Don't call me.
I'm serious.
The only people who should ever dial my telephone number are signed clients, or people I've asked to call me.
If you've sent a query and want to follow up: do NOT call me.
(email!)
If you've read my website and want to run an idea past me: do NOT call me.
(finish the book, then (surprise!) email me
If you want to invite me to a conference: do NOT call me!
(email!)
If you're an editor with a seven figure offer...oh wait. Yes, you can call me. But really, there's no need. I'll be right over.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Are you organizing a writers conference?
Are you inviting agents to be part of the conference?
Here are some things I thought would be obvious, but my mail indicates otherwise.
1. Address the email to me, not a bcc to a long list of agents. It's an invitation; at least pretend you really WANT me to come.
2. Include the date and the YEAR. I'm booking dates for 2011 already. Be specific.
3. Specifically state you will pay for meals and transportation. If you don't say you will, I'm not going to write back and ask- its embarrassing. I'm simply going to say no. You MUST cover both.
4. Please do not tell me you'll "waive the conference fee" as if it's some kind of bonus. Agents do not pay to attend writing conferences. Not now, not ever. I pay to attend conventions like Bouchercon and Malice Domestic, but if you expect me to take pitch appointments, I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for the privilege.
5. Please tell me if the conference location is accessible from the train station or airport by cab or shuttle. If it's NOT, you'll need to tell me you'll arrange transportation. This is one of the biggest problems for NYC agents travelling to the rolling hills of Out There: many of us don't drive.
6. Include the time the conference starts and ends. Friday at 8am in New Jersey is a whole different travel schedule than Friday at 3pm in Baltimore.
Here are some things I thought would be obvious, but my mail indicates otherwise.
1. Address the email to me, not a bcc to a long list of agents. It's an invitation; at least pretend you really WANT me to come.
2. Include the date and the YEAR. I'm booking dates for 2011 already. Be specific.
3. Specifically state you will pay for meals and transportation. If you don't say you will, I'm not going to write back and ask- its embarrassing. I'm simply going to say no. You MUST cover both.
4. Please do not tell me you'll "waive the conference fee" as if it's some kind of bonus. Agents do not pay to attend writing conferences. Not now, not ever. I pay to attend conventions like Bouchercon and Malice Domestic, but if you expect me to take pitch appointments, I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for the privilege.
5. Please tell me if the conference location is accessible from the train station or airport by cab or shuttle. If it's NOT, you'll need to tell me you'll arrange transportation. This is one of the biggest problems for NYC agents travelling to the rolling hills of Out There: many of us don't drive.
6. Include the time the conference starts and ends. Friday at 8am in New Jersey is a whole different travel schedule than Friday at 3pm in Baltimore.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
I don't feel bad in the least bit
An increasing number of query letters fail to say what the book is about in any meaningful or compelling way. There's a cursory set up paragraph "hot shot detective must solve crime or face social isolation!" What those letters cover instead are the marketing possibilities for the book.
Let me be clear: marketing is important, but it's not what I want to know about first, or even most.
You MUST tell me what the book is about, and tell me about it in a way that is compelling.
No exceptions.
I don't want to see "film" "best seller" or "niche market" or "studies have shown" anywhere in your query letter for a novel.
If you don't tell me what the novel is about, I will send you a form rejection. I won't waste a moment of regret on it either because I want to work with writers who are prepared, and careful, and meticulous
Of course, the people who are doing this have never read this, or any other blog. They've certainly never availed themselves of the hundred or so examples at QueryShark.
For those of you who are now panicking that you've tried to write a good query, and are afraid it won't show: stop worrying. You'll do just fine. You'll do just fine because these mistakes are by people who aren't trying hard to get it right. These mistakes of are from people who are just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks.
If you want to stick to the wall at my office, you'll need an octopus.
Let me be clear: marketing is important, but it's not what I want to know about first, or even most.
You MUST tell me what the book is about, and tell me about it in a way that is compelling.
No exceptions.
I don't want to see "film" "best seller" or "niche market" or "studies have shown" anywhere in your query letter for a novel.
If you don't tell me what the novel is about, I will send you a form rejection. I won't waste a moment of regret on it either because I want to work with writers who are prepared, and careful, and meticulous
Of course, the people who are doing this have never read this, or any other blog. They've certainly never availed themselves of the hundred or so examples at QueryShark.
For those of you who are now panicking that you've tried to write a good query, and are afraid it won't show: stop worrying. You'll do just fine. You'll do just fine because these mistakes are by people who aren't trying hard to get it right. These mistakes of are from people who are just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks.
If you want to stick to the wall at my office, you'll need an octopus.
Hot Reads picks A Different Shade of Blue
Hot Reads in the OC Metro magazine picked Adam Eisenberg's A DIFFERENT SHADE OF BLUE for their recent Hot Reads choice!
In 1961 a landmark civil rights suit allowed women to pursue law enforcement careers on equal footing with men.
The arrival of women changed policing but it didn't much change police ethos. Being a cop still means being part of a culture that is masculine, military-minded, and macho. That's a tough place to be when you aren't masculine.
What's it really like to be a female cop? Stripped of the television stereotypes, and political correctness whitewashing, A DIFFERENT SHADE OF BLUE is the on-the-record, in their own names, accounting from three generations of female officers. Black, white; lesbian, straight; feminist, not; married, single. The only thing they have in common is gender, badge and gun.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
It was either an octopus on a stick or...
finding someone willing to stand in the train station holding a red balloon.
Fortunately, I have just such a willing boon companion
Are you wondering WHY we'd need this attention grabbing image at Penn Station? (Many people did!)
When a group of people need to meet in a crowded place, it's either an octopus on a stick OR a big ol' red balloon and Barbara Poelle to hold it high!
Fortunately, I have just such a willing boon companion
Are you wondering WHY we'd need this attention grabbing image at Penn Station? (Many people did!)
When a group of people need to meet in a crowded place, it's either an octopus on a stick OR a big ol' red balloon and Barbara Poelle to hold it high!
Friday, July 24, 2009
482 emails and 53 hours. Can she do it? (why yes she can!)
I spent the afternoon watching amazing athletes perform feats of dazzling speed this afternoon. And I counted it as work....amazing what a trip to the ponies with colleagues can be called for the purposes of the expense account!
