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The Agent Announcement

Hello gentle reader,

Remember how short my Year In Retrospect post was a couple of weeks ago? That’s because things were happening and I couldn’t talk about it yet. Now you get the full story of My Year 2013 aka The Year I Got An Agent.

The short version

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve signed with Erin Niumata of Folio Literary Management. The manuscript which helped me find an agent is entitled LILY IN THE SHADOWS and you can find out more about it here.

The stats

I know querying writers like statistics, so here goes…

Queries sent: 33

Requests: 19 (including 13 full requests)

R&Rs: 4

Offers: 2

Time between first full request and offer of rep: 6 months

Here I’d like to point out that even if you’re querying successfully (i.e. you’re getting requests, positive feedback and R&Rs), the querying process can take a long time. I’ve read MANY posts by writers who signed with their agents only a couple of months after sending out their first query. It’s not necessarily the norm.  Out of the 13 agents who read my full manuscript, the quickest one took 1 week and the slowest one 4 months. Their average reading time was 10 weeks.

The long version

Before 2013

1998-2009 I write stories

2010 I write a sci-fi novel and ask my former English teachers to read it. Incredibly, they don’t think my idea of getting it published is crazy.

2011 I start 4 novels, and can’t finish any of them. I start reading about this whole publishing business. I read Claire Legrand’s blog and daydream that one day, I’ll have an agent too.

2012 I start a blog. I write a YA Epic Fantasy. I query it, get a couple of requests, and lots of rejections. I find a Critique Partner. I read Susan Dennard’s blog and decide to follow her amazing advice. I open a Twitter account. I join the ROW80 fun. I shelve my YA Epic Fantasy.

2013

January

I have a notebook. On the first page, I’ve written “Flower girl in Victorian London”. After watching Les Miserables at the cinema, one evening at the castle, I decide it’s time to write epic stories again. I sit down and open a Word document, with the title “Lily In The Shadows”.

February

Thanks to the ROW80 sprints (every day at 2pm EST), I write 20k words. I research Victorian London. I outline. Every time an agent mentions somewhere online she is looking for Historical/Victorian/Gaslamp Fantasy, I add her to my “Agents to query” list. I’m determined to do this right, gentle reader.

March

I go to the SCBWI Conference in Paris with my first 10 pages, and a synopsis. I have a One-on-One Critique Session with an Agent, who requests to read my full manuscript.

April – May – June

I finish writing Lily In The Shadows. I revise it based on my CPs/beta readers’ feedback. I enter giveaways and win query critiques, first pages critiques and even a full MS critique. You’d be surprised at how few people enter this kind of giveaways. Yet I cannot stress enough how much it helped me write a stellar submission package – and for free!

July

I send my manuscript to the agent who requested it in Paris. I enter two contests: Christmas In July (organized by the fabulous Michelle Krys and Ruth Lauren Steven) and Like A Virgin (organized by the wonderful Kristina Perez and Rhiann Wynn-Nolet) and to my astonishment, Lily In The Shadows is a finalist in both contests. That same month, I take part in the PitchMas Twitter Pitch Party and I get 3 requests, including one from Erin.

August

Given what happened in July, I decide to throw caution to the wind and to query the 22 agents on my To-Query list all at the same time. I know people say to send only a few queries at a time, and to wait for feedback before sending more, but with the contests’ results I hoped that my query/first pages were good enough. I was READY, lovely reader.

 

September

I get requests. I get rejections. I get R&Rs. I tweet my pitch again during PitMad and get 5 more requests. I have excited DM conversations with my writerly friends on Twitter. I have depressed DM conversations with my writerly friends on Twitter. I believe in myself. I doubt myself. I’m not sure I’m very productive at work.

October – November

Based on the 4 (!) R&Rs I’ve received, I completely rewrite my manuscript. Then it’s off to CPs and beta readers again, before I send it to agents in…

December

Things get crazy. I have agents asking me for additional material (aka my other WIPs). I have agents asking me how many agents are currently reading my MS. I have an agent who refers me to another agent. Then on 16th December, Erin emails to ask if I have time to talk.

