Ivan Lett
When I noted previously that I’m a fan of British Hispanists, I left out Hugh Thomas’s narratives of Spanish history, and he has published many. Notably from YUP, The Beaumarchais in Seville tells the story of the French Revolutionary Pierre Beaumarchais and his travels to Madrid, 1764-65 (he never actually went to Seville). He’s best known for the Figaro plays that inspired operas by composers like Mozart and Rossini, and Thomas sets out to explore 18th-century Spain and the inspirations behind Beaumarchais’s work. On his travels, Beaumarchais encountered a wide cast of characters—royalty, military officers, clergy, journalists, actors, and their wives—and Thomas has brought these stories together from the letters and commentary that survive, translating them into English for the first time.
Nearly a century later another Frenchman, Théophile Gautier was similarly captivated by the land across the Pyrenees, and like Beaumarchais, he wrote one of his greatest poetic works, España, upon his return. New from our Margellos World Republic of Letters series, Norman R. Shapiro has beautifully translated Gautier’s poetry in a new volume, Selected Lyrics. The book includes the entirety of Émaux et Camées (Enamels and Cameos), which Gautier wrote while later traveling the Middle East, and is considered to be the crowning achievement of his poetic career. But because I can and it's a country I love, I’m posting a poem from what Shapiro calls “the vigorously exotic España, a blend of both Romantic local color and Parnassian visuality” to bring to us the vision of Seville that Beaumarchais never saw.
Ivan Lett is Online Marketing Coordinator for Yale University Press.
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Leaving behind Seville’s fair company,
One gazes back over the Guadalquivir
In wistful wise, and he sees looming there
Belfries’ and domes’ forest-like panoply.
With each wheel’s turning, new peaks rise. First, he
Spies the Giralda’s angel, sparkling, clear,
In gold; pink minaret, dart in the sheer
Blue of the sky: cathedral in a sea
Of houses, scarcely ankle-deep; nearby.
Arch-fragments, crooked gable, sullen wall
Masking the finely crafted spire, and all
That lush façade… Great men, you, standing high,
Hidden by fools, tall towers rising there:
Your noble brows soar in the tranquil air.
On the Guadalquivir
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By: [email protected],
on 3/30/2011
Blog: Yale Press Log (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Today's "Why Marx Was Right" blog discussion features an essay by Jake Meador on Chapter 5 of Terry Eagleton's Why Marx Was Right, addressing the claim: "Marxism reduces everything to economics."
Jake Meador
One of the most common dismissals of Marx accuses him of historical reductionism. “Marx creates a caricature of history in which every event is determined purely by class struggle or economic factors,” goes the critique. Eagleton addresses the refutation by clarifying what Marx actually said about historical causality and then explaining how his claims are not as simplistic or materialistic as some critics have suggested. Going beyond mere refutation, Eagleton then develops a Marxist theory of work that is far more holistic in nature than many of Marx’s critics might expect. In his response, Meador compares Marx’s theory of work and history to two other less conventional economic thinkers, British dramatist Dorothy Sayers and Kentucky farmer Wendell Berry. Through comparing these three authors we can avoid the more typical Marxist vs. Capitalist debate while also seeing both the overlap and the conflict between Marxist thought and the small-scale localism of Berry and Sayers. Read and discuss more on Bensonian...
By: [email protected],
on 3/25/2011
Blog: Yale Press Log (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Books, History, Video, YUP News, Current Events, Political Science, Author Interviews, Women's Studies, Excerpts, Middle East Studies, Add a tag
In the midst of recent events in the Middle East, YUP is offering a special look at the books that cover religion, politics, and culture of the region, and our authors who are active in contributing to these discussions.
Last month, Marwan Muasher gave a talk at Yale as part of the Jackson Senior Fellows Lecture Series, titled “The Arab World in Crisis: Redefining Arab Moderation.” As a top-ranked diplomat, Muasher has held many high-level positions within the government of Jordan, including Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Ambassador to the United States, and first Jordanian Ambassador to Israel. He is the author of The Arab Center: The Promise of Moderation, written prior his appointment as a fellow at Yale’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs. His recent talk readdresses the issues he presents in his book—the promise and perils of taking the “middle road” toward peace in the Middle East and what must be done to encourage the development of moderate, pragmatic Arab voices—and on YouTube, there is a full lecture from a similar talk he gave that was sponsored by the International Development Research Centre.
