HOORAY FOR 100K PAGE VIEWS!

The contest is over and we have a winner! Thanks to all who helped me celebrate!

I'm celebrating and you made it all possible! It's In The Details will soon (or already has) hit 100K page views!

That means a giveaway!

Enter the Rafflecoper to win a private query critique plus a first chapter edit. I've done a few paying editing jobs and I'll give you the works for FREE! That's line edits and big picture items!

Not enough excitement? 

And until November 30th, you can also enter to win one of five autographed trade paperbacks of my book, Kindar's Cure, over on Goodreads! 

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Kindar's Cure

by Michelle Hauck

Giveaway ends November 30, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

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Query Questions with Christa Heschke

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!

Here to shed clarity over the query process is Christa Heschke of McIntosh and Otis, Inc.

Is there a better or worse time of year to query? Not particularly for me. Summer is our “slower season” so it can be a better time. I would say querying between Thanksgiving and the holidays is one of the worst times. We’re all scrambling to get things done before we head off for break.

Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query? No, definitely not, but if your query or first pages are filled with typos I’m going to stop reading. It looks like you didn’t take the time to proofread.

Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong? Most of the time I look at the sample pages. The only time I don’t is if the query is in an area I don’t handle or the idea sounds too familiar/overdone.  In the end, it is still important to have a strong query as It will excite me to read the pages right away.

Do you have an assistant or intern go through your queries first or do you check all of them? I have my assistant and intern look through them and sort them first, but I look at all my queries.

If the manuscript has a prologue, do you want it included with the sample pages? Yes.

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? We ask that you only send your query to one agent at a time at our agency. We all have different tastes, so it’s important to pick who you think is the best fit. I do occasionally pass along queries to other agents here, but honestly, not very often, as I’m the primary children’s agent there’s not a lot of overlap. But, one of our adult agents does do some YA.

Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript? I like a little personal info, but I’d keep that at the end of your query. I want to know more about your manuscript and what makes it different from other comparative titles out there. One query, which I’ll never forget, made me laugh out loud (the writer ended with a personal witty statement) so the personal can help make it stand out as long as you don’t go overboard or push it.

Most agents have said they don’t care whether the word count/genre sentence comes first or last. But is it a red flag if one component is not included? I wouldn’t say it’s a red flag, but it’s important to include somewhere in your query. I might think you didn’t mention it because the word count is too high/too low for your age group and you’re trying to hide that fact or you’re writing in a genre that’s tough to sell at the moment. But, once an agent requests the manuscript or reads some of your pages these things will be revealed so why hide it?

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? Yes, I do not need to know who every character is in your story in the query letter. The part of the query where you’re telling me about the story should only be a couple paragraphs so you have to tell me what’s most important and why I should read on there. Naming characters without background info can be confusing, so keep it to the most important characters.

Should writers sweat the title of their book (and character names) or is that something that is often changed by publishers? I wouldn’t worry too much about the title it does often change and I don’t focus on it much when I’m reading a query unless it’s really bizarre or long. Even then it wouldn’t keep me from reading, but a really great title can get my attention in the subject line of my query emails before others. As for names, also wouldn’t worry. If it’s hard to pronounce let us know how to say it, other than that I don’t think it matters too much unless it’s distracting.  For example, your character’s name is five names hyphenated together or 20 letters long and you always refer to them that way. A nickname or a shortened version can help.

How many queries do you receive in a week? How many requests might you make out of those? I’d say close to 100 a week. It’s hard to say how many requests I’d make out of those. There are times where I’ll make several requests in one week and others when I won’t make requests for a few weeks. It depends on what I’m seeing that week.

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? Having a great online presence will not make me more likely to offer representation. I have to love the writing. It’s a bonus, sure, and if I sign the author I will mention it to editors when I submit the project, but it’s not something I’d require. I do recommend it though. Having an online presence has become increasingly more important for self-promotion and can really help with your sales down the line. I’d say if you do have one keep it current. If you don’t take the time to do that, it may be better not to have one at all.

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? No, links in your signature are not at all offensive…I don’t mind them. I’ll generally click on them if I’m interested in the query/sample pages to see what else the author has done and what their online presence is like. You have to be careful here and make sure you come off in a positive light. You don’t want to give the impression that you’re hard to work with.

If a writer makes changes to their manuscript due to feedback should they resend the query or only if material was requested? Personally, if I reject a manuscript and I am interested in a revision I will specifically ask for one. Sometimes the project may not be a fit but I like your writing and in these instances I will ask to see future work. If I send a rejection without saying either of these things, it’s not to dissuade from sending future work, you certainly can, but with revisions please only send if I ask.

 What bio should an author with no publishing credits include? I’d talk about why this project is special to you. What inspired you to write it? Where are you from? What’s your background? There’s nothing wrong with saying this is your first project and I always like getting to know the author a bit through their query.  It can give me a sense of what it might be like working with you.  

What does ‘just not right mean for me’ mean to you? It can mean many things. It can mean the voice/writing didn’t appeal to me or the execution of the premise itself didn’t fully engage me. Generally, this is when I can’t pinpoint specifically why I’m not loving it. Sometimes I like the idea and the writing, but I just feel that something is missing for me to fully love it.  Generally though I give some editorial feedback for manuscripts I’ve requested.

What themes are you sick of seeing? These aren’t really themes, but I am getting sick of love triangles (I think they’re overdone) unless it really keeps me on the edge of my seat re: who the protagonist is going to pick. Paranormal and dystopian aren’t really things I’m looking for nor am I looking for another Bella Swan. I like my female protagonists strong and independent! I like real conflict so I don’t particularly like when all problems are solved by the power of love (although I enjoy a good romance, just a realistic one with bumps along the way).

