STATUS: Finishing a few things here at the office before I head over to the convention center for the start of the ALA Midwinter conference.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN by The Moody Blues
Was up and at ‘em early this morning for a breakfast with Stephanie Lurie Owens, who is the new Editorial Director over there at Disney-Hyperion. Brave woman had us meet at 7:30 a.m. It’s a rare editor who is a morning person I have to add. I don’t think I’ve ever had an editor breakfast before 9 a.m.—that is until this morning!
Oddly enough, we didn’t talk about books too much. Our main discussion was about digital formats and technology actually. I’m happy to say the Stephanie is pretty hip and on-top of what is currently unfolding in the tech world despite the fact that the company of Disney-Hyperion has been a little slow (in my mind) to embrace electronic books. Disney legal tends to slow things down, but it’s nice to know that the availability of the D-H titles in the ebook format is just around the corner. [So you Gallagher Girl and Percy Jackson fans shouldn’t have to wait too much longer.]
We also talked about the prevalence now of Sony eReaders for editors. Finally! Publishing houses got the memo that they could save hundreds of thousands in paper and printing cost by equipping their editors with this little gadget.
Praise the lord and pass the peanut butter! (Wait, maybe not the pb with all the recent salmonella scare).
But don’t worry, we also talked about what Hyperion might be looking for as of late.
She’d love to see, gasp, more middle grade series for girls. Hey, it’s been a long time since I’ve heard that from an editor. A new MG Meg Cabot, she says, bring it on.
For Hyperion, they have such a strong MG list for boys (with Percy Jackson and Artemis Fowl etc.), they really would like to take on something new in MG girl stuff and make it big. Having watched them build Ally Carter, I have to say they can do it well.
Have a great weekend!
Tags: middle grade
I guess that means I need to hurry up and finish all my edits in my two MG novels, huh? 🙂
>>they really would like to take on something new in MG girl stuff and make it big
Well, that’s encouraging!
Thanks for the report. It’s always fun to read your ‘insider’s scoop’.
Glad to hear they’re doing the sony e-readers.
And Kindles… don’t forget them. Oh how these lovelies have improved the quality of our lives, not to mention having to buy less toner and paper. The green in me likes to think it keeps some trees alive.
Hi I had a question about queries and was hoping you might answer me.. When sending a query through email, what exactly do we say is the subject? ‘query letter’? or should we mention the genre like ‘historical romance query’…
Great blog btw!
Anonymous at 10:06
A good subject is something like
QUERY: [TITLE OF NOVEL]
So Ally Carter would have queried with
QUERY: I’D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU BUT THEN I’D HAVE TO KILL YOU
ooh ok. Thanks!
I am ridiculously happy to hear that more people are switching to digital formats over paper. It’ll be cheaper for everyone involved, which is much needed right now, and less trees will be killed. Go enviromentally-savvy editors! =D
Paul Crilley’s MG fantasy series about 12yo girl in Victorian London sold at auction for a good deal. I’d say there’s an appetite for MG girl stuff.
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Paul Crilley’s MG fantasy series about 12yo girl in Victorian London sold at auction for a good deal. I’d say there’s an appetite for MG girl stuff.
I have my fingers crossed that you’re right.
Paul C