So thrilled to announce that my friend and critique partner, Liesl Shurtliff, just sold her MG fantasy RUMP, a delightful retelling of Rumpelstiltskin from poor Rumpelstiltskin's perspective, to Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House!
Check out Liesl's announcement, and while you're over there, you'd better follow her blog. Not only is she a wonderful writer, but she has a good head on her shoulders and a lot of thoughtful insights to share. That was how I first discovered her--every comment she left on someone else's blog was interesting and spot-on, and I knew I wanted her to read my manuscripts someday. Turns out, I was right:)
Congratulations again, Liesl! Can't wait to hear more about how the story unfolds from here.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Query Update
If you’ve been following the blog for a while, you’ve probably noticed that I haven’t posted any query updates for the last several months. As I mentioned in March’s update, I started working on a major revision in February, and I finished that at the end of May. Since then, I’ve been waiting, critiquing my guts out, waiting a little more, adding words to Steve, and waiting even longer.
Here in mid-August, I’ve heard back on most of those R&Rs, and since I haven’t announced that I have an agent, I guess you can tell how most of those turned out. The funny thing is, the vast majority of those rejections had more positive than negative things to say. They used words like “excellent” and “great” to describe the changes and praised the concept, the characters, the world building, the plot. Then they fell back on that ubiquitous, "But I just didn't fall in love." In fact, one agent seemed to be on the verge of offering (she was e-mailing every week or so, saying things like, “So sorry it’s taking so long, but I’m reading the manuscript and enjoying it and look forward to talking soon”), but ultimately, she passed, too.
Thankfully, the news hasn’t been all bad. I was corresponding with an agent several months ago, an agent who’d read and rejected one of Bob’s earlier drafts, and she mentioned as an aside that she was still thinking about him. She asked what his status was, and when I told her I’d just completed a revision, she let me know that she’d mentioned him to an agent friend and that said agent friend was interested. Said agent friend then e-mailed me--SHE e-mailed ME--and asked to see the manuscript. I’m still waiting to hear back from her.
Also, I picked up a partial request--or maybe a partial re-request--from another agent who'd read an older draft last fall, and just last week, another agent requested ANOTHER revision. In a couple of weeks, I’ll hit Bob’s SECOND birthday, and yet he refuses to take his place on the shelf. He’s tenacious, no doubt about that, and like any normal child, he’s made me laugh--and cry--more than a few times.
To be honest, I’m not sure where to go from here. I’m really enjoying Steve and how he’s progressing, but it’s hard to resist the siren song of an R&R. Maybe when Steve is ready for his first round of beta readers, I’ll have some time to dive back into Bob. The revisions won’t be nearly as extensive this time around, and maybe, just maybe, the third time really will be the charm…
(As for the numbers, I have to admit, I’ve lost track of how many queries I’ve sent, how many of those are still pending, and how many have turned into non-responses. I believe the total query count is somewhere around 80, but it’s hard to say, since I have re-queried a couple of agents.)
Here in mid-August, I’ve heard back on most of those R&Rs, and since I haven’t announced that I have an agent, I guess you can tell how most of those turned out. The funny thing is, the vast majority of those rejections had more positive than negative things to say. They used words like “excellent” and “great” to describe the changes and praised the concept, the characters, the world building, the plot. Then they fell back on that ubiquitous, "But I just didn't fall in love." In fact, one agent seemed to be on the verge of offering (she was e-mailing every week or so, saying things like, “So sorry it’s taking so long, but I’m reading the manuscript and enjoying it and look forward to talking soon”), but ultimately, she passed, too.
Thankfully, the news hasn’t been all bad. I was corresponding with an agent several months ago, an agent who’d read and rejected one of Bob’s earlier drafts, and she mentioned as an aside that she was still thinking about him. She asked what his status was, and when I told her I’d just completed a revision, she let me know that she’d mentioned him to an agent friend and that said agent friend was interested. Said agent friend then e-mailed me--SHE e-mailed ME--and asked to see the manuscript. I’m still waiting to hear back from her.