2014

The Call happens on Thursday 2d January. Yes, that’s 2 weeks after Erin’s email. I told you things don’t always happen overnight. At that time, 4 agents are still reading my full manuscript, and 2 have a partial. Some nudging later, I have 1 additional full request, 1 more offer of representation and 4 passes. I wait the required week (and give the agent who belatedly requested my full enough time to read it) before saying yes to Erin on 10th January. Erin tweets this on the same day:

Tweet Erin

Best. Subtweet. Ever.

I sign the contract on 13th January.

 Thank you

To my amazing CPs: Jessy Rubinkowski and Allie Schellong

To my Beta Readers: Jani Grey, Bridget Shepherd, Serena Lawless, Kate Michael, Cassandra Marshall, Jenny Perinovic and Marieke Nijkamp.

To my cheerleaders: Lauren Garafalo, Rachel O’Laughlin and Aimee L. Salter.

To the people who helped with my query/synopsis/first page: Veronica Park, The Writer Diaries, Stephanie Diaz and Stacey Lee.

Now that I’m done with the querying process, I’ll be able to blog about topics I avoided before, such as How to deal with a request for exclusivity or with a referral, or What happens during The Call (and what doesn’t), etc.

But in the meantime, feel free to ask me your questions below!

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Jazz Age January – 1

jaj-banner

Hello gentle reader,

Jazz Age January is a reading challenge hosted by Leah at Books Speak Volumes. The idea is to read books related to the Roaring Twenties during the month of January.If you want to join in the fun, read about it here.

This week, I’m reviewing DOLLFACE by Renee Rosen.

Dollface

Title: Dollface: A Novel of the Roaring Twenties

Author: Renee Rosen

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Publication: 5th November 2013 by NAL Trade

Blurb (from Goodreads):

America in the 1920s was a country alive with the wild fun of jazz, speakeasies, and a new kind of woman—the flapper.

Vera Abramowitz is determined to leave her gritty childhood behind and live a more exciting life, one that her mother never dreamed of. Bobbing her hair and showing her knees, the lipsticked beauty dazzles, doing the Charleston in nightclubs and earning the nickname “Dollface.”

As the ultimate flapper, Vera captures the attention of two high rollers, a handsome nightclub owner and a sexy gambler. On their arms, she gains entrée into a world filled with bootleg bourbon, wailing jazz, and money to burn. She thinks her biggest problem is choosing between them until the truth comes out. Her two lovers are really mobsters from rival gangs during Chicago’s infamous Beer Wars, a battle Al Capone refuses to lose.

The heady life she’s living is an illusion resting on a bedrock of crime and violence unlike anything the country has ever seen before. When the good times come to an end, Vera becomes entangled in everything from bootlegging to murder. And as men from both gangs fall around her, Vera must put together the pieces of her shattered life, as Chicago hurtles toward one of the most infamous days in its history, the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.

What I thought:

I really enjoyed this book. I picked it up because I read somewhere fans of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire would enjoy it, and I wasn’t disappointed. I found in this book the same atmosphere and the same kind of plot that I love in Boardwalk Empire. What I also thought very interesting was that this story is told from the point of view of the women: wives and mistresses of the mobsters.

All in all, it’s an excellent example of historical fiction set in the 1920s, and I do recommend it if you read Adult books.

What have you been reading this week? Make sure to leave me a comment below!

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Writing and How To Create A Vivid Setting

Hello gentle reader,

I haven’t been writing or blogging a lot lately, but I have been reading. And I’ve been disappointed by a couple of books, because of their setting. Or lack thereof.

If you’re a writer trying to get published, you may have received rejections that stated your world building needed work, or your setting wasn’t vivid enough.

Today I’m giving a few pointers to create a well-realised setting, one that will draw your readers in and bring the places you describe to life.

Step 1: Identify your setting’s weaknesses

–          Your book suffers from the “We could be anywhere” syndrome

I read this book that was set in Chicago. Halfway through it, I had to go back to the beginning, because I couldn’t remember if it took place in Chicago or New York City. That’s how vague the setting was. In your own manuscript, ask yourself if your story could take place anywhere else. If the answer is yes, it means that your plot and your story aren’t interwoven enough: there needs to be a reason why this story happens in this specific place (whether it is a small town in rural America or London).

