My talented daughter made a picture card for my birthday present a few weeks ago. And what did she pick for the subject?
She drew my hamsters from my middle grade story Pygmy Hazards!!!! Meet Tom and Jerry the Third up close and personal! Aren't they cute?
Monday, September 30, 2013
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Valuable Links: Emotion Thesaurus
You want to avoid telling the emotion of your characters, because telling is supposedly a very, very bad thing. But how do you manage that?
If you can't tell everyone that Scooby Doo is afraid, then what do you do?
The easiest method is showing his body language to clue in the reader. Instead of saying Scooby Doo was afraid.
But what do you do if you want to show an emotion, but your ideas are dry?
Why you run straight to the Emotion Thesaurus quick links. There you'll discover that frustration is bunching your hands into fists or running fingers through hair or kicking at something.
They have over forty emotions so you're sure to find the one you need to describe your character. Happy showing!
If you can't tell everyone that Scooby Doo is afraid, then what do you do?
The easiest method is showing his body language to clue in the reader. Instead of saying Scooby Doo was afraid.
Scooby Doo's eyes bulged. He shook like a doggie earthquake and wiped sweaty paws on the back of Shaggy's green shirt.
But what do you do if you want to show an emotion, but your ideas are dry?
Why you run straight to the Emotion Thesaurus quick links. There you'll discover that frustration is bunching your hands into fists or running fingers through hair or kicking at something.
They have over forty emotions so you're sure to find the one you need to describe your character. Happy showing!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Win A Copy of Kindar's Cure
I've got an interview today over at Laurie's Thoughts and Review, along with a chance to win a copy of Kindar's Cure. I'm discussing the influences that helped me create my story and trying not to sound like an idiot.
You can enter there or enter here. Though the magic of technology, all entries are linked into one giant giveaway.
Princess Kindar of Anost dreams of playing the hero and succeeding to her mother’s throne. But dreams are for fools. Reality involves two healthy sisters and a wasting disease of suffocating cough that’s killing her by inches. When her elder sister is murdered, the blame falls on Kindar, putting her head on the chopping block.
No one who survives eighteen years of choke lung lacks determination. A novice wizard, Maladonis Bin, approaches with a vision—a cure in a barren land of volcanic fumes. As choices go, a charming bootlicker that trips over his own feet isn’t the best option, but beggars can’t be choosers. Kindar escapes with Mal and several longtime attendants only to have her eyes opened that her country faces dark times.
Her mother’s decision to close the prosperous mines spurs poverty and joblessness, inciting rebellion and opening Anost to foreign invasion. As Mal urges her toward a cure that will prove his visions, suddenly, an ally turns traitor, delivering Kindar to a rebel army, who have their own plans for a sickly princess.
With the killer poised to strike again, the rebels bearing down, and the country falling apart, she must weigh her personal hunt for a cure against saving her people.
Here's a sample of one of the interview questions:
What books have most influenced this
story?
Gone with the Wind was a big influence. My main hero,
Henry, has a love of the land that comes directly from that book.
But the
biggest influence came from the history books I read about Elizabeth the First
and her parent, Henry the VIII. One often forgets that Henry the VIII had
children, everyone tends to focus on him and his wives. But his children must
have lived lives of fear what with constantly being in dread of losing their
heads.
Instead of
making my main character’s father a tyrant, I switched that around and gave
Kindar a tyrannical mother, then decided to make the whole theme one of a
matriarchal society.
The
relationships of distrust and instability within the royal family I created for
Kindar’s Cure all comes directly from
the real royal family of Henry VIII. I just threw in a little murder and magic.
I really appreciate everyone stopping by to help make this giveaway a success.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Are You Feeling Lucky, Punk?
First off, just a picture to show the frogs are still around! We'd feared the cold nights had driven our green friends underground, but now proof that they are hanging in there.
Luck. So much of life relies on luck, and that certainly includes the query trenches. So I was wondering what sort of superstitions do people rely on to bring them luck.
I will admit to being superstitious when it comes to sports. I've resorted to sitting in the same seat for each game, wearing the same clothes, and even eating the same food. Back when the Cubs were in the playoff--yes it did happen--I sat on the same spot on the floor for each game, listening to the game on the radio, while watching it on TV with the sound turned off. (Those national TV announcers just weren't the same. Much too fair-minded, give both sides equal time. Who needs that?)