Do you consider yourself a hands-on, editorial type of agent? Definitely! I am very editorially-minded. I work on revision with all of my clients before submitting from project to project. Sometimes it’s more minor, but either way I always like to provide some feedback.  Editors want to see more polished submissions, so I think it’s becoming more important.

What’s the strangest/funniest thing you’ve seen in a query? I alluded to this above, but one query writer told me that phone or email may be best for a response as they’re from Australia and the postal system there is run by koalas. That gave the query a nice dose of personality and humor. I also have the sense of humor of an 8 year old :)

What three things are at the top of your submission wish list? All things MG, chapter books, contemporary YA romance or mystery/thriller or a YA humorous contemporary (I know that’s more than three :) But bottom line is I am really looking for all things contemporary at the moment!

What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes? Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Awkward. (TV show on MTV), The Hobbit (book) and the Lord of the Rings (movies), The Sky is Everywhere (Jandy Nelson), Perfect Chemistry (Simone Elkeles), Pride and Prejudice, The Fear Street series (R.L. Stine)…I could go on and on.

----------------------------------------------------------

Christa Heschke graduated from Binghamton University with a major in English and a minor in Anthropology. She started in publishing as an intern at both Writers House and Sterling Lord Literistic, where she fell in love with the agency side of publishing. Christa has been at McIntosh and Otis, Inc. in the Children's Literature Department since 2009 where she is actively looking for picture books, middle grade and young adult projects and is currently building her list. She is a fan of young adult novels with a romantic angle, and strong, quirky protagonists. Christa is especially interested in contemporary fiction, horror and thrillers/mysteries. She is also looking selectively for steampunk and fantasy (urban and high), that pushes the boundaries of what's currently on the shelves, perhaps a new take on these genres that has yet to be seen.  As for middle grade, Christa enjoys humorous contemporary, adventure and magical realism for boys and girls. For picture books, she’s drawn to cute, funny character driven stories.

Fall Query Extravaganza 13

Lucky number 13! This calls for some pet pictures! Sorry folks, can't resist. 

Yeah, he's that weird, but it's Darwin's birthday.

I'll be doing a limited number of query critiques this fall. Right now my queue is full.

Participants must comment on as many queries as they can to pay it forward. All query critiques are subjective. And rabbits don't come out of my hat, but I'll do my best. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Buy one and I'll throw in a set of free steak knives, just pay separate shipping and handling fees.

The kitty we found now living in high style at my sister's house.

As sent to me:

Dear Agent,

My previous agent and I have parted ways. As such I'm querying again and wondering if you would be interested in representing my latest young adult novel, as well as future works of mine.

While the rest of humanity slumbers, Alison Kingston spends her nights battling creatures known as Nightmares. These beastly terrors threaten to plunge the world into chaos and misery not seen since the dark ages. When the tall, dark, and annoying Addison Hatta charmed Alice into his life, she expected things to be less guts more glory. Instead, the battles grow bloodier, the days darker, and her partner a little mad…—er.

Hatta’s deteriorating mental state eventually takes a physical toll, and Alice crosses into his home world of Wonderland—the realm of Dreams—to find answers. She discovers a growing horror in the heart of the realm. The Nightmares are
stronger there, viler, and ruled by The Black Knight, whose sharp wit and sly compliments disarm Alice better than any weapon. With his power over the Nightmares, the Black Knight unleashes a cataclysm that threatens to devour Wonderland from the inside, and Hatta along with it. Countering the spell would save Addison’s life, but the Backlash could shatter the bridge between worlds, throwing them off balance, and casting both into eternal terror.

DREAMWALKER is a young adult fantasy with series potential. The whimsy of Alice in Wonderland meets the unadulterated ass-kickery of Buffy in this story complete at 87,000 words. Per your submission guidelines, I’ve included _________. Thank you for your time and consideration.

All the best,

With comments: 

Dear Agent, Some say a comma is fine instead of a colon so take your pick. I doubt it will make or break the query.

My previous agent and I have parted ways. I imagine this will perk up some eyes. This writer was wanted.  As such I'm querying again with and wondering if you would be interested in representing I crossed this out because it seemed a little needy instead of confident. my latest young adult novel, as well as future works of mine.Nice that this lets the agent know you are querying something new and not what the other agent might have already submitted.

While the rest of humanity slumbers, Alison Kingston spends her nights battling creatures known as Nightmares. These beastly terrors threaten to plunge the world into chaos and misery not seen since the dark ages. I'm a little torn on wanting a more specific example at the front of this sentence. When the tall, dark, and annoying (maybe 'unstable' instead of 'annoying' to show where the query takes us next. Maybe also 'non-Earthling' to prepare for the next paragraph. When the tall, dark, but unstable non-Earthling) Addison Hatta charmed Alice into this life, she expected things to be less guts more glory. Instead, the battles grow bloodier, the days darker, and her partner a little mad…—er. Again, I wanted a little something specific to give me a better idea of what she's dealing with. Instead Alice is up to her elbows in the blood of bystanders, the moon's hiding its face, and her partner sees enemies everywhere, even in the daycare down the block. 