For Women’s History Month, we have a forthcoming study of the political and cultural history of the veil over the past half century: A Quiet Revolution: The Veil’s Resurgence, from the Middle East to America, written by Leila Ahmed, the first professor of Women's Studies in Religion at Harvard University and currently the Victor S. Thomas Professor of Divinity at Harvard’s Divinity School. Ahmed was raised by a generation of women who never dressed in the veils and headscarves their mothers and grandmothers had worn. To them, these coverings seemed irrelevant to both modern life and Islamic piety. Today, however, the majority of Muslim women throughout the Islamic world again wear the veil. Why, she asks, did this change take root so swiftly, and what does this shift mean for women, Islam, and the West? When she began her study, Ahmed assumed that the veil's return indicated a backward step for Muslim women worldwide. What she discovered, however, in the stories of British colonial officials, young Muslim feminists, Arab nationalists, pious Islamic daughters, American Muslim immigrants, violent jihadists, and peaceful Islamic activists, confounded her expectations, reaching surprising conclusions about contemporary Islam's place in the West today.
And in looking back on Egypt, where so much action at the start of this year has sparked movement
By: Chuck,
on 3/17/2011
Blog: Guide to Literary Agents (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Excerpts, Children's Writing, Guest Columns, Add a tag
Have you ever heard an editor or critic refer to a character
as passive? Maybe, like me, you've found yourself frustrated by this term. What exactly
does it mean, and what's so bad about creating a passive character? Isn't this a trait
we often find in real people, especially certain teenagers, who can be prone to spending
long hours watching TV or playing video games?
Since passive people do exist in life, it took me a long time to understand why a
passive character so seldom works in the context of a novel. It wasn't until I tried
unsuccessfully to write a novel featuring a passive character that I learned what
makes this trait so difficult to portray. Hopefully, this column will save you lots
of misspent time and effort.
Writing & Selling the YA Novel. Going is the author
of several YA novels and is a Michael L. Printz
Honor Book winner.
If you're considering writing about a passive character, or if you're told by others that your existing characters seem too passive, consider this: Passive people might be described as submissive, or failing to take initiative. They are acted upon more than they act. When you look at this description side by side with the statement above about characters being revealed by what they do and say, the picture should begin to come into focus. How do we know who a character is if he doesn't act? How will you breathe life into him if he doesn't make any choices?
While it's true that we all know people in real life who seem to drift along on the tide, never taking much initiative to affect their circumstances, we
don't necessarily want to read about them. We're all familiar with the stereotype of the antisocial teen who hides out in her bedroom, but would you want to read a book about that person? Not only is it hard for the audience to figure out who she is, it's tough to invest in her journey because there's nothing she's looking to learn or accomplish or overcome.
Active characters, on the other hand, are endlessly fascinating because we're always wondering what they'll do next. It's easy to feel as if we know them well, and when a reader feels like they know a character in the same way they know a real person, they'll invest in loving him, hating him, rooting for him, or laughing with him. Active characters shape the plot through the choices they make, and their desires create mirrored desires in the audience.
As a writer, you have two very powerful tools for creating active characters: actions and dialogue. Active characters use plenty of both. They make choices, doing and saying things that lead to new choices and new actions, advancing the plot. Use these tools to your advantage. Give your characters plenty to say and do. Make them leap; make them dance.
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By: [email protected],
on 2/21/2011
Blog: Yale Press Log (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Books, History, YUP News, Current Events, Political Science, Excerpts, Middle East Studies, Add a tag
The events of January and February 2011 have shaken not only the Middle East and North Africa but the whole world.
Starting in Tunisia in December 2010, unrest has spiraled through the Arab world, with extraordinary results: following mass uprisings, the Tunisian dictator Zine al-Abidine Ben-Ali has fled the country, while his counterpart Hosni Mubarak of Egypt decided to stand down with immediate effect. Meanwhile, Algeria – also ruled by a military dictatorship – has seen major riots, with several protestors killed, while similar demonstrations in Yemen have led President Saleh to announce that he will not seek another term in office.
Click the 3D book display to download Crisis in the Arab World, a free sampler of Yale books that discuss these three febrile regions.
