Blog Archive

  • Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

    Jan 14, 2010

    When you get a full manuscript request via email, I’m supposed to treat it like I were sending it snail mail and include a title page with all my information on the first page of my manuscript, correct? What if I got so overwhelmed with my excitement I forgot to do so? My gut says […]

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  • A Query on Queries

    Jan 13, 2010

    I’m actually answering this question only because I think it shows how easily and quickly authors get themselves mixed up and tangled. It’s one of those instances where I wonder if agent blogs and web sites have made things more complicated rather than simpler. Concerning queries…If an agent is not accepting unsolicited manuscripts, is it […]

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  • Bad Agent Alert

    Jan 12, 2010

    I’m a published author who recently signed with a new agent. I love her. She responds quickly to all my emails, keeps in touch and moves quickly. Lately though a few things have come up that make me wonder if I’m being scammed. When looking at her web site it seems I’m her only published […]

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  • A Discussion of Sell-Through

    Jan 11, 2010

    I was talking to an author recently and we were discussing sell-through, something I realized that most first-time authors don’t know much about. We always discuss the importance of an author’s numbers, what kind of sales she’s getting, but rarely do agents explain that numbers do not necessarily mean how many books are sent to […]

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  • Questions on Mysteries

    Jan 08, 2010

    An author whose mystery I considered received an offer from a smaller press and had some questions for me before accepting the offer . . . What are your thoughts on my pursuing this route? Is it worth doing in hopes of landing a big-time agent and/or publisher? Is it better to keep editing and […]

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  • Take a Risk—Stay True to Your Voice by Jennifer Stanley

    Jan 07, 2010

    Jennifer StanleyStirring Up StrifePublisher: St. Martin’s MinotaurPub date: January 2010Agent: Jessica Faust (Click to Buy) Author Web/Blog links: www.jbstanley.com; https://www.cozychicksblog.com/ You’re ready to write a novel. You’ve outlined all twenty-three chapters and plan to write about vampires in a fresh, exciting, and bound-to-be-profitable way. Soon, Twilight fans will have a new obsession and you’ll be […]

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  • A Very Readable Christmas

    Jan 06, 2010

    Now that Christmas is over and any potential surprises won’t be ruined, I can share with you my plan to single-handedly save the publishing business. For Christmas this year I did a great deal of shopping at my favorite bookstores and made sure that even the non-readers on my list were gifted with a book. […]

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  • When an Agent Leaves

    Jan 05, 2010

    Given my post yesterday, I made the assumption that many of you would want to immediately know what happened to all of the clients Jacky called hers in the ten years she worked at BookEnds, so in preparation of that I went ahead and wrote a post while the transition was being made. When Jacky […]

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  • Happy New Year

    Jan 04, 2010

    A new year is always an exciting time. With it we see the prospect of change and the excitement of things to come. Well, 2010 is a big new year for BookEnds with lots of changes, lots of new challenges, and lots of excitement. After celebrating ten years in business last year, first as a […]

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  • Happy Holidays!

    Dec 18, 2009

    I love this time of year. The books, er I mean gifts, are all wrapped and under the tree, the house smells like gingerbread and chocolate, and people are just in better moods. Well most people anyway. This year, as we do every year, BookEnds will be closing for the next two weeks. We’re taking […]

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  • A Love of Reality TV

    Dec 17, 2009

    I’ll admit it, I love reality TV. While I have been known to watch the truly voyeuristic shows like The Housewives of New Jersey (I mean, does it get any better than the final episode?), my real favorites are shows like Top Chef and Project Runway, shows that highlight the creative process. I’m a cook […]

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  • Conflicting Opinions

    Dec 16, 2009

    So I’ve been querying for awhile now, doing all the research, etc. My query letter’s solid, and I have a high concept upmarket thriller. I don’t have writing credits to speak of. However, a few months ago, I corresponded with a prominent and best-selling novelist (PEN Faulkner finalist, lots of awards, movie rights, etc.). He […]

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