Hatta’s deteriorating mental state eventually takes a physical toll (eventually leaves him shaking and ridden by headaches or whatever), and Alice together they cross crosses into his home world of Wonderland—the realm of Dreams—to find answers (help him? save him? Something that lets us know what she feels about her partner. Her emotion toward him is missing.). She discovers a growing horror in the heart of the realm. The Nightmares are stronger there, viler, and ruled by The Black Knight, whose sharp wit and sly compliments disarm Alice better(faster?) than any weapon. With his power over the Nightmares, the Black Knight unleashes a cataclysm that threatens to devour Wonderland from the inside, and Hatta along with it (Wait, did he go with her? Better make that clear.). Countering the spell would save Addison’s life, but the backlash could shatter the bridge between worlds, throwing them (does this mean the worlds or the characters. Pronoun confusion.) off balance, and casting both (both characters or both worlds?) into eternal terror. (Can you be more clear on what the 'eternal terror' is? Does that mean they have to live among the Nightmares forever?) Seems like destroying the bridge would be a good thing for Earth, but I think you're saying that's not true.

DREAMWALKER is a young adult fantasy with series potential. The whimsy of Alice in Wonderland meets the unadulterated ass-kickery of Buffy in this story complete at 87,000 words. Per your submission guidelines, I’ve included _________. Thank you for your time and consideration.

All the best, I usually let 'thank you for your time...' handle both jobs: the thanks and the closing. Again it's subjective.

I found this query pretty clear and in good shape. What I'd like to see is Alison's feelings toward her partner. Is it a romantic thing or a loyalty thing? I'm a sucker for a romantic thing between work partners. (Castle anyone?)

Getting the Call: Veronica Bartles

Everyone knows this fantastic lady from twitter, where she lends a helping hand to many. She's the definition of courage. I'm so excited to bring you a new dose of inspiration direct from Veronica Bartles.

When I was in first grade, I won second place in the state Young Author’s competition. And I decided that I was going to be a famous author when I grew up.

I started a pencil collection, determined that I would write my very first published novel with these special pencils. For years, I added to my collection, staring lovingly at these pencils that would someday make me rich and famous – as soon as I was good enough to write books for real.

But when I graduated from college, and “someday” loomed, I worried that I wasn’t good enough.

My 6-month-old son provided the perfect excuse to put my story pencils away for a bit longer. As a busy mom, I reasoned, I simply didn’t have time to write seriously yet. I’d chase my publishing dreams later, when my son was older. But then my daughter was born. And then 2 more daughters. And I kept “someday” tucked away for a future moment, where it was much less frightening.

And then, in 2008, I went to a Time Out for Women symposium, where the keynote speaker was NYT Bestselling author, Jason F. Wright. As I listened to him speak, and then chatted with him briefly, I realized that this highly-successful author was just a regular person. Like me. “If he can write bestsellers, then I could do it too,” I thought. So I came home and sharpened my very first story pencil.

Three weeks later, I had a completed first draft of my very first “real” manuscript. It was a mess, but I had written something. And I knew I could make it beautiful.

Many revisions later, I sent out my first batch of ten queries. And I quickly received nine form rejections. But the tenth rejection included a bit of encouragement that gave me the push I needed to keep going.

Once I was sure my novel was perfect, I entered it into a contest that promised feedback for all entries from one of the judges (an anonymous panel of published authors, agents and editors). And I didn’t win. In fact, my critique from the anonymous judge told me that he/she didn’t believe that my main character would have friends because “no one in his right mind would ever care about a character like that.”

Ouch!

I put my manuscript away and decided I wasn’t cut out to be a writer after all.

But that collection of story pencils called to me. Maybe my first novel wasn’t right, but perhaps the next one would be better. So I sharpened a new pencil and wrote LETTERS FROM HEAVEN: a middle grade novel about twelve-year-old Missy Tuttle, whose mother dies from a brain tumor. Dad starts dating too soon, her best friends have gone AWOL, and Missy has no one to turn to. But then, a letter arrives, signed Love, Mom. When the letters keep coming, referencing events Mom couldn't possibly have predicted, Missy realizes she's receiving actual letters from heaven.

As I was dealing with the effects of my own brain tumor, this story hit incredibly close-to-home for me, and even though I felt like I needed to write it, I didn’t want to. I kept putting the story away, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it, and I knew the story wanted to be told.

Initial feedback was overwhelmingly positive, but I couldn’t shake the fear. What if no one could ever care about this character either? So I finished the first draft and then tucked this manuscript away as well.

Fast forward to August 2011. I discovered an amazing online writer’s conference called WriteOnCon, where I devoured tips and hints from a long list of authors, agents and editors. And I participated in a live Q&A session with literary agent, Jessica Sinsheimer, who was so easy to talk to that I started following her on Twitter, and I even chatted with her from time to time about recipes and other non-writing-related (“safe”) topics.

I rewrote my first manuscript, keeping the main characters and a really good line or two. And eventually, I was getting more encouraging rejections than form letters. But with every rejection, no matter how much praise it contained for my writing, my voice, my characters, I heard a little voice whispering “no one in his right mind would ever care about a character like that.” So I decided to put the story away.

But I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the characters yet, so I spent NaNoWriMo writing a novel “just for me.” One that I could be as silly with as I wanted, because I wasn’t trying to impress anybody.

I sat down with Andi, the little sister of my main character from that first manuscript and wrote TWELVE STEPS. The story about how she creates her own twelve-step program to steal the spotlight from her perfect sister and get the guy.

By the time November ended, I loved these characters more than ever. And so I revised, and edited and polished and revised some more, until the manuscript sparkled. I entered a few online pitch contests and got several requests from top-notch, “rockstar” agents.

While I waited to hear from these requesting agents, I pulled out LETTERS FROM HEAVEN, the middle grade manuscript I’d been working on off-and-on for three years. As difficult as it was for me to write, I finally realized that I had to finish it, for me. Because I couldn’t stop thinking about the story. So I set a goal to get the manuscript query-ready before I heard back from the agents who were considering TWELVE STEPS. And as I pushed myself through the difficult scenes, I fell in love with LETTERS FROM HEAVEN for the first time.

