STATUS: TGIF. One deal finally concluded. Another deal heating up. Makes me cheerful for Thanksgiving.
What song is playing on the iPod right now? KISS THE GIRL from the Little Mermaid Soundtrack
My Favorite Things
1. When an editor listens when we say the cover is awful and becomes a huge advocate on our behalf and the new cover rocks!
2. When an offer exceeds expectation and the author and agent are both excited and pleased.
3. When an editor calls to say how much she loves the book and then cites all the same scenes that made me fall in love with it as an agent.
4. When an editor calls to say that your author’s book has hit the list: NYT, USA Today, B&N. I like all the lists.
5. When an editor calls to say the first print run has sold out and the house is going back to reprint.
And Not So Favorite
1. When I hold a best bids auction and the publishers involved don’t come with their best bids and I have to admonish them and refuse to present the offer to the client (translation: and your mother smells of elderberries now go away and give me a real best bid before I taunt you a second time).
2. Publishers that demand an upon publication payment as part of the advance (what’s the definition of advance again?)
3. Cover art that begs the question why.
4. When you ask for a standard reversion clause for rights granted and the editor makes it sound like she is doing you a huge favor.
Ack, sorry!
KRISTEN!
Not Kirsten.
It’s actually Kristin. With an “i”
You’re having a bad day. More coffee on 3 please!!!
She turned me into a newt.
Gah!
Kristin. Got it.
translation: and your mother smells of elderberries now go away and give me a real best bid before I taunt you a second time
Hehe…just had a Monty Python flashback.
–Miss Java
My Blog
See, this is why we need agents. You work hard for your 15%.
translation: and your mother smells of elderberries now go away and give me a real best bid before I taunt you a second time
Then, shalt thou give them the count to three to comply. No more. No less. Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then, lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuffeth.
(Ni!)
This reminds me of a very rich, but very rude lady I refused to work for as a nanny. I was glad to have my agent there to wrestle her off me!
A “best bid” auction is when the seller asks all participants to put in their maximum amount that they will bid. Think of EBay where you can bid up to a maximum amount.
You dirty English k-nig-hits!
And one of my favorite things is all the songs from The Little Mermaid!
re: She turned me into a newt
**giggle**
I got better…
Thanks, Diana!
That “on publication” clause really stinks. It means that the publisher can hold off publication, – author is signed sealed and delivered, – but the publication date gets put off indefinitely – which means that so is the advance.
The advance is a bribe to keep the publisher on his toes. The sooner he gets it onto the bookshelf the sooner he get’s his advance back.
It’s important to hunt for clauses that are sneaky.
at least the list of things you love outnumbers the things you dont love. :p