I just posted an annotated version of my query letter. Your mileage may vary, but it's a damn sight more successful than my book!
Have a gander if you like: http://bloodygoodread.blogspot.com/2012 ... agent.html
Sam
Search found 54 matches
- August 6th, 2012, 11:35 am
- Forum: Social Media and Book Promotion
- Topic: Do you have a new blog post?
- Replies: 2655
- Views: 821887
- March 21st, 2012, 10:49 pm
- Forum: Social Media and Book Promotion
- Topic: Do you have a new blog post?
- Replies: 2655
- Views: 821887
Re: Do you have a new blog post?
These aren't mine, but there are a couple of good ones for the historical fiction fans out there. Nancy Bilyeau blogs about arch-villain Thomas Cranmer... and finds a measure of sympathy. http://bloodygoodread.blogspot.com/ And Susanna Calkins makes the case that while blogging is a lousy way to sel...
- October 18th, 2011, 10:55 am
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Where do characters come from?
- Replies: 14
- Views: 6114
Re: Where do characters come from?
I write historical mysteries with the intent of both entertaining the reader and exploring a historical issue. When I conceive of my characters, they not only have to contribute to the plot, but also advance my historical agenda as well. (For example, my protagonist is a midwife, and I use her to ta...
- September 19th, 2011, 5:22 pm
- Forum: Finding An Agent
- Topic: So, this whole waiting thing is the WORST, right?
- Replies: 12
- Views: 7993
Re: So, this whole waiting thing is the WORST, right?
No, it's not the worst. The worst (so far) comes after you find an agent, and you book is with acquisitions editors, especially if one of of them is huge. Dollar signs with lots of zeroes dance before you, you'll shop for islands in the Caribbean, you'll stare at email until your eyes actually bleed...
- August 12th, 2011, 10:56 am
- Forum: Social Media and Book Promotion
- Topic: Purchasing your own domain name?
- Replies: 18
- Views: 9399
Re: Purchasing your own domain name?
I went through http://www.bluehost.com/ to get my domain name and host my website. Go Daddy is the big name, but probably not the best one out there. I'd also give a shout out to this website http://www.timothywebdesign.com/ , which has some amazing (and free) resources for folks just getting starte...
- August 12th, 2011, 10:48 am
- Forum: Social Media and Book Promotion
- Topic: Do you have a new blog post?
- Replies: 2655
- Views: 821887
- August 12th, 2011, 10:45 am
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: Title Confusion
- Replies: 20
- Views: 6631
Re: Title Confusion
Hi Old House, I'm actually going through this right now. My editor wants to name my book The Midwife's Tale: A Mystery , largely because the fact that my protagonist is a midwife is my book's hook. (Yes, you will be able to read it on a nook.) This gives me pause because there are two books out ther...
- August 8th, 2011, 3:46 pm
- Forum: Finding An Agent
- Topic: Rejection Stats
- Replies: 227
- Views: 149609
Re: Rejection Stats
OMG, Airball! That's freakin' awesome! I was wondering how everything panned out for you. If only you could send some of your luck my way... Thanks! It was both the fastest and most excruciating month ever. Once the blog gets a bit more traction I'll write up the details, but my agent wants me to h...
- August 1st, 2011, 7:55 am
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: First draft vs. published work
- Replies: 11
- Views: 4469
Re: First draft vs. published work
I think it's going to be different depending on the author's experience, personality, and writing style, to name just a few factors. There are some authors (who've been at it a while!) who can bang out something pretty good in no time at all. For mere mortals, it takes a ton of hard work. I've alway...
- August 1st, 2011, 7:45 am
- Forum: Finding An Agent
- Topic: Rejection Stats
- Replies: 227
- Views: 149609
Re: Rejection Stats
Final Numbers are in:
Queries: 22
Requests for more: 8
Rejections: 9
No response: The rest
Offers of representation: 2!
Book now under contract with St. Martin's, due out in 2012.
Good luck everyone!
Queries: 22
Requests for more: 8
Rejections: 9
No response: The rest
Offers of representation: 2!
Book now under contract with St. Martin's, due out in 2012.
Good luck everyone!
- July 31st, 2011, 8:39 pm
- Forum: Social Media and Book Promotion
- Topic: Your Social Media Presence - Share!
- Replies: 21
- Views: 11579
Re: Your Social Media Presence - Share!
Excellent idea! I just landed a two-book contract from St. Martin's, launched a website and a blog, so this is great timing. Blog: Actually, I'm co-writing this with Nancy Bilyeau, who also writes historical fiction. Her book The Crown is due out in January from Simon & Schuster. Anyway, the blo...
- June 3rd, 2011, 3:20 pm
- Forum: Queries
- Topic: THE ENEMY WITHIN (Historical Fiction): New Version - Page 3
- Replies: 41
- Views: 15652
Re: New Query: THE ENEMY WITHIN (Historical Fiction)
Our of curiosity, how are you going to handle slavery and her support for the Confederacy? (Obviously this goes well beyond the query, but but I teach at a Uni here in the south, and there are some beliefs about the war that are...historically challenged would be the kindest way of putting it. (&quo...
- May 31st, 2011, 1:29 pm
- Forum: Finding An Agent
- Topic: (Humor) 10 Things You Shouldn’t Say to an Agent
- Replies: 23
- Views: 16224
Re: (Humor) 10 Things You Shouldn’t Say to an Agent
10. I have a feeling Oprah will invite me on to her show. *Time sensitive joke.*
- May 31st, 2011, 1:27 pm
- Forum: Writing
- Topic: current event fiction--new frontier?
- Replies: 5
- Views: 4482
Re: current event fiction--new frontier?
Polymath makes some really fascinating points, so please allow me to build upon them. I would raise a couple of questions, some merely practical. One problem is that the genre would be limited to short stories. While you're right that Kindle etc. have shortened production time, for many authors, tha...
- May 28th, 2011, 5:48 pm
- Forum: Queries
- Topic: Happily Sometime After --YA Fantasy
- Replies: 9
- Views: 3785
Re: Happily Sometime After --YA Fantasy
Hi Kenpochick, This sounds like a great read, but overall I came a way a bit confused. The thing that raised the most questions is the mood of the query vs. the mood of the book. The tone of the query is light and even funny at times, but the subject matter (killing your brother, weaponized magic, a...