In this interview Daniel Woodrell says "You want to hear an agent scream, say 'I'm thinking of a collecion of short stories set in the Ozarks.'"
Mr Woodrell, I would buy any collection of yours, including your grocery lists most likely, as would all of your rabid fans.
And the quote of the day just has to be: "I was at a country picking thing the other day and some old boy said, ‘It’s [the Oscars] like the procession of the Sun King, buddy. You’ve got to go.’”
Senin, 28 Februari 2011
The Devotion of Translator X!
Ok, not quite X. We know his name.
There's a wonderful interview with the translator of one of my favorite books: THE DEVOTION OF SUSPECT X in in Shelf Awareness. (Scroll down to the bottom of the column for it, it's the last one)
Minggu, 27 Februari 2011
Effective use of Twitter
You just gotta learn to use the tools of social networking.
There isn't any other option.
Saying "it's stupid; it's boring; I don't understand it" is like saying you don't want
to give up your horse in 1918. You may not want to, but the world is moving ahead without you, and you're going to be left behind.
Here are 10 Tips on Using Twitter Effectively.
Read them, know them.
Twitter works for book promotions. Don't get left behind.
There isn't any other option.
Saying "it's stupid; it's boring; I don't understand it" is like saying you don't want
to give up your horse in 1918. You may not want to, but the world is moving ahead without you, and you're going to be left behind.
Here are 10 Tips on Using Twitter Effectively.
Read them, know them.
Twitter works for book promotions. Don't get left behind.
Jumat, 25 Februari 2011
Backspace query letter contest update**
My favorite line among the incoming queries today:
"When he came home, she was waiting in the kitchen with a shotgun."
We've replied to all queries received as of today (most recent date on the letters was 2/18) and the SASE's are in today's mail.
And just an FYI:
"Dear Respectable Agent" makes us all laugh.
And make a list of why that salutation doesn't apply to any of us.
**If you have no clue what contest I'm talking about, here's the post that will help you.
"When he came home, she was waiting in the kitchen with a shotgun."
We've replied to all queries received as of today (most recent date on the letters was 2/18) and the SASE's are in today's mail.
And just an FYI:
"Dear Respectable Agent" makes us all laugh.
And make a list of why that salutation doesn't apply to any of us.
**If you have no clue what contest I'm talking about, here's the post that will help you.
Pay attention to who you pay attention to
A lot of people are glad to give you advice on how to query.
I'm one of them.
This blog is full of it.
But you've got to be careful who you listen to.
Not all advice-givers are created equal,
and some are downright wrong.
I posted about this earlier but was reminded of it again this morning when I got a distraught email from a querier asking her query be discarded. Turns out she'd listened to another writer about how to format her query, and it was exactly wrong. I looked at the query. Sure enough: disaster on toast points.
The arrival of the internet has introduced a transparancy to publishing that can serve writers well.
It also gives gravitas to the person with the loudest voice and biggest platform.
Beware.
Listen to the advice of people who do the actual reading and deciding about your query before you listen to anyone else. We may disagree with each other about some of the finer points, but we're not going to actively give you bad advice.
And yes, this querier gets a mulligan. In fact, every query this bad gets a mulligan because we don't keep track of them.
If you find you've done something really really cringe-worthy (like not tell me what the book is about or calling it a fiction-novel) then just re-write and send again. What's the worst that can happen?
Oh well, ok, you'll get the Mer-Bear stare
but she won't actually come to your house and smack you with a stuffed shark.
We save that for clients.
I'm one of them.
This blog is full of it.
But you've got to be careful who you listen to.
Not all advice-givers are created equal,
and some are downright wrong.
I posted about this earlier but was reminded of it again this morning when I got a distraught email from a querier asking her query be discarded. Turns out she'd listened to another writer about how to format her query, and it was exactly wrong. I looked at the query. Sure enough: disaster on toast points.
The arrival of the internet has introduced a transparancy to publishing that can serve writers well.
It also gives gravitas to the person with the loudest voice and biggest platform.
Beware.
Listen to the advice of people who do the actual reading and deciding about your query before you listen to anyone else. We may disagree with each other about some of the finer points, but we're not going to actively give you bad advice.
And yes, this querier gets a mulligan. In fact, every query this bad gets a mulligan because we don't keep track of them.
If you find you've done something really really cringe-worthy (like not tell me what the book is about or calling it a fiction-novel) then just re-write and send again. What's the worst that can happen?
Oh well, ok, you'll get the Mer-Bear stare
but she won't actually come to your house and smack you with a stuffed shark.
We save that for clients.
Rabu, 23 Februari 2011
Contest!
The post preceding this quoted a reply to a form rejection that made us laugh here in the Lair. Truthfully, those kinds of things are so out of left field they don't even bother me.
But, it did prompt one commenter to wonder what the ellipses (correctly used of course!) had replaced. Her offering:
Reading the comments is as much fun as the post! William Shatner, King's Speech, Ha! How about a little "fill in the blanks?" Maybe (s)he left out some important parts:
You know, if you had read my work (after drinking a fifth of gin, since that's how I wrote it), or spoken to me about my writing (method, which, again, involves gin, lots of gin), (You might not) reject my writing in a measured process, (which you were kind enough to do). (If you do not drink), well, that is your right. But, (I fear this may lead you) to not even know what you are rejecting. (It makes sense with gin! I hope you don't think of me:) what a fucking idiot. (Or,) thank god I'm not going to work with you, (because I hear this was Raymond Chandler's method as well. Thank you again for your time and consideration!)