 Welcome_to_Sunnydale_(Buffy_screenshot)

–          Your descriptions are clichéd

I recently read another book, which was set in Paris. To my dismay, the author seemed to think that mentioning the Eiffel Tower here and having a character talk about Montmartre there was enough to set the scene. With your story, ask yourself if you’ve researched your setting enough to avoid describing what everyone already knows about that place.

 Gossip Girl Paris

–          Your descriptions are boring

I read another book, which was set in a US high school. This is a tricky setting, because, well, we’ve all been to school and watched countless films/TV shows about teenagers at school. What you want to avoid here is a bland description: classrooms, bleachers, bathroom… If your story takes place in a very familiar place, ask yourself if you’ve described what makes it special in the eyes of your characters (whether good or bad). Ask yourself if your setting has personality.

Teen_Wolf_Meeting_at_school

Step 2: Create a great setting

–          Avoid setting each scene in “anonymous” places such as hotel rooms, random streets, nameless restaurants, etc. This is especially important if you’ve chosen to set your story in an exciting big city. As a reader, there’s nothing more frustrating than being sold a book “set in Tokyo” and have the characters spend all their time in a non-descript apartment, for example.

–          Do your research. Do A LOT of research. Your book will have two types of readers: the ones who have been to the place you describe, and therefore expect an accurate description, and the ones who haven’t been there, who deserve a description that will give them the chance to explore a place where they might never go. If you’re choosing to set your story in a well-know place, I tend to think that you should visit it yourself, to avoid clichés and to give your descriptions your own flavour. When it’s not possible, read widely about your setting, and make sure you write about what makes it unique and what makes it come alive.

–          Make your setting come alive by using all the senses: help you reader experience the whole of your setting. Help him see it, but also smell it, hear it, touch it and even taste it.

–          Avoid long descriptions: better focus on a few specific and striking details than write a boring one-page paragraph. Give the places’ names, and point out what makes them unforgettable.

deadwood

Reading recommendations:

–          For a great example of a setting and a plot that blend together: THE DIVINERS by Libba Bray

–          For a great example of a book set in Paris that avoids all the clichés: DIE FOR ME by Amy Plum

What about you? Do you have trouble writing vivid settings? Do you have examples of setting done well in literature? Make sure to share your thoughts below!

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Jazz Age January

Hello gentle reader and Happy New Year!

I’m starting off 2014 with a challenge: Jazz Age January hosted by Leah at Books Speak Volumes.

jaj-banner

The idea is to read books related to the Roaring Twenties during the month of January. “Readers are welcome to read novels written by Jazz Age authors, non-fiction about the ’20s, and contemporary fiction set during this time period.” If you want to join in the fun, you can sign up here. Each Saturday (from Jan. 11 to Feb. 8), Leah will post a link-up where participants can link to any reviews or posts they have written for this event.

Here is my reading list:

The Diviners by Libba Bray

Dollface by Renee Rosen

Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

The Flappers series by Jillian Larkin

Serena by Ron Rash

Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh

Possibly books by Virginia Woolf and Francis Scott Fitzgerald.

I hope you’ll enjoy this series of posts! And if you want to recommend books, feel free to do so below!

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2013: My Writing Year In Retrospect

Hello gentle reader,

This is the last day of the year and time for a look back at 2013…

What I read:

I read 28 novels this year. You can find out which ones were my favourite here.

What I wrote:

I wrote a 70,000 word Historical Fantasy novel this year. It’s called LILY IN THE SHADOWS and you can read about it here. Hopefully one day soon you’ll be able to read the actual book too 😉

Where I went:

I attended two writers’ conferences this year:

SCBWI Europolitan Conference (Paris, France, March 2013) where I learnt so much and got such useful feedback on Lily.

Midwest Writer Workshop (Muncie, Indiana, USA, July 2013) where I went with my wonderful Critique Partner Jessica Rubinkowski and where lots of fun was had.

What happened on this blog:

According to WordPress.com, this blog was viewed about 24,000 times in 2013. My most popular post remains (just like in 2012) “Word count : is your Fantasy novel too long ?”

