Hee. I don't think I've used the word "rad" since I was thirteen, but this post calls for it.
I'm thrilled, THRILLED, to announce that we have sold my second novel, TIME OF MY LIFE, to Shaye Areheart, a Random House imprint, in a pre-empt. We're expecting a Fall 2008 publication, which means that I have to burrow my head in the figurative sand and get my arse in gear because, oh, I have 40k words to go, and a Nov 1st deadline to crank 'em out.
So, I imagine that I'll be talking a lot about my writing process in the next few weeks and all of the stuff that goes into getting a manuscript perfected and polished for publication. I'll also post about the sale process - how the whole thing went down and how, as you'll hear, you have to keep hustling and writing good stuff to stay publishable, even if you've already been published once. Establishing a long-term writing career is no easy road.
With that, I'm diving back into my ms (I took a little break to post this), and will probably check out until Labor Day. Though if I have anything else inspiring to add, I will!
In the meantime, check out my pal, Jen Singer's website, Mommasaid.net - which is an incredible network for moms who need a break and a laugh - and vote on her Wacky Wig contest. Jen's a strong face of cancer who won't let it kick her ass. Rock on!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
GCC Presents: Laura Florand, Blame It On Paris
Eleven o’clock on a Friday night. The seamy, sex-obsessed center of Paris. I balanced over a Turkish toilet in a tiny bistro, one stiletto heel propped against the wall to make some kind of writing table out of my knee, trying desperately not to touch anything around me as I wrote an invitation…. Thus begins BLAME IT ON PARIS, Laura Florand’s hilarious and moving true story of a French-American romance between two people, two families, and two cultures.What does happen when you put a small-town Georgian in Paris and a handsome, sophisticated Parisian in small-town Georgia? Especially when two huge families, one French and the other American, decide it’s up to them to further this romance. The Parisian’s family wants Laura to learn how to prepare snails, while Laura’s family keeps serving Sébastien Mad Dog 20/20 as good wine. How will true love survive?
Today, I'm thrilled to host Laura Florand, author of Blame it On Paris, which Booklist calls "hilarious," and Publishers Weekly hails as "a frothy french connection."
Ready for my five questions with Laura? Here you go...
1) What’s the backstory behind your book?
Well, BLAME IT ON PARIS actually happened. It is the true story of one American and one handsome Parisian who fell for each other and the way their crazy families and even crazier cultures met, clashed, and—got along. You know that old Reese’s commercial, where the two people collide and one’s chocolate lands in another’s peanut butter? And it turns out to work much better than they suspected? It was like that, but everything that happened was so funny and yet so huge, I ended up telling the story.
2) It seems that a lot of readers confuse fiction with real life, assuming that a novel must be an autobiography of the author as well. How many elements of your real life are reflected in your book?
Well, BLAME IT ON PARIS actually happened. It is the true story of one American and one handsome Parisian who fell for each other and the way their crazy families and even crazier cultures met, clashed, and—got along. You know that old Reese’s commercial, where the two people collide and one’s chocolate lands in another’s peanut butter? And it turns out to work much better than they suspected? It was like that, but everything that happened was so funny and yet so huge, I ended up telling the story.
2) It seems that a lot of readers confuse fiction with real life, assuming that a novel must be an autobiography of the author as well. How many elements of your real life are reflected in your book?
Although nobody ever wants to believe me—they swear I must have exaggerated—this is a completely true story. Even my own editor didn’t quite believe me, I think, so it got published as a novel. Which leads to a very strange confusion of fiction and real life, if you ask me.
3) A lot of my blog readers are aspiring or new authors. How did you land your first book deal?
I worked very hard for a couple of decades (I started writing when I was nine) and studied the publishing world. Then I submitted a proposal. Yes, a proposal—despite all that research, I didn’t know memoirs were treated as novels and that I should submit the whole thing. A great agent took me on and encouraged me to finish it. When I finished it and it was much more comic and light-hearted I think than he was used to (this was a purely non-fiction agent), he referred me to a close colleague who loved it, and…she shopped it around. Et voilà. We went with Tor Forge.
4) I have a serious procrastination problem when it comes to tackling my fiction. What’s your routine? How do you dive it? Do you have any rituals or necessary to-dos before or while you write?
I have a 15 month old baby. I don’t really have much choice—I can either sit down and write or procrastinate my way right through her nap time. So I just jump straight in and go. In a way, it’s like having a constant deadline—those can be very effective.
5) Clearly, your book will be optioned for a multi-million dollar film deal! Who would you cast as the leads, if you were given creative control?
3) A lot of my blog readers are aspiring or new authors. How did you land your first book deal?
I worked very hard for a couple of decades (I started writing when I was nine) and studied the publishing world. Then I submitted a proposal. Yes, a proposal—despite all that research, I didn’t know memoirs were treated as novels and that I should submit the whole thing. A great agent took me on and encouraged me to finish it. When I finished it and it was much more comic and light-hearted I think than he was used to (this was a purely non-fiction agent), he referred me to a close colleague who loved it, and…she shopped it around. Et voilà. We went with Tor Forge.
4) I have a serious procrastination problem when it comes to tackling my fiction. What’s your routine? How do you dive it? Do you have any rituals or necessary to-dos before or while you write?
I have a 15 month old baby. I don’t really have much choice—I can either sit down and write or procrastinate my way right through her nap time. So I just jump straight in and go. In a way, it’s like having a constant deadline—those can be very effective.
5) Clearly, your book will be optioned for a multi-million dollar film deal! Who would you cast as the leads, if you were given creative control?
That’s always a tricky question, since my characters are real people and I have a hard time imagining anyone else in their shoes. I would like to go back in time and have Lauren Bacall play me, though. It’s a fantasy of mine to look and act like Lauren Bacall in To Have and Have Not or The Big Sleep. I suspect the director would choose someone with a much ditzier persona, alas.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Finding a "Fresh" Angle
Question of the week: I was curious about some of the evergreen stories you've written because one of the "rules" of freelancing I've been told is that an article should have some kind of new angle to them, but these not all of yours are. So I was curious: is there a magic formula might be, absent a news hook.
Oh, if only! You know, I don't really have a brilliant answer for this, but I'll give it a shot. Yes, a lot of stories that I write and that magazines cover are indeed evergreen. And a lot of them are similar to others that you've read in the past or in other magazines. (Which is why newbie writers are so often convinced that a magazine "stole" their idea: in reality, it's just highly likely that someone else pitched a similar story or that the magazine was planning a similar story.) There's just no denying it.
What makes one pitch fresh and the other stale? Well, you already got the first aspect of it: news hooks. There's no better way to grab an editor's attention than by pointing out new studies or research that make the subject worthy of revisiting again.
But other than that, I really do believe that it comes down to packaging. Editors know that there are only so many topics and subjects out there, so I think that the best way to land an article is to come up with a creative way to package it. For example, I recently had a story run in Woman's Day called Just Do It. My editor had asked me for some new ideas, so I was brainstorming various things in my life that could be improved upon. (This is how I come up with a lot of my story ideas, btw.) I looked at my closet, and it made me want to cry, and I realized that I only had myself to blame for it: I'd been putting off organizing it for so long that it seemed almost unmanageable.
So, from here, I could have pitched a general, "Hey, let's do a story on organizing or let's do a story on procrastinating," but my editor would have said, "What's so interesting about that? What makes it any different than the gajillion other stories we've run like that?"
Instead, I came up with a creative way to cover the same-old subject. Thus, I broke the pitch (and the assigned story) down like this:
TASK THAT YOU HATE DOING
Why You Resist: Because it bores you to tears
Why We Insist: Because it will change your life, blah, blah, blah
Do you see how this one little twist made the subject matter so much more interesting? I really do think that's the key to landing evergreen stories, because, after all, news pegs can only take you so far.
But that's just my opinion. How do you guys land evergreens and what do you do to set yourself apart?
Oh, if only! You know, I don't really have a brilliant answer for this, but I'll give it a shot. Yes, a lot of stories that I write and that magazines cover are indeed evergreen. And a lot of them are similar to others that you've read in the past or in other magazines. (Which is why newbie writers are so often convinced that a magazine "stole" their idea: in reality, it's just highly likely that someone else pitched a similar story or that the magazine was planning a similar story.) There's just no denying it.
What makes one pitch fresh and the other stale? Well, you already got the first aspect of it: news hooks. There's no better way to grab an editor's attention than by pointing out new studies or research that make the subject worthy of revisiting again.
But other than that, I really do believe that it comes down to packaging. Editors know that there are only so many topics and subjects out there, so I think that the best way to land an article is to come up with a creative way to package it. For example, I recently had a story run in Woman's Day called Just Do It. My editor had asked me for some new ideas, so I was brainstorming various things in my life that could be improved upon. (This is how I come up with a lot of my story ideas, btw.) I looked at my closet, and it made me want to cry, and I realized that I only had myself to blame for it: I'd been putting off organizing it for so long that it seemed almost unmanageable.