Then, I received 2 requests for TWELVE STEPS from publishers who had seen my pitch in a contest, and both requests quickly turned into offers of publication. I sent emails to all of the agents with my partial or full manuscript, to let them know that I had an offer.

I didn’t end up signing with an agent for TWELVE STEPS (I didn’t know at the time that, when participating in pitch contests, it’s best to choose one path – editor or agent – to focus on, although I soon discovered that it can potentially put both agents and editors in an awkward situation when the offers come rolling in), but one of the awesome agents I talked to helped me understand the differences between the offers on the table, and on her advice, I accepted the one from Swoon Romance.

Meanwhile, I kept working on LETTERS FROM HEAVEN.

I still wasn’t sure if I had the courage send it out into the world, but I loved it more and more with each revision. And so I made a deal with myself: I decided to enter LETTERS FROM HEAVEN into Brenda Drake’s Pitch Madness contest. If it was meant to be, I reasoned, I’d make it in.

I didn’t.

But Jessica Sinsheimer sent me a message on Twitter to say that she really enjoyed my blog post about how a manuscript that didn’t make it into the final round of an online pitch contest might have been really close to getting that “yes.” We started talking from time to time on Twitter, and the more we talked, the more I felt like she might be interested in a manuscript like LETTERS FROM HEAVEN. But I was afraid that our easy conversations might get awkward if I queried and she rejected. So as I was building my query list, I almost decided not to send a query to Jessica.

Luckily, Brenda smacked me upside the head and told me I was crazy. I sent the query, and almost immediately, Jessica requested the full manuscript. And about two hours after I sent the full, she let me know that she’d already started reading. And it made her cry on the subway.

Less than 24 hours later, she asked if we could set up a phone call.

And we totally clicked.

But I had other agents with my work. And I'd queried each of them for very strong, specific reasons. I couldn't just write them off. So I emailed the other agents to let them know I had an offer.

I always thought it would be awesome to be that writer with dozens of offers at once, but I quickly realized that the reality didn't fit the fantasy. How could I possibly turn down any of these rock star agents?

When a few agents told me, "This manuscript is wonderful, with a lot to love, but it's not right for me," or otherwise passed, the rejection didn't sting.

Deep in my heart, I knew I'd already made my choice. Jessica totally “got” my manuscript, and I was over-the-moon excited with her plans for it. So in the end, I accepted her offer, and I couldn’t be happier!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the second of eight children and the mother of four, Veronica Bartles is no stranger to the ups and downs of sibling relationships. (She was sandwiched between the gorgeous-and-insanely-popular older sister and the too-adorable-for-words younger sister.) She uses this insight to write stories about siblings who mostly love each other, even while they’re driving one another crazy. When she isn’t writing or getting lost in the pages of her newest favorite book, Veronica enjoys knitting fabulous bags and jewelry out of recycled plastic bags and old VHS tapes, sky diving (though she hasn’t actually tried that yet), and inventing the world’s most delectable cookie recipes.

Veronica’s first novel, TWELVE STEPS, will be published by Swoon Romance 25 March 2014.

Links:

Website: http://vbartles.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/AuthorVeronicaBartles

Blog: http://i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com

Twitter: @vbartles

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/vbartles/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5394244-veronica-bartles

Fall Query Extravaganza 12

I'll be doing a limited number of query critiques this fall. Right now my queue is full.

Participants must comment on as many queries as they can to pay it forward. All query critiques are subjective. And rabbits don't come out of my hat, but I'll do my best. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Buy one and I'll throw in a set of free steak knives, just pay separate shipping and handling fees.

As sent to me:

Dear Agent,

Twelve-year old Jace Folsom may need to pay closer attention in health studies because he doesn't remember learning about sprouting wings during puberty.

He also doesn't remember hearing about a world called Aeternus where all mythical creatures have been extinct to but he is about to visit.

When one of the creatures that perform the extinctions abducts his dad, Jace, his best friend, and kid brother must go on an unusual rescue mission. Jace learns not just how to fly and master a bosk stick for defense, but what strengths lie deep within himself to save his father and this new wondrous land he now calls home.

JACE FOLSOM; EXTINCTION, complete at 48,000 words, is a middle grade, adventure- fantasy; the first in a trilogy



My thoughts:

Dear Agent, There's been a rash of these lately. A colon goes here, not a comma.

Twelve-year old (all in hyphens: Twelve-year-old) Jace Folsom may ('May' weakens the sentence. Remember Yoda. Do or don't do, there is no try.) needs to pay closer attention in health studies because he doesn't remember learning about sprouting wings during puberty. Tighten. because he doesn't remember puberty means sprouting wings.

He also doesn't remember hearing about a world called Aeternus(comma) where all mythical creatures have been extinct to but he is about to visit. This last part is confusing me. Do you mean the creatures are extinct in Aeternus? Because they are also extinct here on Earth. Or perhaps this should say exiled? They exiled mythical creatures from Earth to Aeternus. Maybe the rest of the query will make it more clear.

I would get rid of the 'about to visit' part and wait for us to get to that point in the query. 

I think I've got it now. Maybe something like this:

He also doesn't remember hearing about a world called Aeternus. But rabbit-headed creatures (use the real thing from your story) are crossing over to Earth to create extinctions. Where'd the dinosaurs go? Well, it wasn't an asteroid after all. And now Jace and his genetic-mutation wings are next. 