There, that's a bit nicer, I think.
Now, I must tell you, this just cracked me up completely.
So, in honor of Sheila JG we shall have a new and exciting writing contest: fill in the blank! Like mad libs, but not.
Here's the PS to this querier's email. Fill in your choice of words where the ellipses are now used. And a string of commas counts as an ellipsis!
p.s.- your industry is dying,...you have already seen the implosion of Border's,..and B&N is not far behind,.....internet publishing and self-publishing is going to eat you ass-holes for lunch,.....but you just sit there and keep rejecting writing that you haven't even read.....Jesus Christ,...do you have a rich husband or something?,,,,I don't see how you make an income,....
MAXIMUM 200 words including the words you've been given. Post your entry in the comment column of THIS post.
Contest starts now (8:30pm EST Wednesday 2/23/11) and runs till 8:30pm (EST) tomorrow, Thursday.
Yes there will be a prize. I'm not sure what it will be yet but we'll figure out something fun.
Ready, Set......Go!
But, it did prompt one commenter to wonder what the ellipses (correctly used of course!) had replaced. Her offering:
Reading the comments is as much fun as the post! William Shatner, King's Speech, Ha! How about a little "fill in the blanks?" Maybe (s)he left out some important parts:
You know, if you had read my work (after drinking a fifth of gin, since that's how I wrote it), or spoken to me about my writing (method, which, again, involves gin, lots of gin), (You might not) reject my writing in a measured process, (which you were kind enough to do). (If you do not drink), well, that is your right. But, (I fear this may lead you) to not even know what you are rejecting. (It makes sense with gin! I hope you don't think of me:) what a fucking idiot. (Or,) thank god I'm not going to work with you, (because I hear this was Raymond Chandler's method as well. Thank you again for your time and consideration!)
There, that's a bit nicer, I think.
Now, I must tell you, this just cracked me up completely.
So, in honor of Sheila JG we shall have a new and exciting writing contest: fill in the blank! Like mad libs, but not.
Here's the PS to this querier's email. Fill in your choice of words where the ellipses are now used. And a string of commas counts as an ellipsis!
p.s.- your industry is dying,...you have already seen the implosion of Border's,..and B&N is not far behind,.....internet publishing and self-publishing is going to eat you ass-holes for lunch,.....but you just sit there and keep rejecting writing that you haven't even read.....Jesus Christ,...do you have a rich husband or something?,,,,I don't see how you make an income,....
MAXIMUM 200 words including the words you've been given. Post your entry in the comment column of THIS post.
Contest starts now (8:30pm EST Wednesday 2/23/11) and runs till 8:30pm (EST) tomorrow, Thursday.
Yes there will be a prize. I'm not sure what it will be yet but we'll figure out something fun.
Ready, Set......Go!
Selasa, 22 Februari 2011
It didn't require more than this paragraph, let alone the letter, to say "no" bub
"You know, if you had read my work,...or spoken to me about my writing,...reject my writing in a measured process,...well that is your right. But,...to not even know what you are rejecting,.......what a stupid fucking idiot.....thank god I'm not going to work with you..."
Yea, this one didn't require much thought. And I too thank God you aren't coming anywhere near our office.
Here is a good example of you do talk about the query process
There have been some examples of what NOT to do here on the blog recently.
Here's one that works well.
It works for a couple reasons:
1. it's funny
2. the tone is bright
3. there's not a single word of complaint in it
4. it's got some good solid tips for writers in the query process
5. It's funny.
And one of the things I like is that it shows you do get to break all the rules sometimes, and the query police not only don't show up at your house, if you write well enough you get an hour in the bar with the ever delightful Agent Lady (yes Diana, I intend to call you that now forever!)
Here's one that works well.
It works for a couple reasons:
1. it's funny
2. the tone is bright
3. there's not a single word of complaint in it
4. it's got some good solid tips for writers in the query process
5. It's funny.
And one of the things I like is that it shows you do get to break all the rules sometimes, and the query police not only don't show up at your house, if you write well enough you get an hour in the bar with the ever delightful Agent Lady (yes Diana, I intend to call you that now forever!)
Minggu, 20 Februari 2011
holy moly, it's real!
and you can get your mitts on it May 10, 2011.
“An indelible voice, a rich but simply rendered plot, and a protagonist with enormous heart make Purgatory Chasm a great read and the announcement of a promising new author in Steve Ulfelder.”
–Bryan Gruley, author of Starvation Lake and The Hanging Tree
I'm so excited about this book I might just burst into flame.
Jumat, 18 Februari 2011
what were you thinking?
So, you join twitter, and you're all aflutter with How.Many.People you can talk with! Or if you can't talk with them, you can talk to them, or about them. It's all the same right? With/to/about? Heck, just tweet something to @SharkForBrains, and you'll have the attention of the shark herself.
Wheeeeee! Good times!
So what do you do?
You write a blog post about your rejections.
"I'm working hard, but oh man, I got rejections, and I can't figure out what they mean"
Then you tweet a link to the post to the agent who rejected you.
@SharkForBrains Hey, I mention you in my blogpost here: www.don'tdothisI'mnotkidding.com
Then you write a blog post about the fact you're waiting for a reply from an agent.
"I'm still waiting, it's so hard to wait, I know she's busy, I'm just so excited; it's hard to wait"
And tweet that to the agent you're waiting to hear from.
And just to make sure EVERYONE in the entire world sees it, you tweet it to a couple other people as well.
what the heck are you thinking here?
I'm very perplexed.
This is wrong on every single level.