I'm back home now, and the weekend countdown has begun.482 emails are in the starting gate. None of those are queries. None are emails for the query shark. None are spam. I've filed each of the emails in those categories in their separate spot.
If I don't have fewer than 10 by 4am Monday morning, I'm letting the senior godsend shave my head.
Yow!
Friday at midnight: 462
Saturday at 1:05am: 370
Saturday at 1:52am: 257
My eyes are rolling around independently of each other.
Time for a break!...about ten hours!
Saturday at 1:25pm: 189!!!!
Sunday at 1:29am 78!!!!!!!!
Holy moly, I might actually get there!
Sunday at 1:oopm: 50!!!
You can see the pace is slowing as I get near the end but I can SEE the end!!
Monday morning 1:48am-0. Zero. Null. Zippo!
Hot diggety dawg!
I'm back home now, and the weekend countdown has begun.482 emails are in the starting gate. None of those are queries. None are emails for the query shark. None are spam. I've filed each of the emails in those categories in their separate spot.
If I don't have fewer than 10 by 4am Monday morning, I'm letting the senior godsend shave my head.
Yow!
Friday at midnight: 462
Saturday at 1:05am: 370
Saturday at 1:52am: 257
My eyes are rolling around independently of each other.
Time for a break!...about ten hours!
Saturday at 1:25pm: 189!!!!
Sunday at 1:29am 78!!!!!!!!
Holy moly, I might actually get there!
Sunday at 1:oopm: 50!!!
You can see the pace is slowing as I get near the end but I can SEE the end!!
Monday morning 1:48am-0. Zero. Null. Zippo!
Hot diggety dawg!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
"Hey J, are you dead or what (and I'm hoping for dead at this point)"
An ominous snapping sound wakes me around the crack of noon these days. It is the slinking ever-closer slavering jaws of some very very unhappy people; people waiting for an email answer; people with full manuscripts here for an appalling long time. They're starting to look feral in their desire to chew my hind end off. They'd prefer an answer but at this point, they'll settle for a piece of me just to get my attention.
Truthfully, I'd like nothing better than to not wake with the sound of clicking jaws in my ear, and god knows I'm trying but here's what's happening:
I'm selling stuff.
It's a serious problem this selling stuff. It really interferes with the To Do list.
You get a call on Tuesday with an offer and there's goes the day; shot to hell in handbasket by the time you call the author, call the subsidiary rights director ("what the hell is open market again, please" and "do we really need audio?"), call the editor, negotiate back and forth, pause briefly to screech for joy, next thing you know, there goes the day.
Do that enough, and there goes the week.
It's a nice problem to have if you're the agent and the author.
It's a real bitch if you're the one whose book hasn't sold yet, whose manuscript didn't get read, whose email is languishing.
And it's amazing what one small problem, like the printer giving up the ghost, can do for a well planned thoughtful schedule.
One of the hardest things I've had to learn, well actually that I'm STILL learning, is to not plan more than a couple things a day. Do that, and you never EVER catch up cause those unscheduled things, like a sale!, will push the lowest priority items to tomorrow, or next week.
So, if you're waiting to hear from me, know this: I am trying. I'm trying so hard I've now promised to shave my head and become a Buddhist monk if I don't answer all my emails by the end of this coming weekend.
I've heard from several volunteers who have already sharpened theirsheers. shears. Oops.
Truthfully, I'd like nothing better than to not wake with the sound of clicking jaws in my ear, and god knows I'm trying but here's what's happening:
I'm selling stuff.
It's a serious problem this selling stuff. It really interferes with the To Do list.
You get a call on Tuesday with an offer and there's goes the day; shot to hell in handbasket by the time you call the author, call the subsidiary rights director ("what the hell is open market again, please" and "do we really need audio?"), call the editor, negotiate back and forth, pause briefly to screech for joy, next thing you know, there goes the day.
Do that enough, and there goes the week.
It's a nice problem to have if you're the agent and the author.
It's a real bitch if you're the one whose book hasn't sold yet, whose manuscript didn't get read, whose email is languishing.
And it's amazing what one small problem, like the printer giving up the ghost, can do for a well planned thoughtful schedule.
One of the hardest things I've had to learn, well actually that I'm STILL learning, is to not plan more than a couple things a day. Do that, and you never EVER catch up cause those unscheduled things, like a sale!, will push the lowest priority items to tomorrow, or next week.
So, if you're waiting to hear from me, know this: I am trying. I'm trying so hard I've now promised to shave my head and become a Buddhist monk if I don't answer all my emails by the end of this coming weekend.
I've heard from several volunteers who have already sharpened their
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Nathan Bransford's problem solved
Why he didn't think of this is beyond me but then again, he's not mean or nasty or...me.
Here's his problem: he asks people to paste their query letter into their manuscript when sending a partial or full. Most people do it. 1 in 4 do not. Nathan posted a plea on his blog for actual queriers to help him make the wording clearer. He thought maybe people just didn't understand.
Here's what I do when people don't follow the directions: send a reply saying "please resubmit your requested manuscript and this time follow the directions."
I don't do the cutting and pasting for them.
I don't explain the directions in different words.
I also don't discard the query.
One mulligan per query...but that's only for partials and fulls.
If you don't follow the directions at the initial query stage (send your query as an attachment; don't tell me what the book is about; cc or bcc every agent in NYC) I don't worry about it. I just say no.
The horrifying fact that 25% of the pool either missed seeing or just didn't follow the directions doesn't surprise me in the slightest. Somebody has to be below average! I just hope it's not you.
Here's his problem: he asks people to paste their query letter into their manuscript when sending a partial or full. Most people do it. 1 in 4 do not. Nathan posted a plea on his blog for actual queriers to help him make the wording clearer. He thought maybe people just didn't understand.
Here's what I do when people don't follow the directions: send a reply saying "please resubmit your requested manuscript and this time follow the directions."
I don't do the cutting and pasting for them.
I don't explain the directions in different words.
I also don't discard the query.
One mulligan per query...but that's only for partials and fulls.
If you don't follow the directions at the initial query stage (send your query as an attachment; don't tell me what the book is about; cc or bcc every agent in NYC) I don't worry about it. I just say no.