As far as querying, I might have had a trick up my sleeve. A little something my son brought me back from his trip to Japan in June.
This is no ordinary strange white fox. It's a lucky fox spirit. This spirit called Kitsune, or Japanese for fox, is able to henge or shapeshift. Besides being the messenger of the harvest spirit, Oinari, and known for luring the opposite sex when in it's human form, Kitsune is also considered by some to be lucky.
I may or may not have plunked my Kitsune down on my nightstand and given him a pet each night. I may or may not have wished my lucky fox would bring me an agent.
But I do know that two months later, that wish came true.
So do I still pet Kitsune each night now that I'm on submission? What do you think?
Time for your confession. What lengths do you go to to secure your luck? What tricks have worked for you?
Jean-Bob |
Luck. So much of life relies on luck, and that certainly includes the query trenches. So I was wondering what sort of superstitions do people rely on to bring them luck.
I will admit to being superstitious when it comes to sports. I've resorted to sitting in the same seat for each game, wearing the same clothes, and even eating the same food. Back when the Cubs were in the playoff--yes it did happen--I sat on the same spot on the floor for each game, listening to the game on the radio, while watching it on TV with the sound turned off. (Those national TV announcers just weren't the same. Much too fair-minded, give both sides equal time. Who needs that?)
As far as querying, I might have had a trick up my sleeve. A little something my son brought me back from his trip to Japan in June.
This is no ordinary strange white fox. It's a lucky fox spirit. This spirit called Kitsune, or Japanese for fox, is able to henge or shapeshift. Besides being the messenger of the harvest spirit, Oinari, and known for luring the opposite sex when in it's human form, Kitsune is also considered by some to be lucky.
I may or may not have plunked my Kitsune down on my nightstand and given him a pet each night. I may or may not have wished my lucky fox would bring me an agent.
But I do know that two months later, that wish came true.
So do I still pet Kitsune each night now that I'm on submission? What do you think?
Time for your confession. What lengths do you go to to secure your luck? What tricks have worked for you?
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Query Questions with Jennifer Goloboy
Writers have copious amounts of imagination. It's what makes their stories so fantastic. But there's a darker side to so much out of the box thinking. When a writer is in the query trenches, their worries go into overdrive. They start pulling out their hair and imagine every possible disaster.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions.
I just love the name of this agency. Please welcome Jennifer Goloboy of Donald Maass Literary for more query answers.
Is there a better or worse time of year to query?
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?
Do you have an assistant or intern go through your queries first or do you check all of them?
If the manuscript has a prologue, do you want it included with the sample pages?
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?
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript?
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?
Is there a bias against querying authors who have self-published other books?
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?
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?
What bio should an author with no publishing credits include?
What does ‘just not right mean for me’ mean to you?
What themes are you sick of seeing?
What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions.
I just love the name of this agency. Please welcome Jennifer Goloboy of Donald Maass Literary for more query answers.
Is there a better or worse time of year to query?
In early September and early January I'm generally busy submitting manuscripts, so I'd avoid sending queries at these times.
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?
Only if you accidentally called your book "Let's Eat Grandma" instead of "Let's
Eat, Grandma".
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?
Only if the query is strong. I generally want sample pages only if I like the
query.
Do you have an assistant or intern go through your queries first or do you check all of them?
I check all of them… which is why it sometimes takes a while.
If the manuscript has a prologue, do you want it included with the sample pages?
Sure.
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?
Please query only one Red Sofa agent at a time. If I think a query shows
promise, but it isn't my kind of thing, I'll let Dawn take a look, and vice
versa.
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript?
I'd rather hear about the manuscript. However, this doesn't mean that you
should be stiff and formal in your query letter-- that's really not necessary.
One exception: if someone I know told an author to query me, or an author and I met at a conference, I would like to know that.
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?
Many talented writers get the genre wrong-- that's not a problem. I will not
reject a book because the word count is off, but it will be the first thing to
get fixed, so why not do that before querying? An example-- I recently received a romance manuscript that was about twice as long as it should be, but showed a lot of potential. That was a revise and resubmit.
Is there a bias against querying authors who have self-published other books?
