REUTS Acquisitions Editor: Summer Wier

BIO:Summer Wier is an MBA toting accountant, undercover writer, and all around jack-of-all-trades. She loves reading anything with a smart story and pretty writing.  Link  is her debut novel and the first in The Shadow of Light series. She has three short stories appearing in  Fairly Twisted Tales For A Horribly Ever After  and co-authors the  Splinter  web serial. When she’s not digging through spreadsheets or playing mom, you can find her reading/writing, cooking, or dreaming of the mountains in Montana.
Connect with Summer via Twitter @summerwier OR visit her website www.summerwier.com.
1.      Tell us how you came to work with REUTS.It was as simple as inquiring about open positions! I received a response outlining a couple departments with openings, including acquisitions. I'd always wanted to gain experience and behind-the-scene perspective into the query/submissions process, so I was excited for an opportunity to do so. I originally began as an acquisitions assistant, but when I moved to the Marketing Director position (a story for another post) I became the fourth member of the acquisitions team.
2.      What does your job entail? I consider queries with other members of the acquisitions team. As I'm sure the other members will mention, the REUTS process is a little different from the norm. No one person is solely responsible for accepting or rejecting a manuscript. At both the query and full level, we consult on each submission. We discuss pros and cons, each casting a vote on a project, and majority rules. It's a great way to flesh out problems as well as identify story potential from more than one subjective view.
3.      What do you enjoy most about being an acquisitions editor?I love being one of the first people to discover an amazing story, though it's SO hard to have to wait to share it with the world! It's also really cool to see how many unique ideas and distinct voices are out there.
4.      What have your experiences been like working with the authors?I've had great experiences working with and getting to know authors in this capacity. It's neat to be able to express love for someone's work, to discuss its potential, and extend a publication offer. It's also worth mentioning that we don't sign every manuscript we offer on for various reasons—such is the way of publishing—but that doesn't mean we're any less excited for the author when the work is released into the world. However, there's definitely a special something, a "kindred spirit" kind of vibe, when an author decides to publish with REUTS.
5.      What is the hardest part of being an acquisitions editor?Definitely rejections. It's the worst having to tell someone you're passing on their manuscript. THE WORST. And unless you haven't followed submission guidelines, we send personalized rejection letters to every submission. There are a million different reasons why a manuscript may not be right for us, but we try to offer encouragement, support, and/or suggestions where possible. Did I mention IT'S THE WORST? But that also goes both ways. Like I mentioned above, sometimes we fall in love with a story and the author chooses another path for it. And though we are still excited for the author and the story's success, it's sad to see the precious slip away.
6.      And what is the best part?Hands down, having a contract accepted for a story I love. *insert giddy school girls hugging and jumping around until they fall over* OR, you know... *high fives for the guys*
7.      What kind of manuscripts do you enjoy and are looking for, and how can an author submit to you?I have a wide variety of tastes. My profile lists fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, historical fiction, and period romance as favorite genres, but I don't really consider genre when I'm picking books to read or pursuing manuscripts. I love just about anything with a unique story and smart dialogue. Seriously, it could be action adventure, western, or even humor (faves not listed on my preferred list). That being said, I don't do over the top gory horror or depressing contemporaries. I'm a HEA kind of gal! I'm also not the best choice for manuscripts with extensive swearing or explicit sex scenes. Nope. I like things PG-13 and under.
Authors can submit to me via the REUTS submission form: http://www.reuts.com/submissions/subm... OR to summer@reuts with a Query + 10 pages.
8.      Last question; If you were suddenly struck by lightning/bitten by something/exposed to toxic waste, and ended up with super powers, what would it be and why?Enhanced mental acuity. If you've seen the movie Limitless with Bradley Cooper, know how awesome that would be. I would plow through my to-do lists, finish all of my WIPs, and use my powers to make the world a better place. (That sounds more like a Miss America pageant answer, but there ya have it.)