Publishing Pulse for November 21, 2014

New At QueryTracker:


Since the last Publising Pulse, we've added four agent profiles and updated fourteen, including two who appear not to be agenting any longer. That's a lot of motion in the industry, so please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before sending your query.

If you're a QueryTracker premium member, then you can be notified whenever an agent or publisher profile is added or updated. If you're not a premium member, you can just check for yourself.

Publishing News:

This year's National Book Awards sounds like it was a rather … interesting event, with racist jokes (later apologized for on twitter) and an impassioned speech by Ursula K. LeGuin.  Also, awards were given out.

Bono is going to star in a comic book. Because why wouldn't he?

Simon and Schuster has made changes to their library ebook program, removing the requirement to "buy it now."

If you remember the Choose Your Own Adventure books, their author RA Montgomery has passed away at age 78. May perpetual light shine upon him.

Oh, and bringing an end to the fun and games we've all been having on the sidelines, while authors lose revenue or else take bitter sides against one another, Amazon and Hachette have reached an agreement.   If you want some commentary about this (and who doesn't?) I recommend Hugh Howey's take.

Amazon updated the look of the author pages. I can't link to that -- just go take a look. (If you can't think of an author offhand, you can take a look at mine.)

Around the Blogosphere:

Smashwords wants you to know that ebook publishing only gets more difficult from here on out, but they have tips to help you succeed.

Goodreads compiled an infographic about reading trends by sex, and how often women read women and men read men.

Agent Janet Reid gives a newly-agented writer advice on mistakes not to make as a client.

New Republic features an essay from a writer either stunned or embittered by the notion that agents are searching for projects that make money. I recommend reading this because once the literary agent community finds it, they're going to start dissecting it on Twitter, and you should know what they're talking about.

Personal news:

This week saw publication of my novel, An Arrow In Flight, so my previous novel, Seven Archangels: Annihilation will be free until the end of today, and my Christmas novella The Boys Upstairs is now listed at $.99. If you love these blog posts, surely you'll love my books too. Right? Right.

Literary Quote of the Week:

"Don't let the fear of striking out hold you back." -Babe Ruth

Thanks for stopping by, and keep sending those queries!

---

 

Jane Lebak is the author of An Arrow In Flight . She has four kids, four books in print, two cats, and one husband. She lives in the Swamp and tries to do one scary thing every day. You can like her on Facebook, but if you want to make her rich and famous, please contact Roseanne Wells of the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. 

Publishing Pulse: November 7, 2014

This Week at Query Tracker
Congratulations to this week’s Success! Read J.A. Holton's story.

Ready to write your own success story? If you're a QueryTracker member (membership is free) you can view the database of more than 1200 agent and publisher profiles. Premium Members can be notified whenever an agent or publisher is added or updates their profile, in addition to receiving access to several other enviable features.

This Week In Publishing
How many words are hiding inside you? November is the perfect month for getting them out... it's time for NaNoWriMo 2014! Get started on your November novel today!

For DIY indies: a guide to creating your front and back matter.

Test your Agent IQ…you may be surprised at the answers!

After writing your press release (if you need it, here's a handy reference), top it off with the perfect headline. Here are five tips you need to read.

Curious about Kindle Scout? Victoria Strauss provides a nice explanation with pros and cons.

Have a great weekend, everyone!



Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer who, despite having a Time Turner under her couch and three different sonic screwdrivers in her purse, still encounters difficulty with time management. Visit Ash at www.ashkrafton.com for news on her urban fantasy series The Books of the Demimonde (Pink Narcissus Press). Her paranormal romance WORDS THAT BIND (The Wild Rose Press) is now available.

Publishing Pulse, October 10, 2014

This Week at Query Tracker
The profiles of several agents were updated this week. Please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before querying.
Ready to write your own success story?
If you're a QueryTracker member (membership is free) you can view the database of more than 1200 agent and publisher profiles. Premium Members can be notified whenever an agent or publisher is added or updates their profile, in addition to receiving access to several other enviable features.
This Week in Publishing
This made me grin—and nod emphatically the entire time while reading it. A “Dear Agent” letter of a different kind.
Self-publishing or traditional publishing: know which path you want to follow before you set out, because some steps cannot be untread. Here’s an example of what agents do not want to see.

