Coming out of Lurkdom With Some Good News

Yes, I have been silent since October. But ...

My mom got sick.

My mom passed away.

I got sick.

I survived, but I had to have a money-ectomy to do so.

Yeah, it's been that kind of winter.

Still, it's wonderful, wonderful news that inspires me to blog again ... my uber-talented friend Tawna Fenske just, gasp, landed a three-book deal with Sourcebooks!

This gal is so phenomenal that I knew she would be published one day. When it comes to writing, she's had about as bad luck as I've had this winter, but I never gave up the faith that she would one day be able to give me an autographed book.

She's funny and witty and can create the most quirky, loveable characters ... you're gonna adore 'em, I swear. Her first book is due out August 2011, none too soon for me.

Tawna's rollercoaster story of ups and downs is a testament to the amount of perseverance you need in this business, that's for sure. She has done the best darn impersonation of a cockle-burr I've ever known, sticking to her dreams, continuing to try even when the bottom fell out on her. And that, my friends, is what it takes in this business -- talent, perseverance, and a terric agent like Michelle Wolfson! Woo-hoo!

Query Status

Due to an unexpected week out of the office I’m getting no better at catching up on my queries. Give me a few weeks and this will look a lot better, but for now I stand at 700 or so queries in my in-box dating back to January 28.

Jessica

Chip on Your Shoulder

We all have our down days and there’s no doubt we’ve all become frustrated with the publishing process at one point or another. Published authors become frustrated with how long things take or when editors leave or reject their next book, unpublished authors become frustrated with agents and the challenges of “getting in the door,” and agents become frustrated with all of those things and more. It’s natural, normal, and understandable, but it’s not going to help anyone’s cause, least of all your own, to develop a chip on your shoulder and share it with everyone.

Imagine if your agent became frustrated with Publisher Z because they rejected the last three submissions she made to them. Instead of simply brushing the frustration away and moving on with new enthusiasm she decided to let Publisher Z know all about her frustrations, and used the submission she was making on your behalf to do so.

What if she started her pitch to your book with, “I’m sure you’re simply going to ignore this query like you’ve done with the last three books I’ve sent, but I don’t care. I believe in my clients and do this job for love. I agent for myself and my authors write for the love of writing. However, we want the world to read this book and to do so, I need you to buy this book.”

Imagine how mad you’d be. I get queries from authors like this all the time, and while I understand what they must be going through, it also makes it an easy query to reject. Let’s face it, an author who starts out that angry with the process is presenting herself as someone who won’t be easy to work with. So, while it’s understandable that you will, at times, be frustrated, try not to always share it with everyone.

Jessica

Sailor Girl - Sheree-Lee Olson

This book first hit my radar when it came out 2 years ago, and I had always planned to read it, but never quite got around to it. Then last summer, I met Sheree-Lee Olson at the Sleeping Giant Writers Festival, and the first thing that she said when we introduced ourselves was "Oh, my heroine is named Kate - I should have no problems remembering your name!" So I knew that I would have to read this book!

My one regret is not reading it sooner - I just loved it. Kate, the 19-year-old heroine (who is nothing like me!) is running away from life in 1981 and gets a job on a laker, shipping up and down the Great Lakes.

What I loved most about this book was it's ability to draw me right into the moment and make it all seem so real and vivid. And as with the the best books, I was (almost) never aware of the author's voice, but was completely drawn into the narrator's voice. There are a few exceptions to this - one of the most ridiculous similes was a description of a storm on Lake Superior, "Undulating through the waves like a heifer swaying through a field of long grass;" however this was easily balanced out by the beauty of the description the page before, and the page after, and the page after that....

I have been fascinated by the lakers since I was little. Driving with my parents on the Skyway over the Hamilton Harbour on the way to visit Grandma and Grandpa, we would see the lakers gliding in and out, and docked waiting to be loaded or unloaded. Dad would tell us stories about how they would travel all over the Great Lakes carrying all sorts of loads.

Then in high school, I discovered the ballad "White Squall" by Stan Rogers, with it's tragic story of a young sailor swept overboard in a storm.

Later, I moved to Thunder Bay on the north-west corner of Lake Superior, and I can watch the same boats coming in and out of the harbour here, and think of how the same boats will probably end up in that harbour down in Hamilton. I had a chance to travel out to Isle Royale a few years ago by tugboat, and one of the memorable moments of that trip was passing by two lakers in the shipping lane on the way back to Thunder Bay.

And now, reading this book, I can put a picture to what life on the boats might be like.

One final note. Like The Golden Mean, the typeset in this book is beautiful. However, unlike The Golden Mean, the story was interesting enough that I didn't find myself distracted by the beautiful typeset!

Random Questions

I receive so many questions from readers. Keep them coming! Here’s a collection of those that I didn’t feel warranted a full post, but yet still deserved an answer. Also, keep in mind that some of these may have been answered more extensively in other posts, so don’t forget to search our archives for more detailed information.