What I watched:

I watched 32 new releases in 2013. It’s very hard to choose my favourite film of the year, but I’ll recommend Les Misérables, The Great Gatsby, Much Ado About Nothing, Saving Mr. Banks and The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug.

What I’m thankful for:

You, gentle readers who keep reading my posts, entering my giveaways, leaving nice comments and sharing my words.

The writing community, so supportive and enthusiastic, always.

What’s next?

2013 was a great writing year for me, so I hope for more of the same in 2014: more books, more conferences, more writerly friendships, more inspiration and more blogging!

How was your year? Did you achieve your writerly goals? Make sure to share your thoughts below!

Happy New Year and see you in 2014!

 

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Most Anticipated Fantasy Books of 2014

thereanddraftagain's avatarThere And Draft Again

Hi everyone !

This is our last post for this year and today I’ve decided to look forward and see which 2014 Fantasy books are the most anticipated… In order to compile the following list, I’ve used several Goodreads lists as well as forums such as this one.

Adult Books:

Bastards and the Knives

The Bastards and the Knives (Gentleman Bastard #0) by Scott Lynch (Expected publication: March 3rd 2014 by Gollancz)

Prince of Fools

Prince of Fools (The Red Queen’s War #1) by Mark Lawrence (Expected publication: June 3rd 2014 by Ace)

The Magician's Land

The Magician’s Land (The Magicians #3) by Lev Grossman (Expected publication: August 5th 2014 by Viking)

The Broken Eye

The Broken Eye (Lightbringer, #3) by Brent Weeks (Expected publication: August 26th 2014 by Orbit)

[NO COVER ART YET]

Shadows of Self (Mistborn #5) by Brandon Sanderson (Expected publication: 2014 by Tor Books)

Young Adult Books

Defy

Defy (Defy #1) by Sara B. Larson (Expected publication: January 7th 2014 by…

View original post 110 more words

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End of Year Book Survey – 2013 Edition! (Part 2)

Hello gentle reader,

Last Sunday I filled in the first part of The Perpetual Page Turner’s End of Year Book Survey. Today I’m answering the “Looking Ahead” part of the survey.

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2013 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2014?

Coldest Girl In Coldtown

The Coldest Girl In Coldtown by Holly Black

The Dream Thieves

The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

I know, I can’t believe I STILL haven’t read those two books either.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2014 (non-debut)?

The Winner's Curse

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Lair of Dreams

Lair of Dreams (The Diviners, #2) by Libba Bray

Erased

Erased (Altered, #2) by Jennifer Rush

3. 2014 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Dorothy Must Die

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

4. Series Ending You Are Most Anticipating in 2014?

Guardian

Guardian (Proxy #2) by Alex London

retribution_510x510

The Retribution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #3) by Michelle Hodkin

Ignite Me

Ignite Me (Shatter Me, #3) by Tahereh Mafi

Strange Ever After

Strange And Ever After (Something Strange and Deadly, #3) by Susan Dennard

(no cover art yet!)

The Forever Song (Blood of Eden, #3) by Julie Kagawa

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2014?

Read more books! Always read more books…

Which books are you most looking forward to reading in 2014? Feel free to leave me a comment below!

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Knights of Rilch Cover Reveal!

Hello gentle reader,

Today I’m revealing the cover for Rachel O’Laughlin’s second book, KNIGHTS OF RILCH (expected publication: 25th February 2014 by Dublin Mist Press). The cover reveal was supposed to happen over at IceyBooks but Hafsah is experiencing some technical difficulties, so I’m happy to step in!

Blurb:

Nearly a decade ago…

When Serengard rebelled and the Orion monarchy fell, former crown princess Kierstaz Orion’s love for her people became a burning desire to set things right. With a price on their heads, Kierstaz and her brother Mikel led a handful of Border Guard against the new army along the border of Dreibourge. But months of heavy bloodshed forced her small band of knights to abandon the border — and all of Serengard — to the rebels.