Joanna Penn shared a podcast in which she and Helen Sedwick talked about various legal issues in “Copyright, Publishing Contract Clauses, Image Use, And Avoiding Getting Sued”.
A few tips for success that all writers can use.
Writing a memoir? Here are some helpful pointers from Abigail Carter.

#WriteTip Round-Up

• Ciara Ballintyne ‏@CiaraBallintyne 

Try keeping a list of active verbs you can refer to when writing

• K.M. Weiland ‏@KMWeiland 

Open your book with conflict. No conflict, no story

• Mary Buckham ‏@MaryBuckham 

If nothing changes then the scene is either not working hard enough or could be cut.

• Rayne Hall ‏@RayneHall 

What's worrying or annoying you right now? Write a story about it. (Change the characters, increase the danger)

• Terry Tyler ‏@TerryTyler4

Don't give two main characters names beginning with same initial and with same number of syllables (David/Derek, Rosie/Rachel)

Today in Publishing
Ever wonder what a genie would say to his therapist? I did. :)

My paranormal romance WORDS THAT BIND was released by The Wild Rose Press today. It's a bittersweet moment, really, because our dear friend and QTB legend Carolyn Kaufman isn't here to share it.

She was instrumental in the development of this book--her expertise in the field of psychology made me rethink the plot, her enthusiastic support convinced me it was a story worth writing, and her memory will forever inspire and encourage me.

This book is for her.

Have a good weekend, everyone!
I'll be at New York Comic Con, getting' my fangirl on. If you plan on attending, just yell for me when you come in. See you there!



Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer who, despite having a Time Turner under her couch and three different sonic screwdrivers in her purse, still encounters difficulty with time management. Visit Ash at www.ashkrafton.com for news on her urban fantasy series The Books of the Demimonde (Pink Narcissus Press). Her paranormal romance WORDS THAT BIND (The Wild Rose Press) comes out today.

Publishing Pulse for September 26th, 2014

New At QueryTracker:

The QueryTracker bloggers have decided to change our Publishing Pulse schedule to the second and fourth Fridays of the month. Please update your calendars accordingly.

Check out our newest success stories, Christopher Buecheler and David Noer. Congratulations, Christopher and David!

We've added six agent profiles to our database and updated eighteen. That's a lot of motion in the industry, so please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before sending your query.

If you're a QueryTracker premium member, then you can be notified whenever an agent or publisher profile is added or updated. If you're not a premium member, you can just check for yourself.

Publishing News:

Amazon is launching a new crowdsourcing program. Details to come later.

Remember when we wrote about diversity in publishing? It's not just diverse books we need, nor just diverse authors.

...of the 630 respondents who identified their race, 89% described themselves as white/Caucasian, with 3% selecting Asian and another 3% indicating Hispanic. Only 1% said they are African-American.

Clearly we need more diverse publishing personnel too. Read more. 


More about Big 5 Publishing vs Amazon:

To criticize Amazon, the publishers and their defenders must simultaneously insist that literature is essential for society, and that a sudden increase in its availability would be a catastrophe.

If Amazon vs Hachette is looking bad, just wait for the audiobook wars.

Around the Blogosphere:

How not to get your book into Barnes & Noble:

Going through corporate headquarters is one of my favorite things to do because it always works out well for me and is not frustrating or time-consuming at all.

The care and keeping of your writer friend:

Then, she did a brave and admirable thing. She said to me, “How can I love you, as a writer? How can I talk to you about your work?”

Writers as casualties of commerce

Have you ever wondered what would happen if your book changed a reader's life for the worse?

An analysis of the profit margins in publishing. (Hint: it's not very upbeat.)

Literary Quote of the Week:

So apparently my automatic I-got-your-query response doesn't send to any querier named Michael. Sorry, Michaels. Will fix that weirdness.
— Amy Boggs (@notjustanyboggs) September 19, 2014

Thanks for stopping by, and keep sending those queries!

---

 

Jane Lebak is the author of Seven Archangels: Annihilation. She has four kids,  three books in print, two cats, and one husband. She lives in the Swamp and tries to do one scary thing every day. You can like her on Facebook, but if you want to make her rich and famous, please contact Roseanne Wells of the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. 