So, from here, I could have pitched a general, "Hey, let's do a story on organizing or let's do a story on procrastinating," but my editor would have said, "What's so interesting about that? What makes it any different than the gajillion other stories we've run like that?"
Instead, I came up with a creative way to cover the same-old subject. Thus, I broke the pitch (and the assigned story) down like this:
TASK THAT YOU HATE DOING
Why You Resist: Because it bores you to tears
Why We Insist: Because it will change your life, blah, blah, blah
Do you see how this one little twist made the subject matter so much more interesting? I really do think that's the key to landing evergreen stories, because, after all, news pegs can only take you so far.
But that's just my opinion. How do you guys land evergreens and what do you do to set yourself apart?
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
When Lightening Strikes
Before I get into today's post, I HAD to link to this incredible review of The Department of Lost and Found. I was truly so touched and humbled by it, so I hope you take the time to click over. (Haven't bought the book? What are you waiting for?)
So, the other day, I was hungry for a new book. So hungry that I couldn't wait for Amazon to deliver. (I'm a Prime member, so normally, I press "order," and the books are here within two days.) After dropping my son off at camp, I mosey to Barnes and Noble, and grab Jonathan Tropper's How to Talk to a Widower.
Well, I start it that afternoon on the subway to a meeting, and by the time I turned off the light for some shut-eye, I was 200 pages deep. (It was so good that I let my son watch an extra episode of Dragon Tales, just so I could keep reading. The very model of good parenting, I know!)
I woke up the next morning, desperate to read more, toted it to the dog run, (bonus for the pooch: he also got extra play time because I was so absorbed), and then skipped out on some work to finish it, sadly turning the last few pages because I didn't want it to end. God, I miss that book.
Anyway, after I lovingly placed it on our bookshelf, I started thinking about what, for me, makes a book click. It's almost intangible, you know? I mean, every book I buy, I hope that this magic will happen, but it doesn't always, in fact, it doesn't often. Every last thing about this book worked for me. Mostly, I suppose, it was the voice: if I'm not digging the voice of the narrator, the rest of book is shot. But there are other things too - what I really appreciated about HTTTAW was how I could be cracking up in one moment, then welling up in the next. (Yes, I actually started crying in the dog run! How mortifying!) Its emotional resonance really impacted me. And the character's story arc was also totally believable. By the end, even though I suspected it was coming, I really felt like, "Yup, that could happen. Those changes not only work, they're gratifying to the reader."
It was everything I hope for as a reader, and what I aspire to as an author. Will it win the Pulitzer? Hell, no. But it was all that I ask for and more out of a book. I'm now off to order Tropper's back list and hope that he pulls out the same stops for his previous works. (And no, I don't know the guy, so I'm certainly not shilling for him out of obligation or anything like that!)
So...have you read any books recently that captured this magic?
So, the other day, I was hungry for a new book. So hungry that I couldn't wait for Amazon to deliver. (I'm a Prime member, so normally, I press "order," and the books are here within two days.) After dropping my son off at camp, I mosey to Barnes and Noble, and grab Jonathan Tropper's How to Talk to a Widower.
Well, I start it that afternoon on the subway to a meeting, and by the time I turned off the light for some shut-eye, I was 200 pages deep. (It was so good that I let my son watch an extra episode of Dragon Tales, just so I could keep reading. The very model of good parenting, I know!)
I woke up the next morning, desperate to read more, toted it to the dog run, (bonus for the pooch: he also got extra play time because I was so absorbed), and then skipped out on some work to finish it, sadly turning the last few pages because I didn't want it to end. God, I miss that book.
Anyway, after I lovingly placed it on our bookshelf, I started thinking about what, for me, makes a book click. It's almost intangible, you know? I mean, every book I buy, I hope that this magic will happen, but it doesn't always, in fact, it doesn't often. Every last thing about this book worked for me. Mostly, I suppose, it was the voice: if I'm not digging the voice of the narrator, the rest of book is shot. But there are other things too - what I really appreciated about HTTTAW was how I could be cracking up in one moment, then welling up in the next. (Yes, I actually started crying in the dog run! How mortifying!) Its emotional resonance really impacted me. And the character's story arc was also totally believable. By the end, even though I suspected it was coming, I really felt like, "Yup, that could happen. Those changes not only work, they're gratifying to the reader."
It was everything I hope for as a reader, and what I aspire to as an author. Will it win the Pulitzer? Hell, no. But it was all that I ask for and more out of a book. I'm now off to order Tropper's back list and hope that he pulls out the same stops for his previous works. (And no, I don't know the guy, so I'm certainly not shilling for him out of obligation or anything like that!)
So...have you read any books recently that captured this magic?
Monday, August 20, 2007
Conversation with Cindy: A Famous Blogger
So today, I have a little Q/A going on with one of my favorite bloggers, Cindy, from Conversations with Famous Writers. If you haven't checked out the site, do it asap - she manages to lure all sorts of fabulous and interesting authors to the site, and it's a must-read for me each week. Cindy is also the author of Thousand Dollars for a Kiss, a fun read set in the world of celebrity, and she took an unconventional route to getting published. Since I know so many aspiring writers check out this blog, I thought she might make for a bit of inspiration. Check it out!
1) You run one of my favorite blogs. What compelled you to start blogging and how did you attract such a big audience?
I started blogging for fun about celebrities in my (now defunct) gossip site, Conversations About Famous People. I got many, many hits every day, which was great fun but not satisfying to my soul, you know? It's not like I was doing something really positive by making fun of celebrities. It was bad karma.
I began Conversations with Famous Writers as a way to read and review and write about books and authors in an entertaining and casual way. I didn't want a stuffy, very literary type blog, I wanted to combine interesting, off beat interviews and inspire people to read really good books while getting to know the writers behind those books.
CAFP afforded me the opportunity to gather a big audience, some of which followed me to the book blog and helped make it successful. I still can't believe that this stay- at- home mom ran a successful gossip blog and reached over seven million viewers. Like, wow, millions of people read my work! I went to the E! channel in Los Angeles and did a screen test. It was exciting but not the direction I wanted to take my life in.
2) You interview a lot of well-known authors. Has any interview stood out as the best among others? How do you approach these authors? Anyone ever say no?
Jeannette Walls was super nice, she stands out as being one of the best. Jen Lancaster is lovely and hilarious. I adore Caroline Leavitt and Gayle Brandeis who I knew before I started my site. The fact that Pamela Anderson did an interview with me and linked to it on her website was huge for me. The majority of the authors are awesome and kind and grateful. Writers are generally speaking, a wonderful bunch.
I approach the authors through their PR people, some writers contact me directly. Paulina Porizkova wouldn't be interviewed for Model Summer and Angelina Jolie's manager said she wasn't giving interviews for her book Notes From My Travels. I was totally bummed!
Imagine me and Angelina doing an interview? We would become best friends forever and our kids could play together, we could get tattoos and were matching black clothes! She really missed out.
3) A lot of my blog readers are aspiring novelists. You refused to give up when it looked like a large publishing house wouldn't grab your manuscript...how did you then go about getting published?
I wrote two books and sent out hundreds and hundreds of query letters to agents. I received so many rejections that I seriously lost count of all of them. I could have wallpapered my whole house with those rejection letters.
When I wrote my third novel, A Thousand Dollars for a Kiss, I began the process all over again and of course the rejections trickled in. It was torture! I thought maybe I should self publish. I couldn't bear the thought of one more "no". I assumed that because I had a well known website and a built in audience of book buyers getting an agent would be easy. Not so.
At this time, Ephemera Bound got in touch with me to review their books. Instead of reviewing books, I asked if they would be interested in publishing my novel. I submitted it; they liked it and set me up with an editor. I was anxious.
4) What were the pros and cons of taking this route?
The positives aspects of going with a tiny publisher was that my book would be published in less than a year, I would work with an editor, I wouldn't need an agent, I would have a say in the cover art, the book would be available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com. I would finally have a published book that people could read. My dream of being a published author would come true. Fame and success were sure to follow! Visions of Prada and a new Infiniti FX 35 danced in my head.
The downside is a small publisher doesn't have a lot of marketing or advertising money, I did not get an advance, they didn't send out review copies to the big reviewers so my book was not widely exposed.
Places like Barnes & Noble, Costco, and Target have deals with the bigger publishers to have their books displayed and/or sold there but not with a small, relatively unknown publisher. Had I held out and found an agent who could have negotiated a great deal for me, my book would be in every book store and I'd be zooming around in my silver Infiniti wearing my True Religion jeans, lunching at The Ivy and shopping at Neiman Marcus.