If you're a writer at the query stage:
1. Keep your query process OFF YOUR BLOG.
2. Don't call attention to your rejections.
3. Don't post something on your blog about waiting for an answer particularly if the wait time is well within the posted guidelines.
Of course we see the tweets.
Of course we click on our names. (once)
Of course we read that blog post. (once)
It doesn't do you a damn bit of good of course, because all we see is someone who seems to be complaining. At length. And then, if you ever tweet to us again, there's no incentive to click. Your blog post wasn't funny; it wasn't charming; it didn't entice me to come back again, or to to subscribe in my google reader.
You may not think it's complaining; you might think you're "just talking about the process." Please trust me on this: it looks like complaining from where I sit. And honest to godiva, I'm not parsing out each sentence in your post. I'm looking at the first three, skimming the rest, and thinking "egad." Essentially, I'm getting a quick first impression. And that quick first impression is not good.
Why are you doing this?
There is a place for writerly angst. It's NOT ever a public place. Disagree with me if you care to about whether that's fair, but this blog post isn't about fair. It's about how to not shoot yourself in the foot.
Save your ammo for the 1-star reviewers on Amazon.
Wheeeeee! Good times!
So what do you do?
You write a blog post about your rejections.
"I'm working hard, but oh man, I got rejections, and I can't figure out what they mean"
Then you tweet a link to the post to the agent who rejected you.
Then you write a blog post about the fact you're waiting for a reply from an agent.
"I'm still waiting, it's so hard to wait, I know she's busy, I'm just so excited; it's hard to wait"
And tweet that to the agent you're waiting to hear from.
@SharkForBrain, Hey, I mention you in my blogpost here: www.NoIreallywasn'tkiddingwhenIsaiddon'ttdothis.com
And just to make sure EVERYONE in the entire world sees it, you tweet it to a couple other people as well.
@SharkForBrainsDeputy @SharkForBrainsTrainsandAutomobiles @RemorasAreUs Hey, I posted some stuff mentioning you here at www.thirdtimeisnotacharmandI'mstillnotkiddingdon'tdothis.com
what the heck are you thinking here?
I'm very perplexed.
This is wrong on every single level.
If you're a writer at the query stage:
1. Keep your query process OFF YOUR BLOG.
2. Don't call attention to your rejections.
3. Don't post something on your blog about waiting for an answer particularly if the wait time is well within the posted guidelines.
Of course we see the tweets.
Of course we click on our names. (once)
Of course we read that blog post. (once)
It doesn't do you a damn bit of good of course, because all we see is someone who seems to be complaining. At length. And then, if you ever tweet to us again, there's no incentive to click. Your blog post wasn't funny; it wasn't charming; it didn't entice me to come back again, or to to subscribe in my google reader.
You may not think it's complaining; you might think you're "just talking about the process." Please trust me on this: it looks like complaining from where I sit. And honest to godiva, I'm not parsing out each sentence in your post. I'm looking at the first three, skimming the rest, and thinking "egad." Essentially, I'm getting a quick first impression. And that quick first impression is not good.
Why are you doing this?
There is a place for writerly angst. It's NOT ever a public place. Disagree with me if you care to about whether that's fair, but this blog post isn't about fair. It's about how to not shoot yourself in the foot.
Save your ammo for the 1-star reviewers on Amazon.
"Gary Corby, you have my apologies"
I loved this from a recent review of THE PERICLES COMMISSION:
I have to admit, having studied Greek and Latin at college, I grabbed this book off the shelf the second I saw it. But I also have to admit, my hopes were not high. I was convinced that I would spend the whole time complaining and finding fault.
Well, Gary Corby, you have my apologies. The book is well-researched, and the author seamlessly weaves in facts about Athens—the history, culture, and politics—without becoming tedious.
Moreover, he manages to strike an excellent balance between creating this authentic setting and making the narrator and plot entertaining enough to satisfy and fascinate his modern audience.
Some readers may dislike the modern voice the author has given to his narrator, but I believe this is one of the book’s greatest strengths. Athens was the essence of modernity in its time, continually pushing forward, so to give Nicolaos a voice that is modern in both language and tone is appropriate.
And what’s more—it’s funny.
Northwest writers! A few spots left at Fishtrap
If you're a Northwest writer, you probably know about Fishtrap, the series of amazing writer's events in the Wallowas (where God himself goes on vacation it's so beautiful)
There are a couple spots open at the winter retreat.
One of the teachers is the fabulous Amy Minato author of SIESTA LANE.
There are a couple spots open at the winter retreat.
One of the teachers is the fabulous Amy Minato author of SIESTA LANE.
Rabu, 16 Februari 2011
uh boy
I came across this blog post over at kidlit.com about a phenomenan they dub "assistant attitude" and I call stupidlystupidstupid shortsighted.
My godsend Meredith takes first crack at the queries. She's able to promptly reply to all the people whose work is really not right for us. I've posted query stats before; she takes care of the ones where there's no mention of what the book is about; topics I don't ever want to see; people who really aren't ready to query. She knows what I'm looking for, and more important, what I'm NOT looking for at all.
The balance of the queries are things she reads more carefully, and talks to me about. I sit directly across from her and we have conversations about queries almost every day.
Now, if I didn't have Meredith the Godsend (and trust me, that is not a thing I like to contemplate) your work would get LESS careful scrutiny not more.
What does this mean to you: never EVER think that having an assistant read your query is somehow a bad thing. Without Meredith I'd be hard pressed to answer all my queries promptly; without her I wouldn't have read some things she's brought to my attention; and without her I'd have to close to queries much more often.