Publishing Pulse for August 29, 2014

New At QueryTracker:

The QueryTracker bloggers have decided to change our Publishing Pulse schedule to the second and fourth Fridays of the month. Please update your calendars accordingly.

We've added seven agent profiles to our database and updated fourteen. That's a lot of motion in the industry, so please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before sending your query.

If you're a QueryTracker premium member, then you can be notified whenever an agent or publisher profile is added or updated. If you're not a premium member, you can just check for yourself.

Publishing News:

.Publishing pay rose an average of 2.8% in 2013. Rolling in money, yeah.

A high school student was arrested for writing a story about killing a dinosaur. And similarly, an English teacher is banned from school property because he wrote a novel involving school shootings. In similar news, September 21-27 will be Banned Book Week.

In New York? Check out the Floating Library!

The 2014 Hugo Awards have been announced -- go check out the winners!

The demise of the printed newspaper is a lot closer than we think.

Around the Blogosphere:

In case you needed a reminder of how evil publishers are:

Hugh Howey writes about discoverability for writers.

Why every story needs an impact character.

What happens when multimillion dollar corporations start expecting artists and writers to work for free.

I get "offers" at least once a week to write things for some great new start up. "Our website gets 50,000 page views per month!" they'll say, cheerily. "Think of the exposure!" Yes, exposure leads to either sunburn or frostbite, neither of which is pleasant. 

Don't worry -- musicians get taken advantage of too.

Literary Quote of the Week:

When you're a writer, sometimes you have to spend time poking at a part of yourself that normal, sane people leave alone. -Vikram Chandra

Thanks for stopping by, and keep sending those queries!

---
 Jane Lebak is the author of The Wrong Enemy. She has four kids, three cats, two books in print, and one husband. She lives in the Swamp and tries to do one scary thing every day. You can like her on Facebook, but if you want to make her rich and famous, please contact Roseanne Wells of the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. 

Publishing Pulse: August 15, 2014

Important Contest News:
We have extended the deadline of the current content…please refer to this post for details!

This Week at Query Tracker

Congratulations to this week’s Successes, Roshani Chokshi and Amber Thielman!

Ready to write your own success story?
If you're a QueryTracker member (membership is free) you can view the database of more than 1200 agent and publisher profiles. Premium Members can be notified whenever an agent or publisher is added or updates their profile, in addition to receiving access to several other enviable features.

This Week in Publishing
Nostalgic for the old days, when authors banged away at their typewriters, key by key? Here's a treat...Fun typewriter app.

I'm always looking for tips on improving my author website. Are you?

Promoting our work can cost a lot more than we earn. Here are a few excellent (and free) promo tips.

Good news for indie authors: Kindle now allows pre-orders! (And there was much rejoicing.)

Wondering if you should go traditional or indie path? I thought this was a rather well-thought article.

Have a great weekend, everyone!




Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer who, despite having a Time Turner under her couch and three different sonic screwdrivers in her purse, still encounters difficulty with time management. Visit Ash at www.ashkrafton.com for news on her urban fantasy series The Books of the Demimonde (Pink Narcissus Press) or stop by the Demimonde Blog at www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com . The final story of the trilogy, WOLF’S BANE (Demimonde #3), is now available.

Publishing Pulse for August 1, 2014

New At QueryTracker:

The QueryTracker bloggers have decided to change our Publishing Pulse schedule to the second and fourth Fridays of the month. Please update your calendars accordingly.


This week we've added three agent profiles to our database and updated two. Please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before sending your query.

If you're a QueryTracker premium member, then you can be notified whenever an agent or publisher profile is added or updated. If you're not a premium member, you can just check for yourself.

Publishing News:

Harlequin's sales numbers are down, and within days they'll be sold to HarperCollins.

Alloy Entertainment launches a digital first imprint with Amazon.

Apple has purchased Booklamp, reputed to be a Pandora for books.

Around the Blogosphere:

Please remember our Category Romance contest! First hundred words, a pitch, and winners get a full request from Entangled Publishing. Check out the details and then enter!

Agent Jessica Watterson talks about the query process.

Passive Voice Guy discusses the persistent stigma of self-publishing. From the same blog, deciphering the inner workings of the Author Earnings Report.

The five best questions to ask if interviewing a writer.