No. One of my clients, Daniel Bensen, self-published a book called The Kingdoms of Evil. (You can read it here: http://www.thekingdomsofevil.com/?page_id=154) The talent he showed in this book was one of the reasons I represent him.
What you should never do is self-publish a book and then immediately query me for the same book-- you just published it, what do you need an agent for?
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?
Yes, social media is important-- authors are going to need to publicize their
books, and this is a cost-effective way to do it. I want to know that an
author is committed to getting people to read the book!
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?
Not at all! An author can also mention a blog or artwork in the bio, especially
if his credits are thin, or if he's achieved special recognition for this work.
What bio should an author with no publishing credits include?
Here's what not to include: "This is the first novel I have ever completed."
(Warns me that the prose is probably pretty rough.)
"I've been published in my college/high school magazine." (How unbiased was the editorial board? I know I talked my board into publishing my stuff even when it was horrible.)
"This has been professionally edited." (I probably haven't met your editor, so
I don't know how competent he is.)
"I have X children and Y pets, which qualifies me to write YA." (Unfortunately, no.)
Here's what to include: Uncommon life experiences, especially if they gave the expertise to write the manuscript. ("I have been a horse trainer for ten
years…")
A link to a blog or other social media content, especially if it's demonstrably
getting attention.
Other skills, talents, connections or memberships that might make publicizing
the book easier. My client, Tex Thompson,(http://www.thetexfiles.com/) helps run a big writers' conference; Jamie Wyman, who has a book coming out this fall from Entangled, (http://www.jamiewyman.com/) can breathe fire.
What does ‘just not right mean for me’ mean to you?
It means that while this manuscript shows talent, either it's about something I don't enjoy reading about (like elves) or is something I don't know how to sell. Other agents will probably feel differently about this idea.
What themes are you sick of seeing?
Standard paranormal romance/urban fantasy, especially in YA. I love a good
romance, but it really needs to be something new-- and a new kind of
supernatural creature does not count. Standard steampunk seems pretty
played-out too.
What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?
I try not to keep a wish list-- I'm looking for smart, well-written, innovative
science fiction and fantasy for kids and adults. A sense of humor is a plus, as
is a really good romance. That said, I have been asking for a YA/NA marching
band romance for months, and so far I've only seen one!
What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?
I'm a huge Terry Pratchett fan, for the way his books are funny, humane, and (in their own way) an astute reflection on British history. The most recent book I read and enjoyed: William Haggard's The Unquiet Sleep (1962), which featured a female answer to James Bond-- a heroine of the French Resistance with one steel foot. I don't know why that one never became a movie! (http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/forgotten-authors-no32-william-haggard-1680132.html) Write me a sci-fi version of this, and I'll be a happy woman.
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Jennie Goloboy joined the Donald Maass Literary Agency in 2017. Before that, she was an agent at Red Sofa Literary for six years. She has a PhD in the History of American Civilization from Harvard, and published a book based on her dissertation, Charleston and the Emergence of Middle-Class Culture in the Revolutionary Era, in 2016.
Submissions:
Jennie is particularly looking for fun, innovative, diverse, and progressive science fiction and fantasy for adults. She thinks that one of the most important jobs of science fiction is to imagine a future we want to live in.
As a fan of character-driven novels, she wants to be desperate to know what happens to your hero by the time she’s finished your writing sample. Romance and humor are always a plus. If your book combines an oddball premise with a compelling protagonist, she wants to read it. Adorable body horror? Quirky intentional communities? Please send them on!
Jennie is also looking for history for a popular, adult audience. She’s a particular fan of histories of an idea, and narratives about early America. She is not interested in historical novels, or in memoir.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Valuable Links: Start a Contest
This week's valuable link is one that lets you do some promoting while having fun. What could be better than fun!
Rafflecopter can help you design and run a contest. It does the heavy work for you, keeping track of who entered, how long the contest runs, and listing the rules. It will draw the winner for you, making sure everything is random.
At the same time, it'll offer people entries for following your blog, twitter or facebook, twittering about the contest, or leaving comments. The options are endless.
And it's all free for basic membership!!
Don't be thinking you can't handle a contest. Rafflecopter does it for you. Afraid no one will enter? Send me a twitter invite and you are assured of one person's interest, plus I'll help you promote.