In Egypt on the Brink: From Nasser to Mubarak (2011), Tarek Osman looks at the situation of his fellow young Egyptians – tech-savvy and full of passion, but deeply frustrated by the corrupt, economically stagnant Egyptian state.
In Algeria: Anger of the Dispossessed (2008, updated 2011), Martin Evans and John Phillips ask how long Algerians will put up with their repressive military regime, whose only opposition consists of intermittent al-Qaeda attacks.
In Yemen: Dancing on the Heads of Snakes (2010), Victoria Clark analyses the prospects for a country with 40% unemployment, near-exhausted water supplies, and a long-running rebellion in the southern provinces.
By: [email protected],
on 2/2/2011
Blog: Yale Press Log (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Another hot topic on our Spring 2011 list is the ongoing debate about the current state of economic affairs and the sustainability of capitalism. One of the most notable Marxist critics, Terry Eagleton, tackles the perception that Marxism is dead in his newest book, Why Marx Was Right.
Christopher Benson, who writes for The Weekly Standard, Christianity Today, Books & Culture, among others, has posted an excerpt to his "Bensonian" blog, where already discussions have started about who Marx was and what Marxism is and how we can grapple with its importance in the 21st century. Check out his blog, see where you stand, and dig into the intensified debate that is sure to come when the book is published in April.
By: [email protected],
on 1/7/2011
Blog: Yale Press Log (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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David Isenberg is posting excerpts from Laura A. Dickinson's Outsourcing War and Peace: Preserving Public Values in a World of Privatized Foreign Affairs on the Huffington Post as a lead-up to his review. Be sure to follow David for more updates.
By: Chuck,
on 11/17/2010
Blog: Guide to Literary Agents (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Excerpts, Guest Columns, Queries and Synopses and Proposals, Add a tag
Editor's note: I am declaring November 2010 to be
"Agent Guest Column Month," and therefore, every weekday, I will be posting a guest
column by a literary agent. Day 13: Today's guest agent is Scott Hoffman of
Folio Literary Literary.
Agents generally respond to submissions with three types of rejections. Cracking the code when it comes to a typical agent’s rejection protocol can help you determine whether or not the project you’re working on has publishing potential.
1. THE FORM REJECTION
The most common (and least valuable) type, a form rejection tells you only that someone—not necessarily even the agent herself—glanced over your manuscript and didn’t think it could be sold at a high enough price to justify signing you as a client. By itself, one form rejection tells you nothing. Twenty in a row, however, may serve as a pretty convincing sign that your book, or at least the beginning of it, isn’t ready to hit the shelves quite yet.
2. THE PERSONALIZED REJECTION
This can be either a form letter with a personal note added or a letter obviously written directly to you. If you receive one of these, it means your manuscript is head and shoulders above the majority of submissions an agent has read. I’d guess that most agents add a personal and encouraging touch to no more than 5 percent of the queries they read. I’d also wager that most published authors have received at least one personalized rejection in the course of their careers. By itself, a personalized rejection is actually a good thing: It means you’ve got the writing chops or some other compelling factor on your side that will likely lead to you eventually becoming a published author. You’ve convinced a publishing professional to pay attention to you—and that should be a tremendously energizing event.
3. REAL-TIME INTERACTION
This is the rarest (and most valuable) rejection, and it comes in the form of either a phone call or, rarer still, an in-person meeting. If this happens to you, don’t be shy—be sure to ask the agent exactly what he thinks your book is lacking. In the case of a writer I've since signed, I thought the book she sent me wasn’t the right project to launch her literary career. Despite her raw talent, my experience with the publishing process led me to believe that if her book were to find a home at a publisher, it wouldn’t break out in a way that would lead to long-term success.
Take notes when an agent responds this way, because—and I may get in trouble with some of my colleagues for saying this—if an agent is going to take the time to call you or meet with you, he almost certainly will represent you at some point in your career. It may just be a matter of finding the right book, or making changes to the on you’re working on now.
By: Chuck,
on 11/2/2010
Blog: Guide to Literary Agents (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Excerpts, Pitching, Guest Columns, Queries and Synopses and Proposals, Add a tag
Editor's note: I am declaring November 2010 to be
"Agent Guest Column Month," and therefore, every weekday, I will be posting a guest
column by a literary agent. Day 2: Today's guest agent is Dan Lazar of Writers House.