How to make yourself an easy author to work with. (I know, I know…)

On book publishing and socialism.



Literary Quote of the Week:

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
-Winston Churchill

Thanks for stopping by, and keep sending those queries!

---
 Jane Lebak is the author of The Wrong Enemy. She has four kids, three cats, two books in print, and one husband. She lives in the Swamp and spends her time either writing books or crocheting inappropriate objects. At Seven Angels, Four Kids, One Family, she blogs about what happens when a distracted daydreamer and a gamer geek attempt to raise four kids. If you want to make her rich and famous, please contact the riveting Roseanne Wells of the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. 

Publishing Pulse: July 25, 2014

This Week at Query Tracker
The profiles of several agents were updated this week. Please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before querying.

We also have TWO success stories this week! Congrats and best wishes go out to
Toby Tate and Shawn McDonald. Read their interviews and be inspired to write your own success story.

Remember--you'll reach success when you find the agent who is perfect for your work. Be sure to read each agent's profile carefully and visit other links such as company websites and blogs. Follow them on social media sites and get a feeling for what they really want. The better you know the agent, the better you will know if they are the right representative for your work. Blindly querying agents without regard for their guidelines or repped genres only delay the process--not only for you but for other writers.

Using QueryTracker.net will help you become a well-informed querying writer. Use the resources to your advantage and seek the fastest, straightest path to finding your ideal agent today.

This Week in Publishing
Wondering what formats you should be using for your ebooks? This article discusses the evidence of trends between genre and types of reading device.

Novice writers enjoy the bliss of crafting their art and following their dreams. Once the business side manifests, however, the prospect of all we have to do to become and remain published authors is often enough to scare us back into the writer’s closet. Here are some tips to avoid becoming crushed by the big world of making it.

Speaking of dreams...have you ever woken up with a great story idea and wished you made more of it? Here’s a great piece on how to train yourself to make the most of those story-fertile dreams.
 

Thomas Snow ‏@snowglobeman Tweeted...In dreams the words come back to us. In dreams we remember our souls. It was real. It was timeless. May we dream on pic.twitter.com/o0FFLmkYqK

Have a great weekend, everyone!


Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer who, despite having a Time Turner under her couch and three different sonic screwdrivers in her purse, still encounters difficulty with time management. Visit Ash at www.ashkrafton.com for news on her urban fantasy series The Books of the Demimonde (Pink Narcissus Press) or stop by the Demimonde Blog at www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com . The final story of the trilogy, WOLF’S BANE (Demimonde #3), is now available.

Publishing Pulse for July 11, 2014

New At QueryTracker:


This week we've added four agent profiles to our database and updated five. Please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before sending your query.

If you're a QueryTracker premium member, then you can be notified whenever an agent or publisher profile is added or updated. If you're not a premium member, you can just check for yourself.

Publishing News:

The fun continues with Hachette and Amazon doing mighty battle.

• A group of legacy authors wrote an open letter to Amazon in protest (although note, they say they're not taking sides). 
• JA Konrath dissected this letter, to hilarious effect. 
• So did Barry Eisler. 
• 6800 authors then sign a petition for Hachette to adopt more author-friendly practices. 
• And Chuck Wendig has an opinion, too.
• Meanwhile, Amazon offers ebook authors a rather sweet deal. 
• Aaaand…the Author's Guild says no thanks.

Costco decided to remove Dinesh D'Souza's bestselling book from their shelves, then decided to put it back.

Award-winning author Walter Dean Myers passed away at age 76. May perpetual light shine upon him.

Around the Blogosphere:

Some of the difficulties libraries have with ebook publishers.

What one agency reader learned while reading slush.

Three ways to put your first-person narrator to better use.

If you're tire of being serious, the thirteen writers you hate (and who probably hate you too.)

Literary Quote of the Week:

Write about what really interests you, whether it is real things or imaginary things, 

and nothing else. -CS Lewis

Thanks for stopping by, and keep sending those queries!

---
 Jane Lebak is the author of The Wrong Enemy. She has four kids, three cats, two books in print, and one husband. She lives in the Swamp and spends her time either writing books or crocheting inappropriate objects. At Seven Angels, Four Kids, One Family, she blogs about what happens when a distracted daydreamer and a gamer geek attempt to raise four kids. If you want to make her rich and famous, please contact the riveting Roseanne Wells of the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. 