The horrifying fact that 25% of the pool either missed seeing or just didn't follow the directions doesn't surprise me in the slightest. Somebody has to be below average! I just hope it's not you.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
The trouble with godsends
I have had the good fortune to work with some terrifically talented people at the start of their publishing careers. They come in to the office bright eyed and enthusiastic. They take on all manner of tasks cheerfully. They read late into the night and still show up in the morning to open the doors, start the coffee, field the phone calls and sort the mail.
When we advertise for people to fill these positions we say "assistant." We're wrong. The people who do this job are godsends. The office simply could not run at the high volume, brisk pace it does without those people doing their jobs well. They are key players in our success. Every single person at FinePrint knows and appreciates that.
There's just one small tiny(horrible) problem with godsends: They learn. Quickly. They learn how wonderfully fun it is to be an agent.
First they find a manuscript they love. Next thing you know they're wooing a new client.
I'm all in favor of this of course except for one small tiny (horrible) thing: who's going to send my faxes (I'm not actually allowed to touch the fax machine!) and get me mocha lattes in the afternoon now?? Yes, I know it sounds selfish. Ok, it IS selfish. I get that.
It's just that the smarter they are and the better at being godsends, the shorter amount of time till they get that glint for agenting in their eye.
The most recent godsend slinking over to the dark side is our beloved Suzie Townsend. I'm not sure she sleeps. I think she'd probably have made a darn good gunnery sergeant if she'd felt the call to serve in the Marines.
She's one of the most organized, and least flappable people I've ever known, let alone worked with. She's got a keen eye for good novels too.
Fair warning: if Suzie calls to talk about your manuscript and whether you might like to sign up with her, just say yes. She may not have much experience, but she's got exactly what it takes to be a great agent. Dammit.
When we advertise for people to fill these positions we say "assistant." We're wrong. The people who do this job are godsends. The office simply could not run at the high volume, brisk pace it does without those people doing their jobs well. They are key players in our success. Every single person at FinePrint knows and appreciates that.
There's just one small tiny(horrible) problem with godsends: They learn. Quickly. They learn how wonderfully fun it is to be an agent.
First they find a manuscript they love. Next thing you know they're wooing a new client.
I'm all in favor of this of course except for one small tiny (horrible) thing: who's going to send my faxes (I'm not actually allowed to touch the fax machine!) and get me mocha lattes in the afternoon now?? Yes, I know it sounds selfish. Ok, it IS selfish. I get that.
It's just that the smarter they are and the better at being godsends, the shorter amount of time till they get that glint for agenting in their eye.
The most recent godsend slinking over to the dark side is our beloved Suzie Townsend. I'm not sure she sleeps. I think she'd probably have made a darn good gunnery sergeant if she'd felt the call to serve in the Marines.
She's one of the most organized, and least flappable people I've ever known, let alone worked with. She's got a keen eye for good novels too.
Fair warning: if Suzie calls to talk about your manuscript and whether you might like to sign up with her, just say yes. She may not have much experience, but she's got exactly what it takes to be a great agent. Dammit.
Monday, July 20, 2009
good advice from a smart young intern
A very hilarious, as well as smart and savvy blog written by INTERN is on my daily read list. Here's a terrific post on memoir, and spiritual memoir in particular.
I couldn't have said it better myself, believe me, I've tried.
I couldn't have said it better myself, believe me, I've tried.
Eyeball tuneups
After reading a stack of query letters, I need to tune up my eyeballs with some good prose before diving into some juicy editing work, or reading full manuscripts.
There are several places I can reliably find prose good enough to recalibrate my reading eye. Stephen Parrish's blog is one of them.
Here's his post about a Bag Lady.
You'll be glad to know Midnight Ink was smart enough to sign him up for a novel, and it will be coming out ...uh...ok, I don't know. But I bet he'll tell us in the comment column if someone asks nicely.
There are several places I can reliably find prose good enough to recalibrate my reading eye. Stephen Parrish's blog is one of them.
Here's his post about a Bag Lady.
You'll be glad to know Midnight Ink was smart enough to sign him up for a novel, and it will be coming out ...uh...ok, I don't know. But I bet he'll tell us in the comment column if someone asks nicely.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Gee thanks Jesus
As many of you know I am a practicing (emphasis on the not getting it right and trying again definition of "practice") Catholic. As such, I hit the pews on Sunday and pay attention to the good Father's homily.
At today's mass we heard the Twenty Third Psalm; we'd heard a portion of the Book of Jeremiah for the Old Testament reading. The Scripture reading was the start of the loaves and fishes story from Mark.
For those of you who want to read along, here's the link.
As I sat in the pew, an overwhelming feeling of dread arose. If you take a look at the readings, you'll notice a consistent metaphor for the children of God.
Sheep.
Sheep.
Dear God, SHEEP.
Let's all remember it wasn't but a few days ago that I was talking about Kari Dell's blog post about sheep.
Sheep are stupid.
If Jesus is the shepherd, that makes me....one of the sheep.
uh boy, thanks a lot, Lamb of God.
I just happened to be in the first occupied pew this morning so when the good Father began to speak about sheep, all I could think about was Kari Dell's post, and I started to laugh. And of course, being right there in front of his eyeballs, he couldn't help but see me. He's a good and kind man. He didn't stop and smack me with his rosary then and there, but I slunk down in the pew nonetheless.
Needless to say, I slithered shamefacedly down the aisle after mass, waited till the crowd had dispersed then said "I'm really sorry I laughed at that sheep thing Father. See...I have this client who lives on sheep farm, and she wrote this really funny blog post..."
He laughed, and said "yes, you were very baaaaaaad" and I fell on the sidewalk I was laughing so hard. Fortunately, no one called for an exorcism and I managed to crawl away...rather sheepishly of course.
At today's mass we heard the Twenty Third Psalm; we'd heard a portion of the Book of Jeremiah for the Old Testament reading. The Scripture reading was the start of the loaves and fishes story from Mark.
For those of you who want to read along, here's the link.
As I sat in the pew, an overwhelming feeling of dread arose. If you take a look at the readings, you'll notice a consistent metaphor for the children of God.
Sheep.
Sheep.
Dear God, SHEEP.
Let's all remember it wasn't but a few days ago that I was talking about Kari Dell's blog post about sheep.
Sheep are stupid.
If Jesus is the shepherd, that makes me....one of the sheep.
uh boy, thanks a lot, Lamb of God.