The surefire way of tempting a literary agent into reading your work is by sending
them a fabulous query letter. A great query letter trumps all, every time. But how,
you’re wondering, can you possibly encapsulate your amazing manuscript, your sweat
and tears, your next Great American (if you’re Canadian, then your next Great North
American novel) … into one letter? Because remember, at the end of the day, it all
comes down to the writing. If you’re a great writer, who’s written a great novel,
you can write a great query letter. Period. Here are some tips of mistakes to avoid.
1. Be specific, but don’t vomit information. Saying “my novel is about a mom going through some life challenges” is vague, and remember: Vague = boring. However, be careful not to stuff your letter with so many details of your plot that it’s confusing to decipher what’s going on. Reading your pitch letter out loud can often help you identify these flaws.
2. Avoid the “duh” trap. Don’t bog down your writing by overstating the obvious. For example, “I'm writing this letter to tell you about my fictional novel, which I'd like to send you, and it is called TITLE.” That’s an awkward sentence. A simple “I'd love to send you my novel, TITLE” is short and sweet. If this is confusing, read both out loud. Seriously. Try it. Reading your own words out loud can sometimes reveal the awkward or run-on sentences.
Another “duh” trap would be: “My novel will make you laugh” or “My writing is lush and literary”—you’re begging the agent to disagree. Many writers say “my novel will be a bestseller," or "my book could easily be made into film," in an effort to excite an agent. But truthfully, this is borderline offensive to most agents—it’s presumptuous and naïve to assume your work can easily bypass all the guardians and hard work it takes to make book into a bestseller or a movie.
3. Don’t call your manuscript a “fiction novel.” There’s no other kind. If you can’t tell the difference, that’s a problem.
4. Don't say other readers loved the book, unless those other readers are published authors of note. If you’re writing a children’s book, saying your class loved the book is equally unhelpful.
5. Make sure the agent accepts e-queries before you send one. Just because his/her e-mail is listed somewhere, doesn't mean they do. Most agents now have websites; check their submission guidelines. If you're not sure, send your query by snail mail.
6. E-queries must also look neat. Colorful border, graphics or emoticons are not only unprofessional, but they’re often caught by spam blockers. And if the agent requests your work by e-mail, e-mail it in one or two attachments. Not twenty.
A thousand other questions may be running through your head now – but these are the basics. For all else, use your common sense. Courier New versus Times New Roman? 1 inch margin versus 1.25? Doesn’t matter, trust me. Just write Add a Comment
By: Chuck,
on 9/23/2010
Blog: Guide to Literary Agents (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Excerpts, Literary Fiction, Successful Queries, Breaking In (Writer's Digest), Add a tag
This series is called "Successful
Queries" and I'm posting actual query letters
that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. In addition to posting the actual
query letter, we will also get to hear thoughts from the agent as to why the letter
worked.
The 43rd installment in this series is with agent Janet
Reid (FinePrint Literary Management)
and her author, Sean Ferrell, for his novel, Numb,
which was released in August 2010 from Harper Perennial. Kirkus Reviews called Numb an
"eye-catching debut ... Artfully barbed entertainment.”
Dear Ms. Reid:
I am seeking representation for my literary novel, Numb. I found your submission guidelines online and have included below a one-page synopsis.
I live and work in New York City, I have had short stories published in Uber, WORDS and Bossa Nova Ink, and one of my recent short stories was a finalist in the Italo Calvino writing competition at the University of Louisville. I received my MFA in creative writing from Emerson College.
Numb is approximately sixty-thousand words in length.
In summary: Numb is a man who cannot feel physical pain.
When he wanders into a dying circus, he doesn’t know who he is or how he got there. Despite feeling like an outcast the circus adopts him. When it is clear that his “talent” (if you can call being shot with nail guns and staplers a talent) will make him the star freak of the show, he becomes the circus’ best chance for survival. After nearly sacrificing himself for the circus’ sake, he decides to run away from the circus and make his way to New York City to discover himself and his past.
Accompanied by his fire-eating best friend, Mal, Numb discovers a world outside the circus that is all too ready to reward and punish him for his self-destructive talents; and it’s a world that forces all his relationships to shatter. Numb finds women to comfort him, yet he won’t allow himself to trust them. He looks for love but won’t accept it, and he looks for safety in self-destruction. After undermining or losing friends and lovers, Numb is forced to figure out how to find a place for himself instead of just taking up space.