Publishing Pulse: July 4, 2014

This Week at Query Tracker

The profiles of several agents were updated this week. You can see the publisher updates list here.

We have two new success stories! Congratulations to Rachel Simon and Morgan Shamy.  

Ready to write your own success story?

If you're a QueryTracker member (membership is free) you can view the database of more than 1200 agent and publisher profiles. Premium Members can be notified whenever an agent or publisher is added or updates their profile, in addition to receiving access to several other enviable features.

This Week in Publishing

I like the word “indie”. So, apparently, does Forbes. See why they think indies are changing the economic world, one idea at a time. 

Joe Konrath shares this post on the Amazon-Hachette dispute: a look from the indie side of the street. 

We’ve mentioned hybrid authors in the past. Here’s a pair of articles that talk about Amazon’s White Glove Program… and yes, self-publishers, you do need an agent. David Jackson and Jane Friedman share their views. 

Just for fun…

Test your literary agent IQ with this quick quiz.

Enjoy your weekend... for to our US readers, Happy Independence Day!




Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer who, despite having a Time Turner under her couch and three different sonic screwdrivers in her purse, still encounters difficulty with time management. Visit Ash at www.ashkrafton.com for news on her urban fantasy series The Books of the Demimonde (Pink Narcissus Press) or stop by the Demimonde Blog at www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com . WOLF’S BANE (Demimonde #3) is now available and is touring like a witch on wheels.

Publishing Pulse for June 20, 2014

New At QueryTracker:


This week we've updated four agent profiles in our database (one of whom has an odd story unfolding in the comments). Please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before sending your query.

If you're a QueryTracker premium member, then you can be notified whenever an agent or publisher profile is added or updated. If you're not a premium member, you can just check for yourself.

Publishing News:

Apple reached a settlement in its ebooks suit.

Author of Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes, has died at age 86. May perpetual light shine upon him.

Strange Chemistry and Exhibit A are ceasing operations. A roundup of links here.

Around the Blogosphere:

Hugh Howey weighs in again on the Amazon/Hachette dispute, and he's of the opinion that Big Publishing is the problem.  Salon, on the other hand, seems to think Amazon is not a friend to Indie authors.

Hugh Howey also discusses why the publishing analysts are wrong.

An insightful article about the difference between marketing and promotion, and how big publishers are getting it backward. One traditional publisher describes taking a nontraditional approach and how it's benefitting everyone.



Literary Quote of the Week:

"I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice and then going away and doing the exact opposite." GK Chesterton

Thanks for stopping by, and keep sending those queries!

---
 Jane Lebak is the author of The Wrong Enemy. She has four kids, three cats, two books in print, and one husband. She lives in the Swamp and spends her time either writing books or crocheting inappropriate objects. At Seven Angels, Four Kids, One Family, she blogs about what happens when a distracted daydreamer and a gamer geek attempt to raise four kids. If you want to make her rich and famous, please contact the riveting Roseanne Wells of the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. 

Publishing Pulse: June 13, 2014

This Week at Query Tracker
The profiles of several agents were updated this week. Please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before querying.
 
Ready to write your own success story?
Remember--you'll reach success when you find the agent who is perfect for your work. Be sure to read each agent's profile carefully and visit other links such as company websites and blogs. Follow them on social media sites and get a feeling for what they really want. The better you know the agent, the better you will know if they are the right representative for your work. Blindly querying agents without regard for their guidelines or repped genres only delay the process--not only for you but for other writers.

Using QueryTracker.net will help you become a well-informed querying writer. Use the resources to your advantage and seek the fastest, straightest path to finding your ideal agent today.

This Week in Publishing
Ever wonder if your extravagant word count is keeping the agents away? Writer’s Digest takes a look at long novels and their chances of selling.

Agent Noah Lukeman shares 15 tips to keep in mind when trying to sell your ebook series.

The Worst Social Media Advice ever. Enjoy the entertainment, folks…

The Passive Guy blog discusses out-of-print clauses and rights of first refusal, as well as their inherently troublesome natures.