If you're smart, you'll realize the godsends are just that.
My godsend Meredith takes first crack at the queries. She's able to promptly reply to all the people whose work is really not right for us. I've posted query stats before; she takes care of the ones where there's no mention of what the book is about; topics I don't ever want to see; people who really aren't ready to query. She knows what I'm looking for, and more important, what I'm NOT looking for at all.
The balance of the queries are things she reads more carefully, and talks to me about. I sit directly across from her and we have conversations about queries almost every day.
Now, if I didn't have Meredith the Godsend (and trust me, that is not a thing I like to contemplate) your work would get LESS careful scrutiny not more.
What does this mean to you: never EVER think that having an assistant read your query is somehow a bad thing. Without Meredith I'd be hard pressed to answer all my queries promptly; without her I wouldn't have read some things she's brought to my attention; and without her I'd have to close to queries much more often.
If you're smart, you'll realize the godsends are just that.
Ok, you don't have to get off my lawn quite yet
Sometimes it's easy to forget how much this all means to writers at the start of their careers. It's easy to get caught up in "how can they not know this, it's all over the damn internet" and "agents are just people, why are they swooning."
It's easy to forget until you read blog posts like this.
Thanks Susan. If I ever get to EaglePoint, I'll buy you a sandwich AND give those deli ladies something to talk about.
It's easy to forget until you read blog posts like this.
Thanks Susan. If I ever get to EaglePoint, I'll buy you a sandwich AND give those deli ladies something to talk about.
one fast way to instant rejection: Lie
Don't lie to prospective agents.
I'm in sales. I understand the need for diplomatic phrasing, careful word choice, and perhaps not telling every single facet of a story right at the start. That's not what I mean when I say "don't lie."
Lies are: You requested this (when I know I haven't)
Damned lies are: Your assistant requested this (when I find out she didn't)
We keep track of what we request. Saying we requested something when we didn't doesn't mean we pay extra attention to your work. It means we reject it.
"Requested material" is not what you put on something if I've said "sure, send a query." A query is never requested material. You don't need permission to send me a query.
You don't need to put "Requested material" on anything you send me. I know what I've asked for. The only time to put "requested material" on anything is when (gasp!) the agent says these exact words: "put REQUESTED MATERIAL" on it"
Got it?
I'm in sales. I understand the need for diplomatic phrasing, careful word choice, and perhaps not telling every single facet of a story right at the start. That's not what I mean when I say "don't lie."
Lies are: You requested this (when I know I haven't)
Damned lies are: Your assistant requested this (when I find out she didn't)
We keep track of what we request. Saying we requested something when we didn't doesn't mean we pay extra attention to your work. It means we reject it.
"Requested material" is not what you put on something if I've said "sure, send a query." A query is never requested material. You don't need permission to send me a query.
You don't need to put "Requested material" on anything you send me. I know what I've asked for. The only time to put "requested material" on anything is when (gasp!) the agent says these exact words: "put REQUESTED MATERIAL" on it"
Got it?
Selasa, 15 Februari 2011
FinePrint fisticuffs free for all
Yesterday's brawl was about the merits of present versus past tense. The combatants were fierce, and only after our CFO strapped on his gun belt preparatory to an actual duel were we able to regain our senses.
Today's battle involved how to choose the Best Picture winner for the Oscars. I was extolling the merits of Winter's Bone, based on the book of the same name by Daniel Woodrell, a book I love. The movie is amazing. It does the book justice, and I don't think I've ever felt that way about a movie before.
I went on to say I thought the movie should win because it was an indie film that found an audience at the Sundance Film Festival, and was made for peanuts compared to the quadrillions of dollars some of the other guys had. Plus, there wasn't a special effect to be found from start to finish.
"Have you lost what little is left of your mind, my finny friend?" countered our film wizard. "You don't get points for starting small. It's whatever is best, level playing field."
Well, swords were drawn, hot words exchanged, and only the arrival of cupcakes (that Mer-Bear, she's a clever one) distracted us from the gnash of tooth and brandishing of firearms.
Would you care to weigh in on the battle?
Here's a poll for you:
Today's battle involved how to choose the Best Picture winner for the Oscars. I was extolling the merits of Winter's Bone, based on the book of the same name by Daniel Woodrell, a book I love. The movie is amazing. It does the book justice, and I don't think I've ever felt that way about a movie before.
I went on to say I thought the movie should win because it was an indie film that found an audience at the Sundance Film Festival, and was made for peanuts compared to the quadrillions of dollars some of the other guys had. Plus, there wasn't a special effect to be found from start to finish.
"Have you lost what little is left of your mind, my finny friend?" countered our film wizard. "You don't get points for starting small. It's whatever is best, level playing field."
Well, swords were drawn, hot words exchanged, and only the arrival of cupcakes (that Mer-Bear, she's a clever one) distracted us from the gnash of tooth and brandishing of firearms.
Would you care to weigh in on the battle?
Here's a poll for you:
And for second place, TWO referrals
The invaluable Meredith answers the phone in the Lair. If you call me, you get her. Our desks face each other, so I can see her as she talks on the phone.
This morning, I set down my coffee cup about ten seconds into this call:
Meredith: well, we set a goal of answering queries within 30 days, but often times it's much sooner.
(pause pause)
Meredith: yes, we understand Important Editor gave you Janet's name
(pause pause)
Meredith: well, yes, I review the queries first, and Janet reads them as well.
(pause pause)
Meredith: you're welcome to send your query again. It will go through the same review process it did before.