I just happened to be in the first occupied pew this morning so when the good Father began to speak about sheep, all I could think about was Kari Dell's post, and I started to laugh. And of course, being right there in front of his eyeballs, he couldn't help but see me. He's a good and kind man. He didn't stop and smack me with his rosary then and there, but I slunk down in the pew nonetheless.
Needless to say, I slithered shamefacedly down the aisle after mass, waited till the crowd had dispersed then said "I'm really sorry I laughed at that sheep thing Father. See...I have this client who lives on sheep farm, and she wrote this really funny blog post..."
He laughed, and said "yes, you were very baaaaaaad" and I fell on the sidewalk I was laughing so hard. Fortunately, no one called for an exorcism and I managed to crawl away...rather sheepishly of course.
Query Tally for..uh..what day is this?
Start time: 9:43pm
Starting number of queries: 36
The really easy and fast ones:
Word count so off base it didn't make it into the TBR folder: 3
Duplicate query of one already received/responded: 1
Instant rejection-fiction novel: 2
all of those took about a minute total
These were also easy but I read them before knowing they were auto-rejections:
Books I don't take on-previously published, sex abuse, etc.: 3
The ones I actually read:
Derivative ideas/concepts: 1
Jarring juxtaposition of gruesome plot and sprightly diction: 1
No interest in reading this book: 4
(the definitive "not right for me")
Bad writing: 4
Not compelling: 6
No clue what the book is about after reading the query: 6
Misc (reasons too specific to the query to blog about): 2
And the good news:
Queries set aside for further reading: 1
Queries pending answer to a question: 1
And the really good news:
Fulls requested: 1
Finish time including writing this blog post: 10:29pm
You'll notice the pattern emerging here, right?
I do a bunch of them all at one time.
I'm reading pretty quickly.
You have to catch my attention in the query letter.
You have to know the parameters: word count, fiction novel etc.
And it really really helps if you actually tell me what the book is about.
Starting number of queries: 36
The really easy and fast ones:
Word count so off base it didn't make it into the TBR folder: 3
Duplicate query of one already received/responded: 1
Instant rejection-fiction novel: 2
all of those took about a minute total
These were also easy but I read them before knowing they were auto-rejections:
Books I don't take on-previously published, sex abuse, etc.: 3
The ones I actually read:
Derivative ideas/concepts: 1
Jarring juxtaposition of gruesome plot and sprightly diction: 1
No interest in reading this book: 4
(the definitive "not right for me")
Bad writing: 4
Not compelling: 6
No clue what the book is about after reading the query: 6
Misc (reasons too specific to the query to blog about): 2
And the good news:
Queries set aside for further reading: 1
Queries pending answer to a question: 1
And the really good news:
Fulls requested: 1
Finish time including writing this blog post: 10:29pm
You'll notice the pattern emerging here, right?
I do a bunch of them all at one time.
I'm reading pretty quickly.
You have to catch my attention in the query letter.
You have to know the parameters: word count, fiction novel etc.
And it really really helps if you actually tell me what the book is about.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
"nice deal" "good deal"
If you're looking at the deal listings at Publishers Marketplace you'll see "good deal" "nice deal" "significant deal" over and over again.
The reason is that Publishers Marketplace codes deals within a dollar range as "good" "nice" "significant" etc. They set the categories, we just click which one best describes the deal we're posting.
Of course, I've tried to list some of my deals in other ways:
"last gasp deal"--exactly as much money as I could wring out of the editor without turning him upside down and shaking loose spare change from his pockets.
"bargain of the damn century deal"--not anywhere near as much money as this book is worth and going to earn, but damned if I could find anyone who was smart enough to see that
"in the interest of long term relationships deal" --a figure not as near to the book's value as I'd hoped I'd get but we'll get you the next time
"holy shit deal" --more money than I thought anyone in their right mind would offer, and I'm taking it so fast your head will spin, here's the signed contract personally delivered to the office, can I have the check please.
The reason is that Publishers Marketplace codes deals within a dollar range as "good" "nice" "significant" etc. They set the categories, we just click which one best describes the deal we're posting.
Of course, I've tried to list some of my deals in other ways:
"last gasp deal"--exactly as much money as I could wring out of the editor without turning him upside down and shaking loose spare change from his pockets.
"bargain of the damn century deal"--not anywhere near as much money as this book is worth and going to earn, but damned if I could find anyone who was smart enough to see that
"in the interest of long term relationships deal" --a figure not as near to the book's value as I'd hoped I'd get but we'll get you the next time
"holy shit deal" --more money than I thought anyone in their right mind would offer, and I'm taking it so fast your head will spin, here's the signed contract personally delivered to the office, can I have the check please.
Who is this guy Stubbs, and does he have an agent?
Steve Stubbs responded to my Air and light and time and space post with something too funny to leave languishing in the comment trail
There was a startling new discovery in the library of Podunk Junior College recently. Nobody knows whether it is authentic or not, but the discovery appears to be a manuscript of an earlier version of Edgar Allen Poe’s poem The Raven. Poe was a little short on cash when he wrote The Raven and poured out his despair into the earlier version. Then he wadded it up and threw it in the trash. How it ever got into the library of Podunk Junior College I’ll never know. It does give you an idea of why being a starving writer in a garret is a real pisser. This is a first draft, so bear that in mind. Since Poe was a little worried at the time, you will understand why he did not call this earlier version The Raven but
The Craven
By Edgar Allen Poe
(And if he didn’t write it, then someone else did.)
Once upon an MS dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Ignoring many a quaint and curious scribbled page of vapid lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
It was a bill collector I deplore.
“When ‘re you going to pay?” he’d implore.
I responded, “Nevermore.”
Ah, distinctly I remember
He was the worst and bleakest member,
Of a collection agency I’d dismember
If I could.
I’d done it before.
But this time he was not alone,
A cop was there I thought had gone,
I thought was gone, he was not gone,
Standing at my chamber door.
“Open this door,” he’d implore.
Again said I, “Never more.”
The gentle tapping turned to rapping,
And then the rapping turned to slapping,
And finally the two were bapping,
Bapping at my chamber door.
They’d break it down, my chamber door,
I bade them go, Forever more.
“You owe us a pile of money.”
I said, “Knaves, you’re really funny”
“You really think I’d pay you, honey?”
“Ha, ha, ha, you I deplore.”