When one of the creatures that perform the extinctions abducts his dad, Jace, his best friend, and kid brother must go on an unusual rescue mission. Big question here. Why do the creatures want Jace's dad? It sort of sounds like they want to make dads extinct, but I'm sure that's not what you meant. It would be easier to read if you identify the creatures. When the rabbit-heads abducts Jace's dad because he's about to spill the beans, Jace and his pals must go on an unusual rescue mission.  Jace learns not just how to fly (Is this the wings in the first paragraph, because I would like to see the wings explained more. Right now, it feels like your hook got lost. Why does he have wings?) and master a bosk stick for defense, but what strengths lie deep within himself to save his father and this new wondrous land he now calls home. Save from what? You haven't spelled out the danger to the new land or why Jace is now living there. Your stakes could use a reboot. 

JACE FOLSOM; EXTINCTION, complete at 48,000 words, is a middle grade, adventure- fantasy; the first in a trilogy. A little rearranging. Complete at 48,000 words, JACE FOLSOM; EXTINCTION is a middle grade adventure fantasy with series potential.

 I would guess this query suffers from the author being too close to the story, and trying to be short and exact. The things that got cut from the query are probably the information we needed to understand what's happening. One thing we never came back to is the wings in the first paragraph. Nor are the stakes clearly explained, or why Jace switched to a new land. Why was his dad abducted? 

Don't be afraid to expand on the word count to give us these answers.

Facebook as a Promotion/Marketing Tool with Jean Oram

Jean Oram, author of Champagne and Lemon and now, Whiskey and Gumdrops, is a model for marketing and promotion. Knowing the market for sweet romances was tight, she forged ahead and took control of her own destiny by self-publishing her books and putting the first of the Blueberry series books out free.  I hope she won’t mind my comparing Champagne and Lemon Drops to a cozy mystery, only take out the word mystery and insert romance. She writes the type of cozy romance that makes you want to curl up with her books before a fire, and just enjoy.

Now Jean has released her second book, Whiskey and Gumdrops. To celebrate she put on a grand Facebook release party. I couldn’t help but notice her large following of fans and their dozens of comments to her posts. We could all take a lesson from her.

How long had you been building your Facebook page before your newest book released this month? Would you recommend starting well before you publish?

Oh, ages. But nothing really happened for the first few years with my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/jeanoramauthor). I made it years ago to ‘reserve’ the URL (The ‘jeanoramauthor’ part) even though I felt like a poser calling myself ‘author’—it was while I was still aspiring to make the writer-to-author leap. I ignored the page for years. Then about a year ago I started using it a bit more. With the release of Champagne and Lemon Drops (my first book) last March I started using the page more and making sure I had links to it on my website and in my email signature.

I would recommend writers and future authors start a Facebook page ahead of time. For two reasons. 1) So they can reserve their URL—ideally their name. When you use a vanity URL (such as your name) with Facebook, it makes it easy for people to find your page—and for you to remember.

2) If you use Facebook ahead of time you can enjoy the bumps and spills without a big audience or higher stakes. Made up example: Readers like to friend authors which is really cool (this part is true). But do you want them popping over to your profile and seeing your old college roommate’s posted photo of you with a bong? Does that fit your Christian Romance author image and brand? Not so much. If you play around ahead of time you can do things like start two Facebook profiles or use Facebook features to sort out who sees what on your profile page, etc. Basically, you have time to prepare and figure things out while the stakes are low.

Why a Facebook release party? What can Facebook do that other forms of social media lack?

Everyone else was doing it. Oh, um I mean…

The easy answer is, Facebook is a platform that allows readers to jump to one place and interact and see the whole string of a conversation. It’s easier to interact than, say, Twitter, where using a hashtag can be unreliable (you see the same tweets more than once, or you miss some). In my case, a lot of romance readers are on Facebook. I didn’t use Facebook much before releasing my book, but now that I’ve figured out that is the best place to interact with my readers, it is where I spend the bulk of my social media time.

So, in my case, Facebook provided the platform I needed for the type of celebration/event/party I wanted to hold, and it was also where my audience was. (Or at least a good portion of it.) For the launch party, I created a Facebook event.

As for why a release party…it seemed like a fun experiment. I wasn’t sure what to expect and part way through the 2-day event of 14 hour days I questioned why I was doing it as well as my sanity. (This was coupled by the fact that I had moved house a week prior and was still living out of cardboard boxes and the Internet guy hadn’t arrived yet—meaning I held the event using my cell phone as a hot spot with its 1 bar of service. Oh, and Mother Nature threw in a snow storm which meant my go-somewhere-else-and-poach-Internet backup plan was yanked off the table.)

Anyway, the party turned out well. The readers enjoyed it. They invited friends. People bought my book. Left reviews for book 1 & 2. Downloaded the first book (Champagne and Lemon Drops which is a FREE romance!). And they subscribed to my newsletter so we can stay in touch—a place where they’ll hear about new releases and other goodies that are exclusive to newsletter readers. (By the way, you want to connect with readers on your own turf (like a newsletter) because what happens if Facebook suddenly disappears or everyone scatters to Twitter and Google+ and Pinterest and twenty other new online places? Then where are you for connecting with your readers?)

But most of all…I connected with readers in the launch party. I heard their stories. I know who they are now—and vice versa. We had a ton of fun. And as a nice side effect, I also now I have more Facebook interaction on my page. I didn’t used to. I would post things and nobody would like, see, comment, share, etc. Now I post and people interact! HOLY MOLY. That has been one of the coolest results of the launch party (readers are thinking of me as a friend and are interacting!). It’s something I couldn’t have predicted and could never guarantee as a given result.

Did you also link to other social media, like twitter?

I have connected with readers on Twitter and my blog. But not in the same way I have with Facebook. I do still use Twitter for mentioning giveaways, newsletters, etc., but I find Twitter works best for networking with other writers.