Rafflecopter can help you design and run a contest. It does the heavy work for you, keeping track of who entered, how long the contest runs, and listing the rules. It will draw the winner for you, making sure everything is random.
At the same time, it'll offer people entries for following your blog, twitter or facebook, twittering about the contest, or leaving comments. The options are endless.
And it's all free for basic membership!!
Don't be thinking you can't handle a contest. Rafflecopter does it for you. Afraid no one will enter? Send me a twitter invite and you are assured of one person's interest, plus I'll help you promote.
Friday, September 20, 2013
THE AGENTS OF NIGHTMARE ON QUERY STREET
Feel the fear because here they are! The agents of Nightmare on Query Street, live and in the flesh.
If you haven't heard the news yet, Michelle, SC, and Mike are at it again with a Halloween contest called Nightmare on Query Street. You can find all the info here! It's gonna be awesomely spooky and we hope you help us make this a success.
Be sure to take a look and see if your genre is represented.
Currently, we have EIGHT agents signed up for the contest. With any luck, we'll have more come October 19th. Now, for the moment you've all been waiting for...the agent list.
Thanks a million to all the agents who found the time in their busy schedules to make this contest happen. You are all AWESOME.
Tweet your thanks using the #NightmareQuery hashtag on Twitter.
PS: Don't forget Mike is holding a flash fiction contest to secure a spot in the 100 entries we will accept. He's already got some great entries. He'd love to read yours!
Jordy Albert is a
Literary Agent and co-founder of The Booker Albert Literary Agency.
She holds a B.A. in English from Pennsylvania State University, and a M.A. from
Millersville University of Pennsylvania. She has worked with Marisa Corvisiero
during her time at the L. Perkins Agency and the Corvisiero Literary Agency.
Jordy also works as a freelance editor/PR Director. She enjoys studying
languages (French/Japanese), spends time teaching herself how to knit, is
a HUGE fan of Doctor Who, and loves dogs.
She is looking for stories that capture her attention and keep her turning the page. She is looking for a strong voice, and stories that have the ability to surprise her. She loves intelligent characters with a great sense of humor. She would love to see fresh, well-developed plots featuring travel, competitions/tournaments, or time travel. Jordy is specifically looking for:
She is looking for stories that capture her attention and keep her turning the page. She is looking for a strong voice, and stories that have the ability to surprise her. She loves intelligent characters with a great sense of humor. She would love to see fresh, well-developed plots featuring travel, competitions/tournaments, or time travel. Jordy is specifically looking for:
*
Middle Grade: contemporary, fantasy, action/adventure, or historical.
* YA: sci-fi, dystopian/post-apocalyptic, contemporary, historical (Though I am open to looking at other sub-genres, I'm looking for YA that has a very strong romantic element).
* NEW ADULT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE.
* Romance (contemporary and historical).
* YA: sci-fi, dystopian/post-apocalyptic, contemporary, historical (Though I am open to looking at other sub-genres, I'm looking for YA that has a very strong romantic element).
* NEW ADULT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE.
* Romance (contemporary and historical).
Molly has been working
closely with Folio authors’ projects since 2008, and is an Associate Member of
the Association of Authors’ Representatives (AAR). In addition to building her
selective but growing list of clients, Molly utilizes her editorial background,
previous work experience in the e-publishing industry, and intimate knowledge
of the Folio list in her position as Folio’s Co-Director of International
Rights. She actively pursues sales of international and audio rights and
attends all major international book fairs, helping Folio clients’ books reach
wide audiences in as many formats as possible. Molly is an avid reader, and
when she’s not devouring manuscripts, she can usually be found camped out in
the aisles of the Union Square Barnes & Noble (until they kick her out at
closing time).
*
Middle grade and YA fiction. Interest in paranormal
Pooja
Menon joined Kimberley Cameron & Associates as an intern in the fall of
2011, with the aim of immersing herself in the elusive world of books and
publishing. She soon realized that being an agent was what she was most drawn
to as the job was varied and challenging. She represents both fiction and
non-fiction for Adult and YA markets.
Her
passion for reading inspired her to acquire a BA in Literature and Media from
England. Her love for writing then took her to Los Angeles where she pursued an
M.F.A in Fiction from the Otis School of Art and Design.
