Blog Archive
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Short and Sweet on Queries
Feb 18, 2015
A Blurb might be painful and I think every author would prefer she could skip the blurb and just get the agent, editor and reader to read her writing. But that blurb is the only way you’re going to get people to read your writing. It’s not just agents who need the blurb. It’s editors, […]
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Co-Authoring Agreements
Feb 16, 2015
In a recent email a writer asked for advice on finding a publishing lawyer. She and a friend have been in the process of writing a project that’s under contract with a small publisher. Her concern is that the project is, in her words, “far from a normal co-authorship” and they’ve never had a formal […]
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Susan Furlong & Lucy Arlington’s Cozy Reading Corner
Feb 13, 2015
At our house, we call this the Reading Chair. I’ve spent a lot of time here with children snuggled close while they listen to their favorite books. They’re all too big for that now, but it’s still my go-to spot for a little time out with a good book and a cup of tea. —Susan Furlong/Lucy […]
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The Many Hats of Being an Author
Feb 12, 2015
Occasionally I’ll reject a query with a little extra advice to the writer. Recently I was really vacillating between requesting more material and rejecting. In the end I decided to reject. The query letter was just missing something and if the blurb was missing something often the book is too. The writer responded to my […]
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Setting Boundaries
Feb 11, 2015
I was talking to an author recently who was complaining that she could never get anything done at home (in regards to her writing). She was telling me how if she goes to the library she can get a ton done in a very short time, but if she tries to write at home she’s […]
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Cozy Mysteries v. Traditional Mysteries v. Amateur Sleuths
Feb 10, 2015
Recently the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime asked me to participate in an interview for their newsletter. The question they asked me, and a few other agents was: Is there, in your opinion and the publishing world in general, a substantive difference between cozy, traditional, and amateur sleuth mysteries? If so, what are the […]
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The Reading Blues
Feb 09, 2015
Last month I was on a roll (it helped that I had a long plane flight to and from California). I read a bunch of books that had nothing to do with work (I hate saying “for pleasure” because it implies what I read as part of the job is not pleasurable) and I couldn’t […]
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Sheila Connolly’s Reading Corner(s)
Feb 06, 2015
I had to wade through a lot of pictures and eliminate the ones of cats and food, but I found four from Italy where I would love to settle with a good book for, oh, a couple of years. (Actually my first choice was the Trinity College Library in Dublin, but I don’t have any […]
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A Tip on Revisions
Feb 05, 2015
I do a lot of revisions with my authors. Not necessarily a lot with every author, but before sending out a proposal or submission of any kind I want to make sure it’s the strongest it can be and that will often mean revisions. A quick tip to any author doing revisions. Keep track changes […]
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Is Self-Publishing for You?
Feb 04, 2015
This has been a question under endless debate for the last few years. There are many who stridently stand on one side or another and a few who balance that line. I tend to be among those who balance the line. I think choosing self-publishing versus choosing to work with a publisher is a very […]
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Having Rejector’s Remorse
Feb 03, 2015
I’m usually incredibly well organized, at least that’s what I tell myself. But even the organized lose things now and then. Well not long ago (okay it was probably last Fall or earlier) I read this mystery I really liked. I even called and talked with the author about it. At least I called in […]
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Making It Up
Feb 02, 2015
I’ve said before that writing the query letter, or at least the blurb for the query, should be the first step you take when writing the book. The hardest part of writing the query is that sometimes you don’t really have enough of a hook, or enough of a book, to write about. So if […]
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