Attracting a large Facebook following is an achievement, but do you have some hints on how you got such an active group of fans?  I posted a comment to one of your status updates and my inbox was full the rest of the day with other people responding also.

Sorry about that. The inbox can be a casualty in all of this excitement. I don’t have a huge Facebook following, but they are, for the most part, people who are genuinely interested in my books or me. I haven’t jumped into ‘page liking’ events as I figure those people aren’t likely to be my real audience. For me, it is about gaining genuine, quality followers rather than quantity (same with my newsletter). (I have 391 likes at the time of writing this. About 100 of those came in the past two or three weeks—with the book launch activities—and the bulk are definitely readers.)

To find those quality readers, I mention my Facebook page in places where readers are—my readers (or potential readers—has to be my genre!). For example, in the signature of my email, in my newsletter, in the back of my book. And I try to post things on my page that would be of value (interest/entertainment/helpful) to my readers. As well, if I am doing cross-promotion with other authors, if it is fitting, when I am saying goodbye to readers I’ll reach out and say something like, “You can stay in touch with me on Facebook by liking my page at www.facebook.com/jeanoramauthor.” You’ve got to make it easy as well as give them a reason to connect that has value for them.

But the big thing is to interact in a genuine manner and show real interest in these really cool and intriguing people, offer them something of value, and then let them know where to find you. They aren’t likely to go looking for you if you don’t know you are there. And it’s all about relationships.

You asked fellow authors to help out with your release. What did you have them do?

Yes. I had 16 amazing and generous authors help me out. I didn’t ask them to promote me. I asked them to come and meet my readers. Hang out if they had time. Hold or sponsor a giveaway of one of their books or other item of their choice. And then I promoted them. I shared a tidbit about them around an hour ahead of their giveaway to make them real to the reader/guest and mentioned whether they had a free book, etc. I tried to always swing it so there was something of value being offered to the reader/guest. Many of the authors popped in to say hi, hold their own giveaway along with a little game or what-not.

I did not ask the authors to promote me. Although quite a few of them did. Readers seemed to enjoy meeting other authors, interacting, and getting free books, etc.

What kind of status updates work best for getting comments?

This depends a bit on your audience and what intrigues them. I’ve found that status updates that readers can interact with seem to work well. Ask them a question. Share a good book and ask if anyone has read it. Posts that not only show you are human, but also what it’s like to be you—the author—and ask them to interact with you seem to work well. Photos can be good too. (Watch out for copyright!)

And reply. If you are going to interact, you’ve got to show up. You can’t throw an update against the wall and run away. Some authors have found certain times of day work best for them or that a certain number of posts work well. Experiment. (It’ll change over time too.)

I noticed you had giveaways of small items, like hand-crafted necklaces. Where did you get the idea and was that successful? What other sorts of items do you believe would work well as giveaways? 

I gave away about twenty necklaces and keychains that sported the cover art of Champagne and Lemon Drops or Whiskey and Gumdrops. They were made by a reader I met in another author’s launch party while I was doing cross-promotion. She was making them for other authors (with their cover art) and I told her they were wonderful and special. They truly are. She—the VERY generous soul that she is—made me a keychain and necklace for myself and my daughter and sent them to me. I was over the moon! In the end, she generously made some for the launch party as well. I can’t take any credit for those little treasures—it was all her and her generous soul.

As for what readers like to take away—I think something unique and special. A gift card for Amazon is nice, but anyone can get one of those. A signed paperback means a lot. As well, little mementos mean more, too. But, it is a funny thing. When I asked my Facebook page readers a few months back if they wanted Blueberry Springs coffee cups they said nope. So ask your audience. But generally, the true love-to-read-and-aren’t-about-the-iPad-giveaways folks love the items that are special. They don’t have to be big.

Did you include giveaways of Whiskey and Gumdrops as incentives also, or is that something you would save for later on in the book’s publishing timeline?

I was holding a giveaway of Whiskey and Gumdrops on a reader’s Facebook page during the launch party, but I didn’t have a giveaway of Whiskey and Gumdrops in the launch party until the very final hours.

Readers did want giveaways of the book.

I wanted sales.

You know… launch the book high and hope for visibility and for it to stick up somewhere good. With the giveaway—because it had been mentioned in the launch party—I heard from some readers that they were waiting to see if they won before purchasing the book. Nooooooo! Did they run out and buy it when they found out they hadn’t won? I dunno. The winners of the giveaway were announced after the hoopla of the launch party when the impetus to hit the ‘buy with one click’ button had been lessened.

If holding a giveaway for the book in the launch, I would do it early on. Really early.

There will be more giveaways for Whiskey and Gumdrops. I am currently holding one this weekend (Nov 15-18^th) on a reader’s blog. I also am planning a paperback giveaway on Goodreads as soon as I can get my act together. Hopefully this week. No promises on that though seeing as a somehow blended a gasket in with my cream soup in the blender the other night. The black bits…not pepper, kids!

Do you include links to your Facebook page in your books and have you any indication that readers actually use them?

Yes, I do include a link to my Facebook page in the back of my books. Do readers use them? I don’t know. But they do sign up from my newsletter using the link at the back of the book and I do have likers pop up here and there on Facebook, so I’m going to say yes. But it isn’t an amazing outpouring of Facebook liking happening. I get more newsletter subscribers.

What’s the most important thing to remember when using Facebook as a marketing tool?

Always direct them home every once in awhile. In other words, make sure you exist off of Facebook (or other forms of online media that are run by others and not controlled by you) in case Facebook suddenly nixes Facebook pages or something equally rash. You are building your platform on someone else’s turf and using their rules. So, be sure to use a belt as well as suspenders (this is your income, after all) and direct readers back to something you (hopefully) have more control over like your website or newsletter as a way to stay in touch.