“I will pay you Nevermore.”
I made a mad dash for the window,
It would not open, my wretched window,
I looked at it, I saw the reason,
I nailed it shut the night before.
To keep the bill collectors out
I nailed it shut the night before.
I started sweating from every pore.
The rapping grew louder, louder at my chamber door.
“Open up, you scoundrel,” the rappers did implore.
“I’m just a writer. My books have tanked.
I have no cash like I did before.”
Finally their angry rapping,
Finally their insistent slapping,
Not much more a gentle rapping
Forced open my wretched door.
You rat! You’ll pay! I heard them say.
I see your wallet through the door.
There’s nothing in it, I implored.
They raised my wallet from the floor,
Chewing gum, and nothing more
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
I grabbed my marijuana bonger and made my mad dash through the door.
I left them both running through the door,
I’d see those two fiends Never More.
Rushing wildly down the hall
I heard a sound that me appalled
My persecutors were on the ball,
On the ball they rushed through the door.
With my credit cards galore.
I worked hard on a query letter,
The last one’s bad, but this one’s better
I folded up the better letter
And shoved it in the proper door.
Janet Reid will solve my problem,
Solve my problem, she did before.
Or was that Kristin?
Was it Rhonda, Barb or Listin?
I felt at once my memory slippin’,
Slippin’ like it did before.
I may write – nevermore.
There was a startling new discovery in the library of Podunk Junior College recently. Nobody knows whether it is authentic or not, but the discovery appears to be a manuscript of an earlier version of Edgar Allen Poe’s poem The Raven. Poe was a little short on cash when he wrote The Raven and poured out his despair into the earlier version. Then he wadded it up and threw it in the trash. How it ever got into the library of Podunk Junior College I’ll never know. It does give you an idea of why being a starving writer in a garret is a real pisser. This is a first draft, so bear that in mind. Since Poe was a little worried at the time, you will understand why he did not call this earlier version The Raven but
The Craven
By Edgar Allen Poe
(And if he didn’t write it, then someone else did.)
Once upon an MS dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Ignoring many a quaint and curious scribbled page of vapid lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
It was a bill collector I deplore.
“When ‘re you going to pay?” he’d implore.
I responded, “Nevermore.”
Ah, distinctly I remember
He was the worst and bleakest member,
Of a collection agency I’d dismember
If I could.
I’d done it before.
But this time he was not alone,
A cop was there I thought had gone,
I thought was gone, he was not gone,
Standing at my chamber door.
“Open this door,” he’d implore.
Again said I, “Never more.”
The gentle tapping turned to rapping,
And then the rapping turned to slapping,
And finally the two were bapping,
Bapping at my chamber door.
They’d break it down, my chamber door,
I bade them go, Forever more.
“You owe us a pile of money.”
I said, “Knaves, you’re really funny”
“You really think I’d pay you, honey?”
“Ha, ha, ha, you I deplore.”
“I will pay you Nevermore.”
I made a mad dash for the window,
It would not open, my wretched window,
I looked at it, I saw the reason,
I nailed it shut the night before.
To keep the bill collectors out
I nailed it shut the night before.
I started sweating from every pore.
The rapping grew louder, louder at my chamber door.
“Open up, you scoundrel,” the rappers did implore.
“I’m just a writer. My books have tanked.
I have no cash like I did before.”
Finally their angry rapping,
Finally their insistent slapping,
Not much more a gentle rapping
Forced open my wretched door.
You rat! You’ll pay! I heard them say.
I see your wallet through the door.
There’s nothing in it, I implored.
They raised my wallet from the floor,
Chewing gum, and nothing more
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
I grabbed my marijuana bonger and made my mad dash through the door.
I left them both running through the door,
I’d see those two fiends Never More.
Rushing wildly down the hall
I heard a sound that me appalled
My persecutors were on the ball,
On the ball they rushed through the door.
With my credit cards galore.
I worked hard on a query letter,
The last one’s bad, but this one’s better
I folded up the better letter
And shoved it in the proper door.
Janet Reid will solve my problem,
Solve my problem, she did before.
Or was that Kristin?
Was it Rhonda, Barb or Listin?
I felt at once my memory slippin’,
Slippin’ like it did before.
I may write – nevermore.
If you want to meet an agent at a conference
Kristin Nelson's post about established authors going to conventions and conferences to meet agents has some darn good advice.
If you're thinking of going to Bouchercon or Crimebake to meet agents, you need to start getting on their radar pretty soon.
If you're thinking of going to Bouchercon or Crimebake to meet agents, you need to start getting on their radar pretty soon.
Air and light and time and space
I've been bellyaching about too many emails and not enough time recently.
This post by Stephen J. Schwartz at Murderati on Crunch Time reminded me agents haven't cornered the market on time problems at all.
His post opens with a poem by Charles Bukowski (and if you've not read Charles Bukowski, stop what you are doing and remedy that)
Air and light and time and space
By Charles Bukowski
“-you know, I’ve either had a family, a job, something
has always been in the
way
but now
I’ve sold my house, I’ve found this
place, a large studio, you should see the space and
the light.
For the first time in my life I’m going to have a place and the time to
create.”
No baby, if you’re going to create
you’re going to create whether you work
16 hours a day in a coal mine
or
you’re going to create in a small room with 3 children
while you’re on
welfare,
you’re going to create with part of your mind and your
body blown
away,
you’re going to create blind
crippled
demented,
you’re going to create with a cat crawling up your
back while
the whole city trembles in earthquake, bombardment,
flood and fire.
Baby, air and light and time and space
have nothing to do with it
and don’t create anything
except maybe a longer life to find
new excuses
for.”
This post by Stephen J. Schwartz at Murderati on Crunch Time reminded me agents haven't cornered the market on time problems at all.
His post opens with a poem by Charles Bukowski (and if you've not read Charles Bukowski, stop what you are doing and remedy that)
Air and light and time and space
By Charles Bukowski
“-you know, I’ve either had a family, a job, something
has always been in the
way
but now
I’ve sold my house, I’ve found this
place, a large studio, you should see the space and
the light.
For the first time in my life I’m going to have a place and the time to
create.”