(pause)
Meredith: Yes, I think you're right.
*nice southern belle phone cradle replacement*
*bear snarl*
Turns out Querier was CALLING (error #1) because we responded too QUICKLY (error #2) and thus concluded The Shark Herself had not read the query (ERROR #3.)
Compounding her three errors, she wrote back to Important Editor (#ERROR #4) to complain about this foul disrespect of Important Editor's name and referral. Important Editor, who is nothing but the soul of kindness, replied she didn't have any insight on why the querier had been rejected.
And then the Querier forwarded the entire string of emails to me (ERROR #5)
You probably know the basics of why the errors are errors. What you may not realize is that editors don't have any more insight into what agents are looking for than you do. In fact, some editors may have substantially LESS. They aren't tracking our sales, our blogs or our tweets. They're seeing what we send *them* not ALL the projects we're sending out.
I can count on one hand the editors who'd be able to tell you correctly what I'm looking for.
The way to handle referrals is like a bit of a leg up. You mention it in the query. That's IT. It doesn't get you a pass on calling, complaining, or cluelessness.
The last thing the querier said to Mer-Bear before she hung up was "well, I guess you're not the right agency for me" and that, author friends was NOT an ERROR.
This morning, I set down my coffee cup about ten seconds into this call:
Meredith: well, we set a goal of answering queries within 30 days, but often times it's much sooner.
(pause pause)
Meredith: yes, we understand Important Editor gave you Janet's name
(pause pause)
Meredith: well, yes, I review the queries first, and Janet reads them as well.
(pause pause)
Meredith: you're welcome to send your query again. It will go through the same review process it did before.
(pause)
Meredith: Yes, I think you're right.
*nice southern belle phone cradle replacement*
*bear snarl*
Turns out Querier was CALLING (error #1) because we responded too QUICKLY (error #2) and thus concluded The Shark Herself had not read the query (ERROR #3.)
Compounding her three errors, she wrote back to Important Editor (#ERROR #4) to complain about this foul disrespect of Important Editor's name and referral. Important Editor, who is nothing but the soul of kindness, replied she didn't have any insight on why the querier had been rejected.
And then the Querier forwarded the entire string of emails to me (ERROR #5)
You probably know the basics of why the errors are errors. What you may not realize is that editors don't have any more insight into what agents are looking for than you do. In fact, some editors may have substantially LESS. They aren't tracking our sales, our blogs or our tweets. They're seeing what we send *them* not ALL the projects we're sending out.
I can count on one hand the editors who'd be able to tell you correctly what I'm looking for.
The way to handle referrals is like a bit of a leg up. You mention it in the query. That's IT. It doesn't get you a pass on calling, complaining, or cluelessness.
The last thing the querier said to Mer-Bear before she hung up was "well, I guess you're not the right agency for me" and that, author friends was NOT an ERROR.
Spawn of the Shark!
Those clever and very very savvy agents over at BookEndsLLC are diving in to Shark-infested waters, but you're going to be very glad to hear why:
A query critique every week for a year!
Yay BookEnds!!!
A query critique every week for a year!
Why is this man smiling?
A: He's just joined the Navy and is ready to ship out.
B: He's just heard there's a bar next door
C: He's seen copies of his debut novel on the shelf at WORD in Brooklyn.
Answer: B.
The books he's pointing to are really by Jeff Cameron Krokolian, the new wundervampire of haiku.
Senin, 14 Februari 2011
The mess at Borders
There's a very good piece by John Mutter about how Borders got tangled up to the point of no return here at Shelf Awareness.
MATTERHORN wins the Colby prize!
From the ever-useful ShelfAwareness email (if you don't subscribe to their daily email, you're pretty much a total idiot really shortchanging yourself) comes this welcome news:
I'm a devoted fan of MATTERHORN; it was on my very short list of books that knocked my sox off in 2010.
Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes has won the 2011 William E. Colby Award, which honors "a first work of fiction or non-fiction that has made a significant contribution to the public's understanding of intelligence operations, military history, or international affairs."
Named for the late ambassador and CIA director, the $5,000 award will be presented by Tawani Foundation in association with the Pritzker Military Library on October 22 in Chicago at the Library's 2011 Liberty Gala.
Colby Award co-founder and author W.E.B. Griffin called Matterhorn "a powerful first work that defines the tragic cost of the Vietnam War in human terms. Marlantes' breakneck writing style is both passionate and haunting, thrusting the reader into alternating moments of chaos and courage reflecting the fragility of our Marines on the ground--and their leadership--in combat."
I'm a devoted fan of MATTERHORN; it was on my very short list of books that knocked my sox off in 2010.
Minggu, 13 Februari 2011
I love this so much I might need to sing along
Lyrics (because I know you want to sing along):
My name is Mango & I'm a precious pussy cat
One day I'll have 2 mommies and there's nothing wrong with that.
Until that day comes, I'll share my house
With my mom's crazy sister who reps dirty books about,
King Henry & his wives, but they're teen vampires in disguise
And I will purr and I'll support though her tiny T-Rex arms are short
She still feeds me all my noms,
So I can't have any qualms about her day job,
And I really miss Rob.
My name is Mango.
And of course, I found this here at the OrtweeeeeeeeeeeeeeZe blog I love alot.
Sabtu, 12 Februari 2011
A fascinating look at the mechanics of writing a novel
Gary Corby writes delightful and fun mysteries set "in the mean streets of Classical Athens." When you read his work you are transported back in time by prose that looks effortless.