As well, read Facebook’s rules. Yes, it sucks reading the fine print. But so does having your page removed without warning because you broke a rule—it’s happened to authors. Beware!

Oh, and have funnnnnn! If you aren’t having fun, it’ll show. Make this journey yours. However that happens to look.

Anything you would change or improve for next time?

Yep. I would not launch right after moving house. I would ensure I had Internet coming out the wazoo. I would also likely spread out the giveaways in the launch party a bit more. Hold a book giveaway earlier. And most of all, remember to breathe. ;) Oh, and make sure my books were uploaded way ahead of time on places that are slower. It really sucks to have only 2 of 4 major vendors selling your book at launch. (Again, part of that was the Internet issue which was related to moving…but you get the picture.)

But there is so much I wouldn’t change. And that’s what really matters. J

This is what has worked for me. What’s worked for you and your readers, Michelle?

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BIO:

Jean Oram loves to read and has worked as a librarian--a job that is a serious contender for the best job ever as duties include buying thousands of new books with someone else's money! She also loves the great outdoors and has worked as a beekeeper as well as a ski instructor in Alberta, Canada. She loves to travel and people watch and now puts her experiences to the page with zany characters and a mysterious (very ugly) couch that keeps reappearing in different stories. Now... if she could only get those odd socks to pair up at home!

Jean's first novel (FREE!) is Champagne and Lemon Drops with many more planned in the Blueberry Springs series. She loves to connect on Twitter (@jeanoram) and share lots of great, free romance on her blog (www.jeanoram.com) as well as on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jeanoramauthor) and more writing tips at www.thehelpfulwriter.com. She lives with her family and a multitude of pets.

WHISKEY AND GUMDROPS:

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GCDODSE/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00GCDODSE&linkCode=as2&tag=jeaora-20

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/whiskey-and-gumdrops

Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/whiskey-and-gumdrops-jean-oram/1117351986?ean=2940045404792

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/whiskey-and-gumdrops/id728592847?mt=11

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/373142

CHAMPAGNE AND LEMON DROPS:

Amazon.com: http://amzn.com/B00BR3AT9G  /   http://www.amazon.com/Champagne-Lemon-Drops-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B00BR3AT9G/

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Champagne-and-Lemon-Drops/book-us6xqOGIjE22vLFSq08gew/page1.html?s=666Ff0l2r0ebLx75t7Zetg&r=1

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/champagne-and-lemon-drops-jean-oram/1114971937?ean=2940044392212

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/champagne-and-lemon-drops/id725314451?ls=1

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/293607

Sony Ereader Store: https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/jean-oram/champagne-and-lemon-drops-a-blueberry-springs-chick-lit-contemporary-romance/_/R-400000000000000990566

REVIEWERS NEEDED FOR KINDAR'S CURE

I'm not big on asking for help for myself. It's so much easier to help others. But ... it's time to pull up my big girl pants and get serious. 

I'm looking for some reviews of my YA fantasy story, Kindar's Cure. It's got murder, mayhem, magic and a motivated but ill princess. If you've already read it, please consider leaving a review. 

If you'd like one of the free ebook copies in exchange for an honest review, leave a comment with a way to get in touch with you. Also tell me what type of file you'd like epub or mobi. There are a limited number, but I'll try to get one to everybody.

If you haven't got an ereader but are on Goodreads, check out the sidebar for the giveaway of the paperback version that's happening through November 30th.

Kindar's Cure is published by Divertir Publishing.

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.     

Query Questions with Bree Ogden

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!

This week's interview is with Bree Ogden of D4EO. Bree represents categories from picture books to YA, NA and adult. For more on Bree, including her wishlist, check out her bio here.

Is there a better or worse time of year to query?

No, it's all the same for me. Well. I guess that's not completely accurate. There are times that are way more hectic in my career, but there is no way of knowing when those times will hit. If I knew when I was going to be buried in work, I could give you a solid answer, but we never know. So query whenever! Queries will always be tended to, no matter how busy I am. It might just take a little longer. 

 

Does one typo or misplaced comma shoot down the entire query?

No. But two or three might. So many people reading this interview have probably heard this quite often: literary agents get so many queries, we start to get insanely picky about which queries we read all the way to the end. One mistake won't kill it, but a two...three... that starts the querier on a path to the trash bin. 

Do you look at sample pages without fail or only if the query is strong?

If I have no interest in the query, I don't even glance at the sample pages. If the query is strong, I will glance over them to see if the writing holds a candle to the plot idea, if so, I'm always too eager to request the manuscript to actually read the sample pages. I want to see the whole thing ASAP! 

Do you have an assistant or intern go through your queries first or do you check all of them?

I've had many slush interns in the past but I make sure that all queries are looked over by both myself and my interns. They simply weed out the ones that are absolutely not my tastes. I recently handed over the best intern known to man, Maria Vicente, to become a literary agent herself (at P.S. Literary). And after her, I've decided to go intern-less for a bit... for personal reasons. Nothing scandalous. I just want complete autonomy over my slush. For now. Not sure how long it will last. :)

If the manuscript has a prologue, do you want it included with the sample pages?

People ask me this a lot and I never know how to respond. Yes? Honestly, I look at the sample pages to get a sense of the writing. You can't determine anything about the plot from five sample pages. So prologue or not, I just want to see how you write. 

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?

Are you referring to agents within the same agency? Never query more than one agent in the same agency at the same time. Perhaps you can query more than one agent at the same agency after one has passed on your manuscript or query, but always use full disclosure and check submission guidelines before you do so.  