Nine years and a thousand betrayals later…

Kierstaz and Mikel again find themselves on the run, only this time, they’ve a boy in tow: Malcom, the son of two of the Seren rebellion’s strongest leaders. The new regime wants him dead, Mikel wants him alive, and it’s all Kierstaz can do to keep their tracks covered. Desperate to preserve the innocent life she’s sworn to protect, and afraid Mikel’s may be forfeit, Kierstaz must gamble the last thing in the world she owns — her identity. Secrets are a staple of the Orion family, and those Kierstaz keeps are as dangerous as the ones kept from her.

KNIGHTS OF RILCH is the sequel to COLDNESS OF MAREK, and the second in the SERENGARD fantasy series.

And now for the cover reveal…
…
…
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KnightsOfRilch
Original Artwork Copyright 2013 by Dan Tare
RachelOLaughlinAuthor
Rachel O’Laughlin grew up writing adventure stories in which heroines tend to get their hands dirty, bad guys sometimes win, and someone always gets kidnapped. Her passion for all things history morphed into a love for fantasy in her late teens. Lattes and The Fray are daily dwellers in her home in New England, where she lives with her husband and children.

Book Links:

KNIGHTS OF RILCH on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18372007-knights-of-rilch

Pre-Order KNIGHTS OF RILCH: http://rachelolaughlin.com/novels/knights-of-rilch/

And here is the link to the giveaway!

So what do you think? Make sure to leave a comment for Rachel below!

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End of Year Book Survey – 2013 Edition!

Hello gentle reader,

today I’m taking part in the 4th Annual End of Year Book Survey hosted by Jamie at The Perpetual Page Turner.

best-books-2013-1024x862

This year I’ve read 28 fiction books so far, which is a little more than last year. I think I read more because of my Kindle, which allowed me to buy books for a really cheap price.

There are 27 questions in the survey, and I’ve picked the ones I felt I had a good answer for…

1. Best Book You Read In 2013?

ProxyPROXY by Alex London: this book is amazing and you should read it.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

immortalbelovedukIMMORTAL BELOVED by Cate Tiernan: I loved the premise and was very disappointed by the whole plot and writing.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?

Shatter MeSHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi: I waited a while to read this one and I’m so glad I finally did!

4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?

AlteredALTERED by Jennifer Rush: because every YA reader can find something they like in this book.

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?

Clockwork PrincessTHE INFERNAL DEVICES by Cassandra Clare: I had never read anything by Cassie Clare before picking up this series. It’s not perfect but it’s definitely enjoyable.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?

Masque of the Red DeathBethany Griffin (Author of MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH and DANCE OF THE RED DEATH): I loved her writing and her retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s story. I can’t wait for THE FALL in 2014!

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

PROXY by Alex London: I don’t usually read Sci-Fi book.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?

ETERNITY_CURE_FRONTTHE ETERNITY CURE by Julie Kagawa: great pace, great plot, great characters.

9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

Diviners-PB2THE DIVINERS by Libba Bray: I’ll probably read it again before LAIR OF DREAMS comes out.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?

SkylarkSKYLARK by Meagan Spooner: the book wasn’t as good as I expected, but I still love its cover.

11. Most memorable character in 2013?

dodgerterrypratchettDodger in DODGER by Terry Pratchett: a great male POV.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?

InsatiableINSATIABLE by Meg Cabot: this vampire book came out in 2010. I can’t believe I waited 3 years to cross it off my To-Be-Read list.

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

Dennard - A Dawn Most WickedShortest: A DAWN MOST WICKED by Susan Dennard (150 pages)

A Storm of Swords - GRR MartinLongest: A STORM OF SWORDS by GRR Martin (1177 pages)

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

SoullessAlexia and Lord Maccon in SOULLESS by Gail Carriger: I loved them!

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?

YA Historical Fantasy.

25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?

A Darkness Strange and LovelyA DARKNESS STRANGE AND LOVELY by Susan Dennard: such a great summer book!

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?

The QuietnessTHE QUIETNESS by Alison Rattle: heart-wrenching historical set in Victorian London.

That’s it for me! What were your favourite books this year? Make sure to share your thoughts below! And if you want to take part in this blog hop, here is the link.

4th Annual End of Year Book Survey
4th Annual End of Year Book Survey
4th Annual End of Year Book Survey