That kind of work doesn't just flow off the pen. Well, actually it does. Then he has to go back and revise and polish to make it look effortless. Here's one of the tools he uses to SHOW rather than tell (ha!)
These kinds of graphs are amazingly useful. I've created more than a few myself when novels I've been reading seemed out of whack. When you can see an imbalance in character's page time it makes it easier to know who gets chopped, or beefed up. It can also show you if the climax to the novel is in the wrong place, or (heaven forfend) missing altogether.
If you're revising your novel, this kind of graph might give you some very interesting insights.
That kind of work doesn't just flow off the pen. Well, actually it does. Then he has to go back and revise and polish to make it look effortless. Here's one of the tools he uses to SHOW rather than tell (ha!)
These kinds of graphs are amazingly useful. I've created more than a few myself when novels I've been reading seemed out of whack. When you can see an imbalance in character's page time it makes it easier to know who gets chopped, or beefed up. It can also show you if the climax to the novel is in the wrong place, or (heaven forfend) missing altogether.
If you're revising your novel, this kind of graph might give you some very interesting insights.
Jumat, 11 Februari 2011
:(((
We had our first disqualification in the Backspace Query contest today.
Please make sure you're reading the instructions for the 2011 contest.
If you follow the directions for the 2010 contest your entry gets eaten by bears:
Please make sure you're reading the instructions for the 2011 contest.
If you follow the directions for the 2010 contest your entry gets eaten by bears:
Senin, 07 Februari 2011
Oh man, I'm so tired of winter!
I'm going to start signing clients based on their country code now.
These were taken in Baja; that clicking sound youhere hear (oooops!!) is me dialing in the GPS coordinates on my broom
These were taken in Baja; that clicking sound you
Jumat, 04 Februari 2011
Current info on BACKSPACE QUERY LETTER CONTEST
If you have not received your SASE within 10 days, RESEND.
Do not paperclip your SASE to your query and pages.
Do not send a synopsis in place of a query and pages.
Do not send anything but a query letter and pages. We will throw it away.
(so far that list includes business cards, bookmarks, and pictures)
Do not address your query to Nancy Coffey. The agents judging the contest are:
Janet Reid
Suzie Townsend
Joanna Volpe
Sara Kendall
Meredith Barnes
Make SURE you include your email address on your query.
Queries MUST be one page ONLY (and not in an infinitesimal size font: TNR 10 or 12)
I ♥ Evan Lewis
In fact, I think I might be standing in line to ♥ Evan Lewis after reading this.
And Evan, if you're coming to NYC for the Edgars, stop by the FPLM lair. I've got a tumbler of scotch with your name on it! Congratulations!
And Evan, if you're coming to NYC for the Edgars, stop by the FPLM lair. I've got a tumbler of scotch with your name on it! Congratulations!
Kamis, 03 Februari 2011
Contest winners for DEVOTION OF SUSPECT X
You've amazed me yet again. The reason it's taking so long to announce the winner in these things is that it's not all that easy to choose! As problems go, this is a pretty good one to have!
First up, some special recognition for a young writer making her first foray into writing contests!
A Funny Daddy's 8 year old daughter 3:56am
It makes me very happy to see kids wanting to write!
ME:
These entries just totally cracked me up.
I suspect some sort of collusion or nefarious pen-name shenanigans since they posted at the same time, but I adored them both:
Marybk at 8:33am's entry:
Day Nine-and-thirty
Noah draws his net filled with gyrating crustaceans and catfish, his smile arching like an upside-down rainbow. “God’s finest provisions, dearest.”
“Indeed.” Namaah squibs an armadillo across the deck. “Did He send any baked cobra?”
“Our maker humbles us, love. The Lord giveth…”
“But sushi giveth the elephants gas.”
“Perhaps they’re…heaters for chilly nights?”
“Bah! A firefly’s warmth is preferable.”
“Wouldst thou have me forsake an entire species for one meal?”
Nearby, a giant tingo belts, squeehaaahhhhn! Noah jumps, losing his grip, sending the day’s catch back to sea.
Namaah nurses his rope-burn. “Betcha tingo tasteth like chicken.”
David at 8:33am's entry
A firefly landed on G34 the same moment the MC announced it. I smothered the bug and number with a chip. “Tingo!”
“That’s not how you pronounce it.” Jennifer sighed and regarded the rest of the ancient Tingo hall: “Sorry folks, drinking turpentine will do that to you.”
My face burned like a space heater. I jabbed at her to-go box of sushi. “Eat your nasty squibs and shut the hell up.”
“Wrong again.”
“Fine.” I grabbed my Clock .40 from my purse and shot her phonetically correct ass. A touch of brain splattered on her card.
O19.
“Tingo!”
A lot of the entries had great lines:
"my brother is borrowing me blind."
Kelly 1:15am
"'Tis a tingo beauty," says an Aussie."
Crease 3:11am
"Without magic he would end up working for the Witch’s Auxiliary as a broom boy"
L.G. Smith 10:09am
"Language was his first love, silence a close second."
Michael G-G 12:21pm
"I was Alzheimer’s bitch."
Rebecca T. Little 9:26pm
Shaunna 1:33pm had a brilliant first paragraph
Bartholomew Turkleson eschewed soft cheeses, sushi, raw eggs, and beef. He wore his seat belt, kept his water heater at 110, and never ended a sentence with a preposition. He didn't fear death, but he wasn't going to leave the door open for her either.
Lynn @ 1:56pm had an outstanding first three lines:
They came at dusk.
They always did. It was their dinner time, and lucky us, we were on the menu.
