comes to promoting their books, others don’t. Pre-sales definitely help an author and pre-sale incentives/giveaways for readers are a great way to get those pre-sale numbers up. Many authors will offer exclusive content with proof of pre-order (the reader needs to email a photo of the receipt, etc).
What is the most rewarding part of being a publicist? Is it cheesy if I say every single part of it is rewarding? Seriously, I love my job and I can’t imagine doing anything else. I love my authors and I love promoting their books. That feeling you get when the book publishes, when readers are loving it, when the author is giddy and excited... There’s just no better feeling! Once a publicist, always a publicist!
-----------------------My name is Meredith. I’m a Senior Publicist at Spencer Hill Press and Spencer Hill Contemporary. I’m also a YA book blogger and a contributing writer for YA Interrobang. I love to read YA, but sometimes I venture out into other genres. I love to write – I’ve been writing since I was in middle school. I prefer creative writing, but I also did journalism for many, many years throughout high school and college.

Thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Nightmare on Query Street Wrap Up

HUGE thanks to the agents, mentors, entrants, and my wonderful co-host who helped make Nightmare on Query Street such an awesome and successful contest. We had a record number of requests this year. With 88 requests for the Monsters and 82 for the Minions, we more than doubled last years results.

For those who want stats, here's a blog breakdown:

Monsters
Screams: 25 Shrieks: 43 Shivers 20Total: 88 requests
Most requested: The Stolen Girl 
Minions
Screams: 30Shrieks: 13Shivers: 40Total: 83 Most requested: THE MECHANIC


Once again, thanks for such an awesome year. If you're working on a new project, don't forget about Query Kombat in June 2016 and Nightmare on Query Street next year! Hope you had a safe and happy Halloween!