In
fiction, she is interested in literary, historical, commercial, and high-end
women's fiction. However, she's most drawn to stories with an international
flavor, vibrant characters, multi-cultural themes, and lush settings.
In
fantasy, she's looking for original, layered plots with worlds as real and
alive as the ones that were created by J.K Rowling and Tolkien.
In
YA, she's looking for stories that deal with the prevalent issues that face
teenagers today. She is also interested in fantasy, magical-realism, and
historical fiction.
Bridget
Smith began her career at Dunham Literary, Inc. in June 2011.
Previously,
she was an intern at Don Congdon Associates, worked at a secondhand book store
in Connecticut, and evaluated short story submissions for Tor.com under Liz
Gorinsky and Patrick Nielsen Hayden.
She
graduated from Brown University in 2010. While there, she studied anthropology
and archaeology, worked as a radio DJ, fenced on the varsity team, and helped
design an experiment that she later performed in microgravity at NASA.
A
lifelong fan of children’s books, she’s looking for middle grade and young
adult novels in a range of genres, including fantasy and science fiction,
historical fiction, romance, and contemporary, plus anything that bends the
rules of genre. She is actively seeking books with underrepresented or minority
characters.
She
is also seeking fiction for adults, especially fantasy and science fiction,
historical fiction, and literary women’s fiction.
In
accordance with her college degree, she’s interested in informational, literary
nonfiction, especially science or history written by experts for a general
audience.
Sarah Negovetich is
fully aware that no one knows how to pronounce her last name, and she's okay
with that.
Her favorite writing is YA, because at seventeen the world is your oyster. Only oysters are slimy and more than a little salty, it's accurate if not exactly motivational.
Sarah's background is in Marketing. FYI, your high school algebra teacher was right when they told you every job uses math. She uses her experience to assist Corvisiero authors with platform building and book promotion.
Her favorite writing is YA, because at seventeen the world is your oyster. Only oysters are slimy and more than a little salty, it's accurate if not exactly motivational.
Sarah's background is in Marketing. FYI, your high school algebra teacher was right when they told you every job uses math. She uses her experience to assist Corvisiero authors with platform building and book promotion.
Sarah is only accepting MG and YA fiction manuscripts.
She is open to any genre within those age groups, but prefers speculative fiction.
Contemporary is not her favorite, but she will look at it. She is not interested in seeing poetry, novels in verse, short stories/novellas or anything focused on saving the environment (she's all for recycling, but doesn't want to represent it).
Victoria is currently representing
only digital-first titles.
I was born and raised in
Queens, New York and graduated from the City University of New York, Queens
College. Before joining the Bent Agency, I completed internships at Serendipity
Literary and the Carol Mann Agency. In my spare time I can be found teaching
dance classes for young students or watching re-runs of The Office.
I love books that teach me
something, whether it be about a culture I don’t know, event in history or
about the dynamics of a tumultuous young romance. I want to root for your
characters -- connect with them and the problems they face. I'm looking for characters
as complex and interesting as those I meet in real life.
Historical Fiction
YA
New Adult
Contemporary Romance
Humor
Thrillers
Mystery
Women’s Fiction
YA
New Adult
Contemporary Romance
Humor
Thrillers
Mystery
Women’s Fiction
Rebecca Scherer’s time at JRA began as a part-time internship during her junior year at the Macaulay Honors Program at Hunter College. She was working toward a degree in Political Science and Literature as she busily debated which law schools to apply to when the time came. As Rebecca fell for the agency’s charm, she took on more responsibilities and quickly realized that she enjoyed novels more than legal briefs and plots more than torts. When she expressed her reservations to Jane Berkey, the response was simple: “Well then you’re going to come work for me for real now, right?” And with that, Rebecca happily accepted the siren call to join the fabulous Rotrosen team full-time after graduation. She now works for Meg and Andrea as an associate in the editorial department, enjoying all aspects of the job, from queries to contracts to the whimsical wallpaper throughout the office. Rebecca’s favorite genres include women’s fiction, thrillers, and literary fiction, with a particular interest in historical and geopolitical events.