No baby, if you’re going to create
you’re going to create whether you work
16 hours a day in a coal mine
or
you’re going to create in a small room with 3 children
while you’re on
welfare,
you’re going to create with part of your mind and your
body blown
away,
you’re going to create blind
crippled
demented,
you’re going to create with a cat crawling up your
back while
the whole city trembles in earthquake, bombardment,
flood and fire.
Baby, air and light and time and space
have nothing to do with it
and don’t create anything
except maybe a longer life to find
new excuses
for.”
a more informative query tally
Last night I posted a tally of results from general over-the-transom queries. Most of you aren't going to make the mistakes that got those contenders knocked out in what is essentially Round One.
There's a category I didn't mention last night because no one qualified for it. It's the "open queries" category. That's where I put the queries that pass muster in round one but haven't the time (or mindset!) to read just then.
I had 47 of those pending tonight. I started at 10:32 pm (see a pattern emerging here?)
I finished (but did not empty the file) at 12:47pm. I can only read for a couple hours before EVERYTHING looks like schlock and I want to reject everything for the most trivial of reasons. That's a sign to put down the mouse, and pick up the shot glass.
Here are the results:
Not right for me, but good, and probably right for another agent: 1
(rejected with referral)
Derivative premise: 1
(rejected with form letter)
Good concept; execution needs more help than I want to offer: 1
(rejected with personal note)
Novel fits best into a category I don't fare well with: 3
(rejections with explanation that it truly is me, not the book)
Not right for me: nothing compelling in early pages: 3
(not quite form rejection)
Now here's the good news:
Fulls requested: 3
One is marginal-the premise is good, the writing seems ok, and there weren't enough pages in the query to really know for sure if it will work, so I erred on the side of requesting instead of rejecting;
One seems like the start of a good commercial thriller;
and, one is so beautiful and so elegant that I'm almost afraid to read it because if it splats on page 50 it's going to break my heart.
Start to finish: 12 queries in about two hours (there were some brief interruptions during that time frame)
You can see from this that ANY kind of personal reply is a huge time debit. The other part of the process that adds a significant number of minutes is cutting and pasting the pages into Word so I can double space them, reformat them into TNR 12 and actually read them.
Single spaced text with no breaks between paragraphs is absolutely un-readable on a screen. There are nights when I see these in initial queries and I just don't have it in me to say anything other than no. There's a reason I yap a lot and loudly about formatting; that's one of them.
My reward for working hard? I get to settle in for a nice couple hours and read one of my client's manuscripts. Yes I have to think about editing notes on it, but it really will be a nice way to close the day.
There's a category I didn't mention last night because no one qualified for it. It's the "open queries" category. That's where I put the queries that pass muster in round one but haven't the time (or mindset!) to read just then.
I had 47 of those pending tonight. I started at 10:32 pm (see a pattern emerging here?)
I finished (but did not empty the file) at 12:47pm. I can only read for a couple hours before EVERYTHING looks like schlock and I want to reject everything for the most trivial of reasons. That's a sign to put down the mouse, and pick up the shot glass.
Here are the results:
Not right for me, but good, and probably right for another agent: 1
(rejected with referral)
Derivative premise: 1
(rejected with form letter)
Good concept; execution needs more help than I want to offer: 1
(rejected with personal note)
Novel fits best into a category I don't fare well with: 3
(rejections with explanation that it truly is me, not the book)
Not right for me: nothing compelling in early pages: 3
(not quite form rejection)
Now here's the good news:
Fulls requested: 3
One is marginal-the premise is good, the writing seems ok, and there weren't enough pages in the query to really know for sure if it will work, so I erred on the side of requesting instead of rejecting;
One seems like the start of a good commercial thriller;
and, one is so beautiful and so elegant that I'm almost afraid to read it because if it splats on page 50 it's going to break my heart.
Start to finish: 12 queries in about two hours (there were some brief interruptions during that time frame)
You can see from this that ANY kind of personal reply is a huge time debit. The other part of the process that adds a significant number of minutes is cutting and pasting the pages into Word so I can double space them, reformat them into TNR 12 and actually read them.
Single spaced text with no breaks between paragraphs is absolutely un-readable on a screen. There are nights when I see these in initial queries and I just don't have it in me to say anything other than no. There's a reason I yap a lot and loudly about formatting; that's one of them.
My reward for working hard? I get to settle in for a nice couple hours and read one of my client's manuscripts. Yes I have to think about editing notes on it, but it really will be a nice way to close the day.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Let's review
You've sent a query.
Excellent.
You haven't heard back.
Not so excellent.
Here are your choices:
A: lie on the floor, drum yourheals heels**, wail like a toddler;
B: email again asking if I've gotten the query;
C: email again, mentioning you haven't heard from me therefore I must not have received it.
What's the right answer?
A.
Surprised?
It's a trick question of course.
It's the right answer because the other two involve emailing me, and that makes them the WRONG ANSWER.
Smart queriers, those of you who read this and other agent blogs, and pay attention, know that you give agents THIRTY DAYS on a query.
Even if they are super-speedy sometimes.
Even if they post tallies of queries received and answered.
This is an unbreakable rule: I do NOT want to hear from you about your query until 30 days have gone by. After that, email to say you haven't heard and include the query again.
There are NO exceptions to this: NONE.
If I've sent you a request for a full, and I haven't heard from you, I WILL followup. In fact, if I don't hear from you after several attempts, I'll post it on this blog, find you, sign you and sell you. Just ask Gary Corby.
I'm sounding rather desperate about this because I am. My email situation is making me crazy. Right now I'm at 416 unanswered emails and that does NOT include queries, fulls, and pending queries. 416 unanswered emails just about the actual day to day business of agenting.
** oops. tks for pointing this out.
Excellent.
You haven't heard back.
Not so excellent.
Here are your choices:
A: lie on the floor, drum your
B: email again asking if I've gotten the query;
C: email again, mentioning you haven't heard from me therefore I must not have received it.
What's the right answer?
A.
Surprised?
It's a trick question of course.
It's the right answer because the other two involve emailing me, and that makes them the WRONG ANSWER.
Smart queriers, those of you who read this and other agent blogs, and pay attention, know that you give agents THIRTY DAYS on a query.
Even if they are super-speedy sometimes.
Even if they post tallies of queries received and answered.
This is an unbreakable rule: I do NOT want to hear from you about your query until 30 days have gone by. After that, email to say you haven't heard and include the query again.
There are NO exceptions to this: NONE.