Also, I picked up a partial request--or maybe a partial re-request--from another agent who'd read an older draft last fall, and just last week, another agent requested ANOTHER revision. In a couple of weeks, I’ll hit Bob’s SECOND birthday, and yet he refuses to take his place on the shelf. He’s tenacious, no doubt about that, and like any normal child, he’s made me laugh--and cry--more than a few times.
To be honest, I’m not sure where to go from here. I’m really enjoying Steve and how he’s progressing, but it’s hard to resist the siren song of an R&R. Maybe when Steve is ready for his first round of beta readers, I’ll have some time to dive back into Bob. The revisions won’t be nearly as extensive this time around, and maybe, just maybe, the third time really will be the charm…
(As for the numbers, I have to admit, I’ve lost track of how many queries I’ve sent, how many of those are still pending, and how many have turned into non-responses. I believe the total query count is somewhere around 80, but it’s hard to say, since I have re-queried a couple of agents.)
Monday, August 15, 2011
Ten Things I Learned At or On the Way to Disneyland
1. There are two kinds of people in this world: those who like road trips, and those who’d rather subject themselves to brain surgery without any anesthesia. (I’ll let you decide which kind I am…)
2. If you need to get from Vegas toL.A.
3. If you need to stop inBarstow Lenwood Avenue
4.Disneyland isn’t always the happiest place on earth when two- and four-year-olds are involved.
5. Just because you paid for two full days inDisneyland doesn’t mean you can’t go back to the hotel to take a nap.
6. If you want to ride the new Star Tours, you’d better get your FASTPASS by, like, ten in the morning. While waiting in line for Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, we noticed that the FASTPASS Return Time was already up to eight o’clock that night.
7. And speaking of Astro Blasters, if you have a four-year-old boy, that will probably be his favorite ride:) (We rode it three times in two days.)
8. Sunburns on your scalp are painful. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to your part.
9. Sea World isn’t worth the hour-and-a-half-long drive fromDisneyland . It’s not as cool as I remember (especially since they’ve added a ton of cheap carnival rides and games).
10. On the other hand, the beach is as cool as I remember. And it’s free. (You just have to remember to touch up your sunscreen, like, every twenty minutes.)
2. If you need to get from Vegas to
3. If you need to stop in
4.
5. Just because you paid for two full days in
6. If you want to ride the new Star Tours, you’d better get your FASTPASS by, like, ten in the morning. While waiting in line for Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, we noticed that the FASTPASS Return Time was already up to eight o’clock that night.
7. And speaking of Astro Blasters, if you have a four-year-old boy, that will probably be his favorite ride:) (We rode it three times in two days.)
8. Sunburns on your scalp are painful. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to your part.
9. Sea World isn’t worth the hour-and-a-half-long drive from
10. On the other hand, the beach is as cool as I remember. And it’s free. (You just have to remember to touch up your sunscreen, like, every twenty minutes.)
Monday, August 8, 2011
Out-of-town and Offline
I'm in California all this week, but not at SCBWI LA 2011. (Or was SCBWI LA just a weekend thing? Well, either way, I'm clearly not there, since I have no idea:) ) We're having a family reunion in Disneyland!
I hope everyone has a great week while I'm gone. I know we will. (Although I can't guarantee I won't faint from heat exhaustion, or just plain, old exhaustion...)
I'll be back next week with some exciting new posts, including another installment of "Interview with an Agent" with Lauren Ruth, the newest agent at BookEnds. See you then!
I hope everyone has a great week while I'm gone. I know we will. (Although I can't guarantee I won't faint from heat exhaustion, or just plain, old exhaustion...)
I'll be back next week with some exciting new posts, including another installment of "Interview with an Agent" with Lauren Ruth, the newest agent at BookEnds. See you then!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Interactive Interview with an Agent: Meredith Barnes
Interview today! And it’s interactive! (Seems like it’s been a while since we’ve had a good, old-fashioned installment of “Interview with an Agent.”) Today’s interviewee is Meredith Barnes of Lowenstein Associates. She maintains an awesome blog, the beautifully titled La Vie en Prose, so after you read the interview (and leave your questions in the comments), definitely go and check that out.