5) What are you working on now?
I finished the sequel to A Thousand Dollars for a Kiss which is called Fifty Cents for Your Soul. It's about the celebrity obsessed character of Barrett and it features Marilyn Monroe. I'm plotting out the third book in my Hollywood series; this one will take place in the 60's with Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. I love that whole era. I wish I could wear faded bell bottoms and daisies in my hair all the time. But with MAC Lipglass and YSL mascara of course.
I'm reviewing my beloved beauty products on Hello Dollface and interviewing writers on Conversations With Famous Writers. Lately on my blog, I'm featuring movie trailers and news of novels being made into films. My goal is to have my books made into movies and somehow develop other good books into films. Angelina and I will become BFF and she can also star in my movies and we could do charity work together. It's a win/win all around.
1) You run one of my favorite blogs. What compelled you to start blogging and how did you attract such a big audience?
I started blogging for fun about celebrities in my (now defunct) gossip site, Conversations About Famous People. I got many, many hits every day, which was great fun but not satisfying to my soul, you know? It's not like I was doing something really positive by making fun of celebrities. It was bad karma.
I began Conversations with Famous Writers as a way to read and review and write about books and authors in an entertaining and casual way. I didn't want a stuffy, very literary type blog, I wanted to combine interesting, off beat interviews and inspire people to read really good books while getting to know the writers behind those books.
CAFP afforded me the opportunity to gather a big audience, some of which followed me to the book blog and helped make it successful. I still can't believe that this stay- at- home mom ran a successful gossip blog and reached over seven million viewers. Like, wow, millions of people read my work! I went to the E! channel in Los Angeles and did a screen test. It was exciting but not the direction I wanted to take my life in.
2) You interview a lot of well-known authors. Has any interview stood out as the best among others? How do you approach these authors? Anyone ever say no?
Jeannette Walls was super nice, she stands out as being one of the best. Jen Lancaster is lovely and hilarious. I adore Caroline Leavitt and Gayle Brandeis who I knew before I started my site. The fact that Pamela Anderson did an interview with me and linked to it on her website was huge for me. The majority of the authors are awesome and kind and grateful. Writers are generally speaking, a wonderful bunch.
I approach the authors through their PR people, some writers contact me directly. Paulina Porizkova wouldn't be interviewed for Model Summer and Angelina Jolie's manager said she wasn't giving interviews for her book Notes From My Travels. I was totally bummed!
Imagine me and Angelina doing an interview? We would become best friends forever and our kids could play together, we could get tattoos and were matching black clothes! She really missed out.
3) A lot of my blog readers are aspiring novelists. You refused to give up when it looked like a large publishing house wouldn't grab your manuscript...how did you then go about getting published?
I wrote two books and sent out hundreds and hundreds of query letters to agents. I received so many rejections that I seriously lost count of all of them. I could have wallpapered my whole house with those rejection letters.
When I wrote my third novel, A Thousand Dollars for a Kiss, I began the process all over again and of course the rejections trickled in. It was torture! I thought maybe I should self publish. I couldn't bear the thought of one more "no". I assumed that because I had a well known website and a built in audience of book buyers getting an agent would be easy. Not so.
At this time, Ephemera Bound got in touch with me to review their books. Instead of reviewing books, I asked if they would be interested in publishing my novel. I submitted it; they liked it and set me up with an editor. I was anxious.
4) What were the pros and cons of taking this route?
The positives aspects of going with a tiny publisher was that my book would be published in less than a year, I would work with an editor, I wouldn't need an agent, I would have a say in the cover art, the book would be available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com. I would finally have a published book that people could read. My dream of being a published author would come true. Fame and success were sure to follow! Visions of Prada and a new Infiniti FX 35 danced in my head.
The downside is a small publisher doesn't have a lot of marketing or advertising money, I did not get an advance, they didn't send out review copies to the big reviewers so my book was not widely exposed.
Places like Barnes & Noble, Costco, and Target have deals with the bigger publishers to have their books displayed and/or sold there but not with a small, relatively unknown publisher. Had I held out and found an agent who could have negotiated a great deal for me, my book would be in every book store and I'd be zooming around in my silver Infiniti wearing my True Religion jeans, lunching at The Ivy and shopping at Neiman Marcus.
5) What are you working on now?
I finished the sequel to A Thousand Dollars for a Kiss which is called Fifty Cents for Your Soul. It's about the celebrity obsessed character of Barrett and it features Marilyn Monroe. I'm plotting out the third book in my Hollywood series; this one will take place in the 60's with Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. I love that whole era. I wish I could wear faded bell bottoms and daisies in my hair all the time. But with MAC Lipglass and YSL mascara of course.
I'm reviewing my beloved beauty products on Hello Dollface and interviewing writers on Conversations With Famous Writers. Lately on my blog, I'm featuring movie trailers and news of novels being made into films. My goal is to have my books made into movies and somehow develop other good books into films. Angelina and I will become BFF and she can also star in my movies and we could do charity work together. It's a win/win all around.
Friday, August 17, 2007
We're Not Normal
So the other day, my husband was told "no" to something. And he was pissed. Annoyed and peeved too. And a little demoralized. You have understand: my husband is very, very good at what he does, which has lead to success, so rarely, does someone say, "Er, sorry, no thanks to that idea." (Of course, he hears "no" just plenty around our house. Hee.)
He came home and we chatted about it, and I said, "Look, you can't take it personally," and he said, "Of course I can! How can I not take it personally?" And I looked at him like he had ten heads because I'm so used to not taking anything personally in our business that I didn't see how on earth he could consider this personal.
So over dinner, I said, "Let's role play." (No you dirty birds, don't go there.)
He shrugged and said, "Fine."
"An editor told me today that my manuscript wasn't publishable....what would you say?"
"I'd say that he's an idiot," my husband replied.
"Exactly!" I answered, triumphant in my brilliance. "You wouldn't personalize it when it comes to my job, so you shouldn't personalize it when it comes to yours."
He begrudgingly admitted to a sliver of my brilliance and then we moved on. But later, it dawned on me: I think I'm the one with the abnormal reaction, not him. Of course it's rational to feel the sting of rejection rather than just coast past it; of course it's rational to be pissed and annoyed and a little demoralized. But I've been in this business for so long that my armor is basically impenetrable.
And I'll tell you what: I wouldn't have it any other way. While my husband might not get rejected very often in his line of work, in our line of work, it's inevitable. It doesn't stop just because you've landed national magazine stories or even published your first novel. And I've repeatedly said it on this blog, but I'll say it again: if you have a thin skin or take rejection personally, even if it might be slightly personal, this isn't the industry for you. Because you know, sure, every once in a while, that rejection just might be personal, but guess what? You don't have the luxury to consider that it might be, because, that, my friends, is a slippery-slope. If you spend time trying to sort through the intricacies of what all the various rejections mean - are they personal, are they not, do they hate you, do they hate the work? - you'll spend far too much energy and effort focused on the negatives and eventually, it will suck away at both your self-confidence and your writing.
Which is why I've developed an emotional moat: nothing's getting through to me unless I let it. And sure, that might not be normal, but it's what you need to get by as a writer. My husband's not a writer, so for him, sure, he can feel that sting, but honestly, I can't afford to. My ego and confidence would be bloodied on a daily basis.
So...what do you think? Are writers normal or not when it comes to rejection and how we cope with it?
He came home and we chatted about it, and I said, "Look, you can't take it personally," and he said, "Of course I can! How can I not take it personally?" And I looked at him like he had ten heads because I'm so used to not taking anything personally in our business that I didn't see how on earth he could consider this personal.
So over dinner, I said, "Let's role play." (No you dirty birds, don't go there.)
He shrugged and said, "Fine."
"An editor told me today that my manuscript wasn't publishable....what would you say?"
"I'd say that he's an idiot," my husband replied.
"Exactly!" I answered, triumphant in my brilliance. "You wouldn't personalize it when it comes to my job, so you shouldn't personalize it when it comes to yours."
He begrudgingly admitted to a sliver of my brilliance and then we moved on. But later, it dawned on me: I think I'm the one with the abnormal reaction, not him. Of course it's rational to feel the sting of rejection rather than just coast past it; of course it's rational to be pissed and annoyed and a little demoralized. But I've been in this business for so long that my armor is basically impenetrable.
And I'll tell you what: I wouldn't have it any other way. While my husband might not get rejected very often in his line of work, in our line of work, it's inevitable. It doesn't stop just because you've landed national magazine stories or even published your first novel. And I've repeatedly said it on this blog, but I'll say it again: if you have a thin skin or take rejection personally, even if it might be slightly personal, this isn't the industry for you. Because you know, sure, every once in a while, that rejection just might be personal, but guess what? You don't have the luxury to consider that it might be, because, that, my friends, is a slippery-slope. If you spend time trying to sort through the intricacies of what all the various rejections mean - are they personal, are they not, do they hate you, do they hate the work? - you'll spend far too much energy and effort focused on the negatives and eventually, it will suck away at both your self-confidence and your writing.