If I've sent you a request for a full, and I haven't heard from you, I WILL followup. In fact, if I don't hear from you after several attempts, I'll post it on this blog, find you, sign you and sell you. Just ask Gary Corby.
I'm sounding rather desperate about this because I am. My email situation is making me crazy. Right now I'm at 416 unanswered emails and that does NOT include queries, fulls, and pending queries. 416 unanswered emails just about the actual day to day business of agenting.
** oops. tks for pointing this out.
Update on post below
I received three emails this morning from forlorn authors wondering why I hadn't replied to their queries since, as devoted blog readers, they read the post below and saw "done."
My foot sure looks lovely with that nice hole I shot in it my ownself, doesn't it.
Here's the scoop: the post below was for ONE day of queries. I've still got 46 in the pending file. That means if you received an email saying "this is not a form rejection, I just need more time" I do have your query, and I have not yet read it.
If you've sent me a query (via email) and have NOT heard back at all (and you have avoided the category of emails I don't feel compelled to answer--see blogroll) then write again.
Sorry for the confusion, and the consternation.
My foot sure looks lovely with that nice hole I shot in it my ownself, doesn't it.
Here's the scoop: the post below was for ONE day of queries. I've still got 46 in the pending file. That means if you received an email saying "this is not a form rejection, I just need more time" I do have your query, and I have not yet read it.
If you've sent me a query (via email) and have NOT heard back at all (and you have avoided the category of emails I don't feel compelled to answer--see blogroll) then write again.
Sorry for the confusion, and the consternation.
Query tally
A while back, somewhere in the comment trail, someone asked how many queries were essentially DOA.
I figured I'd tally my queries one of these nights and see what the number was; tonight I did:
I started at 10:52pm with 52 queries.
I had 32 left at 11:19
I was finished responding at 11:48.
So, roughly an hour to read 52 queries. Truthfully, that's a bit slow, in part because I was thinking of why I was saying no, and partly because I had to write up the tally sheet and record the decisions. I think I'd normally have finished in about half the time.
Herewith the results:
Here's the category you'll never be in since you read this blog:
Not from author/deleted with no response: 2
Here are the reasons for the other rejections:
Bad, bad writing: 2
Interesting idea, tepid opening, tepid writing: 1
can't sell this kind of book to save my sorry ass: 1 (non form rejection)
pages sent as attachment, not enough in query to interest me to have writer resend: 1
writers with VERY odd ideas of what makes a good kid's book: 1
authors trying so hard to be clever they are incomprehensible: 2
too busy describing the novel to tell me about the story: 2
great concept, wanted to love it, writing didn't hold up: 3
misused words: 3
not enough about the book in the query to interest me; first page not compelling: 4
unbelievable premise: 4
what the hell is this author thinking: 5
a complete and utter cluelessness about category s/he proposes to write in: 5
I have no interest in reading a book like this whatsoever: 6
And the most common reason I said no:
Boring, derivative idea: 9
The good news is:
fulls requested: 2
I figured I'd tally my queries one of these nights and see what the number was; tonight I did:
I started at 10:52pm with 52 queries.
I had 32 left at 11:19
I was finished responding at 11:48.
So, roughly an hour to read 52 queries. Truthfully, that's a bit slow, in part because I was thinking of why I was saying no, and partly because I had to write up the tally sheet and record the decisions. I think I'd normally have finished in about half the time.
Herewith the results:
Here's the category you'll never be in since you read this blog:
Not from author/deleted with no response: 2
Here are the reasons for the other rejections:
Bad, bad writing: 2
Interesting idea, tepid opening, tepid writing: 1
can't sell this kind of book to save my sorry ass: 1 (non form rejection)
pages sent as attachment, not enough in query to interest me to have writer resend: 1
writers with VERY odd ideas of what makes a good kid's book: 1
authors trying so hard to be clever they are incomprehensible: 2
too busy describing the novel to tell me about the story: 2
great concept, wanted to love it, writing didn't hold up: 3
misused words: 3
not enough about the book in the query to interest me; first page not compelling: 4
unbelievable premise: 4
what the hell is this author thinking: 5
a complete and utter cluelessness about category s/he proposes to write in: 5
I have no interest in reading a book like this whatsoever: 6
And the most common reason I said no:
Boring, derivative idea: 9
The good news is:
fulls requested: 2
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
I can hardly wait for pub date!
I hope you have this on pre-order at Amazon.
If by some horrifying oversight you haven't ordered it yet, click now or forever hold your peace.
If by some horrifying oversight you haven't ordered it yet, click now or forever hold your peace.
A reminder that no means no
I've had a spate of emails from people who say they read the blog but clearly missed this post about "what happens when you hear no."
I don't offer referrals.
I don't offer explanations of why your query was rejected.
More than one email like this and your email address gets tagged to bypass the inbox and go straight to delete.
Here's why: I will reply to all queries, but that's all. My job is not coaching you on your query letter or helping you find an agent that's not me. My job isn't to answer your questions about why your query letter wasn't right for me. It's not. Move on.
I don't offer referrals.
I don't offer explanations of why your query was rejected.
More than one email like this and your email address gets tagged to bypass the inbox and go straight to delete.
Here's why: I will reply to all queries, but that's all. My job is not coaching you on your query letter or helping you find an agent that's not me. My job isn't to answer your questions about why your query letter wasn't right for me. It's not. Move on.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Grand Hyatt 3--Janet 0
I'm not sure what it is about the Grand Hyatt in New York City, but I seem to lose stuff there. At the Edgars I lost my red feather boa. Sixteen minutes on hold with housekeeping, three calls to various lost and found wranglers all to no avail.
This weekend at Thrillerfest I lost two brand new hardcover books I'd just bought at Mysterious Bookshop. I know I had them in the bar. I didn't have them when I got home.
I'm going to have to start bringing an intern with me to parties just to make sure I get home with my shoes next time.
And the really snarly part is I was really looking forward to reading Brett Battles new book this morning. Phooey!
This weekend at Thrillerfest I lost two brand new hardcover books I'd just bought at Mysterious Bookshop. I know I had them in the bar. I didn't have them when I got home.
I'm going to have to start bringing an intern with me to parties just to make sure I get home with my shoes next time.
And the really snarly part is I was really looking forward to reading Brett Battles new book this morning. Phooey!