This novel is in the spirit of Fight Club or Battle Royale; it is an antiheroic tale of finding a way to survive in a world so filled with noise that simple conversation and compassion are often drowned out.
I look forward t Add a Comment
By: Chuck,
on 8/7/2010
Blog: Guide to Literary Agents (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Genre Writing, Excerpts, Add a tag
No pressure, but the opening of your book is the gatekeeper in
determining whether your novel will sell. If your opening is weak, it won’t matter
if chapter two is a masterpiece. Editors and agents will stop reading before they
get to it.
Hopefully you’ve already scoped out a dramatic scene to open your novel. You know who’s in the scene and what’s going to happen to propel the novel forward. Your opening scene can be long or short. It can be action packed or moody, rich in description, or skeletal and spare. It may contain a vivid sense of setting or a strong shot of character. Regardless of what’s in that scene, the reader should have some idea what the story is going to be about after reading it, or at least have a good sense of the theme and be eager to turn the page.
Think about:
- How does the opening sentence set up the scene?
- What’s the out-of-whack event, and how does it pull the reader forward?
- In what tense is this told, and from which character’s point of view?
- What do we know about the setting?
- What’s the weather and time of day?
- What do we learn about Russ Van Alstyne?
- Why does this event matter to this protagonist?
- What does this opening scene suggest that the book is going to be about?
-
Does this opening develop plot or characters?
THE DRAMATIC OPENING
A good way to start the opening scene is by jumping right into the action. Here are some opening lines that catapult the reader into the story:
"When the first bullet hit my chest, I thought of my daughter."
- No Second Chance, Harland Coben)
"Gordon Michaels stood in the fountain with all his clothes on."
- Banker, Dick Francis
"The house in Silverlake was dark, its windows as empty as a dead man’s eyes."
- The Concrete Blonde, Michael Connelly
"I was fifteen years old when I first met Sherlock Holmes, fifteen years old with my nose in a book as I walked the Sussex Downs, and nearly stepped on him."
- The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, Laurie R. King
"They were thirty-five nautical miles off the coast of Rhode Island."
- The Mayday, Bill Eidson
Your opening line is important, but don’t obsess about it. Just write an opening line that puts the reader into the scene, get past it, and keep going. You can make it “perfect” later.
HOW TO WRITE IT
The first scene of your book presents some unique problems. Your primary job is to get your story moving while at the same time introduce your reader to the characters and setting. Keep your eye on the story you’re setting up—something intriguing has to happen. Lay in just enough character and setting description to orient the reader Add a Comment
By: Chuck,
on 7/26/2010
Blog: Guide to Literary Agents (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Excerpts, Children's Writing, Guest Columns, Add a tag
1. The life of the story depends on the writer's ability
to convince the reader that the protagonist is one of them. Teens despise fakes.
You must know kids well enough to channel their voices, thoughts and emotions.
Guest column by Regina Brooks, literary
agent at Serendipity Literary. This text
excerpted from Regina's 2009 book,
Writing Great Books For Young Adults.
2. Don't condescend to your readers. Young people won't abide stories that suggest their turmoil or idealism will pass when they "grow up." Brent Hartinger, author of Geography Club, says, "I'm a big believer that kids are smarter than we think they are ... I think kids can handle complexity and nuances, and the advantage to writing that way is that the book appeals to both teenagers and adults. Don't deal with young people by trying to push them in one direction or another. Deal with them where they're at now.
3. Read, read, read today's YA fiction. A word of caution: Don't emulate your favorite authors, but learn from them,. You'll want to create work that is truly your own. The benefits to reading what's already on the market are phenomenal. It will familiarize you with what's selling, how kids today talk, what they wear, what issues concern them, and so on.
4. Silence your worries over commercial considerations. This allows you to concentrate on your primary objective, which is to tell your story. Keep your artistic integrity—your ideals—ahead of how commercially successful you want your book to be. If you focus on writing the best possible book, commercial success will follow later. The significant rise in the success of YA novels has opened the way for a multiplicity of categories, and just to give you an idea, I've listed some alphabetically: adventure, chick lit, comical, fantasy, fantasy epics, futuristic, gay-themed, historical, multicultural, mystery, religious, romantic, science fiction, sports and urban. If your story doesn't fit into any of these categories, you may have to invent one. Consider it an opportunity.
5. In your new world of YA fiction, erect no concrete barriers, wire fences or one-way signs. Instead, forge new paths. The YA field welcomes innovators. What will your contribution be? Think fresh. Remember that young people are trendsetters—they're always looking to differentiate themselves from others. It's how teens forge their own identities. Don't be afraid to push the boar out as well. Coming up with a fresh idea will set you apart from the pack and might be the thing that sparks an editor's interest in your work.
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By: Chuck,
on 7/19/2010
Blog: Guide to Literary Agents (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Excerpts, Guest Columns, Add a tag
No. 2: Start late. In individual scenes, don't waste
valuable time on unnecessary entrances and hellos. See if a scene can be started in
the middle. A writer who is willing to self-edit will often find that a scene is strengthened
by cutting the first two, and often last two, lines of dialogue.
These tips excerpted from Neil Landau and Matt
Frederick's 101 Things I Learned in Film School,
(May 2010) one of five books in the
"101 Things" series.
No. 12: A flawed protagonist is more compelling than a perfect protagonist. Inexperienced writers may fail to imbue a protagonist with undesirable traits because they want him or her to appear likable and their cause noble. But a completely capable hero leads an audience to relax its attention: If he can handle anything, why worry? Audiences are usually fascinated by contradictions and shortcomings in a film's characters. The idiosyncrasies and failings we all have are even more compelling in a character that is otherwise heroic.
No. 25: Create memorable entrances. Your protagonist's character, style and behavior must be distinctive from the moment we first lay eyes on him or her. Does she trip on a carpet shag? Did she forget to remove a hair curler? Is he carrying a note-quite-concealed weapon? Is he a debonair smoothie amid a hubbub of confusion and crudity? Is she a lone, effervescent figure in a gray London gloom?
No. 29: Props reveal character. In Se7en, Morgan Freeman's character has a metronome besides his bed. Its ticking rhythm comforted him and helped him drift to sleep. But more significantly, the prop conveyed his desire, as an overworked city police detective, to control one noise in a cacophonous city.
No. 75: Make visual motifs specific. Motifs are visually evocative elements placed strategically throughout a film to amplify theme. They can also act as a structural or pacing device. Themes are broad and universal to human experience, but motifs should be specific to the story and directly relevant to the experiences of the characters.
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Hicks of Will Entertainment.
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Is
there a difference between literary agents and script managers?
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Want a great database of script agents/managers, script contests, conferences
and theaters? Buy the 2010
Screenwriter's & Playwright's Market today!
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Check out an interview
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- Confused about formatting? Check out Add a Comment
By: Chuck,
on 5/7/2010
Blog: Guide to Literary Agents (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Guest Columns, Excerpts, Add a tag
OK. So you’ve sent out your e-mails, had a few responses, and
now it’s down to two or more agents who’ve made you offers. You’ve politely but firmly
told them that you have to speak with everyone before making a decision. Now what? E-mail
them, say there are several agents interested, and that you’d like to set up a phone
meeting. I know, I know, it’s scary. But you will (one hopes) be calling up your agent
for years to come—it’s worth it to know what that will be like. And even if you’re
a hot mess (or, more likely, an overcaffeinated one) on the phone, they’ll still want
your book.
This column by agent Jessica Sinsheimer of
Sarah Jane Freymann Literary is
an excerpt
from GET
AN AGENT, a 128-page magazine
all about finding an agent. The
publication
is in bookstores now, and has info on
queries, synopses, Chapter 1 tips,
proposals, copyright, and much more.
Don’t be nervous; they’ll do most of the talking—they are, after all, auditioning
for you. Don’t be afraid to spend a moment on pleasantries—if anything, it’ll calm
you down and make you sound more professional and less scared. Try something like:
"Hi, how are you, did you have a good holiday? Great, so I was calling to get a better
sense of each interested agent …" Prepare a list of questions for each. Here’s a jumping-off
point:
Be wary of agents who say, “Your work is perfect! I wouldn’t dare
change a comma!” (Some agents minimize the work involved to tempt you.) Or, “This
is going to be the biggest bestseller, like, ever!” (No one knows in this market.)