Which is why I've developed an emotional moat: nothing's getting through to me unless I let it. And sure, that might not be normal, but it's what you need to get by as a writer. My husband's not a writer, so for him, sure, he can feel that sting, but honestly, I can't afford to. My ego and confidence would be bloodied on a daily basis.
So...what do you think? Are writers normal or not when it comes to rejection and how we cope with it?
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
It Appears That I'm a Junkie
So I was straightening up our living room last week because our apartment is on the market, and really, all it ever feels like I do is straighten up our living room, but as I was doing so, I encountered masses and piles and stacks of magazines: some new, some old, many unread, frankly, many untouched. And while hints of my problem have danced around corners of my mind in the past, last week, it became unavoidably apparent: I am a magazine junkie, and it's time to quit. Or at least slow down.
So I counted. And it seems that I subscribe to about 20 magazines, which means, because a few of these are weeklies, that I'd have to read about one magazine a day per month to keep up. Which is just insane! I mean, I barely have time to take one shower a day, much less read that much per day. I do most of my mag reading in the gym, and even in a 45-60 minute workout, I can't get through an entire magazine (not to mention that I often grab mags there - or if I run on the treadmill, I don't read at all - which only contributes to my backlog), so it dawned on me last week that it was time for an intervention. Namely, as many of these mags send me note after note, begging for renewal, I'm going to have to just say no. Not this year. Not my $12. Not because I can't spare the $12. But because I can't take the clutter! I can't take the guilt of the magazine cover looking longingly up at me from my coffee table or my dining room chairs (more piles there) or my nightstand, crying, "Please read me!," and me promising that I will, knowing in the back of my mind that I really probably won't and it's just another obligation on my to-do list. So goodbye many of my old standbys that I've subscribed to for longer than I can remember. Goodbye. It was fun while it lasted. But to be honest, I'm not sure how much I'll miss some of you.
It has occurred to me, however, through this cleansing process, that there are a few magazines that I can't live without. And while I'm cutting back, I'm certainly not cutting myself off. (Egads! I'm a magazine writer for cryin' out loud! No way could I go or would I want to go cold turkey!) I'm whittling the list down to 12-15 or so vital mags - ones I actually look forward to getting. But if I had to choose just two or three? Well, I'd say that Women's Health and Entertainment Weekly will basically get a lifetime pass from me. I'll be 92 and still reading them. Fear not subscription departments - you'll always have my credit card!
So...how many mags do you subscribe to and which ones could you absolutely never give up?
So I counted. And it seems that I subscribe to about 20 magazines, which means, because a few of these are weeklies, that I'd have to read about one magazine a day per month to keep up. Which is just insane! I mean, I barely have time to take one shower a day, much less read that much per day. I do most of my mag reading in the gym, and even in a 45-60 minute workout, I can't get through an entire magazine (not to mention that I often grab mags there - or if I run on the treadmill, I don't read at all - which only contributes to my backlog), so it dawned on me last week that it was time for an intervention. Namely, as many of these mags send me note after note, begging for renewal, I'm going to have to just say no. Not this year. Not my $12. Not because I can't spare the $12. But because I can't take the clutter! I can't take the guilt of the magazine cover looking longingly up at me from my coffee table or my dining room chairs (more piles there) or my nightstand, crying, "Please read me!," and me promising that I will, knowing in the back of my mind that I really probably won't and it's just another obligation on my to-do list. So goodbye many of my old standbys that I've subscribed to for longer than I can remember. Goodbye. It was fun while it lasted. But to be honest, I'm not sure how much I'll miss some of you.
It has occurred to me, however, through this cleansing process, that there are a few magazines that I can't live without. And while I'm cutting back, I'm certainly not cutting myself off. (Egads! I'm a magazine writer for cryin' out loud! No way could I go or would I want to go cold turkey!) I'm whittling the list down to 12-15 or so vital mags - ones I actually look forward to getting. But if I had to choose just two or three? Well, I'd say that Women's Health and Entertainment Weekly will basically get a lifetime pass from me. I'll be 92 and still reading them. Fear not subscription departments - you'll always have my credit card!
So...how many mags do you subscribe to and which ones could you absolutely never give up?
Monday, August 13, 2007
Magazine Blogs
Question of the week: Are there any good blogs which specialize in writing magazine articles?
Well, for starters, have you searched the archives of my blog? I've tackled a lot of magazine-related questions here.
As far as ONLY handling magazine writing, I'm not sure. I'd definitely check out The Renegade Writer - while they're not limited to magazines, they have oodles of excellent advice about breaking into the industry, and their books can be invaluable.
And while it's not a blog, I think that Freelance Success is the best online tool for any writer. When I was just starting out, I gleaned SO MUCH knowledge on the forums that it's hard for me to even imagine the trajectory of my career if it hadn't been for FLX, and now, while I don't necessarily reap the same amounts of info (only because I'm more of a veteran), I try to contribute advice when I can and equally as valuable, have forged close friendships and a level of support that I couldn't do without. A few things about FLX: yes, you have to pay to join, as such you should. This weeds out spammers and people who aren't serious about their careers. Secondly, there are a lot of veterans on the boards who happily offer advice, but do cruise through the archives to make sure you're not asking a question that's been answered 100 times. Lastly, join in the discussion! The more you give, the more you'll get out of it.
So those are my thoughts. I'm sure that there are plenty of other blogs that specialize in mag writing, so readers, what are your suggestions?
Well, for starters, have you searched the archives of my blog? I've tackled a lot of magazine-related questions here.
As far as ONLY handling magazine writing, I'm not sure. I'd definitely check out The Renegade Writer - while they're not limited to magazines, they have oodles of excellent advice about breaking into the industry, and their books can be invaluable.
And while it's not a blog, I think that Freelance Success is the best online tool for any writer. When I was just starting out, I gleaned SO MUCH knowledge on the forums that it's hard for me to even imagine the trajectory of my career if it hadn't been for FLX, and now, while I don't necessarily reap the same amounts of info (only because I'm more of a veteran), I try to contribute advice when I can and equally as valuable, have forged close friendships and a level of support that I couldn't do without. A few things about FLX: yes, you have to pay to join, as such you should. This weeds out spammers and people who aren't serious about their careers. Secondly, there are a lot of veterans on the boards who happily offer advice, but do cruise through the archives to make sure you're not asking a question that's been answered 100 times. Lastly, join in the discussion! The more you give, the more you'll get out of it.
So those are my thoughts. I'm sure that there are plenty of other blogs that specialize in mag writing, so readers, what are your suggestions?
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Print Run Posturings
So, I was cruising the forums at Backspace, and stumbled upon this fabulous blog entry by best-selling author, Tess Gerritsen, in which she talks about the impact of print runs and what they mean for making the best-seller list. It's funny: before my book came out, all of my friends were like, "Oh, I can't wait to see you on the NY Times list!," and I'd just snicker because I knew it was such an impossibility. And as her blog indicates, yeah, it pretty much is. To make the best-seller list, you have to sell thousands per week. (I believe that 2k in hardcover is what I've read, though I might be wrong - correct me if so.)
From what I understand about print runs, which, btw, means how many books the publisher prints of your book (I know that's basic info, but some people might not know), the initial print run is basically based on how many pre-orders they have from their sales team. So - if the sales team has gone out there and sold the hell out of it, and Barnes and Noble wanted, say, 50,000 - your print run will sizeable. And this, when it comes to best-seller lists or really, even for your book to do well at all, is a tricky situation, sort of a self-fulfilling prophesy, if you will. Because if your print run is, say, 100,000, your book is going to be well-stocked in stores, so people will gravitate to it, simply because it will land in their hands, and because publishers will have a bigger incentive to buy co-op space, advertising, etc for it. But if, for some reason, the sales team screws the pooch, well, your book is screwed too because no matter how much promotion you do or if the buzz spreads like wildfire, if it's not in stores, it's simply not going to sell, much less reach the best-seller list. So the books with huge print runs are already given a huge leg up.
But - and this is where it gets interesting - these BIG books also have a lot more to lose, both for the author and the publisher. As Gerritsen notes on her blog, the books that have enormous print runs might have poor sell-throughs (the number of books sold compared the number of books printed), even though in total, they might have sold more than a book with a smaller run. Following? For example: a book with a 100,000 print run might sell 50,000, which is an okay sell-through, but a book with a 25,000 print run might sell 20,000, which is a much better return on the publisher's investment.