Sheepicide
Sheep are stupid.
I've known this ever since I made the mistake of buying two at a farm auction once, long long ago.
Looking into their eyes was just like looking at a taxidermy specimen.
I didn't keep them long enough to experience what Kari Dell describes on her blog this morning.
Here's the line that made me snort coffee: At some point, you become resigned to the fact that if a sheep isn't dead, it's because he hasn't got around to it yet
I've known this ever since I made the mistake of buying two at a farm auction once, long long ago.
Looking into their eyes was just like looking at a taxidermy specimen.
I didn't keep them long enough to experience what Kari Dell describes on her blog this morning.
Here's the line that made me snort coffee: At some point, you become resigned to the fact that if a sheep isn't dead, it's because he hasn't got around to it yet
Saturday, July 11, 2009
I'm in awe
I joke around a lot about Barbara Poelle of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency. We've been friends for a good long while; I adore her, and I admire her taste in writers (Sophie! Jamie! Graham!)
Tonight though, all kidding aside, I just want to go on record saying I'm in awe of Barbara. She's always been a workhorse; she makes the rest of us look like slackers even on our best days.
On Thursday, Barbara was one of the many agents at the CraftFest segment of ThrillerFest. She listened to 75 pitches. 75 three minute pitches. No breaks. No pause. That's 225 minutes of listening to people talk about their books without a pause for a drink, the bathroom, or just to reorient herself to reality.
If you were to look at this on a graph here's what it would look like if you were at the end of that line:
++++++++++
++++++++++
++++++++++
++++++++++
++++++++++
++++++++++
++++++++++
+++++
I'll bet a cold hard hundred dollar bill that person #75 got the same smart, fresh, enthusiasm that person #1 did because Barbara gives her all to people coming to this kind of event.
I thought I had set a land speed record of 50 at the BEA pitch slam--and I was a drooling idiot at the end of that.
At the end of 75 pitches, Barbara merrily went off to a meeting with her clients.
I can't think of an agent I admire more right now than Barbara.
Please don't EVER tell her I said so of course, or I'll have to turn in my shark avatar for something with a pink kitten.
Just remember this: when you're on the hunt for a ferociously talented agent, you'll want to make sure Barbara Poelle is on that list.
Tonight though, all kidding aside, I just want to go on record saying I'm in awe of Barbara. She's always been a workhorse; she makes the rest of us look like slackers even on our best days.
On Thursday, Barbara was one of the many agents at the CraftFest segment of ThrillerFest. She listened to 75 pitches. 75 three minute pitches. No breaks. No pause. That's 225 minutes of listening to people talk about their books without a pause for a drink, the bathroom, or just to reorient herself to reality.
If you were to look at this on a graph here's what it would look like if you were at the end of that line:
++++++++++
++++++++++
++++++++++
++++++++++
++++++++++
++++++++++
++++++++++
+++++
I'll bet a cold hard hundred dollar bill that person #75 got the same smart, fresh, enthusiasm that person #1 did because Barbara gives her all to people coming to this kind of event.
I thought I had set a land speed record of 50 at the BEA pitch slam--and I was a drooling idiot at the end of that.
At the end of 75 pitches, Barbara merrily went off to a meeting with her clients.
I can't think of an agent I admire more right now than Barbara.
Please don't EVER tell her I said so of course, or I'll have to turn in my shark avatar for something with a pink kitten.
Just remember this: when you're on the hunt for a ferociously talented agent, you'll want to make sure Barbara Poelle is on that list.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Repeat After Me
I had the pleasure of attending a reading given by Rachel DeWoskin recently. She's the author of the non-fiction narrative about her time in Beijing as an actress on a Chinese telanovella Foreign Babes in Beijing, and now she's turned her hand to writing novels.
I hadn't read Repeat After Me before I attended the reading so I didn't know much about the novel. The excerpts she read from the book got me pulling out my credit card, then her answers to some of the very thoughtful questions afterward cemented the deal.
The discussion focused a lot on language since Rachel had worked in Beijing on a TV show filmed in Chinese and one of the characters in her novel is a man coming to America speaking English as a second language. Thus, Rachel had to recreate her experience of being a non-native speaker for her character--but in her native language.
I like thinking about those kinds of things: what wouldn't you know if you were just learning English. Well, you wouldn't know cliches! "Raining cats and dogs" would sound delightfully fresh and metaphoric!
I was reminded of the first Aleksander Hemon novel I read Nowhere Man. I made a list of all the words I had to look up when I read that novel. Each was the absolutely perfect choice, but they were not words I'd seen enough of to recognize on sight. I think only a non-native speaker would have used them with such ease, because only a non-native speaker wouldn't know not to.
Aleksander Hemon has gone on to great critical acclaim; I hope Rachel DeWoskin will as well!
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
customer service in the electronic age
Never piss off really creative people.
It's hilariously ironic that I was watching that youtube video when a guy in the customer service department at GoDaddy.com called me. He just wanted to make sure I was a happy customer.
He went over the domains and urls I have with GoDaddy and ended up refunding the cost of a website I'd forgotten about and changing my renewal plan to save me money. His call COST his company money, but you can bet I'll never switch providers and I'll recommend them to every client and friend looking for website hosting. Short term loss, long term gain. Smart thinking.
United could learn a thing or two from GoDaddy!
It's hilariously ironic that I was watching that youtube video when a guy in the customer service department at GoDaddy.com called me. He just wanted to make sure I was a happy customer.
He went over the domains and urls I have with GoDaddy and ended up refunding the cost of a website I'd forgotten about and changing my renewal plan to save me money. His call COST his company money, but you can bet I'll never switch providers and I'll recommend them to every client and friend looking for website hosting. Short term loss, long term gain. Smart thinking.
United could learn a thing or two from GoDaddy!
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Eric Stone interviewed by Megan Kelley Hall
There's a terrific interview with Eric Stone about his new novel SHANGHAIED on the International Thriller Writers Big Thrill blog.
He's interviewed by Megan Kelley Hall whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the Grub Street conference a couple years back. I knew she was a terrific book publicist, but now after clicking on her site, turns out she's a terrific writer as well!
He's interviewed by Megan Kelley Hall whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the Grub Street conference a couple years back. I knew she was a terrific book publicist, but now after clicking on her site, turns out she's a terrific writer as well!
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