And This Weekend in Publishing...
WOLF'S BANE, the third book in my urban fantasy series, The Books of the Demimonde, releases on Sunday. Three cheers for demivamps, rockstars, and werewolves. (These are a few of my favorite things.) The blog tour kicks off from the Demimonde blog on June 15. Wish me luck!

Rejection slips, or form letters, however tactfully phrased, are lacerations of the soul, if not quite inventions of the devil—but there is no way around them.-- Isaac Asimov

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer who, despite having a Time Turner under her couch and three different sonic screwdrivers in her purse, still encounters difficulty with time management. Visit Ash at www.ashkrafton.com for news on her urban fantasy series The Books of the Demimonde (Pink Narcissus Press) or stop by the Demimonde Blog at www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com . WOLF’S BANE (Demimonde #3) is available June 15, 2014.

Publishing Pulse for May 23, 2014

New At QueryTracker:


This week we've updated four agent profiles in our database, mainly for genres, and added one new agent. Please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before sending your query.

If you're a QueryTracker premium member, then you can be notified whenever an agent or publisher profile is added or updated. If you're not a premium member, you can just check for yourself.

Publishing News:

Our work is done:

Smashwords and Overdrive make a distribution deal.

Publisher's Weekly asks if the agency model will survive. Amazon appears to be playing hardball with Hachette. Plus, Amazon and Bonnier seem to be having issues.

A thoughtful discussion about books and prisons.

Should we put trigger warnings on classic books?

Around the Blogosphere:

One self-published author recalls her success: Three years, 300,000 books sold.

How editors go about making an offer on your book.

Small publishers in the age of the digital book.

John Greene and building a passionate audience.

A YA librarian gets fed up with the mass media's misconceptions about YA.

We all have them: those moments when a writer feels lost in the woods.

Literary Quote of the Week:

"You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance." Ray Bradbury

Thanks for stopping by, and keep sending those queries!

---
 Jane Lebak is the author ofThe Wrong Enemy. She has four kids, three cats, two books in print, and one husband. She lives in the Swamp and spends her time either writing books or shoveling snow. At Seven Angels, Four Kids, One Family, she blogs about what happens when a distracted daydreamer and a gamer geek attempt to raise four kids. If you want to make her rich and famous, please contact the riveting Roseanne Wells of the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. 

Publishing Pulse: May 16, 2014

This Week at Query Tracker

The profiles of several agents were updated this week. Please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before querying.

This Week in Publishing

A number of interesting links for QT readers…

Pinterest is a great tool to promote your books. Here are eight tips for writers. (Another tip? Pin It on Saturday—it’s believed to be the most effective day of the week when it comes to getting visibility.)

Interesting info-graphic that compares two publishing routes--traditional and indie.

I can’t resist any article that begins with the word “secret”. Here are more numbers from a mid-list author about her publishing reality.

Quick thoughts on show vs. tell (and one key warning for writers):

These are ten things Russell Blake wishes he’d been told about writing.

You fail only if you stop writing. --Ray Bradbury

Have a great weekend!



Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer who, despite having a Time Turner under her couch and three different sonic screwdrivers in her purse, still encounters difficulty with time management. Visit Ash at www.ashkrafton.com for news on her urban fantasy series The Books of the Demimonde (Pink Narcissus Press) or stop by the Demimonde Blog at www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com . WOLF’S BANE (Demimonde #3) is forthcoming June 2014.

Publising Pulse: Friday, May 9, 2014

This Week at Query Tracker

The profiles of several agents were updated this week. Please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before querying.

You can see the publisher updates list here. 

Ready to write your own success story?

If you're a QueryTracker member (membership is free) you can view the database of more than 1200 agent and publisher profiles. Premium Members can be notified whenever an agent or publisher is added or updates their profile, in addition to receiving access to several other enviable features.

This Week in Publishing


In a $455M deal, HarperCollins bought Harlequin. HC hopes the acquisition will allow them to expand into foreign markets.  Caution: this article may contain language unsuitable for romance authors.

Curious to know what UK fiction editors are looking for? We found twenty-five who share their wish lists.

For new writers—increase your confidence with this list of useful tips.

Writers of fan fic may want to check out this piece on Amazon Worlds and their licensing model for fan fiction.

Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. ~Anton Chekhov

Have a great weekend, everyone!


Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer who, despite having a Time Turner under her couch and three different sonic screwdrivers in her purse, still encounters difficulty with time management. Visit Ash at www.ashkrafton.com for news on her urban fantasy series The Books of the Demimonde (Pink Narcissus Press) or stop by the Demimonde Blog at www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com . WOLF’S BANE (Demimonde #3) is forthcoming June 2014.

Publishing Pulse: May 2, 2014

Today I'll be on my way to the Malice Domestic conference in D.C. Malice is an annual mystery fan convention that offers panels, book signings, and visits with favorite mystery authors. This is my second time at Malice, but my first as a published author. If you're planning to attend, please come up and say hi. (I look *just* like my photo.)

Around the Web

Those of us who are still shivering this spring can warm up by checking out out the Publishers Weekly picks for 2014 summer reads.

If you think you suffer for your art, take a look at this article in Kirkus, "Authors Who Do Really Funky Things for Research (Like Go To Prison)."

Last week agent Carly Watters posted about why even independent and hybrid authors could still use an agent. Worth reading!

The QT forum (and awesome blog team) boast a number of authors who write Young and New Adult fiction. Even if you don't, you might be interested in what Bookish has to say about YA trends here.

Have a great weekend, everyone! 

A Jersey girl born and bred, Rosie Genova left her heart at the shore, which serves as the setting for much of her work. Her new series, the Italian Kitchen Mysteries, is informed by her deep appreciation for good food, her pride in her heritage, and her love of classic mysteries, from Nancy Drew to Miss Marple. Her debut novel, Murder and Marinara, was named a Best Cozy of 2013 by Suspense Magazine. The second book in the series, The Wedding Soup Murder, is scheduled for release September 2. An English teacher by day and novelist by night, Rosie also writes women’s fiction as Rosemary DiBattista. She lives fifty miles from the nearest ocean  in central New Jersey with her husband and two younger sons.

Publishing Pulse: April 25, 2014

This Year at QueryTracker

First, a note from Patrick McDonald, the creator of QueryTracker…

"QT was named one of 2014's 101 Best Websites for Writers by Writers Digest Magazine. This is the sixth time in QueryTracker's seven-year history that we were honored with this award. Thank you to all QueryTracker members for making this possible."


This Week at Query Tracker

The profiles of several agents were updated this week. Please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before querying.


This Week in Publishing

It’s not a black-and-white decision of agented versus self-published…the wonderful world of grey is small press publishing. Writer’s Digest posted a lovely article on finding your middle ground. Read about the pros and cons of small press publishing.

In a recent post, Janet Reid wrote “The first thing to know about platform is that platform is not you talking about yourself. It's other people talking about you.”  That got me thinking...when we think we are building our platform, are we doing it the right way? I decided to dig (I mean, Google.) Here are takes on the idea of author platform (some classic) from a variety of sources: Jane Friedman, Nonnie Jules, Joanna Penn, Writer’s Digest, and the aptly-named authors-platform.com.
 
Adjectives, glorious adjectives: finally, an article that doesn’t condemn them.  (The word “crapulous” is on there. Awesome.)

"If you only write when you’re inspired you may be a fairly decent poet, but you’ll never be a novelist…"  --Neil Gaiman

Have a great weekend, everyone!



Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer who, despite having a Time Turner under her couch and three different sonic screwdrivers in her purse, still encounters difficulty with time management. Visit Ash at www.ashkrafton.com for news on her urban fantasy series The Books of the Demimonde (Pink Narcissus Press) or stop by the Demimonde Blog at www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com . WOLF’S BANE (Demimonde #3) is forthcoming mid-2014.

Publishing Pulse for April 11, 2014

New At QueryTracker:


This week we've updated two agent profiles in our database.
Please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before sending your query.

If you're a QueryTracker premium member, then you can be notified whenever an agent or publisher profile is added or updated. If you're not a premium member, you can just check for yourself.

Publishing News:

Because they didn't own enough already, Amazon has acquired ComiXology.

Also in comics news, Archie (of Archie Comics) is going to die. For real.

Around the Blogosphere:

Some tips for pitching your manuscript in person.

Nathan Bransford gives you eight ways to know you have a good agent.

Five things you can do to improve your query letter.