If you are referring to agents in general--agents from all different agencies--never send out one query at a time. That's preposterous. It would take you eons to find an agent if you were only querying one at a time. Query wide. 

But something makes me think you are referring to agents within the same agency. A lot of agencies have the policy, "A pass from one of us is a pass for the agency." D4EO doesn't strictly go by that rule, we will send things to each other if we think it's a better fit for them, but it's rare. Because honestly, if a project is good, you're going to want to represent it yourself. 

Do you prefer a little personalized chit-chat in a query letter, or would you rather hear about the manuscript?

A little is fine. it's nice to know that they are not just sending out mass queries to mass amounts of agents without even knowing who they are sending to. It's also nice to know a little about thee writer as a person. I've had people write things like, "I'm a fellow journalist with a penchant for all things dark so I thought you'd be perfect to query with my new manuscript." That lets me know they did their research while simultaneously giving me a glimpse into their life. 

But don't go overboard. One to two personal sentences is about all you should give. We are mostly interested in the manuscript. And somewhat going along with this, do not try to friend an agent on Facebook or tweet them incessantly right before you query them (or during, or after). It's very see-through and a bit of a turn off. 

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?

As long as it is in the query, we are golden. I tend to prefer the genre/age group first, before I get into the meat of the query. Word count can be plugged in wherever.  

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?

Absolutely. Think of a query as the back copy of a book. Too many characters, too many plot lines, too many things for the agent to try and comprehend... it's, as you can guess, too much. One or two main characters should be highlighted in the query. More than three starts to muddle the plot and I, personally, lose interest. 

Should writers sweat the title of their book (and character names) or is that something that is often changed by publishers?

Don't sweat it. It's often changed. Well the title at least. A title/character name won't make or break an agent's decision. But be aware of books that have recently been released with the same title. I was queried with a book called THE LINE, which is the exact title of a book I had just sold. Again, not a deal breaker, but I did think it was funny. 

  

How many queries do you receive in a week? How many requests might you make out of those?

Honestly, no idea... anywhere between 100-200? And I request about 2-3 a week, on a good week...

  

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?

No I don't require it. It's nice, in my opinion, to have a social media presence. But I would never force that on someone. The only reason I appreciate it in writers who are querying me is because we like to stalk you just like you stalk us. If I am super interested in a query, I want to know all about the writer. The internet helps out with that. ;)

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 don't find links to be a bad thing in any part of the query OR the signature. Attachments are not welcome (unless specifically asked for) but links to artwork, blogs, websites, or portfolios are totally fine!

 

If a writer makes changes to their manuscript due to feedback should they resend the query or only if material was requested?

This greatly varies from agent to agent. So I can only answer for myself. If I haven't requested your manuscript (or passed on it), I don't like getting a second query UNLESS it has had a massive overhaul. Like MASSIVE. Because that could really change my mind. If I have your full manuscript and you have made some major changes, yes, I need to know. But it's really important to be completely sure of your manuscript before you send it out. Having to retract queries or manuscripts makes you look unprofessional and unsure of your work.  

What bio should an author with no publishing credits include?

Their name, where they are from, their education, a few personal interests... that's all fine. We LOVE debut authors so we don't expect huge CVs with every query. 

What does ‘just not right mean for me’ mean to you?

Uhm... Haha. It means exactly what it says. :)

If I say something is not right for me, it's just not something I want to represent because, well, it's just not right for me. Either I don't like the concept or I know there are a million other agents out there that could do a better job with it.

 

What themes are you sick of seeing?

Orphaned, hard-assed teen has the key to saving humanity hidden within. I get it a few times a week. 

 

Do you consider yourself a hands-on, editorial type of agent?

Yes, absolutely.  

  

What three things are at the top of your submission wish list?

If you follow me on twitter, you already know these. I am dying for a horror manuscript with extreme body modification along the lines of the horror film AMERICAN MARY. I would love a LARPing-gone-wrong story along the lines of the film KNIGHTS OF BADASSDOM, a perfect mix of horror and humor. And I am always looking for that perfect slasher horror YA novel... FRIDAY THE 13TH in YA novel form.  

What are some of your favorite movies or books to give us an idea of your tastes?

Movies: American Mary, Cabin in the Woods, Perfect Sense, Jeux d'enfants, Brick, The Loved Ones, Memento. Books: Wuthering Heights, Frankenstein, The Monstumologist series, anything by Chuck Palahniuk, Irvine Welsh, Chuck Wendig, Chuck Klosterman, Nick Hornby, HP Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, Edward Gorey, Katie McGarry, Ransom Riggs. The list could go on forever. 

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Bree Ogden joined D4EO in November 2011, after having been an associate literary agent at Martin Literary Management for nearly 2 years representing children’s, YA, and graphic novels.

Bree graduated with her BA in Philosophy from Southern Virginia University where she served as editor-in-chief of the University’s newsmagazine. She was awarded Most Valuable Player and Editor of the Year, as well as SVU’s Pioneer Award, an honor the University awards to two students each year. She then received her MA in Journalism with an emphasis in editing and expository writing at Northeastern University where she worked on both the New England Press Association Bulletin, and also served as the features editor of the premier campus music magazine, Tastemakers Magazine.

Bree has spent many years working as a freelance journalist and currently co-operates the macabre children’s magazine Underneath the Juniper Tree where she serves as Editorial Director. Bree is also an instructor and columnist for the Web site LitReactor.com where she teaches Intro to Comic Book & Graphic Novel Writing. Bree is also a judge for the Ghastly Awards–Honoring Excellence in Horror Comics and writes about comics for her favorite horror Web site, BloodyDisgusting.com.