Or, “I can promise you’ll have a gold-plated private jet for your international book
tour!” (Unrealistic—plus, wouldn’t it be too heavy to fly?) Or, “I’m the only one
who can sell this." (Unprofessional on many levels.) They should care about making
the work the best it can be—just for the sake of it reaching its full potential. Also,
see if they seem like a nice person. You’ll be entrusting them with your work, after
all, and will want to feel comfortable seeking their advice in all that’s about to
happen.
(See the rest of the article and
so much more inside
Add a Comment
By: Kimberly Pauley,
on 2/4/2008
Blog: Young Adult (& Kid's) Books Central (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Interviews, YABC Site News, Excerpts, Add a tag
I'm posting a number of new (well, new to the site...some of it has been in my "pending" queue to post for quite some time...I'm trying to get caught up on everything before the baby gets here) items to the site today:
- An interview with Judy Gregerson, author of the Bad Girls Club.
- Excerpt from I Don't Want to Be Crazy by Samantha Schutz
- PDF excerpt from Tanya Lee Stone's A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl and also a Reading Group Guide
- Author photo for Christine Fletcher
- Author photo and interview for Valerie Frankel
- An interview with Michael Blumer
- Author photo for Rachna Vohra
By: Kimberly Pauley,
on 10/16/2007
Blog: Young Adult (& Kid's) Books Central (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Excerpts, Add a tag
>>>Read the whole thing here.
The Journey Begins
The early summer sun beat down relentlessly as we made our way over the rusted rails of the switchyard. It was a hot mid-June afternoon, and the building haze in the distance was evidence of an impending heat wave. The first of many sure to come. But that’s the way it is in New England most summers – hazy, hot and humid. Oppressive. I was glad we were leaving.
“Which train is ours, Hunter?” Billy asked, stopping to readjust the straps of his backpack.
“The one on the furthest track over. Near the warehouse. The one headed west.” I pointed to the idling freight train, mostly a line of graffiti-covered boxcars and empty coal carriers with a few tankers and flatbeds scattered in between. It stretched about thirty cars in length from engine to caboose, its mass rippling restlessly in the rising waves of heat.
By: Kimberly Pauley,
on 10/2/2007
Blog: Young Adult (& Kid's) Books Central (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Excerpts, Add a tag
A number of new excerpts have been added to the site, so be sure to check out that section. Everything from Bunnicula to Alice by Accident to Bound to Ironside.
By: Kimberly Pauley,
on 9/23/2007
Blog: Young Adult (& Kid's) Books Central (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Excerpts, Add a tag
GLBT Month Feature: Here's an excerpt from Robert Black's The Real Life Channel. Be sure to check out the whole thing:
Well, there go my plans for a great summer.”
Alan sat with Jason Marlow on the steps in front of his school building. The spring weather had finally turned warm enough and the sun was finally staying out late enough that they could do some skateboarding after their day at the studio, but Alan didn’t feel much like skateboarding. Instead, he and Jason watched as Jason Chang and Daniel rode up and down the steps and sidewalks around the school.
“The show might not be over,” said Jason. “Owen said the network hasn’t decided anything yet. Just wait—we’ll be back in the studio right on schedule, and you’ll be wishing you were outside watching girls instead.”
By: Kimberly Pauley,
on 9/19/2007
Blog: Young Adult (& Kid's) Books Central (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Excerpts, Add a tag
GLBT Month Feature: Here's an excerpt of Sara Ryan's new book, The Rules for Hearts. It's a follow-up to Empress of the World, so readers get to continue on with the story of Battle Hall Davies as she sees her brother Nick for the first time in years. Be sure to read the whole thing, covering the Prologue and much of Act I.
PROLOGUE: CHURCH BASEMENT, CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA, ALMOST FIVE YEARS AGO
It's bingo night. My brother Nick and I are in the youth room next to the social hall, playing Hearts. We always play Hearts on bingo night.
Dad used to be an actor, so he never needs a microphone, whether he's preaching or calling the numbers. We hear him boom: “O-69!”
We crack up.
Nick is sixteen, I'm thirteen, and he's my favorite person. He's smarter and funnier and more charming than anyone. He teaches me card tricks and dirty jokes. He says that everyone except me is a hypocrite, especially Mom and Dad. He knows the best music, the best places to go, and he hardly ever complains about his tagalong little sister.