It's an interesting situation, and I don't know which I'd prefer. Probably the shot to at least make the best-seller list, but with these huge print runs comes a lot of pressure, and even though you have the machine of the publishing house behind you (which, incidentally, you really MUST have to reach the upper echelons of sales...I can't think of any book, barring perhaps, Sara Gruen's Water For Elephants, that took off without a HUGE publisher push and gobs of marketing/co-op money), you can certainly fall flat on your face. And the downside to that is that no one is going to give you a big advance again. In this industry, you don't get a lot of chances to prove yourself.
So which would you rather: start small and work your way up or start with a bang and hope to soar?
From what I understand about print runs, which, btw, means how many books the publisher prints of your book (I know that's basic info, but some people might not know), the initial print run is basically based on how many pre-orders they have from their sales team. So - if the sales team has gone out there and sold the hell out of it, and Barnes and Noble wanted, say, 50,000 - your print run will sizeable. And this, when it comes to best-seller lists or really, even for your book to do well at all, is a tricky situation, sort of a self-fulfilling prophesy, if you will. Because if your print run is, say, 100,000, your book is going to be well-stocked in stores, so people will gravitate to it, simply because it will land in their hands, and because publishers will have a bigger incentive to buy co-op space, advertising, etc for it. But if, for some reason, the sales team screws the pooch, well, your book is screwed too because no matter how much promotion you do or if the buzz spreads like wildfire, if it's not in stores, it's simply not going to sell, much less reach the best-seller list. So the books with huge print runs are already given a huge leg up.
But - and this is where it gets interesting - these BIG books also have a lot more to lose, both for the author and the publisher. As Gerritsen notes on her blog, the books that have enormous print runs might have poor sell-throughs (the number of books sold compared the number of books printed), even though in total, they might have sold more than a book with a smaller run. Following? For example: a book with a 100,000 print run might sell 50,000, which is an okay sell-through, but a book with a 25,000 print run might sell 20,000, which is a much better return on the publisher's investment.
It's an interesting situation, and I don't know which I'd prefer. Probably the shot to at least make the best-seller list, but with these huge print runs comes a lot of pressure, and even though you have the machine of the publishing house behind you (which, incidentally, you really MUST have to reach the upper echelons of sales...I can't think of any book, barring perhaps, Sara Gruen's Water For Elephants, that took off without a HUGE publisher push and gobs of marketing/co-op money), you can certainly fall flat on your face. And the downside to that is that no one is going to give you a big advance again. In this industry, you don't get a lot of chances to prove yourself.
So which would you rather: start small and work your way up or start with a bang and hope to soar?
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Blah, Blah, Blurbs
So I'm chatting about blurbs - getting 'em, what they can do for you, what readers think of them - today on Writer Unboxed. Check it out!
I'll be back later this week to talk about print runs and best-seller lists.
I'll be back later this week to talk about print runs and best-seller lists.
Monday, August 06, 2007
GCC Presents: Ellen Meister and Secret Confessions of the Applewood PTA
Girlfriend Cyber-Circuit time! Today, I'm thrilled to present Ellen Meister, whose laugh-out-loud Secret Confessions of the Applewood PTA premiered with a bang last year. And guess what? If you didn't check it out then, now's your chance to grab the paperback version.Here's the juicy scoop: When a Hollywood location scout comes to Applewood, Long Island, and announces that the local elementary school might make the perfect backdrop for an upcoming George Clooney movie, the PTA's decorum crumbles like a cookie from last week's bake sale.
Enter Maddie, Ruth, and Lisa, three women who become the glue that holds the project together, forging a bond of friendship stronger than anyone could imagine. And not a moment too soon, as marriage woes, old flames, and scandalously embarrassing family members threaten to tear each of them apart. Is their powerful alliance strong enough to overcome the obstacles to getting the movie made in their town? And will their friendship be enough to mend their hearts and homes? Join them as they reach for the stars . . . and try to pull off a Hollywood ending of their own.
And now, Ellen answers five questions just for Ask Allison readers! Here ya go:
1) What's the backstory behind your book?
Back in 2000, I finally got the gumption to stop procrastinating and pursue my lifelong dream of writing a novel. I was determined to find the time to do it, even though I had three small children, one of whom wasn't yet in school full time. Only problem was that I didn't know what I wanted to write about.
My head was swimming with the notion when I attended the first PTA meeting of the year at my local elementary school. As I smiled, greeting all the other women with my best soccer mom persona, I thought about the fact that no one in the room knew I had this special dream. In fact, no one knew I had an inner life at all. Then it occurred to me that everyone there could be feeling something pretty similar. As soon as I had that thought, I knew I wanted to write about these types of women--to explore the pain, passion, heartache and joy hidden beneath facade of the perfect suburban housewife--and do it with humor and compassion.
From there I set out to construct a plot around an event that could affect the community as a whole and the women as individuals. Eventually, I got the idea to bring a Hollywood movie studio to their town, and select their schoolyard as a possible location for the filming of a George Clooney movie.
2) It seems that a lot of readers confuse fiction with real life, assuming that a novel must be an autobiography of the author as well. How many elements of your real life are reflected in your book?
This has been a big issue for me. Since I'm ON the PTA in a Long Island town and I WROTE about a PTA in a Long Island town, everyone in my community assumes the book is autobiographical. Alas, I can't seem to convince them otherwise! I have a lot of interesting conversations in the supermarket.
Truth is, if I wrote about my own life I'd bore the reader to death. All I do is take care my kids, laugh with my husband, and write. So I have to dig pretty deep into my imagination to find my stories and my characters.
3) A lot of my blog readers are aspiring or new authors. How did you land your first book deal?
Hard work, patience, and more than a little bit of luck! I worked hard on the book, hard on finding an agent, and hard on revisions. Still, it's such an insanely competitive market that I consider I consider myself lucky I found such a wonderful agent ... and an editor who was willing to take a chance on me.
4) I have a serious procrastination problem when it comes to tackling my fiction. What's your routine? How do you dive it? Do you have any rituals or necessary to-dos before or while you write?
I wrestle the procrastination bear, too. But I find a busy schedule is the thing that propels me to get off my butt and get it done.
5) Clearly, your book will be optioned for a multi-million dollar film deal! Who would you cast as the leads, if you were given creative control?
I've given this a good amount of thought over the past few years! As Maddie, the emotionally-needy ex-lawyer, I'd cast Amanda Peet, as I need someone who can do physical comedy and also be touching. Ruth Moss, my brash and bosomy protag, could be played by Virginia Madsen or Joely Fisher. Keith, Ruth's brain-damaged husband who makes inappropriate sexual remarks to every woman he sees, could be a great fun role. I'd love to see Paul Giamatti, Steve Carrell or Alec Baldwin do this. For modest and timid Lisa Slotnick, who suffers a relationship with an alcoholic mother, Laura Linney would be perfect. Maddie's sarcastic friend Beryl could be played by Janeane Garofalo or Rosie O'Donnell. And last, but most definitely not least, a certain someone who has still not called to thank me for the signed book I sent him, could do a cameo as himself.(George Clooney, are you reading this?)
Back in 2000, I finally got the gumption to stop procrastinating and pursue my lifelong dream of writing a novel. I was determined to find the time to do it, even though I had three small children, one of whom wasn't yet in school full time. Only problem was that I didn't know what I wanted to write about.
My head was swimming with the notion when I attended the first PTA meeting of the year at my local elementary school. As I smiled, greeting all the other women with my best soccer mom persona, I thought about the fact that no one in the room knew I had this special dream. In fact, no one knew I had an inner life at all. Then it occurred to me that everyone there could be feeling something pretty similar. As soon as I had that thought, I knew I wanted to write about these types of women--to explore the pain, passion, heartache and joy hidden beneath facade of the perfect suburban housewife--and do it with humor and compassion.
From there I set out to construct a plot around an event that could affect the community as a whole and the women as individuals. Eventually, I got the idea to bring a Hollywood movie studio to their town, and select their schoolyard as a possible location for the filming of a George Clooney movie.
2) It seems that a lot of readers confuse fiction with real life, assuming that a novel must be an autobiography of the author as well. How many elements of your real life are reflected in your book?
This has been a big issue for me. Since I'm ON the PTA in a Long Island town and I WROTE about a PTA in a Long Island town, everyone in my community assumes the book is autobiographical. Alas, I can't seem to convince them otherwise! I have a lot of interesting conversations in the supermarket.
Truth is, if I wrote about my own life I'd bore the reader to death. All I do is take care my kids, laugh with my husband, and write. So I have to dig pretty deep into my imagination to find my stories and my characters.
3) A lot of my blog readers are aspiring or new authors. How did you land your first book deal?
Hard work, patience, and more than a little bit of luck! I worked hard on the book, hard on finding an agent, and hard on revisions. Still, it's such an insanely competitive market that I consider I consider myself lucky I found such a wonderful agent ... and an editor who was willing to take a chance on me.
