Monday: What am I reading…
This weekend I read another memoir of a Holocaust survivor. The book is called Rena's Promise--Rena Kornreich Gelissen's story written by Heather Dune Macadam. This is a powerful book and much of the information is pertinent to my project. I suppose I will be adding this book to my "must purchase" list. I also read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne. The book is told through the innocent eyes of the Auschwitz Commandant's son. Full of symbols. I don't want to give away too much. After seeing the movie and reading the book, I have to say that the movie version ending was much more emotional. I'm trying to get through another book called In the Lion's Den: The Life of Oswald Rufeisen by Nechama Tec. The story is about a Jewish boy who is able to pass himself off as a German/Pole. He eventually ends up working for the German Police. He takes the job to survive, and passes on as much information to the Jewish underground as possible. Very interesting but also very text-book like. **Now, I'm at the "what if" stage of my project. I have some parameters because I've written the rough of a book that could be a sequel. Certain elements from that book will be worked into this project but... I have a tiny nugget of information about a job that was done in Auschwitz by two woman. There are no names, ages, etc. associated with them so I pretty much have free reign in the story. I had an idea but I'm wondering if, even now, it might be too offensive. I was thinking of the Patty Hearst Syndrome. These two girls lived for some time in the villa of the Commandant. What if one of the girls falls in love with her captor? He of course, would feed her lies. Would that cross a line? What do you think? Coll
Friday: Useful Information Day
At the last conference I attended, I took a workshop in marketing presented by NJ's SCBWI chapter's president.
My notes:
* Published and unpublished authors need a website. Kathy was very insistent on this subject. She said it was an easy way to get 24 hour 7 days a week advertising. She is correct. For the past 15 years I've had a website for my art business, and it's gotten me jobs from almost every state in the country and even Canada. The hard part is updating and keeping the website at the top of the list on the search engines. For example: if I type in pet portraits -- ideally my site should pop up on the first or second page of websites listed. Since writing, I have really let the updating of my site slide. I've been relying more on word of mouth for consignments.
Kathy also recommended Vista Print for printing services. That company leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I used them because they were very inexpensive--while ordering; they offer a 10% discount on your order if you click on a certain link. I clicked and saw that to get the offer I would need to join some type of club. I backed out of the link and completed my order without the discount. Later, I found that the club had signed me up anyway (got my credit card # from Vista Print. I was charged $30 for two consecutive months(would have been longer if I hadn't noticed it on my statement). When I called to complain and explain that I never signed up, they were very rude and said that just by clicking on the link I had joined. Had to make a fraud claim with my credit card company and get a new card. That's just my story -- others may be totally happy with them.
Newspapers, magazines, etc.-- I found, with my art business, that if I write a press release with a complete article --it is usually accepted and published word for word.
School visits--great way to network. Although I do not have a book published yet, I've been making school visits for years. My local grade school does a "creating a picture book" lesson each year. I come in, show examples, talk to them about illustration techniques (bleeds, two page spreads, spot art, etc) and how to tell if their book has a plot. Some of their creations are hilarious. The kids enjoy the lesson and I gain confidence in presenting to an audience.
If you have children in school, I'd recommend volunteering for the PTA and taking on the job of booking assemblies. It will give you an inside track on how the schools pick the authors they invite to visit their schools.
Well, that's all for now... have a great weekend!
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Thursday Industry News:
Since October I've been reading Publisher's Lunch (the free version), and jotting down interesting industry news. I'll share. Since I am interested in YA paranormal- I specifically recorded some info because it involved this genre.
- Foundry Literary-new agent-Stephanie Abou
-School of Fear-YA-agent-Sarah Burnes-The Gernet Company
-Endeavor-Rebecca Oliver-thrillers
-Tara Weikum-Harper Collins-fairy book
-Jodi Reamer of Writer's House repped fairy book
-The creative Culture-agent-Matthew Rlblonk
-Jenoyne Adams-YA-Bliss Literary Agency
-Stephanie Tade Agency-Dana Bacher
-Anne Hoppe of Harper Children's bought Wicked Lovely-rep was Rachel Vater
-Donna Bray of Hyperion bought Dead Beautiful-repped by Ted Malawer from Firebrand Lit.
-Lindsey Heaven from Puffin bought Devil's Kiss (YA)-repped by Sarah Davies of Greenhouse Lit.
-Michelle Brower from Wendy Sherman Assoc. sold Mixed Animal (YA)
-Krista Marino of Delacorte bought Witches Alphabet (YA)-repped by Rachel vater-Folio
-Ginger Buchanan from Ace bought Many Bloody Returns-repped by Joshua Biilmes of Jabberwacky Lit.
-Kelly Sonnack joined Andrea Brown Lit.
