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April was conference month for me. It definitely puts me in the conference frame of mind, so here are some hints as to how writers can make the most out of them.
1. Many writers attend conferences with an eye to meeting editors and agents. Don’t neglect your fellow writers though. Networking with them can be just as valuable as a meeting with an editor or agent.
2. If you have a pitch session with an editor or an agent, be prepared but don’t worry about it so much. Trust me. This will not be the be-all of your career and, if it goes poorly, it won’t be the end-all of your career either. It’s all about the writing after all.
3. By all means, have an adult cocktail or two. I always do. But don’t imbibe too much. A drunk writer is memorable–and not in a positive way.
4. Dress professionally. No, you don’t have to wear a business suit or if you are a guy, a jacket and tie. But don’t just throw on your old sweats and/or hole-filled jeans. (You’d be amazed; I’ve seen it all). Dress business casual (so what you would wear normally but with a bit of a step up). And no “muffin tops” please.
5. Be prepared to have fun. That is, after all, the best way to meet people because even agents and editors want to meet fun people. It’s rather depressing to be at a cocktail event where the writer only wants to “talk business.” Agent and editors like relaxing too!
Best,
Kristin Nelson
Agent
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Reviews play such an important role in book sales. Strong reviews by prestigious organizations like Romantic Times and Fresh Fiction can positively impact an author’s career. That’s just one of the reasons we are so excited to highlight our author’s successes each month. And May is a banner month for good reviews!
 The fourth book in Shanna Swendson’s Katie Chandler fantasy/romance series has just hit the shelves. Shanna’s DON’T HEX WITH TEXAS has been selling very well, so we know readers love it. Looks like reviewers love it too!
Fresh Fiction calls DON’T HEX WITH TEXAS, “Another stupendous fairy tale for modern times!”
“Shanna Swendson has done it again!...If you haven't read the first three fairy tales for modern times, ENCHANTED, INC., ONCE UPON STILETTOS and DAMSEL UNDER STRESS, you are missing out on some of the best, lighthearted, magical and fun romances. I love to recommend this series to other readers as "Harry Potter chick-lit," and the magic, adventure and romance continue into this fourth installment.”
--Fresh Fiction
Jennifer Bishop, of Romance Reviews Today, says, “Humor, magic, action and romance, DON'T HEX WITH TEXAS has it all, and I found it very difficult to put down. Which is only one of the reasons why I'm awarding it a Perfect 10.”
 In her debut novel, PRIVATE ARRANGEMENTS, Sherry Thomas uses the word “perspicacity” (twice if memory serves). It was at that moment that I knew I was in love with her writing! I am apparently not the only one…here are what this month’s reviewers have to say:
Night Owl Romance describes PRIVATE ARRANGEMENTS like this:
“Sherry Thomas has woven a wonderful tale of regrets and secret desires. Her characters are realistic and complex. Private Arrangements is definitely worth reading.”
Curled Up With A Good Book says, “PRIVATE ARRANGEMENTS is definitely a superior historical romance.”
And, finally, New York Times Bestselling author Lisa Kleypas says, "Sherry Thomas is the most powerfully original historical romance author writing today. She is a rebel, a rule-breaker, and above all, a romantic. Searing, tender and filled with passion, her writing is nothing short of a revelation. 'Private Arrangements' clearly heralds the beginning of a dazzling career, and I am looking forward to more brilliantly told romances from this accomplished writer."
 Simone Elkeles’s stunning YA novel HOW TO RUIN A SUMMER VACATION was just chosen and listed on the 2008/2009 Read for a Lifetime List! This program is sponsored by the Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian and the Illinois State Library. Simone’s next YA book comes out in the winter of 2009 and we can’t wait!
Here are the 25 books chosen for this year's list.
 Brooke Taylor’s debut young adult novel UNDONE will be released in July of this year. YALSA (the Young Adult Library Services Association) has already nominated UNDONE for the prestigious Quick Picks list for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.
Here is the complete list of nominations. Congratulations Brooke — UNDONE is in wonderful company!