4) I have a serious procrastination problem when it comes to tackling my fiction. What's your routine? How do you dive it? Do you have any rituals or necessary to-dos before or while you write?
I wrestle the procrastination bear, too. But I find a busy schedule is the thing that propels me to get off my butt and get it done.
5) Clearly, your book will be optioned for a multi-million dollar film deal! Who would you cast as the leads, if you were given creative control?
I've given this a good amount of thought over the past few years! As Maddie, the emotionally-needy ex-lawyer, I'd cast Amanda Peet, as I need someone who can do physical comedy and also be touching. Ruth Moss, my brash and bosomy protag, could be played by Virginia Madsen or Joely Fisher. Keith, Ruth's brain-damaged husband who makes inappropriate sexual remarks to every woman he sees, could be a great fun role. I'd love to see Paul Giamatti, Steve Carrell or Alec Baldwin do this. For modest and timid Lisa Slotnick, who suffers a relationship with an alcoholic mother, Laura Linney would be perfect. Maddie's sarcastic friend Beryl could be played by Janeane Garofalo or Rosie O'Donnell. And last, but most definitely not least, a certain someone who has still not called to thank me for the signed book I sent him, could do a cameo as himself.(George Clooney, are you reading this?)
Thursday, August 02, 2007
On the Horizon
OK, here's my question - yes YA is hot now, but what are the forecasts for next year (with the thought that if I'm working on my YA now, it gets bought, and then takes 12-18 months to pub, will I have missed the boat)? I didn't see the end of chick lit until it was too late. Your thoughts, o wise one?
Hey Mia! For those of you who don't know the fabulous Mia King, who sent in this question, check out her wonderful blog. Of course, she's in Hawaii, so it's probably a lot easier to be fabulous and wonderful out there than it is anywhere else!
Oh geez, if I could answer this question, I'd have the million-dollar book deal, right? I think it's basically impossible to predict because, I mean, who can say what might resonate with the public. Did anyone foresee that a boy wizard become a worldwide phenomenon a few years ago? Probably not. Did anyone anticipate that paranormal vampires would recently take a bite out of the market? (Hey, give me the bad pun already!) I doubt it.
So..man...I dunno. I'm hoping that the trend toward commercial women's fiction continues - you know, women who want smart characters but still lively and diverting plots, and I have to believe that since there are so many intelligent, well-read women in our country, that this will always be a staple in the publishing industry. But the next big thing? I have no idea! (Of course, Mia, I know you were asking this hypothetically and would never write in anticipation of a trend, but it goes without saying that what you should do is write a good book - the best book you can, regardless of "what's hot," and then the rest will follow.)
But I wanted to post this because I bet that A LOT of readers have better ideas than I do! So what say you, oh wise readers? What's the next big thing?
Hey Mia! For those of you who don't know the fabulous Mia King, who sent in this question, check out her wonderful blog. Of course, she's in Hawaii, so it's probably a lot easier to be fabulous and wonderful out there than it is anywhere else!
Oh geez, if I could answer this question, I'd have the million-dollar book deal, right? I think it's basically impossible to predict because, I mean, who can say what might resonate with the public. Did anyone foresee that a boy wizard become a worldwide phenomenon a few years ago? Probably not. Did anyone anticipate that paranormal vampires would recently take a bite out of the market? (Hey, give me the bad pun already!) I doubt it.
So..man...I dunno. I'm hoping that the trend toward commercial women's fiction continues - you know, women who want smart characters but still lively and diverting plots, and I have to believe that since there are so many intelligent, well-read women in our country, that this will always be a staple in the publishing industry. But the next big thing? I have no idea! (Of course, Mia, I know you were asking this hypothetically and would never write in anticipation of a trend, but it goes without saying that what you should do is write a good book - the best book you can, regardless of "what's hot," and then the rest will follow.)
But I wanted to post this because I bet that A LOT of readers have better ideas than I do! So what say you, oh wise readers? What's the next big thing?
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
I'm Booked on Book Keeping!
I'm super-excited...today, I'm the featured new article on MediaBistro. (Okay, I'M not the article, but the article is all about moi.) Check it out in Book Keeping. I can't remember the entire interview exactly (and haven't yet seen the completed piece), but the general gist is my road to publication...and the interviewer asked a lot of questions, so I'm sure that there are more details there than I might have noted here.
Also, our dog, Pedro, is finally famous! We knew he had it in him. In fact, my husband, who is mildly (and perhaps clinically) nuts, has conceived an entire movie series around him in which Pedro becomes a dog vampire at night. (He calls it Count Barkula. Don't ask. I love him or else I'd flee.) But that's neither here nor there. The point is that GalleyCat will be using Pufro's (that's what my son calls him) picture to promote the Book Keeping article later today. Check it out!
So, does anyone else's beloved spouse do equally inane things...or is it just me? :)
Also, our dog, Pedro, is finally famous! We knew he had it in him. In fact, my husband, who is mildly (and perhaps clinically) nuts, has conceived an entire movie series around him in which Pedro becomes a dog vampire at night. (He calls it Count Barkula. Don't ask. I love him or else I'd flee.) But that's neither here nor there. The point is that GalleyCat will be using Pufro's (that's what my son calls him) picture to promote the Book Keeping article later today. Check it out!
So, does anyone else's beloved spouse do equally inane things...or is it just me? :)
Monday, July 30, 2007
A Little Reflection...
So the lovely Larramie, of Seize A Daisy, tagged me two weeks ago, and handed me a Blogger Reflection Award, which basically means, she named the blog as one of the five blogs that brighten her day, infuse her brain and generally make her say hmmm. Here's a direct quote: "Five Bloggers who when you reflect on them you get a sense of pride and joy… of knowing them and being blessed by them.” I'm so honored! I adore Larr, and for those of you who haven't checked out her blog, you should. Hers is a cool blend of writing discussion and every day rumination. She's a smarty, that one. (And I don't say that often!)
Okay, so, here is my list, in no order whatsoever. Larr's would have made it, but alas, as I understand the rules, I can't tag back the person who tagged me. Or else these awards would end up being pretty self-congratulatory, no? :)
1) The Debutante Ball. Duh. I adore these sassy gals - I was nearly one of them until I realized that my commitments were about to boil over like a pot left unattended, and I threw my hat over to Anna David. These lovely ladies opine on just about every subject under the sun, and since they've all written novels to great acclaim (seriously, I've seen incredible promotion for every last one of them), you know that what they have to say will be packed with fabulous prose.
2) Karen Lynch's Discussing Breast Cancer. No! Don't flee at the mention of "cancer." Instead, peruse Karen's fabulous blog (and I'm not saying that simply because she's currently reading my book) to hear about her personal experience with the disease. If you've ever been touched by cancer in any way, you'll be amazed at how her insights resonate.
3) The Renegade Writer. Okay, confession time: Diana and Linda are two pals of mine, but hey, in this case, I say that I'm happy to be defined by the company I keep. These two industry-savvy pros dish out more writing goodness than should be allowed, and they do so with humor and down-to-earthiness (yeah, I made that up) that appeals to every level of writer.
4) Jennsylvania by Jen Lancaster. This is where I head when I need some spit-coffee through my nose humor for the day. You all know Jen from her snark-worthy books, the most recent being Bright Lights, Big Ass, and I know Jen from those too, as well as through her biting emails that occasionally land in my in-box and never cease to crack me up. Jen's blog is up there in my to-check list, along with Dlisted and Just Jared.
5) Conversations With Famous Writers. Before I got published, I'd read these interviews with "famous writers" with revelry and awe. Now that I'm published, I read them to see what I can learn (well, I suppose I did that before too), as well as to check out what I have in common, in terms of the publishing experience, with from these fellow authors. I dunno, sometimes writers seem like friends whom you don't yet know, and Cindy, the blogger, has a way of assuring you that if you met these writers in person, indeed, you guys would be pals. And then there's the flip-side: sometimes these authors seem so unattainable/untouchable, and you're just totally psyched to be reading a Q/A with them in which they discuss something as mundane as changing their kid's diapers.
So...those are 5. BUT, you know, I feel weird doing this because I read so, so many more wonderful blogs out there, and I guess I had to choose, and based my decision on diversity, etc. (Ergo: I didn't want them all to be about writing life, etc!) Hey, I LOVE YOU ALL! (Can you tell I'd be a worse American Idol than Paula? Minus the booze, pills, etc...)
Okay, so, here is my list, in no order whatsoever. Larr's would have made it, but alas, as I understand the rules, I can't tag back the person who tagged me. Or else these awards would end up being pretty self-congratulatory, no? :)
1) The Debutante Ball. Duh. I adore these sassy gals - I was nearly one of them until I realized that my commitments were about to boil over like a pot left unattended, and I threw my hat over to Anna David. These lovely ladies opine on just about every subject under the sun, and since they've all written novels to great acclaim (seriously, I've seen incredible promotion for every last one of them), you know that what they have to say will be packed with fabulous prose.