KV: How often does a query intrigue you enough to look at the included pages? And how often do those pages intrigue you enough to request the manuscript?
MB: I almost always look at the pages included with a query. Query writing is hard, so I like to take a look at the writing itself. Typically, I’ll read the first few lines of the query, get a sense of the category, length, and plot. Then I skip to the pages and read a few lines. If the pages are good, I just read them all and make a decision to request more from there. If they’re iffy, I’ll skip back up and read the rest of the query to see if there are any saving graces (like a unique plot twist or an author with a really stellar online presence). But in almost all cases, if the pages don’t wow, from word one, it will be a rejection, unfortunately.
KV: What are you looking for in a requested manuscript?
MB: First, voice. Voice is a very high indicator of a talented writer. So that means that the main character especially (but the other ones, too, of course) feels real. Under that rubric falls good dialog, showing instead of telling, etc. If a writer is able to bring their characters to life with distinctive and realistic voices, the most common faults (stilted dialog, telling) won’t happen. And they’re more likely to be able to revise.
Second is a good plot. Something that moves along at a quick pace. Contrary to popular belief, this is not only applicable to commercial fiction like thrillers. Even “literary fiction” has to have, as one of my creative writing professors put it, “People doing stuff.” (Actually, that’s edited. He used a curse word.) Even if the changes, the “moving along at a quick pace,” are happening emotionally on the inside of the character, there still have to be things happening. This requirement is a reaction against overwriting, that terrible sludgy writing filled with adjectives and inverted, extra clauses.
KV: What are some of the most common problems you see in the manuscripts you request?
MB: The inverses of what I’m looking for in a request: characters that don’t jump off the page because the dialog is stiff or the voice is inauthentic (so common in YA submissions), telling me someone feels uncomfortable instead of showing me how they fidget and cut their eyes, and overwritten “flowery” manuscripts where no one does anything.
KV: When you come across a manuscript you really like/love, how do you decide whether to request revisions or offer representation?
MB: Very, very rarely is anything ready right out of a full request. There are almost always revisions to be made, typically I want to see that before I’ll make a formal offer.
Usually, I’ll send a formal editorial letter to someone that I’m seriously considering, see how they take it (Argue? Not really know how to take the direction?) and then wait to read the revision. Revising is very different from writing--some writers can get it down on paper fairly well but can’t go back in and do the analysis to revise. I like to know I’m working with someone who can do both before signing them (Not that I won’t sign them if they struggle with revision, but one likes to know what one is getting into:) ).
Sometimes, though, something is JUST TOO GOOD to wait on, and I’ll send an offer with my editorial letter. That way the author can see what I’d change when initially deciding whether or not to go on with me. I’ll move faster if I know an editor that’s dying to see that project or I personally have really wanted that sort of thing. I do a lot of nonfiction, so if a sample chapter is really good and the proposal is polished, I’ll sign that right off, usually. And, of course, sometimes you have to make a snap decision if the author is considering another offer. First I have to consider if I really want it, and once I do it’s all cylinders go, letter, phone call, offer all pretty quickly.
KV: When you do make that Call, you’re probably going to ask the writer if she has any questions. What sorts of questions should she ask?
MB: Ooh! This is a good one. Authors should always ask, first and foremost, about revisions that an agent wants made. If you haven’t seen a letter before your phone call (I think it’s easier to send one then schedule the call, so those revision can be discussed more in-depth), ask what revisions they’d request. How do those sit with you? If you have seen an editorial letter and have reservations, talk that through. Just as much as some authors don’t want their work critiqued, some agents get huffy if you question their notes, and you should know that ahead of time. There are times when you have to go with your agent’s gut, but revisions have to be collaborative.
You should also ask about communication style. Does the agent do a regular check in with everyone? Do they pretty much only get in touch if there’s news or something specific to discuss? Which do you want? Differences in this category are probably the most frequent reason agents and authors have trouble, so it’s an important one!!
Lastly, ask your agent what their overall Plan is for your book. Books are not just books anymore. They could become apps or enhanced ebooks or have cool interactive elements like game websites. There are cool marketing techniques that your book might lend itself to (I, for instance, have a book in which music features prominently, so playlists will be a big thing for our marketing). Are they thinking outside the box? Can they talk about this stuff? These days, they should be able to.
KV: And now for a few quick questions from the normal interview. What client work do you have coming out soon? What drew you to those writers and/or projects?
MB: I have some really exciting projects coming up, but none that are web-ready yet!! You know, don’t want to spoil the pre-empt I’m aiming for:)
I can tell you that the next two things I have coming up, one fiction and one non, both had very unique concepts, great voices, digitally savvy authors who are open to my quirky ideas on digital elements and marketing, and both projects lend themselves to all the book+ that’s going on: apps, multimedia enhancements, and unique marketing.
KV: Is there something you haven’t been seeing lately in the slush pile that you wish you were? What are you tired of seeing at the moment?
MB: I’m a little YA’d out, honestly, although I am still biting for the sci-fi and thrillers…but just no more paranormal, please. A really unique YA contemporary might catch my eye, too. Something with rock and roll in it.
I’d love to see some great literary fiction, something like a Jennifer Egan/A Visit from the Goon Squad.
I also just finished Galveston by the inestimable Nic Pizzolatto…please someone be another him and query me. It’s highly literary but extraordinarily paced (see #2 in this interview). Same for Will Lavender’s work (Obedience, Dominance). These are both of the crime persuasion, but I’d love to see a sci-fi thriller that was written as well as these are.
For nonfiction: always blog-to-book. Of course, platform is a huge consideration in nonfiction. Be honest with yourself about your platform: think in the thousands, not hundreds when you're talking about blog followers, etc. If you're not there, WAIT. It's better to take some time to build your platform before you query.
I’m also looking for amazing stories and a sassy relationship or fashion expert who would reach this demographic:
KV: What’s the best way to query you?
MB: You can find Lowenstein Associates’ submission guidelines here: lowensteinassociates.com/submission.html, or on my blog: merbarnes.blogspot.com!! The worst way to query me is to do anything other than that--don’t get cute.
And there you have it. Thanks again, Ms. Barnes, for all of this FANTASTIC information. We almost don’t need to do the interactive part…
But we will! Because I’m sure you savvy readers have a lot of savvy questions. Feel free to leave them in the comments section below. Ms. Barnes will pop in throughout the day and leave her answers in the comments, too. We’ll wrap things up at 3:00 p.m. EDT (which is 12:00 noon PDT), just so Ms. Barnes can enjoy her Friday night. Until then, ask away!
KV: How often does a query intrigue you enough to look at the included pages? And how often do those pages intrigue you enough to request the manuscript?
MB: I almost always look at the pages included with a query. Query writing is hard, so I like to take a look at the writing itself. Typically, I’ll read the first few lines of the query, get a sense of the category, length, and plot. Then I skip to the pages and read a few lines. If the pages are good, I just read them all and make a decision to request more from there. If they’re iffy, I’ll skip back up and read the rest of the query to see if there are any saving graces (like a unique plot twist or an author with a really stellar online presence). But in almost all cases, if the pages don’t wow, from word one, it will be a rejection, unfortunately.
KV: What are you looking for in a requested manuscript?
MB: First, voice. Voice is a very high indicator of a talented writer. So that means that the main character especially (but the other ones, too, of course) feels real. Under that rubric falls good dialog, showing instead of telling, etc. If a writer is able to bring their characters to life with distinctive and realistic voices, the most common faults (stilted dialog, telling) won’t happen. And they’re more likely to be able to revise.
Second is a good plot. Something that moves along at a quick pace. Contrary to popular belief, this is not only applicable to commercial fiction like thrillers. Even “literary fiction” has to have, as one of my creative writing professors put it, “People doing stuff.” (Actually, that’s edited. He used a curse word.) Even if the changes, the “moving along at a quick pace,” are happening emotionally on the inside of the character, there still have to be things happening. This requirement is a reaction against overwriting, that terrible sludgy writing filled with adjectives and inverted, extra clauses.
KV: What are some of the most common problems you see in the manuscripts you request?
MB: The inverses of what I’m looking for in a request: characters that don’t jump off the page because the dialog is stiff or the voice is inauthentic (so common in YA submissions), telling me someone feels uncomfortable instead of showing me how they fidget and cut their eyes, and overwritten “flowery” manuscripts where no one does anything.
KV: When you come across a manuscript you really like/love, how do you decide whether to request revisions or offer representation?
MB: Very, very rarely is anything ready right out of a full request. There are almost always revisions to be made, typically I want to see that before I’ll make a formal offer.
Usually, I’ll send a formal editorial letter to someone that I’m seriously considering, see how they take it (Argue? Not really know how to take the direction?) and then wait to read the revision. Revising is very different from writing--some writers can get it down on paper fairly well but can’t go back in and do the analysis to revise. I like to know I’m working with someone who can do both before signing them (Not that I won’t sign them if they struggle with revision, but one likes to know what one is getting into:) ).
Sometimes, though, something is JUST TOO GOOD to wait on, and I’ll send an offer with my editorial letter. That way the author can see what I’d change when initially deciding whether or not to go on with me. I’ll move faster if I know an editor that’s dying to see that project or I personally have really wanted that sort of thing. I do a lot of nonfiction, so if a sample chapter is really good and the proposal is polished, I’ll sign that right off, usually. And, of course, sometimes you have to make a snap decision if the author is considering another offer. First I have to consider if I really want it, and once I do it’s all cylinders go, letter, phone call, offer all pretty quickly.
KV: When you do make that Call, you’re probably going to ask the writer if she has any questions. What sorts of questions should she ask?
MB: Ooh! This is a good one. Authors should always ask, first and foremost, about revisions that an agent wants made. If you haven’t seen a letter before your phone call (I think it’s easier to send one then schedule the call, so those revision can be discussed more in-depth), ask what revisions they’d request. How do those sit with you? If you have seen an editorial letter and have reservations, talk that through. Just as much as some authors don’t want their work critiqued, some agents get huffy if you question their notes, and you should know that ahead of time. There are times when you have to go with your agent’s gut, but revisions have to be collaborative.
You should also ask about communication style. Does the agent do a regular check in with everyone? Do they pretty much only get in touch if there’s news or something specific to discuss? Which do you want? Differences in this category are probably the most frequent reason agents and authors have trouble, so it’s an important one!!
Lastly, ask your agent what their overall Plan is for your book. Books are not just books anymore. They could become apps or enhanced ebooks or have cool interactive elements like game websites. There are cool marketing techniques that your book might lend itself to (I, for instance, have a book in which music features prominently, so playlists will be a big thing for our marketing). Are they thinking outside the box? Can they talk about this stuff? These days, they should be able to.
KV: And now for a few quick questions from the normal interview. What client work do you have coming out soon? What drew you to those writers and/or projects?
MB: I have some really exciting projects coming up, but none that are web-ready yet!! You know, don’t want to spoil the pre-empt I’m aiming for:)
I can tell you that the next two things I have coming up, one fiction and one non, both had very unique concepts, great voices, digitally savvy authors who are open to my quirky ideas on digital elements and marketing, and both projects lend themselves to all the book+ that’s going on: apps, multimedia enhancements, and unique marketing.
KV: Is there something you haven’t been seeing lately in the slush pile that you wish you were? What are you tired of seeing at the moment?
MB: I’m a little YA’d out, honestly, although I am still biting for the sci-fi and thrillers…but just no more paranormal, please. A really unique YA contemporary might catch my eye, too. Something with rock and roll in it.
I’d love to see some great literary fiction, something like a Jennifer Egan/A Visit from the Goon Squad.
I also just finished Galveston by the inestimable Nic Pizzolatto…please someone be another him and query me. It’s highly literary but extraordinarily paced (see #2 in this interview). Same for Will Lavender’s work (Obedience, Dominance). These are both of the crime persuasion, but I’d love to see a sci-fi thriller that was written as well as these are.