 Hank Phillippi Ryan has created an amazing series with her fabulous heroine Charlie McNally. Charlie will have at least two more adventures coming out as MIRA books in the near future. But, until then, we can celebrate the great successes being raked in by the first two books.
PRIME TIME has been awarded the 2007 Agatha Award in the category of Best First Novel. Read here for the announcement about the 2007 Agatha winners — congratulations Hank!
In addition, the Romantic Times 2007 Reviewers’ Choice Awards have been announced. These are exciting awards given by professionals who evaluate the best of the best. Hank has won the award for Best Series Romance Novel for PRIME TIME! It's another huge honor!
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TIPS FROM THE SLUSH PILE by Sara Megibow
This week marks the start of my third year here at Nelson Literary Agency. What a lot I have learned in that time! This adventure has been exciting and inspiring and I can’t wait for the fun to continue!
I’d guess that in my career here I’ve read close to 70,000 queries. Here are two good tips I can give you out of all that experience. These suggestions don’t fall into the category of “deal-breaker” — meaning if you have your heart set on querying us your own way, that is still fine. These are simply two ideas that stick out to me over and over as I read.
Tip 1: — have your manuscript completed before starting the query phase. I know, I know — it could take a long time to get through that query phase. But it could also take a short time. You’d be surprised at how many times I read a query letter enticing enough to request sample pages only to get a response that reads, “Well, my work is only in the first draft, can I send the partial in 6 months or so when I am done editing?” Have that novel ready to go. Not in the first draft stage, not even in the second draft stage — but as polished and ready as if the editor were to choose today whether or not to make an offer for it.
Tip 2: — query for only one project at a time. I know it might seem silly, but imagine walking into a bookstore and pulling down 100-120 books each and every day. Then, turn them over and read the back covers — all of them — and try to maintain an objective and enthusiastic attitude toward them all. That’s what I do. A query letter should read like the back cover of a book, and I read 100-120 of them per day. So, we ask that they be sent in a certain format because we’ve found over time (and quantity) that this format works best for us. Our submission guidelines state “one project per query” and it’s because this is easiest for me. When I open an email that reads “Following are descriptions of the 11 completed novels that I am interested in shopping,” my brain does a little hiccup. Here’s a quick suggestion. If you have multiple finished works, pick the top one or two (or three) that you are interested in selling now. Then, compose a query letter for each work. You are welcome to send us multiple queries — that may sound odd, but it really is easier. And, playing by the rules is one way to up your odds of getting us to look at your work.
I look forward to reading more and more of your work in this coming year — here’s to you!
Sincerely,
Sara Megibow
WHAT’S HOT by Kristin Nelson
Everyone knows that urban fantasy has been hot for a while but I’ve heard many laments about the state of epic fantasy. It’s a hard sell. That it’s not what is hot right now. Editors are often a bit reluctant. Well, if you are an epic fantasy fan, then you owe a big thank you to a debut fantasy author by the name of Patrick Rothfuss. The success of THE NAME OF THE WIND (currently sitting on the NYT bestseller list right now–congrats Patrick!), is putting epic fantasy back on everyone’s radar. Hooray!
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 My name is Raine Benares. Until last week I was a seeker–a finder of things lost and people missing. Now I’m psychic roommates with the Saghred, an ancient stone with cataclysmic powers. Just me, the stone, and all the souls it’s ingested over the centuries. Crowded doesn’t even begin to describe it...
ARMED & MAGICAL by Lisa Shearin
All Raine wants is her life back–which means getting rid of the stone and the power it possesses. To sort things out, she heads for the Isle of Mid, home to the most prestigious sorcery school, as well as the Conclave, the governing body for all magic users. It’s also home to power-grubbing mages who want Raine dead and goblins who see her as a thief. As if that’s not enough, Mid’s best student spellsingers are disappearing left and right, and Raine’s expected to find them.
Lives are at stake, goblins are threatening to sue, mages are getting greedier, and the stone’s power is getting stronger by the hour. This could get ugly.