I was wondering how important it is for an unpublished author to have a website. Is it really necessary at all or should you wait until you have a book on its way to the store bookshelves? I've had some of my friends tell me I should have one to show agents and editors I'm serious about my writing. Is that the truth?

I honestly don’t think it’s important at all. Work on writing your book, the web site can always (and needs to) come after a deal is made.


If a Canadian (or British, or Australian, etc.) writer ends up with an American agent, who I assume would go after American publishers first, in what currency will the writer be paid?

Typically payment is made in the currency of the publisher or agent. Checks I issue to my clients, from contracts they have, are issued in the American dollar.


Does the age of the author matter to you? Especially in the romance genre—if the author’s age is 50+, will that adversely affect your ability to successfully represent?

Do a quick search through previous blog posts, but this is a subject I’ve definitely discussed in detail. In a nutshell, no. I’m looking for a great book and in many instances there’s no reason for me to ever even discover how old an author is.


Is it a no-no to include the blog name at the end of my query?

Not at all. I think including your blog name and/or web site in your query only makes sense, and let’s put it this way, it can’t hurt anything.


When sending pages in an email (not as an attachment) is it a good idea to format it like a regular full or should I format the pages like an email message? (single space, etc.)

I think you should probably format as an email message, using the formatting options of your email program.


I have been working with two beta readers on my latest book. They have made many good suggestions and I have even changed plot elements based on their recommendations. What is your opinion of working with a beta reader while writing a story?

I think it’s a great idea! Beta readers, like a critique group, are a great way for a writer to learn the craft and get opinions from others she trusts.


What are your thoughts on Canadians finding representation from literary agents in the U.S.?

I don’t know why you wouldn’t. BookEnds has a number of Canadian authors as well as authors from other countries.


Jessica

A REAL DILEMMA

I have a dilemma for you. A new believer has joined a fellowship in which the leader, a man, has declared himself to be the head of the church on earth. He also receives the title Holy Father and claims the words from his mouth and organisation hold the same authority as if they were from the mouth of God himself. One of his teachings is that faith alone in Christ alone is not sufficient to secure salvation and only members of his organisation who practice their religious works are truly saved. Also thousands of times every day, all over the world representatives of his organisation, claim the mystical power to draw Jesus down from heaven and the ability to offer Him up, his real body and blood , over and over again to atone for the sins of those their present. How should you respond?

The response should be four fold:

Firstly that Christ is the head of the church and anyone claiming that right or privilege is a usurper.
Secondly Jesus taught there is only one heavenly Father , His Father, and we should reserve that title for God the Father alone. Anyone receiving the title Holy Father is therefore going against the teachings of the Son. Thirdly Holy scriptures repeatedly and consistently teach that salvation is an unmerited gift from God, through faith alone in Christ alone, and no end of effort on our part could ever secure it. Furthermore Christ offered himself once, and once only, for the salvation of our souls, and therefore no further sacrifice is required.

Consequently, the fourth and final response must be: WHAT ARE DOING IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH?

Mission To Exeter 13th Feb 2010

First city street outreach after an eight week break. It was good to take time out so God could restore me and get me back on track. Its so easy to fall into evangelising on auto pilot which allows little or no room for the Holy Spirit. There were four in the team, myself, Matt, Caroline and Esther. We started off outside the Guildhall in the main street handing out testimonies, New Testaments and tracts and chatting to people. After lunch we moved up the street and Matt and I preached. Caroline and I felt led to prayer walk a circle and claim the space for Jesus. A man approached me during my preaching to ask me if I knew what day it was. He seemed very agitated and grabbed my microphone. He told me it was Chinese New Year and the dragon was coming. As he walked away I repeated over the PA what he had said and declared that the Dragon was allready here!!His name was Satan and his main aim was to take as many people as he could to hell with him!! Unbeknown to us about thirty dragon dancers arrived hoping to perform in the spot we claimed for Jesus. They wisely submitted to the King of Kings and moved down away from the main street. Jesus is Lord.

The Sweetest One of All - Jean Little / Marisol Sarrazin

This beautiful picture book was bought as a present for my nephew (3 years) and niece (16 months) - I'm writing the review in mid-January, but won't post it until I know that the book has arrived to them, as I know that my sister occasionally checks out this blog.

The story is simple - each one of the barnyard animals has a baby animal that is just right for them (the sheep has a lamb, the horse has a foal etc), and ends with the mother telling her child that the child is the perfect one for her. A beautiful story about parent-child love (think along the lines of Robert Munsch's I'll Love You Forever) that had me crying, even though I'm not a mother.

The illustrations are also lovely - simple, clear, and colourful, with a couple of playful cats that appear on each page.

I hope that my nephew and niece enjoy this story, and I'm sure that their parents (my sister is a big fan of Jean Little) will enjoy reading it to them.