Blog Archive
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BookEnds Talks to Christopher Passante
Sep 22, 2006
Christopher PassanteBook: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Extreme WeatherPublisher: Alpha BooksPub date: September 2006 Christopher Passante is the managing editor of The Beaufort Gazette in Beaufort, South Carolina. A longtime newspaper reporter and editor, he also has written numerous outdoors columns and has dabbled in extreme sports under heavy weather, including sailing, skiing, kayaking, and […]
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BookEnds Talks to Kate Douglas
Sep 21, 2006
Kate Douglas Book: “Camille’s Dawn” in the Wild Nights anthology Publisher: Kensington Pub date: September 2006 Kate Douglas has been writing professionally her entire adult life, and says that some days she feels older than dirt, but that it’s certainly a lot more fun with a popular series! She’s also a mom, a grandmother, and […]
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Submissions and Rejections
Sep 20, 2006
You are a reputable and sought-after agency, and you receive a query from an aspiring writer. You request a partial, then decline politely, using a form letter (no doubt a nice one). Aspiring Writer swallows her dismay, and submits something else. Same result. And again. At what point should Aspiring Writer sigh and say, “It […]
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Pulling from Consideration
Sep 19, 2006
Admittedly I take too long to get through my submissions. In my defense, I do read them all myself and am busy doing other things. Trust me, I don’t have time to play literati or surf for the best deal on new shoes. I spend seven days a week working in some capacity, so if […]
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Form Rejections
Sep 18, 2006
With success comes change. And one of those changes saddens me just a little. For years, BookEnds prided itself on writing personal or semi-personal rejection letters. That meant including the author’s name and title and trying to give some real reason why we were turning the material down. While some of those reasons may have […]
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BookEnds Talks to Sharon Page
Sep 15, 2006
Sharon Page Book: “Midnight Man” in the Wild Nights anthology Publisher: Kensington Pub date: September 2006 Sharon Page has always loved to write (tapping out a first novel at age 14), but had to get a real job—drafting and R&D at a structural engineering firm. After having her first baby, she sold an erotic romance […]
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BookEnds Talks to Jonathan McGoran
Sep 14, 2006
Jonathan McGoran, writing as D. H. Dublin Book: Body Trace Publisher: Berkley Pub date: September 2006 Jonathan McGoran wrote short stories in grade school and high school, but prose took a backseat to writing and performing music after high school. While working as a freelance copywriter after college, he realized that he really wanted to […]
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Yes, Another Editor Lunch
Sep 13, 2006
While I certainly don’t intend to blog about every editor/agent lunch I have, I do think that a few warrant a comment. In my first post on the subject (The Editor/Agent Lunch, August 10) I talked about lunches in general and what it is like to meet with a brand-new editor—someone you’ve never met before. […]
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Why Requested Material Never Shows
Sep 12, 2006
You would be surprised how often I request material—either a full or a partial—and how often it never comes. In fact, you would probably be equally surprised at how often I donate critiques and never have to do the work. So what happens that I never see the submission? Of course, I have a few […]
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Submitting Before Completion
Sep 11, 2006
I posted recently about an author whose first chapters and query I LOVED and was incredibly enthusiastic about, but disappointed later when she told me she wouldn’t be able to finish the book—“Bummer,” posted August 22. Author Bella Andre commented: One of the writers who called you back and said, “Um, how long do you […]
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BookEnds Talks to Sharon Page
Sep 08, 2006
Sharon Page Book: Sin Publisher: Aphrodisia Pub date: September 2006 Sharon Page has always loved to write (tapping out a first novel at age 14), but had to get a real job—drafting and R&D at a structural engineering firm. After having her first baby, she sold an erotic romance to Ellora’s Cave, and now has […]
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Author Beware: Inexperience Breeds Contempt
Sep 07, 2006
Over the years, as an editor and agent, I have built a pretty good-sized author beware file. This file is made up of interesting and usually angry letters and emails from authors. Often they are in response to rejections or other correspondence we’ve had. No matter what the situation, the letters always give me insight […]
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