 She’s bewitched, bothered, and back on her home turf. Everything’s bigger in Texas–including romance, magic, and danger!
DON’T HEX WITH TEXAS by Shanna Swendson
Katie Chandler has fled fast-paced Manhattan and returned home to a simpler life, working at her family’s feed-and-seed store in Cobb, Texas. Leaving the sexy wizard Owen Palmer to battle his demons in the magical realm may have been a selfless gesture–after all, Katie seemed to attract evil, which only made Owen’s job a lot harder–but now it seems like trouble has followed her home. And despite the fact that Merlin, Katie’s old boss at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., has assured her that Cobb is free of enchantment, magically speaking, Katie begins to notice curious phenomena.
Soon Cobb is being plagued by a series of unexplainable petty crimes and other devilish mischief, and after her experiences in Manhattan, Katie knows “unauthorized magic” when she sees it. As this new dark magic strikes deep in the heart of Texas, Owen appears (literally) to investigate. Now Katie’s friends and family must show the bad guys why it’s bad luck to hex with Texas, while Katie and Owen combine their strengths like never before to uncover a sinister plot before evil takes root in the lone star state.
THE STORY BEHIND THE SALE by Kristin Nelson
DON'T HEX WITH TEXAS is the fourth book in the Enchanted, Inc. Series so the original sale happened long ago. Series can be a tricky because an author never really knows how long it will continue. Readers could get bored; sales drop off after X number of books. Or the flip happens and it just catches fire. One never knows until the series is out there in the world.
For Enchanted, Inc., Shanna and I would love to do one more novel to close the story with a bang. As an author, she always had five books in mind. If sales in the series continue to grow, we just might get our wish. So remember that if you are a reader who enjoys a particular series. Your purchase also casts a vote for a series continuing!
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KRISTIN’S BOOK CLUB
We met last weekend to discuss a book called WHEN LOVE IS NOT ENOUGH: A GUIDE TO PARENTING CHILDREN WITH RAD by Nancy L. Thomas. As a book club we were all in agreement that this was by far the saddest title we’ve ever read together. The author, Nancy, has long worked with damaged children (even some who have killed) and made a difference in their lives by helping them to become social and well-adjusted adults. The book, on many levels, was both shocking (that children survive really horrific conditions) and inspiring–that with love, discipline, hard work, and a lot of helpful tips from this guidebook, these children can be saved.
Basically if you plan to read this title, be prepared for the honest sharing of information. My favorite sections were the real letters that the children who grew up with Nancy’s help chose to share. They were an intimate and honest look at how children with RAD see and feel. It also revealed a lot about the how and the why of their deliberate manipulations–all done as a form of self-defense. Fascinating, disturbing, and a sad read but a worthwhile one.
Next up is SCANDAL OF THE SEASON by Sophie Gee.
ON SARA’S NIGHTSTAND
Well, how embarrassing. In the past four weeks, I haven’t read one, not one, book. Of course, I have an excuse — we’ve had seven full manuscripts come in to the agency in the past three weeks and that has kept me very busy (on top of queries and sample pages that breaks down to 2 full manuscripts a week and it’s really not often that I break 3 books a week anyway).
Still, there are some juicy works just sitting next to my bed waiting for me. People ask, “Does winning awards really sell books?” I can tell you that the next two books on my for-sure-this-month pile I chose because they had won prestigious awards last year. So, for me the answer to this question is “Yes, awards sell books.” I have waiting for me SEEKER by Jack McDevitt which won SFWA’s Nebula Award for Best Novel and THE GATHERING by Anne Enright which won the 2007 Man Booker Prize.
So, once I get a little free time, I know I have two quality stories waiting!
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"What are some more of Kristin’s suggestions for getting the most out of pitch appointments at conferences?"
Link to this entry on Kristin’s blog. For the latest blog entry, go here.
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To learn more about Nelson Literary Agency, such as our recent sales, how to submit, and valuable writer resources, please visit our website: www.nelsonagency.com |
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