Three weeks later, on his seventeenth birthday, he runs away.
By: Kimberly Pauley,
on 9/2/2007
Blog: Young Adult (& Kid's) Books Central (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Excerpts, Add a tag
Check out an excerpt from Nico Medina's fun new novel, The Straight Road to Kylie:
I really wish I wasn't gay right now.
Seriously.
If I wasn't gay right now, I wouldn't be having sex with Alex.
No, not Alexander.
Alexandra.
That's right, ladies and gentlemen. Jonathan Parish has done the unthinkable. Out-and-proud Christina Aguilera-worshipping, Diesel shoe-wearing, lover-of-large-sassy-black-women-and-skinny-white-heiresses Jonathan Parish is having sex with a girl!
These were the thoughts running through my head that insane night. I did not know what I was getting myself into.
Maybe I should recap.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Read the rest!
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By: BookEnds, LLC,
on 8/15/2007
Blog: BookEnds, LLC - A Literary Agency (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: excerpts, sample chapter, author Web sites, Add a tag
There seems to be a lot of discussion again about whether you should post sample pages on your Web site and tell an agent about it in your query. Obviously different agents are going to say different things on the issue, but ultimately, if your writing is good, no one is going to reject you simply because you’ve posted a chapter or two on your Web site. What they might do, however, is reject you because your entire query letter says this:
Dear Ms. Faust:
Please read my amazing new book at www.bookends-inc.com.
Signed,
Clueless Author
Your Web site is another address and promotional tool for you. Posting pages can help attract agents. I know that when I see an author’s name again and again in contest wins, on my blog, or as a conference attendee, I’m going to look for a Web site and I’m going to read any pages that are there. Never will I contact an author out of the blue if I haven’t read her work. However, if I’ve had the opportunity to read a sample chapter on her Web site, I might think it’s good enough to ask to see more.
One of the concerns I've been asked about is how a publisher feels about authors posting a chapter on the Internet. There seems to be the feeling that publishers will then consider the work published and not touch it. In other words, putting a chapter up on a web site ultimately means that you self-published the book. Not true at all. I have never had a publisher ask me if a chapter was published. In fact, most will encourage authors to promote using that tool. Should you post your entire book? I would recommend against it. Think of it as promotion. You wouldn't promote your book by posting the entire thing therefore you shouldn't promote your unpublished work any differently.
I honestly don't see any cons to posting a piece of your best writing on your Web site. It gives people the opportunity to really see what they can expect from you and, you never know.
Jessica
By: Kimberly Pauley,
on 4/24/2007
Blog: Young Adult (& Kid's) Books Central (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Excerpts, Add a tag
A new excerpt has been posted for Chapter One of the kid-friendly A Triple T and Herman Mystery: Foolish Diversion.
Take a gander:
Terrence Tree Toad opened the heavy, wooden front door to his home, the Big Oak, and stepped out into the cool morning. Sitting down on the front stoop, Triple T felt the slight breeze wafting in over the Rushin’ River from the Misty Mountains to the west. The wind carried with it the hint of Autumn.Triple T liked Autumn. It was a time of looking forward to. It was a time when squirrels romped in the trees, when cool breezes encouraged walks to one’s neighbors’ for a nice cuppa tea. Or even a cake or two. And it was a most welcome change from the brutal heat of summer.
This summer had been the worst. Day after day, no rain. The ground dried and cracked. Trees wilted in the heat. The River level fell lower and lower. Unless the Drought ended, it wouldn’t be long before only the smallest boats would be able to travel from Catfish City to Muskrat Cove.
By: Kimberly Pauley,
on 2/25/2007
Blog: Young Adult (& Kid's) Books Central (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Excerpts, Add a tag
I cautiously ducked through the cave opening to avoid hitting my head. "It's a tight squeeze, but you can make it," I called over my shoulder. But as I turned and held out the lantern, I gasped as the illumination bounced off the wall ahead.
I stared into a room that looked about the size of our school gymnasium…with the far end being completely engulfed by a monstrous, multicolored, petrified waterfall stretching from floor to ceiling. The stalactites had to be over fifteen feet long. In places, they almost met their stalagmite counterparts shooting up from the floor. It was the most beautiful place I'd ever seen–at least below ground.Read more...