2) Karen Lynch's Discussing Breast Cancer. No! Don't flee at the mention of "cancer." Instead, peruse Karen's fabulous blog (and I'm not saying that simply because she's currently reading my book) to hear about her personal experience with the disease. If you've ever been touched by cancer in any way, you'll be amazed at how her insights resonate.
3) The Renegade Writer. Okay, confession time: Diana and Linda are two pals of mine, but hey, in this case, I say that I'm happy to be defined by the company I keep. These two industry-savvy pros dish out more writing goodness than should be allowed, and they do so with humor and down-to-earthiness (yeah, I made that up) that appeals to every level of writer.
4) Jennsylvania by Jen Lancaster. This is where I head when I need some spit-coffee through my nose humor for the day. You all know Jen from her snark-worthy books, the most recent being Bright Lights, Big Ass, and I know Jen from those too, as well as through her biting emails that occasionally land in my in-box and never cease to crack me up. Jen's blog is up there in my to-check list, along with Dlisted and Just Jared.
5) Conversations With Famous Writers. Before I got published, I'd read these interviews with "famous writers" with revelry and awe. Now that I'm published, I read them to see what I can learn (well, I suppose I did that before too), as well as to check out what I have in common, in terms of the publishing experience, with from these fellow authors. I dunno, sometimes writers seem like friends whom you don't yet know, and Cindy, the blogger, has a way of assuring you that if you met these writers in person, indeed, you guys would be pals. And then there's the flip-side: sometimes these authors seem so unattainable/untouchable, and you're just totally psyched to be reading a Q/A with them in which they discuss something as mundane as changing their kid's diapers.
So...those are 5. BUT, you know, I feel weird doing this because I read so, so many more wonderful blogs out there, and I guess I had to choose, and based my decision on diversity, etc. (Ergo: I didn't want them all to be about writing life, etc!) Hey, I LOVE YOU ALL! (Can you tell I'd be a worse American Idol than Paula? Minus the booze, pills, etc...)
Thursday, July 26, 2007
My First GCC Post: Deborah LeBlanc
So I am so super-duper excited. For the past few years, I've trolled around on the blogs of a slew of authors whom I've admired, all of whom were part of the Girlfriend Cyber Circuit - a club, of sorts, that hosts tours for its authors when they have a book to promote. And I'm thrilled to report that I'm now a part of the GCC! Whoohoo! So, here's my first shot at hosting a tour. The next authors I host will answer personalized and specific questions, but for now, here's Deborah LeBlanc, author of Morbid Curiosity, a horror book whose cover alone will cause you to sleep with the lights on.Here's what you need to know about the book that Publisher's Weekly calls, “An imaginative chiller. Riveting!”:
It seemed like the answer to Haley’s prayers. The most popular girl in her high school promised Haley that her life would change forever if only she performed certain dark rituals. And if Haley can convince her twin sister to participate, their power will double. Together they will be able to summon mystical entities they never dared dream of. But these are powerful, uncontrollable forces, forces that can kill—forces that demand to be fed . . .
The Horror Fiction Review says this about Deborah, "It’s now official: Deborah LeBlanc has become a master not only of good spooky stories, but also of crafting great characters to fill them!” And here are a few other things you need to know about her:
She is the president of the Horror Writers Association, president of the Writers’ Guild of Acadiana, and an active member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, the National Association of Women Writers, and International Thriller Writers Inc. In 2004, she created the LeBlanc Literacy Challenge, an annual, national campaign designed to encourage more people to read. Her most recent novels are: FAMILY INHERITANCE, GRAVE INTENT, A HOUSE DIVIDED, and MORBID CURIOSITY. Deborah’s next release, WATER WITCH, is scheduled to be on bookstore shelves in August ’08. For more information on Deborah or the Literacy Challenge, visit www.deborahleblanc.com
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
The YA Market
Question of the week: About the "getting an agent" question--my problem is, I want to write young adult and juvenile fiction. Since writing YA fiction (usually) isn't as lucrative a writing market as others, do you know if it's standard for a writer to have an agent? I've seen YA agents advertising, but I'm not sure if it might be any more difficult getting representation, or if the difference is negligible and all areas take the same amount of perseverance and luck.
Actually, the YA market is one of the hottest markets to be in right now. Despite the internet and TV, teens are reading like crazy, they're armed with their parents' credit cards, and they're snapping books up in droves. And if you can write YA well - smart and appealing to that demo - and agent would be thrilled to have you.
Also, I should note that having an agent goes beyond just the actual dollar amount that he or she brings in for your book. He helps you negotiate the contract - no small feat - I think my contract is something like 20 pages long, helps you navigate the publicity process/cover art/blurbs/etc, and is generally around as your go-to cheerleader and advisor. I think it's short-sighted to only see your agent as the bait for more money.
I'm not that well-versed in the YA market because, er, obviously, I'm not a YA writer, but I'm sure that others here are, and they can weigh in on the industry. To find the best agent for you, I'd do a thorough search of Publishers Marketplace, Agent Query, google, Writers.net, etc, and if you land one, I think you'll be far better off than without.
Actually, the YA market is one of the hottest markets to be in right now. Despite the internet and TV, teens are reading like crazy, they're armed with their parents' credit cards, and they're snapping books up in droves. And if you can write YA well - smart and appealing to that demo - and agent would be thrilled to have you.
Also, I should note that having an agent goes beyond just the actual dollar amount that he or she brings in for your book. He helps you negotiate the contract - no small feat - I think my contract is something like 20 pages long, helps you navigate the publicity process/cover art/blurbs/etc, and is generally around as your go-to cheerleader and advisor. I think it's short-sighted to only see your agent as the bait for more money.
I'm not that well-versed in the YA market because, er, obviously, I'm not a YA writer, but I'm sure that others here are, and they can weigh in on the industry. To find the best agent for you, I'd do a thorough search of Publishers Marketplace, Agent Query, google, Writers.net, etc, and if you land one, I think you'll be far better off than without.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Free Books!
One of the things that I love so much about the internet (besides my ability to endlessly procrastinate on gossip sites), is how many people I've met via the web. Writing seems like it should be a very solitary existance, but thanks to the web, for me, it doesn't feel that way at all. I've made so many "friends," and even though I haven't met many of them face-to-face, they (many of whom read this blog) know things about my life, both professionally and personally, and for that (and them), I'm thankful. This profession must have felt a lot lonelier 20 years ago.
So, to that end, I am super, duper-excited to get my copy of (my online friend) Gwendolen Gross's The Other Mother in the mail this August (I've pre-ordered on Amazon), but now one of you lucky readers might land yourself a free copy. Like TDLF, it's been selected as a Redbook Book Club of the Month pick, so I'm sure that it's fabu!
Here are the details:
BLOGGERS! FREE BOOKS! GWENDOLEN GROSS, once called "the queen of women's adventure fiction," has moved on to the rich loamy pastures of writing about motherhood. THE OTHER MOTHER will be out August 7th, and Gwendolen is giving away signed copies of her third novel (which takes both sides of the mommy wars, with two first person narrators) to the first five bloggers who email her at ggross@gwendolengross.com---in return, you need to have a blog, and agree to read and blog about the book during the week of August 7th.
Send her your blog address and mailing address, and if you're one of the top 5, she'll send you a book!
For more on THE OTHER MOTHER, visit http://www.blogger.com/www.gwendolengross.com "suspenseful and compulsively readable"--Harlan Coben "..manages to engage all the contradictions of motherhood, marriage, and friendship.."--Rosellen Brown And for a free mini-writing-workshop, visit http://gwendolengross.typepad.com/
Email ggross@gwendolengross.com
And watch for THE OTHER MOTHER (REDBOOK's SEPT BOOK CLUB PICK), coming to a store near you.
So, to that end, I am super, duper-excited to get my copy of (my online friend) Gwendolen Gross's The Other Mother in the mail this August (I've pre-ordered on Amazon), but now one of you lucky readers might land yourself a free copy. Like TDLF, it's been selected as a Redbook Book Club of the Month pick, so I'm sure that it's fabu!
Here are the details:
BLOGGERS! FREE BOOKS! GWENDOLEN GROSS, once called "the queen of women's adventure fiction," has moved on to the rich loamy pastures of writing about motherhood. THE OTHER MOTHER will be out August 7th, and Gwendolen is giving away signed copies of her third novel (which takes both sides of the mommy wars, with two first person narrators) to the first five bloggers who email her at ggross@gwendolengross.com---in return, you need to have a blog, and agree to read and blog about the book during the week of August 7th.
Send her your blog address and mailing address, and if you're one of the top 5, she'll send you a book!