Pour your tea into an awesome literary mug.

Literary Quote of the Week:

"You start by writing to live. You end by writing so as not to die." Carlos Fuentes

Thanks for stopping by, and keep sending those queries!

---
 Jane Lebak is the author ofThe Wrong Enemy. She has four kids, three cats, two books in print, and one husband. She lives in the Swamp and spends her time either writing books or shoveling snow. At Seven Angels, Four Kids, One Family, she blogs about what happens when a distracted daydreamer and a gamer geek attempt to raise four kids. If you want to make her rich and famous, please contact the riveting Roseanne Wells of the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. 

Publishing Pulse: April 4, 2014

This Week at Query Tracker
The profiles of several agents were updated this week. Please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before querying.
 

Ready to write your own success story?
Remember--you'll reach success when you find the agent who is perfect for your work. Be sure to read each agent's profile carefully and visit other links such as company websites and blogs. Follow them on social media sites and get a feeling for what they really want. The better you know the agent, the better you will know if they are the right representative for your work. Blindly querying agents without regard for their guidelines or repped genres only delay the process--not only for you but for other writers.

Using QueryTracker.net will help you become a well-informed querying writer. Use the resources to your advantage and seek the fastest, straightest path to finding your ideal agent today.

This Week in Publishing
We’ve been seeing more about the “hybrid author” phenomenon. Elizabeth S. Craig looks at both sides of the equation while Jane Friedman continues the discussion here.

 ”The stories we love best do live in us forever...” – JK Rowling

A fun (if geeky) read about just how deeply readers identify with their favorite fictional characters.

Questions about copyright? Here’s what to look for in your contract.

Janet Reid fields a question on sending batch queries.

Agents and publishers will ask you: What makes your book different? Read this article if you can’t put your finger on what makes your book stand out: Nina Amir offers insight into performing comparative analysis.

Have a great weekend!



Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer who, despite having a Time Turner under her couch and three different sonic screwdrivers in her purse, still encounters difficulty with time management. Visit Ash at www.ashkrafton.com for news on her urban fantasy series The Books of the Demimonde (Pink Narcissus Press) or stop by the Demimonde Blog at www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com . WOLF’S BANE (Demimonde #3) is forthcoming mid-2014.

Publishing Pulse for March 21, 2014

New At QueryTracker:

Happy Spring to all from QueryTracker! Here's a little spring-like poetry to get you in the mood:

Spring has sprung,

The grass is riz.

I wonder where

The flowers is.

Kind of awesome to consider that poem's going to be hanging around a lot longer than any of us will.

Come for the poetry, say for the publishing industry news! This week we've updated six agent profiles in our database. Please make sure you double-check every agent's website or Publisher's Marketplace page before sending your query.

If you're a QueryTracker premium member, then you can be notified whenever an agent or publisher profile is added or updated. If you're not a premium member, you can just check for yourself.

And congratulations to our newest QT success story, Jamie Gilman Kress!

Publishing News:

Did you ever wonder how much you'd earn as a senior editor at a big 5 publisher?

And you thought it's taking you a long time to get published? JRR Tolkien's translation of Beowulf will be published after 90 years.

What happens if your book series spawns a TV series, and the TV series is in danger of catching up to the written series? George RR Martin discusses.

Around the Blogosphere:

The Women’s Fiction Writers Association Rising Star Contest for unpublished WF manuscripts will be opening to entries on May 1 at https://womensfictionwriters.org/contests/rising-star-contest/

Janet Reid tackles the question of how long a time is too long.

Five charts that show how publishing is changing.

And in case you were feeling too good about yourself, there are neurological similarities beween successful writers and the mentally ill. 

Literary Quote of the Week:

"When I was a little boy, they called me a liar, but now that I am grown up, they call me a writer." Isaac Bashevis Singer

Thanks for stopping by, and keep sending those queries!

---

Jane Lebak is the author of The Wrong Enemy. She has four kids, three cats, two books in print, and one husband. She lives in the Swamp and spends her time either writing books or shoveling snow. At Seven Angels, Four Kids, One Family, she blogs about what happens when a distracted daydreamer and a gamer geek attempt to raise four kids. If you want to make her rich and famous, please contact the riveting Roseanne Wells of the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency.