From Submission to Offer with Alison Weiss

I'm thrilled to share my interview with Alison Weiss, an editor at Sky Pony Press. I got to pick her brain about Sarah S. Reida's MONSTERVILLE: A LISSA BLACK PRODUCTION, which comes out on September 20, but we're giving away a signed copy right here. DETAILS ON THAT GIVEAWAY ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST, but in the meantime, enjoy the interview!

KV: First off, tell us a bit about MONSTERVILLE. What is it about, and what did you love about it?

AW: If I had to give a one-liner for Monsterville: A Lissa Black Production, I'd call it Boxtrolls meets Jumanji meets Goonies meets Candyland. The novel stars Lissa, who's moved from New York City to Freeburg, PA--a town that might as well be the miiddle of nowhere. Lissa dreams of being a famous actor, writer, and director, and that's just not going to happen in this small town. And then, walking in the woods, she runs into a very mixed up monster. And what do you do with a monster? Make monster movies of course! It's Lissa's ticket to fame and fortune! But when her little sister is taken to the monster realm, Lissa will have to venture Down Below to stage a rescue and become something else--an epic hero.

I fell for Monsterville because it's just brimming with heart. Lissa is a total fish out of water, and she's also a little bit of a snob at the beginning o f the book. But that comes out of a sense of a worry that all of her friends from back in New York will move on without her, and I just couldn't help but feel for her. And I couldn't help but love Sarah's characters. In addition to LIssa, Blue (our beloved monster) and Haylie (Lissa's little sister) and Adam (the ever-prepared soon-to-be-friend) have such wonderful, warm, personalities. They really feel like living beings to me.

KV: Do you recall how quickly you read Ms. Reida's manuscript? Is that pretty typical of your response times, or do those vary?

AW: I really can't remember how long it took me to read Monsterville. Sarah would probably say too long. I try to be prompt on manuscript reading, but there are so many manuscripts and only one me, and despite best intentions, editing and life sometimes get in the way. I try to get back in a month, but I know I miss that more often than I'd like. I never mind a gentle nudge, though. And I try to respond on everything. Even if it's been an eon. 

KV: Once you decided to take MONSTERVILLE to your acquisitions meeting/editorial board, did you inform Ms. Reida’s agent of your interest in the manuscript? Do you typically keep in contact with the agent throughout the process, or do you prefer to have a final decision in hand before you reach out?

AW: Acquisitions at Sky Pony goes a little bit differently than it does at some other houses. We don't have a formal acquisitions board. But we still have to make our case to our editorial director if we'd like to take on a project. In the case of Monsterville, I think I let the agent know I was taking the project to acquisitions. In general, though, I try to play my cards pretty close to my chest. I'll let agents know if I'm reading and really loving something--you don't want them to go take a pre-empt on something you're head-over-heels for--but there's always a strong possibility that an agent will go drumming up other interest if they know you're interested. I guess I decide the best approach with each project. And sometimes that means having to stop my hand from rattling off a gushing email to an agent until I'm ready to go.

KV: How did you prepare to bring MONSTERVILLE to your editorial director?

AW: I put together a pitch for the book thinking about questions like: Where would I position this in the market? Why is it a good prospect for the Sky Pony list? What are some comparable titles and how did they sell? I had a conversation wit my editorial director, as well. I think she read a little bit of the manuscript before we moved it on to the next stage.

KV: How did you present your offer to Ms. Reida's agent, and what was that conversation like?

AW: I think I just sent her a gushing offer letter and the terms I was offering. And we did a little bit of negotiation on terms and then moved forward.

KV: I know Sky Pony Press is open to unagented submissions, so what other kinds of stories are you looking for?

AW: I tend to have quite eclectic tastes. I like to edit all sorts of books across a list. In middle grade, I always love stories that have a lot of heart and a bit of a classic feel, while still resonating with a contemporary audience. Books like Circus Mirandus and The Penderwicks and Savvy. In YA, I love a sweeping romance--I'd especially love a sweeping Southern Gothic. And across the board I really enjoy spies and assassins and thieves--but the Robin Hood-types. You have to have a crook with a heart of gold.

KV: What's the best way to submit to you?

AW: The easiest way to submit to me if you're unagented is to follow the submission guidelines on Sky Pony's website. You can email skyponysubmissions@skyhorsepublishing.com.

Thank you for these helpful answers, Ms. Weiss! It's really nice to know that at least one editor likes to play her cards close to her chest:)

And now on to the giveaway for a signed copy of MONSTERVILLE! To enter, leave a comment below that includes your e-mail address. This contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents and closes in two weeks, on Thursday, September 1, at 11:59 p.m. EST (or 8:59 p.m. PST). I'll announce the winners the next day!

#

Beware what lurks beneath your bed. . . . It could lead to a monstrous adventure.

Thirteen-year-old Lissa Black is anything but happy when her parents force her to move from New York City, the perfect home for an aspiring writer/director/actress, to Freeburg, Pennsylvania, nowhere capital of the world. There’s not much for Lissa to do there, except play Monsterville, a Candyland-esque quest to survive, which Lissa’s little sister, Haylie, has becomed obsessed with, and hang out with her new neighbor, Adam, who is intent to prove to her that Freeburg is a great place to live.

But even Lissa can’t call her new home totally boring when a trek into the woods lands her face-to-face with a sea monster looking for brains to eat and then a Sasquatch that moos! With Adam’s help, she discovers a monster secret . . . or maybe just a monster: a poor little goblin they name Blue, who’s fled the world Down Below, desperate to decide on his scary form.

And what do you do with a creature that can be literally anything? You make monster movies, of course! Lissa is convinced that Blue will be the secret to her big break.

But when Haylie goes missing on Halloween, Lissa, Adam, and Blue must ventrure Down Below to stage a rescue—and face the real Monsterville, which is anything but a game.

Monsterville is a fusion of The Boxtrolls, Jumanji, and Candyland, weaving together friendship family, and monsters into a funny fantasy-horror brimming with heart from a great new middle grade voice.

SOLD

When you sell your first manuscript, you're ecstatic. Your lifelong dream is (finally, always finally) coming true. You did it. You really did it.

But you can't make a career out of selling your first manuscript (unless your name is J.K. Rowling or Stephenie Meyer). You've got to keep selling them, and as I mentioned in this post, that was the one thing I hadn't been able to do.

Until now.

From Publishers Weekly: Brett Wright at Bloomsbury has won at auction Krista Van Dolzer's Don't Solve the Puzzle, a middle-grade murder mystery set at a math camp, with built-in logic puzzles that readers can solve alongside the main character. Publication is scheduled for winter 2019; Brent Taylor at the TriadaUS Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.

If you've been a longtime reader, I can guess what you're thinking: What the heck is DON'T SOLVE THE PUZZLE? Only slightly better known as Clyde the Second, DON'T SOLVE THE PUZZLE is a companion novel to DON'T VOTE FOR ME, also known as Clyde, and features Esther Lambert, an art kid from DON'T VOTE FOR ME who ends up at a math camp by mistake.

When Bloomsbury showed up on Brent's submission list, I couldn't have been more excited. Some of my very favorite authors are published by Bloomsbury (hello, Shannon Hale and Lindsey Leavitt!), and when I was browsing my own bookshelves, I was surprised to see how many of my books had that funny-looking archer on their spines. But the first interest in the manuscript came from another press, and when it became clear that neither of these publishers was going anywhere, Brent set up an auction. I'm sure you can guess who won:)

For more information on DON'T SOLVE THE PUZZLE, feel free to check out the "Books" tab at the top of the screen. I hope you'll have as much fun reading it as I did writing it.

Ms. Nelson's Winners!

Ms. Nelson picked her two favorite entries:

#8 KISSING A SUPERHERO
#14 MENDOCINO MUSIC

Ms. Nelson would like to request your first 50 pages!

She also picked a runner-up:

#4 NPC: NON-PLAYER CHARACTER

Ms. Nelson would like to critique your first 10 pages!

Congratulations, winners! Please e-mail me at kvandolzer(at)gmail(dot)com for instructions on how to submit your materials.

Thank you, Ms. Nelson, for taking the time to read and critique everyone's entries. And thank you, everyone else, for reading, critiquing, and generally being awesome. These contests wouldn't work without each and every one of you.

On Your Marks, Get Set, Critique!

Check out the entries below, then leave some feedback in the comments if you feel so inclined. (ENTRANTS, PLEASE REMEMBER TO CRITIQUE AT LEAST THREE OTHER ENTRIES!) And I'm sure this goes without saying, but please keep your comments constructive (i.e., not rude or mean-spirited). If you want to think like The Agent, you might consider the question, "How much of the entry did you read, and if you didn't read it all, why did you stop?"

I'll announce Ms. Nelson's winners and prizes at the beginning of next week, but until then, have at it!

(And entrants, if you find a Krista-generated error in your post, feel free to shoot me an e-mail, and I'll correct it straightaway.)

An Agent's Inbox #14

Dear Ms. Nelson,

A decade after September 11th killed her voice teacher and her opera career, a still-traumatized soprano returns to Mendocino, where her rekindled passion for music threatens her relationships with her husband and son.

MENDOCINO MUSIC, upmarket women’s fiction complete at 96,000 words, explores the sacrifices necessary when talent pulls in one direction and love in another. New Yorker Marina Bridgepoint and her teen-aged son Jimbo move to her childhood home when her husband’s job sends him to Hong Kong. The aging church choir director who first nurtured Marina’s talent pulls both Jimbo and Marina into the world of music, and Marina finally grapples with the trauma of 9/11. Marina’s prodigious talent tempts her back into the world of opera, though her son’s growing ambitions as a jazz trumpeter may be sacrificed to his mother’s dreams. Through it all, the stresses of long-distance marriage threaten her relationship with her husband. Though Christianity shapes several of the secondary characters, this is not a work of inspirational fiction. Like Maggie Shipstead’s Astonish Me and Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple, the novel examines the tensions which arise when a talented mother and her precocious and equally talented child pursue their competing interests. Mendocino Music does not have the absurdly comic tone of Semple’s novel, but shares its fascination with the deep bonds between mother and child.

I have published a 2,500-word story entitled “Knitting,” in the anthology, The Adventure of Creation and have written extensively for local charitable organizations. I am passionate about vocal music, though do not sing opera. This is my first novel. 

Thank you for your consideration. 

Sincerely,

D.Z.R.

MENDOCINO MUSIC

Walking away, walking towards. Maybe that was wrong. Marina was cowering away. The thought of actually desiring something enough to move towards it was so foreign now.

Behind her rose the steeple of the Mendocino Presbyterian Church, a white landmark on the windy, damp coast. Further back and across the highway stood the shabby little house she’d grown up in, her suitcases and her son Jimbo’s now adding to the clutter. Their brownstone in New York was a continent away, sublet to strangers. She walked away from it all, pulling her cashmere close. Even her sweater was out of place here in the land of fleece. Her sister Connie, walking with Jimbo just in front of her, looked completely at home. Connie had never left Mendocino, and still ran the hardware store the two sisters had inherited from their parents.

Mendocino wasn’t the sunny California New Yorkers imagined. Today, the fog hung low to the ground, flattening the light. Once it lifted, she and Jimbo and Connie would be able to see the Pacific, but now the grasses in the meadow across the street only hinted at the wilderness of cold salt water just beyond the town.

She and Jimbo were supposed to be on the other side of that ocean, living with James in Hong Kong while he opened a new office for his New York law firm. They’d told their friends they’d be leaving New York, and then Marina had failed in Hong Kong.

An Agent's Inbox #13

Dear Ms. Nelson,

SAUL AND ALYSSA (Working title) is a futuristic romance complete at 71,000 words. It is the first in a series of four books, each focusing on one couple as the story unfolds.

Alyssa is a rank-and-file soldier in the Earth Army; Saul stands to inherit the opposing Shadow Empire throne. They meet on the battle field where he falls in love with her power and the freedom she represents. He defects, leaving his sadistic younger brother in line for the crown. Together, Saul and Alyssa fight the hordes of the Shadow Army and discover a safe place in each other’s arms. Until the day comes when Saul’s brother murders their father and the Empire falls into the hands of a madman.

In a strategic power play, The Earth Army convinces Saul that he should return home and claim the throne. They reason that if Saul can ascend to the highest position in the enemy camp, then he could sign a peace treaty and bring the war to an end. Accepting responsibility, Saul and Alyssa sneak into the Shadow palace to confront Fen, Saul’s brother. The plan succeeds and Saul regains his rightful place in the spotlight, but the Shadow government has no interest in peace. Cast into the roll of a puppet on the throne, Saul must make a choice between abandoning the Empire to a monster or becoming a monster himself.

It is not really a choice, and Saul and Alyssa flee once more to take up residence as the power couple within the Earth Army. Officially married by the Earth Army general, they dedicate their lives to the war against Fen and his forces of evil.

Thank you for your time spent reading this email and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Sincerely,

G.E.

SAUL AND ALYSSA

Saul

The first born son of Emperor Janus Ry’all, Saul spent his childhood learning battle techniques from the Shadow Army generals. He is the golden child; beloved by a government steeped in corruption and violence. Finding solace in marching with the common soldiers, Saul encounters Alyssa and her friends on the battlefield and falls instantly in love.

Alyssa

A soldier all her life, Alyssa struggled through the loss of her parents to become a mid-level liaison in the Earth Army. When she catches the eye of the Shadow prince, the higher-ups encourage her to flirt. Her suspicion blossoms into true love when she discovers how large Saul’s heart is.

Zon

King of the officially neutral planet Bejania, Zon Valerian dreads a Shadow victory. He reasons that once released from its conflict with the Earth Army, the Shadow Empire would seek to expand into Bejanian territory. In a show of solidarity, but one that would provide plausible deniability, he disguises himself as a defector and leaves home to assist the Earth Army.

Thamelia

King Zon’s general and bodyguard, Thamelia travels with her regent to take up arms against the Shadow Army. When Zon is killed by Fen’s henchman, her world falls apart. In disgrace and unable to go home, she enlists in the Earth Army and is sent to the front.

Fen

The youngest son of Janus Ry’all, Fen spent his life in Saul’s shadow. His hatred turns outward and he begins experimenting with torture, on animals first and then people. As Saul is drawn further into his father’s inner circle, Fen collects a posse of madmen and one particular courtier who envisions him on the throne. Fen is instrumental in assisting Saul to escape, thereby leaving the path open for his own ascension. He murders their father and descends on the imperial office with his thugs. In desperation, the remnants of the Shadow government turn to Saul for help, but they are unwilling to discuss peace. It becomes clear that Saul will be a figurehead, a beloved mirage with no real power. Saul appeals to Fen one last time for help escaping from the prison the palace has become, and Fen is crowned in his place.

The Romance

Saul turns his back on his inheritance to seek Alyssa out. He finds her at the Earth Army base and pledges allegiance to her and her friends. In a series of battles, Alyssa discovers that while Saul harbors no love for his family, he is unwilling to kill even the most offensive Shadow officer. Worn down from a lifetime in the trenches, Alyssa finds Saul’s kindness both enchanting and infuriating. When he is asked to resume his place on the throne and attempt to forge a peace, she travels with him. The Shadow government is seeking a love story, as the only explanation as to why their beloved son would abandon them. Alyssa agrees to marry the man she has fallen in love with, and sit on the throne with him so long as they remain Earth Army in spirit. Saul tries to play both sides, to be everything to everyone, to remain the gentle soul Alyssa depends on, and the strategist the Shadow Army remembers. He returns to her arms in despair when he discovers the Shadow Army wants nothing to do with peace. Together, they flee the Shadow palace, leaving the monster to his war machine.

An Agent's Inbox #12

Ms. Nelson,

16-yr-old Travis wants to get married. Alas, there aren't enough lasses to go around. 

Stupid genetic apocalypse.

To satisfy his nuptial needs, Travis enters the Husband Trials. Within three years he must prove himself worthy of the object of his affection and then get busy repopulating the earth. Unfortunately 500 other lads have similar plans for Wendy.

Despite rigid tournament rules, high-ranking "Alpha" suitors are enforcing some of their own. Those lads they see as threats are neutralized in "shaving accidents" or "random toilet viper attacks".

If the Alphas discover Travis was Wendy's best friend growing up, they'll kill him. But if she never learns Travis is there, he's just another faceless contestant. With no athletic ability. Or experience in hand to hand combat.

His only chance is to make it into the top twenty, earn a private dinner with Wendy, and warn her not to give away their history. No big deal. He'll only have to beat 480 genetically improved sixteen-year-olds in dozens of deadly challenges. While hiding from the girl he loves.

Good thing he's got inside help.

At 92K words, GROOMED is a YA sci-fi with series potential. (The Selection meets Red Rising without the gore.) My previous publications include An Uncommon Blue (YA Fantasy- Cedar Fort 2014) and a series of comedy sketches by Pioneer Drama (2009). I read in a recent interview that you're a fan of Blake Snyder. I used his Save the Cat outline to write Groomed. He's awesome!

Sincerely,

R.C.H.

GROOMED

Mr. Candace was three hundred years older than his wife but he certainly didn't act it. When he learned he'd be required to attend his son's childhood graduation he made such a fuss that all of Travis's younger brothers came into the kitchen to watch. 

"I don't have time for this!" he shouted. "I'll miss my shows."

Eventually the tantrum wound down and Mr. Candace retired to his room to change into his tuxedo. The nine younger boys wandered back to their telegame and Travis, who'd been dressed and hairsprayed since three o'clock, followed his mother into the entryway. 

Travis couldn't keep from grinning. This time tomorrow, he'd be at the bachelor colony. Nonstop telegames and pastries. No creamed carrots. No little brothers using his toothbrush. No snide remarks from Da about his weak chin and red hair. 

Those would be the first things Travis would change when he transferred into his clone. Hair color, chin/jaw prominence, and areola size. Although it would be a few more decades before he had to select his genetic improvements, he kept a running list. When he entered the husband trials, he would be as tidy as any father. And if anyone called him nipplits he'd tear off his own shirt right there and show them how grand and symmetrical his nipples were.

"That smile makes me nervous," Candace said. "Have you fallen in love?"

Travis made a face. "That's balmy. I'm barely sixteen."

Candace straightened his collar. "I wouldn't mind if you had a weensy crush. Wendy, perhaps?"

An Agent's Inbox #11

Dear Patricia Nelson,

In a world where America no longer exists, where a new, corrupt government rules with an iron fist, sixteen-year-old Telila Togia thinks she’s a nobody. Insignificant. But she’s about to lead a revolution.

After being arrested for a crime she was forced to commit, Telila is taken to The Compound--a military training camp and prison. It’s a death sentence. But having been instilled with a warrior’s heart from her disabled Samoan father and the will to overcome from a mother who abandoned them, Telila refuses to give up hope that she’ll make it back to take care of her destitute family. 

But The Compound isn’t what she expects. Prisoners are forced to fight each other in mock battles, testing experimental weaponry. These are the Toy Soldiers and Telila becomes one of them. Fighting to stay alive, the Toy Soldiers plot their escape, but Telila must choose between obedience to the government and security for her family or the revolution her people are screaming for. While betrayal threatens to tear her apart, she must find a way not only to hold her heart and family together, but to save her country.

TOY SOLDIERS is an 87,000-word YA tale of young love, betrayal, and survival. Fans of Veronica Roth’s DIVERGENT and Suzanne Collins’ HUNGER GAMES will enjoy similar elements and a strong teen voice.

I have published five books with Clean Teen Publishing, The Ransomed Souls Series--RELUCTANT GUARDIAN-2013, THE ELEMENTALIST-2015, and THE UNDOER-2016. And the Into Terratir Series--THE EYE OF TANUB-2014 and THE CELESTINE SWORD-2014. I am querying you at this time because I’d like to try my hand with an agent, to go bigger, so-to-speak. I am a member of LDStorymakers and used to write a column for the Tremonton Leader, a local newspaper.

Thank you so much for your consideration and I hope to hear from you soon.

M.J.C.

TOY SOLDIERS

The United States is gone.

Taken over by other, more powerful countries that let us keep this little edge of the continent to ourselves. The war is over, but I can still hear the bombs falling, whistling through the night sky and crashing like thunder on my unsuspecting city. These visions fill my nights with terror and the memories fill my days with sorrow.

They keep us afraid and are always watching.

They are NUCA. The New United Coalition of America, and they span from what used to be the state of Oregon, all the way down through half of Mexico, and then east to the Rocky Mountains.

But I can’t help wonder if it’s better on the other side--the old central and southern parts of the United States--the Outlands.

Anyplace is better than here.

I check my watch. It's 8:56 p.m. It’s almost dark and exceptionally warm for April. I've been out after nine before, scuttling around, from shadow to shadow, to secure black market supplies for my family, but I don’t do it often. It’s dangerous.

If I’m caught doing something wrong--like being out after curfew, trading for food at the black market, or reading books that have been outlawed--I run the risk of being turned in by a neighbor… if they catch me. And then I’d be arrested and taken to The Compound. Nobody ever escapes The Compound.

I stick to the shadows and try to blend in, wearing and slate-colored clothes, maintaining a low profile. Most of the time the soldiers’ gazes slide right over me as though I’m invisible, which is what I want, to keep anyone from looking too long in my direction.