For more on THE OTHER MOTHER, visit http://www.blogger.com/www.gwendolengross.com "suspenseful and compulsively readable"--Harlan Coben "..manages to engage all the contradictions of motherhood, marriage, and friendship.."--Rosellen Brown And for a free mini-writing-workshop, visit http://gwendolengross.typepad.com/
Email ggross@gwendolengross.com
And watch for THE OTHER MOTHER (REDBOOK's SEPT BOOK CLUB PICK), coming to a store near you.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Lots of Link Love
So I'm guest blogging at two places today:
First, head over to Writer Unboxed, where I discuss how often people mistake your fiction for your real-life. Ugh.
Then, check out Trashionista, one of my favorite book review sites, for the story behind my story and why cancer can be funny. Really.
First, head over to Writer Unboxed, where I discuss how often people mistake your fiction for your real-life. Ugh.
Then, check out Trashionista, one of my favorite book review sites, for the story behind my story and why cancer can be funny. Really.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
The Numbers Game
Thanks everyone so much for your thoughts on Monday's post. I'm really not so concerned about my son - who demanded a book last night at dinner - but I thought it was great fodder for a discussion, and I certainly picked up a few tips. Hope you guys did too.
So, the question I'm most asked, now that TDLF is out there in the world is, "How are sales going." I mean, I'm seriously asked this several times a day. And I have to give the vaguest answer, which is, "They seem to be going well. It's still in the front of stores." And that's the truth. They do seem to be going well, but the reason that this is such a bland answer is that honestly, from what I've gleaned, no one has concrete numbers about the sales of books.
Huh? Seriously? What?
Okay, for real. From what I understand, publishers don't track exact sales, and even when your royalty statement comes in - which, incidentally, isn't until six months or so after your release date - these still might be incomplete or inaccurate. It's mind-boggling. Truthfully, I don't understand the intricacies of it all - and maybe someone else here can explain it - but evidently, while publishers do get numbers from Bookscan (which your agent can occasionally prod your editor to receive), which reports sales at Borders, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Walden and some others, these numbers aren't complete. And this doesn't then include the libraries, independents, and a slew of other distributors, including the big box stores like Costco.
I just don't get it! I'll talk more in the future about how publishing seems to be one of the few industries that does little to no market research, but this just seems like such a glaring situation. I mean, beyond the obvious accurate numbers for royalties and monetary situations, don't publishers want to know say, what actually sells books? If, say, there's a review in the Seattle Times and sales shoot up, or if doing a radio tour has some impact on overall sales or whatever?? It's not a huge surprise that some people equate buying a potential best-seller with throwing something against the wall and hoping it sticks because this situation is just an clear indication of one of the major lapses in the industry, IMO.
(Disclaimer: I do want to say that I have nothing but happy things to report about my own publishers, so please don't take this as an indictment on them!)
Anyway, this has been really eye-opening for me. It's truly mind-boggling that the publishers don't have all the fine print on how books are selling, and true, someone, somewhere, probably does have those details, but in general terms, most people at the house don't receive them.
Have you ever heard of anything so crazy?? Now you see why my answer to my sales question is so vague. Because, other than Bookscan estimates, I really have no idea.
So, the question I'm most asked, now that TDLF is out there in the world is, "How are sales going." I mean, I'm seriously asked this several times a day. And I have to give the vaguest answer, which is, "They seem to be going well. It's still in the front of stores." And that's the truth. They do seem to be going well, but the reason that this is such a bland answer is that honestly, from what I've gleaned, no one has concrete numbers about the sales of books.
Huh? Seriously? What?
Okay, for real. From what I understand, publishers don't track exact sales, and even when your royalty statement comes in - which, incidentally, isn't until six months or so after your release date - these still might be incomplete or inaccurate. It's mind-boggling. Truthfully, I don't understand the intricacies of it all - and maybe someone else here can explain it - but evidently, while publishers do get numbers from Bookscan (which your agent can occasionally prod your editor to receive), which reports sales at Borders, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Walden and some others, these numbers aren't complete. And this doesn't then include the libraries, independents, and a slew of other distributors, including the big box stores like Costco.
I just don't get it! I'll talk more in the future about how publishing seems to be one of the few industries that does little to no market research, but this just seems like such a glaring situation. I mean, beyond the obvious accurate numbers for royalties and monetary situations, don't publishers want to know say, what actually sells books? If, say, there's a review in the Seattle Times and sales shoot up, or if doing a radio tour has some impact on overall sales or whatever?? It's not a huge surprise that some people equate buying a potential best-seller with throwing something against the wall and hoping it sticks because this situation is just an clear indication of one of the major lapses in the industry, IMO.
(Disclaimer: I do want to say that I have nothing but happy things to report about my own publishers, so please don't take this as an indictment on them!)
Anyway, this has been really eye-opening for me. It's truly mind-boggling that the publishers don't have all the fine print on how books are selling, and true, someone, somewhere, probably does have those details, but in general terms, most people at the house don't receive them.
Have you ever heard of anything so crazy?? Now you see why my answer to my sales question is so vague. Because, other than Bookscan estimates, I really have no idea.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Help My Kid Read!
So my husband and I are having a convo about our son last night at dinner. Well, it was also about us. See, I am an avid reader. (Obviously.) I can read just about any book in two-days, and once I pick up a juicy one, I'm completely oblivious to the world. My brother is the same way...I mean, he reads more books and reads them faster than any human being I've ever seen.
My husband, however, is not so eager to dive in. In fact, I'd go so far as to say (as would he) that not only doesn't he read very often, he doesn't particularly enjoy it when he does. (Trust me, it was a huge accomplishment in our household when he read TDLF.) To be fair, he spends a good deal of his day reading for work, so it's not like he's illiterate and it's not like he's not freakishly smart: he is. He just doesn't enjoy reading for pleasure.
So this comes up last night as we're discussing our son, who is almost 3. Now, Cam really digs it when we read to him, which we do every night, and I often do while he eats, and at intermittent periods during the day, etc. But he also plays around with us: we ask him to point out letters, and even though it's obvious that he knows them, he jokes that he doesn't and pretends that certain letters are numbers, etc. This, I know, is just part of his personality: he's a ham and finds the whole scene hilarious.
But there's a niggly feeling in me that wonders if we're not doing enough to turn him into the readers that my brother and I became. I mean, I'm an easy-going mom. He's allowed some TV, and spends a lot of his day just playing, and certainly, I'm not interested in pinning him to the library and turning him into a superhero reader. But I do want to impart how much joy books can bring into his life, and how they can take him places that TV and other mediums can't. (I should add that I'm not truly concerned that he won't love to read or doesn't love to already: he's surrounded by books and a writer mom, etc, but I'm more interested in what you can do to fashion a good reader.)
So, I know that a lot of you out there are avid readers...how did your parents help you get there? Why are so many kids out there completely disinterested in reading these days? Is it because TV is just so much easier and since a lot of kids are lazy to begin with, they'd rather plop down in front of it and zone out?
And yes, I do plan to ask my mom what she did right...but I'm curious to hear what other people are doing for their own kids or what nurtured their own love of books.
My husband, however, is not so eager to dive in. In fact, I'd go so far as to say (as would he) that not only doesn't he read very often, he doesn't particularly enjoy it when he does. (Trust me, it was a huge accomplishment in our household when he read TDLF.) To be fair, he spends a good deal of his day reading for work, so it's not like he's illiterate and it's not like he's not freakishly smart: he is. He just doesn't enjoy reading for pleasure.
So this comes up last night as we're discussing our son, who is almost 3. Now, Cam really digs it when we read to him, which we do every night, and I often do while he eats, and at intermittent periods during the day, etc. But he also plays around with us: we ask him to point out letters, and even though it's obvious that he knows them, he jokes that he doesn't and pretends that certain letters are numbers, etc. This, I know, is just part of his personality: he's a ham and finds the whole scene hilarious.
But there's a niggly feeling in me that wonders if we're not doing enough to turn him into the readers that my brother and I became. I mean, I'm an easy-going mom. He's allowed some TV, and spends a lot of his day just playing, and certainly, I'm not interested in pinning him to the library and turning him into a superhero reader. But I do want to impart how much joy books can bring into his life, and how they can take him places that TV and other mediums can't. (I should add that I'm not truly concerned that he won't love to read or doesn't love to already: he's surrounded by books and a writer mom, etc, but I'm more interested in what you can do to fashion a good reader.)
So, I know that a lot of you out there are avid readers...how did your parents help you get there? Why are so many kids out there completely disinterested in reading these days? Is it because TV is just so much easier and since a lot of kids are lazy to begin with, they'd rather plop down in front of it and zone out?
And yes, I do plan to ask my mom what she did right...but I'm curious to hear what other people are doing for their own kids or what nurtured their own love of books.
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