For nonfiction: always blog-to-book. Of course, platform is a huge consideration in nonfiction. Be honest with yourself about your platform: think in the thousands, not hundreds when you're talking about blog followers, etc. If you're not there, WAIT. It's better to take some time to build your platform before you query.
I’m also looking for amazing stories and a sassy relationship or fashion expert who would reach this demographic:
KV: What’s the best way to query you?
MB: You can find Lowenstein Associates’ submission guidelines here: lowensteinassociates.com/submission.html, or on my blog: merbarnes.blogspot.com!! The worst way to query me is to do anything other than that--don’t get cute.
And there you have it. Thanks again, Ms. Barnes, for all of this FANTASTIC information. We almost don’t need to do the interactive part…
But we will! Because I’m sure you savvy readers have a lot of savvy questions. Feel free to leave them in the comments section below. Ms. Barnes will pop in throughout the day and leave her answers in the comments, too. We’ll wrap things up at 3:00 p.m. EDT (which is 12:00 noon PDT), just so Ms. Barnes can enjoy her Friday night. Until then, ask away!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
(Work-in-) Progress Report: Steve
Word count (to the nearest thousand): 34,000
Status: Flying through the first draft
Attitude: Still in love!
After dragging my feet for a few months, I finally found the motivation to start working on Steve again, and I think he’s just as awesome now as he was five months ago. I’ve added nearly 20,000 words in the last two weeks, and it’s exhilarating. I can honestly say I’ve never written any other manuscript this quickly.
So why the sudden burst of speed? I really have no idea. I took up outlining a few years ago, and while I think the process suits my anal-retentive personality, I didn’t feel like outlining this manuscript before I started. So I didn’t. And now I’m 34,000 words in after a combined three weeks of writing.
Which isn’t to say I’ve completely abandoned the idea of outlining. I’m sure I’ll outline future manuscripts before I start the actual writing, and I’m sure I’ll end up writing (at least) one outline for Steve before I’m done. But I’m totally digging this freewheeling, anything-goes, fun-and-fancy-free style of writing. I think it’s helped me unlock my inner speed demon:)
I have had one outlining epiphany over the course of the last few weeks: Keeping track of major plot elements and overall narrative arcs is really easy, but keeping track of each character’s development and overall metamorphosis is really hard. In fact, I daresay a character outline, which would track characters’ responses to predetermined plot points as well as chart the characters’ states of mind on a chapter-by-chapter basis, would be far more useful than a traditional story outline, at least for me.
All right, back to work. But while I'm beefing Steve up, I'm curious: What epiphanies have you had lately, writing or otherwise?
Status: Flying through the first draft
Attitude: Still in love!
After dragging my feet for a few months, I finally found the motivation to start working on Steve again, and I think he’s just as awesome now as he was five months ago. I’ve added nearly 20,000 words in the last two weeks, and it’s exhilarating. I can honestly say I’ve never written any other manuscript this quickly.
So why the sudden burst of speed? I really have no idea. I took up outlining a few years ago, and while I think the process suits my anal-retentive personality, I didn’t feel like outlining this manuscript before I started. So I didn’t. And now I’m 34,000 words in after a combined three weeks of writing.
Which isn’t to say I’ve completely abandoned the idea of outlining. I’m sure I’ll outline future manuscripts before I start the actual writing, and I’m sure I’ll end up writing (at least) one outline for Steve before I’m done. But I’m totally digging this freewheeling, anything-goes, fun-and-fancy-free style of writing. I think it’s helped me unlock my inner speed demon:)
I have had one outlining epiphany over the course of the last few weeks: Keeping track of major plot elements and overall narrative arcs is really easy, but keeping track of each character’s development and overall metamorphosis is really hard. In fact, I daresay a character outline, which would track characters’ responses to predetermined plot points as well as chart the characters’ states of mind on a chapter-by-chapter basis, would be far more useful than a traditional story outline, at least for me.
All right, back to work. But while I'm beefing Steve up, I'm curious: What epiphanies have you had lately, writing or otherwise?
Monday, August 1, 2011
Winners!
Ms. LaPolla had a lot of wonderful things to say about the entries--and especially the winners:) She said she rearranged the order about a million times, but here's what she finally settled on:
First place: #8 CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE CYBORG
CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE CYBORG wins a full request!