Emily Gref is an Agent at Lowenstein Associates, as well as our
contracts and royalties manager. She also handles foreign and subrights. Her
interests are wide and varied. In Young Adult and Middle Grade she is looking
for all genres, but has a weak spot for fairy tale, folklore, and mythology
retellings. Emily is also interested in fantasy and science fiction, as well as
literary and commercial women's fiction.
Newly Added:
It was when Clelia first read Charlotte's Web in the first grade that she got hooked by the magic of books. Her love of children's books carried through adulthood and she is delighted to dedicate her life to bringing quality books and stories to young (and whimsical adult!) readers.
Clelia is originally from New Jersey and lived in New York City for several years prior to moving to Seattle. She has a bachelor's degree in English from Boston College. She received her J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law and practiced law as a corporate litigator in New York City.
In 2011, she decided to dedicate her career to books and reentered graduate school at Emerson College. In 2013, she received her master's degree in Publishing and Writing. While she was studying publishing and taking creative writing courses at Emerson, Clelia worked as a managing editorial intern in the children's book division at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Clelia also honed her editorial skills as an editorial intern at Oxford University Press. She also taught academic writing and research courses to freshman students at Emerson College.
In addition to reading YA and children's books, Clelia also likes to blog about them! You can read her musings and ruminations on rereading the books of her 90's youth at www.tweenat28.com.
Clelia is very interested in the emerging New Adult genre. Having faced an early life career crisis, she really relates to characters who are confronted with the challenges of entering adulthood. She is also interested in young adult and middle grade books. She is seeking to represent writers whose protagonists have strong voices and whose plots are original. Clelia never wants to let go of her favorite characters, so she particularly loves trilogies and series that can be adapted to the screen.
Clelia has a special spot in her heart for picture books. She especially loves ones that are funny or quirky, ones that feature minority and multi-cultural characters, and ones parents won't mind reading over and over again to their children.
Clelia is originally from New Jersey and lived in New York City for several years prior to moving to Seattle. She has a bachelor's degree in English from Boston College. She received her J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law and practiced law as a corporate litigator in New York City.
In 2011, she decided to dedicate her career to books and reentered graduate school at Emerson College. In 2013, she received her master's degree in Publishing and Writing. While she was studying publishing and taking creative writing courses at Emerson, Clelia worked as a managing editorial intern in the children's book division at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Clelia also honed her editorial skills as an editorial intern at Oxford University Press. She also taught academic writing and research courses to freshman students at Emerson College.
In addition to reading YA and children's books, Clelia also likes to blog about them! You can read her musings and ruminations on rereading the books of her 90's youth at www.tweenat28.com.
Clelia is very interested in the emerging New Adult genre. Having faced an early life career crisis, she really relates to characters who are confronted with the challenges of entering adulthood. She is also interested in young adult and middle grade books. She is seeking to represent writers whose protagonists have strong voices and whose plots are original. Clelia never wants to let go of her favorite characters, so she particularly loves trilogies and series that can be adapted to the screen.
Clelia has a special spot in her heart for picture books. She especially loves ones that are funny or quirky, ones that feature minority and multi-cultural characters, and ones parents won't mind reading over and over again to their children.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Query Questions with Jessica Alvarez
Writers have copious amounts of imagination. It's what makes their stories so fantastic. But there's a darker side to so much out of the box thinking. When a writer is in the query trenches, their worries go into overdrive. They start pulling out their hair and imagine every possible disaster.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions.
Today's guest is Jessica Alvarez of Bookends, LLC! Thanks so much Jessica for sharing your thoughts about query slush.
If an author has a blog or website, I appreciate seeing the link in her signature even if I don't always click on the links. It's actually pretty rare that I do click on the links, but it's much easier for me than having to hunt the internet to find a writer's site. As for manuscript-related artwork, that I don't care to see. It has no relevance on my decision and only takes up extra space in my in-box.
Here to relieve some of that endless worrying is a new series of posts called Query Questions. I'll ask the questions which prey on every writer's mind, and hopefully take some of the pain out of querying. These are questions that I've seen tossed around on twitter and writing sites like Agent Query Connect. They are the type of questions that you need answers for the real expert--agents!
If you have your own specific query question, please leave it in the comments and it might show up in future editions of Query Questions as I plan to rotate the questions.
Today's guest is Jessica Alvarez of Bookends, LLC! Thanks so much Jessica for sharing your thoughts about query slush.