Jjdebenedictis at 2:45am demonstrates wordplay both elegant and imaginative:
"Jesus--hi."
"Er."
"Good resemblance, hey?"
"May I help you?"
"Here to see Martin Goethe. I scare people."
"Indeed."
"No, it's my job. Martin wants to fire Flynn Weber; I'm here to help."
"Ah."
"Martin didn't warn you?"
"Martin lacks, as employers go."
"Heh. Can't fire his own people."
"Can't foresee me intercepting you."
"Sorry?"
"Last fellow was a barbarian imitator. He ate raw meat."
"Um. Flynn?"
"Quite."
"Er. Repent, sinner?"
"Dieu, sauf moi des débiles qui B.S. You know Martin's superior also wants him fired?"
"What? You mean--?"
"Quite. Always nice to meet a colleague; good day, sir."
And this one, this one, oh mygodthis one.
This entry is in its own special category of "the most amazing contest entry I've ever seen, and boy howdy, I've seen some REALLy good ones." You might have to read it twice (I did) to see why I love it so much.
Kate Outhwaite 7:27am
“Squibs!” declares the child, pointing at the adjacent tank.
“Squi-duh, ” sighs the father balancing sushi on chopsticks. He turns and I see it’s Josh. Older, but unmistakably the boy who bought me a firefly in a jar as the chemo fought the cancer for the right to kill me the first time round.
Our eyes lock. He sees me!
Josh points at me. “That one.”
Steam rises from the pan over the propane heater.
“Hurt lobster?” asks the child.
“Not really. Maybe it tingles a tiny bit.”
“Tingo...” says the child as the chef lowers me into the steam.
This one is too brilliant not to win, but there were four other amazing entries too. So, clearly more than one winner this time.
Here are the finalists:
David11:37am
“Tingo!” Akiko yelled, as she swung the bat into knotted sheets. “Tingo!!”
Seven months ago the Peruvian diplomat had fed her sushi on one of his squibs, then made her love him while fireflies danced across the shores of lake Chauya.
Winking flits of hope.
“Tingo!” The bat crunched sheets.
A baby in two months, but better without him, her diplomat, whimpering now, blood spotting linen. He'd given three months of lust and four of short temper--quick and cruel affections.
“Tingo,” she said, missing, then hitting the heater. It psshhd hot steam over fading firefly dots.
Love speckling out.
The Sentence Sleuth 11:22am
Yuki’s back was turned to him. The firefly pattern on her kimono dissolved into a pile of yellow and red fabric as the garment slid to the floor.
As the silk nuzzled the space heater, Squibs McGee nuzzled her bare neck, her bare shoulders.
“You make me tingo all over,” she said.
He felt more than a tingle himself as she pushed him onto the futon.
“Now you show me American sushi roll.”
The neighbors heard the explosion.
Stone Girl 1:22pm
There is but one who knows the fates of Brahm and Wu:
The former (tingo impulse: high) is at Wu’s door (again); this time, to beg a bit of sushi.
As Wu turns ‘round to fetch the fish, Brahm spies the squibs stacked (foolishly) atop the unlit heater. . .
Unable to resist, he reaches out to pilch a squib! Just as he does,
a firefly (exacting sweet revenge against the swatting Wu)
swoops down! Its flash ignites the heater, which ignites the squibs, and then, the two!
The witness to their grand demise? Just one, with tiny compound eyes. . .
Katherine Tomlinson 9:06pm
Life imitates art
At the last minute, the director changed the scene from the interior of an Italian restaurant to an exterior at a sushi place called “Tingo.”
He wanted a firefly to dance across the frame as he filmed and was surprised that fireflies aren’t available in December. Warmed by a heater at his feet, the director was also oblivious to his star’s discomfort as he waited in the cold.
The squibs went off perfectly, polka-dotting the star with fake blood. It took a minute for anyone to notice that the director’s coat was also bloodied.
On-set accidents happen all the time.
The winner is Stone Girl @1:22am in a very close call.
If the two of you (Stone Girl and Kate Outhwaite) will each send me your mailing addresses, I will pry another copy of THE DEVOTION OF SUSPECT X from the adept digits of the editor and send it to you.
I am in awe of what I read here.
First up, some special recognition for a young writer making her first foray into writing contests!
A Funny Daddy's 8 year old daughter 3:56am
It makes me very happy to see kids wanting to write!
ME:
These entries just totally cracked me up.
I suspect some sort of collusion or nefarious pen-name shenanigans since they posted at the same time, but I adored them both:
Marybk at 8:33am's entry:
Day Nine-and-thirty
Noah draws his net filled with gyrating crustaceans and catfish, his smile arching like an upside-down rainbow. “God’s finest provisions, dearest.”
“Indeed.” Namaah squibs an armadillo across the deck. “Did He send any baked cobra?”
“Our maker humbles us, love. The Lord giveth…”
“But sushi giveth the elephants gas.”
“Perhaps they’re…heaters for chilly nights?”
“Bah! A firefly’s warmth is preferable.”
“Wouldst thou have me forsake an entire species for one meal?”
Nearby, a giant tingo belts, squeehaaahhhhn! Noah jumps, losing his grip, sending the day’s catch back to sea.
Namaah nurses his rope-burn. “Betcha tingo tasteth like chicken.”
David at 8:33am's entry
A firefly landed on G34 the same moment the MC announced it. I smothered the bug and number with a chip. “Tingo!”
“That’s not how you pronounce it.” Jennifer sighed and regarded the rest of the ancient Tingo hall: “Sorry folks, drinking turpentine will do that to you.”