Second place: #22 MANAS
MANAS wins a first-3-chapters request!
Third place: #3 SWIMMING WITH TCHAIKOVSKY
SWIMMING WITH TCHAIKOVSKY wins an in-depth query critique!
Winners, e-mail me at kvandolzer(at)gmail(dot)com for instructions on how to submit your manuscripts and/or queries to Ms. LaPolla.
And of course, THANK YOU, everyone, for participating in this month's contest, either as an entrant or a critiquer. We had a ton of great feedback flying around here last week, and it was GREAT.
I'm taking a break in August (I never could have foreseen how much time these contests would take), but I'll be back in September with another round of "An Agent's Inbox."
First place: #8 CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE CYBORG
CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE CYBORG wins a full request!
Second place: #22 MANAS
MANAS wins a first-3-chapters request!
Third place: #3 SWIMMING WITH TCHAIKOVSKY
SWIMMING WITH TCHAIKOVSKY wins an in-depth query critique!
Winners, e-mail me at kvandolzer(at)gmail(dot)com for instructions on how to submit your manuscripts and/or queries to Ms. LaPolla.
And of course, THANK YOU, everyone, for participating in this month's contest, either as an entrant or a critiquer. We had a ton of great feedback flying around here last week, and it was GREAT.
I'm taking a break in August (I never could have foreseen how much time these contests would take), but I'll be back in September with another round of "An Agent's Inbox."
The Agent = Sarah LaPolla of Curtis Brown, Ltd.
This month's agent was Sarah LaPolla of Curtis Brown, Ltd. You can find her all over the Web, so if you're looking for more information on our insightful agent, you might start by checking out these sites:
My interview with Ms. LaPolla
Ms. LaPolla's blog
Ms. LaPolla's Twitter page
And now for a few quick blurbs about Ms. LaPolla.
From Curtis Brown's website: "Sarah LaPolla began at Curtis Brown in 2008, working with Dave Barbor and Peter Ginsberg. Sarah is interested in literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, science fiction, literary horror, and young adult fiction. She loves complex characters, coming-of-age stories, and strong narrators. Sarah graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Writing and English, and went on to receive her MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. She is always on the lookout for debut authors and welcomes e-mail submissions at sl(at)cbltd(dot)com."
From Ms. LaPolla's Twitter page (December 3, 2010): "Writers: I do not want vampires, angels, werewolves, shape-shifters, or zombies in my queries. Yours will not be the exception. Thank you.
"Witches, ghosts, fairies, and centaurs are still welcome. Especially scary ghost novels!"
I threw that last one in there for all you paranormal writers. When Amy asked about that a couple of weeks ago, I was like, "Ooh, ooh, I know the answer!" But I figured if I was too specific, I might give her away:)
And since Ms. LaPolla is so on top of everything, I'll announce the winners in a couple of hours...
My interview with Ms. LaPolla
Ms. LaPolla's blog
Ms. LaPolla's Twitter page
And now for a few quick blurbs about Ms. LaPolla.
From Curtis Brown's website: "Sarah LaPolla began at Curtis Brown in 2008, working with Dave Barbor and Peter Ginsberg. Sarah is interested in literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, science fiction, literary horror, and young adult fiction. She loves complex characters, coming-of-age stories, and strong narrators. Sarah graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Writing and English, and went on to receive her MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. She is always on the lookout for debut authors and welcomes e-mail submissions at sl(at)cbltd(dot)com."
From Ms. LaPolla's Twitter page (December 3, 2010): "Writers: I do not want vampires, angels, werewolves, shape-shifters, or zombies in my queries. Yours will not be the exception. Thank you.
"Witches, ghosts, fairies, and centaurs are still welcome. Especially scary ghost novels!"
I threw that last one in there for all you paranormal writers. When Amy asked about that a couple of weeks ago, I was like, "Ooh, ooh, I know the answer!" But I figured if I was too specific, I might give her away:)
And since Ms. LaPolla is so on top of everything, I'll announce the winners in a couple of hours...
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