No. Submissions come in a constant flow, and there really isn't any particular time of year that's better than others.
Is there a better or worse time to query?
One, no. If there are a lot of typos or grammatical mistakes, however, it will concern me. I want projects to be polished before they are sent to me and a query full of errors makes me think the writing in a manuscript will be rougher than I want to deal with.
Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?
We do not ask for sample pages with the query at BookEnds.
Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?
I go through all my queries on my own, though I will occasionally ask our literary assistant or intern to do a first (or second) read on requested material. Even if they do review a project for me, I will still review it and make the final decision.
Do you have an assistant or intern go through your queries first or do you check all of them?
I don't ask for sample pages with a query, but if I ask for the first three chapters, yes, I want the prologue included.
If the manuscript has a prologue, do you want it included with the sample pages?
At BookEnds we prefer that writers only query one of us at the agency. If we think a project is better suited for one of the other agents, we will pass it along. That happens maybe once or twice a month.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?
I don't mind some but too much can sometimes make a query seem amateurish for me. In general, I'd rather the writer focus her energies on the plot summary.
Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript?
I do want the word count and genre somewhere in the query, though I don't care where it is. I won't reject a project if they don't include the word count and genre but it will make me wonder why they weren't included. Is the manuscript too long or short to be marketable? Does the writer not know what genre it is? So, yes, it is a bit of a red flag.
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?
It depends on what else I have on my plate, but it isn't unusual for me to go through a hundred in one sitting.Do you go through a large group of queries at a time or hold yourself to a few?
I probably get around 100 queries a week, and maybe request partials or completes from 10% of those.
How many queries do you receive in a week? How many requests might you make out of those?
Some writers have asked about including links to their blogs or manuscript-related artwork. I’m sure it’s not appropriate to add those links in a query, but are links in an email signature offensive?
I use a very similar phrase to that in my form rejection letter and it means exactly that--the project just isn't right for me. It might be because the project is in a genre I don't represent. It might be because I just wasn't hooked by the idea. It might be because I have a similar project on my list. A project could be wrong for me for any number of reasons.What does ‘just not right mean for me’ mean to you?
1. Paranormals and urban fantasy. Okay, these are genres instead of themes, but I'm not looking for these right now and I still get a lot of submissions in both areas.What themes are you sick of seeing?
2. Projects with characters in show business. There are exceptions (I'm shopping a project with a rock star right now), but I generally am not drawn to these books and I see a lot of them.
3. Women's fiction about women reclaiming their lives after their husbands' affairs, or returning to their small hometown after their mom/dad/grandma died. Again, there are exceptions, but there are so many books like this out there that the approach needs to be unique to stand out.
Contemporary romances, women's fiction, and cozy mysteries. They all need to have strong, marketable hooks and bring me something that I haven't seen before. I know that's a very generic answer but I don't want to limit it too much. Please note, I am not looking for paranormal romance, YA books, sci-fi or fantasy, nonfiction or thrillers. My list is focused on romance and women's fiction with a smattering of cozy mysteries.
What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?
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After ten years as an editor, Jessica Alvarez joined BookEnds in April 2011. She began her publishing career in 2001 as an editorial assistant at Harlequin Books. There, she had the opportunity to acquire and edit a wide array of fiction, specializing in historical romance, romantic suspense, and inspirational romance. Jessica left Harlequin in 2008 to pursue a freelance editing career, and completed projects for Harlequin, Scholastic Books, Thomas Nelson, and independent writers. She uses her editorial background to help writers hone their skills and develop strong, marketable stories. Jessica is actively building her client list and is proud to work with a wonderful group of clients. She is a member of AAR.
Jessica read her first romance at the age of nine when she pilfered from a friend's mother's Harlequin Presents collection and was instantly hooked. Though her pilfering has passed, her weakness for alpha heroes and exotic settings remains.
A New Jersey native, Jessica still resides in the Garden State. She is perpetually over-caffeinated in an attempt to keep up with her young son and two energetic wheaten terriers.
Jessica's areas of interest include historical romance (particularly 18th and 19th century!), inspirational romance, contemporary romance, category romance, erotic romance and smart, female-focused erotica, women's fiction, and cozy mysteries.
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