My face burned like a space heater. I jabbed at her to-go box of sushi. “Eat your nasty squibs and shut the hell up.”
“Wrong again.”
“Fine.” I grabbed my Clock .40 from my purse and shot her phonetically correct ass. A touch of brain splattered on her card.
O19.
“Tingo!”
A lot of the entries had great lines:
"my brother is borrowing me blind."
Kelly 1:15am
"'Tis a tingo beauty," says an Aussie."
Crease 3:11am
"Without magic he would end up working for the Witch’s Auxiliary as a broom boy"
L.G. Smith 10:09am
"Language was his first love, silence a close second."
Michael G-G 12:21pm
"I was Alzheimer’s bitch."
Rebecca T. Little 9:26pm
Shaunna 1:33pm had a brilliant first paragraph
Bartholomew Turkleson eschewed soft cheeses, sushi, raw eggs, and beef. He wore his seat belt, kept his water heater at 110, and never ended a sentence with a preposition. He didn't fear death, but he wasn't going to leave the door open for her either.
Lynn @ 1:56pm had an outstanding first three lines:
They came at dusk.
They always did. It was their dinner time, and lucky us, we were on the menu.
Jjdebenedictis at 2:45am demonstrates wordplay both elegant and imaginative:
"Jesus--hi."
"Er."
"Good resemblance, hey?"
"May I help you?"
"Here to see Martin Goethe. I scare people."
"Indeed."
"No, it's my job. Martin wants to fire Flynn Weber; I'm here to help."
"Ah."
"Martin didn't warn you?"
"Martin lacks, as employers go."
"Heh. Can't fire his own people."
"Can't foresee me intercepting you."
"Sorry?"
"Last fellow was a barbarian imitator. He ate raw meat."
"Um. Flynn?"
"Quite."
"Er. Repent, sinner?"
"Dieu, sauf moi des débiles qui B.S. You know Martin's superior also wants him fired?"
"What? You mean--?"
"Quite. Always nice to meet a colleague; good day, sir."
And this one, this one, oh mygodthis one.
This entry is in its own special category of "the most amazing contest entry I've ever seen, and boy howdy, I've seen some REALLy good ones." You might have to read it twice (I did) to see why I love it so much.
Kate Outhwaite 7:27am
“Squibs!” declares the child, pointing at the adjacent tank.
“Squi-duh, ” sighs the father balancing sushi on chopsticks. He turns and I see it’s Josh. Older, but unmistakably the boy who bought me a firefly in a jar as the chemo fought the cancer for the right to kill me the first time round.
Our eyes lock. He sees me!
Josh points at me. “That one.”
Steam rises from the pan over the propane heater.
“Hurt lobster?” asks the child.
“Not really. Maybe it tingles a tiny bit.”
“Tingo...” says the child as the chef lowers me into the steam.
This one is too brilliant not to win, but there were four other amazing entries too. So, clearly more than one winner this time.
Here are the finalists:
David11:37am
“Tingo!” Akiko yelled, as she swung the bat into knotted sheets. “Tingo!!”
Seven months ago the Peruvian diplomat had fed her sushi on one of his squibs, then made her love him while fireflies danced across the shores of lake Chauya.
Winking flits of hope.
“Tingo!” The bat crunched sheets.
A baby in two months, but better without him, her diplomat, whimpering now, blood spotting linen. He'd given three months of lust and four of short temper--quick and cruel affections.
“Tingo,” she said, missing, then hitting the heater. It psshhd hot steam over fading firefly dots.
Love speckling out.
The Sentence Sleuth 11:22am
Yuki’s back was turned to him. The firefly pattern on her kimono dissolved into a pile of yellow and red fabric as the garment slid to the floor.
As the silk nuzzled the space heater, Squibs McGee nuzzled her bare neck, her bare shoulders.
“You make me tingo all over,” she said.
He felt more than a tingle himself as she pushed him onto the futon.
“Now you show me American sushi roll.”
The neighbors heard the explosion.
Stone Girl 1:22pm
There is but one who knows the fates of Brahm and Wu:
The former (tingo impulse: high) is at Wu’s door (again); this time, to beg a bit of sushi.
As Wu turns ‘round to fetch the fish, Brahm spies the squibs stacked (foolishly) atop the unlit heater. . .
Unable to resist, he reaches out to pilch a squib! Just as he does,
a firefly (exacting sweet revenge against the swatting Wu)
swoops down! Its flash ignites the heater, which ignites the squibs, and then, the two!
The witness to their grand demise? Just one, with tiny compound eyes. . .
Katherine Tomlinson 9:06pm
Life imitates art
At the last minute, the director changed the scene from the interior of an Italian restaurant to an exterior at a sushi place called “Tingo.”
He wanted a firefly to dance across the frame as he filmed and was surprised that fireflies aren’t available in December. Warmed by a heater at his feet, the director was also oblivious to his star’s discomfort as he waited in the cold.
The squibs went off perfectly, polka-dotting the star with fake blood. It took a minute for anyone to notice that the director’s coat was also bloodied.
On-set accidents happen all the time.
The winner is Stone Girl @1:22am in a very close call.
If the two of you (Stone Girl and Kate Outhwaite) will each send me your mailing addresses, I will pry another copy of THE DEVOTION OF SUSPECT X from the adept digits of the editor and send it to you.
I am in awe of what I read here.
Marilyn!
Another image from the amazing talent that brought us BENT OBJECTS: the secret life of everyday things.
And in case you need more, herewith!
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