-Brendan Deneen joined Fineprint-YA-thrillers
-Melissa Sarver joined Elizabeth Kaplan Lit.
-Becky Cole made senior editor of Plume Books
-Sharon Shavers Gayle joined Mary Jack Wald Assoc.
-Jennifer Mattson joined Andrea Brown Lit.
-Ginny Weissman left Martin Lit.
-Gary Heidt left Fine Print Lit to form Signature Lit with Ellen Pepus
-Jason Ashlock and Meredith Dawson have formed new agency called Moveable Type Lit.
-Craig Kayser joined Moveable Type Lit.
-Vivian Chum joined Prospect Agency
-Stephen Barbara joined Foundry Lit.
-Marlene Stringer joins/forms Stringer Lit.
-Elise Prouix left Frederick Hill
-Julia Churchill joined Greenhouse Lit.
-Jenny Rappaport starts The Rappaport Agency
-Andrew Karre left Flux and joined Carolrhoda Books
-Michelle Andelman joined Franklin and Siegal
-Scovil Chichak Galen changed name to Scovil Galen Ghosh Lit.
-Michael Bourret VP of Dystel and Goderich
-Jessica Papin joined Dystel and Goderich
-Megan O'Patry joined Veritas Lit.
-Steve Troha joined Vigliano Assoc.
-Laetitia Rutherford joined Mulcahy Assoc.
-Rob Weisbach-new management company-Rob Weisbach Creative management
-Eric Simonoff left Janklow and Nesbit and joined William Morris
-Paul Rodeen left Sterling Lord and starts Rodeen Lit. Management
-Rebecca Gradinger left Janklow and Nesbitt and starts Finchley Road Lit.
-Jenny Bent leaves Trident and forms The Bent Agency
-Jill Corcoran joined The Herman Agency
-Stacia Decker and Danielle Chioth joined Firebrand Lit
-Willy Blackmore left Impetus Press and joined Bliss lit
-Michelle Andelman of Lynn C. Franklin Assoc.-YA fantasy
...to be continued next Thursday : )
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Wednesday Whatever Day
Today's topic is book trailers.
Recently, I asked Steve Meltzer (editor at Dutton, and Dial) this question. If he received a query with a link to a book trailer would he take a look?
His answer--most definitely, yes!
Luckily, my husband is skilled in the use of computers, and made me a trailer for one of my projects. I've done major revisions on this story, changed the title, and character names but you still get the idea. He's going to revise and use some new fancy tools to make it even better.
Here is the old version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVlBjNFieTU
I'm wondering what book trailers you've seen and liked? Or trailers you've hated? And why?
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Writing Challenge Tuesday
Contests:
The wonderful Query Tracker site is holding a one-day-only contest (ends today at midnight!)
Write an elevator pitch. An "elevator pitch" is a brief pitch (1 - 3 sentences) in 30 seconds or so. These short pitches get their name from imagining you might deliver these lines to an agent while sharing an elevator. The contest will be judges by Mollie Glick of Foundry Literary and Media.
Here are the contest details: * Entries will be accepted by entry form on the main QueryTracker.net site. * You may submit your entries by 11:59 (mountain time)Tuesday night. * Acceptable genres are adult fiction, YA fiction, and narrative non-fiction. * Entries should be brief 1 - 3 sentence pitches and take less than a minute. * Ms. Glick will select the top ten winning entries. Winners will be invited to submit a partial manuscript to Ms. Glick.
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The Rutgers One on One Mentoring Conference is accepting applications. The pages you send are juried, and only 70 or 80 applicants are selected out of quite a few (I'm not sure of the exact number, but each year it grows higher)
To maintain the one-on-one ratio, enrollment is limited to between 70 and 80 qualified applicants with work in progress, people actively pursuing careers as authors and/or illustrators of books for young readers:
The conference fee is $175 and includes a continental breakfast and a buffet lunch. Applications must be received by July 8, 2009.You can find more info here: http://www.ruccl.org/application_%20information.html
*And now for something completely different. My personal challenge. I’ve had an idea stewing for about a year now. Wait for it…
Writing a cookbook!
Well, not exactly a cookbook. An art/legend/ recipe for baked goods type book. I know I’ve told people that I am not interested in illustration (for those of you who don’t know me – I’ve worked as a fine artist for over fifteen years). But I do love to draw fairies. Ask Melissa Marr—I drew one for her fairy art contest and she liked it so much she said she was going to hang it in her home.
I’ve readied my proposal and sample pages with art – now, to query. I’ve written queries for my YA fiction, but never a query for this type of work. Luckily, I have my friend Sarah Pinneo (author of The Ski House Cookbook) to help me.
So what are your challenges?
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