Agents on the Move

Allison Hunter has joined the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency as an agent. Previously she was an agent at Inkwell Management, and at SKLA will continue to actively acquire literary and commercial fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, cultural studies and pop culture. 

Agent Sara Megibow, who recently left the Nelson Literary Agency, is joining KT Literary.

Nan Vermylen Thornton will join Zachary Shuster Harmsworth as an agent. 

Stephen Barbara will move to Inkwell Management on January 5 after six years at Foundry Literary + Media, and he will be followed by all 50 of his clients.

Rayhane Sanders will join Lippincott Massie McQuilkin as Agent, effective January 1, continuing to build her list of upmarket and literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, and memoir. 

Sheree Bykofsky Associates has taken over the list of DSM Agency.

Natasha Alexis and Lana Popovic have joined Chalberg & Sussman as agents. Both were previously at Zachary Shuster Harmsworth

Hi everyone.

I found out last night that the cover of Angel Sometimes is up for an award. The winner will be the one that gets the most votes. So far, I have some votes, but Angel Sometimes will need more to win.

The voting goes on all week and you can vote once every day.

If you can vote, that'd be much appreciated. I'd really like for Patty Henderson, my cover artist, to win.

http://authorshout.com/cover-wars/

Thank you

Angel Sometimes Speaks Up

  I started writing Angel Sometimes a couple of years ago. She came into my head and wouldn't leave.  I had finished the first of many drafts of her story when I was awarded a four-week scholarship to the Vermont Studio Center.

For four weeks, I wrote, walked, met other authors, wrote, listened to lectures, wrote…. Did I mention that I wrote? Then I came home and edited and wrote some more. I gave Angel the job of swimming as a mermaid because I knew she could do it. I swam for four years as a mermaid while I was getting my B.A. and M.A. 

It took a while before I felt the book was done. Not long after it was published, Angel Sometimes was awarded a USA Best Book Award.  As you might guess, I was hop-around-the-office happy. But what was even more fun was talking with readers who emailed me.

I can't speak for other authors, but for me, my days are mostly spent typing on the computer, re-reading what I typed, catching grammar mistakes, and re-reading some more. An email from a reader or a "hi" on my Author Facebook Page is great. For a few minutes, I'm connected to a reader.

What this all boils down to is: listen to the voices in your head. Write down what they say. If it's a character talking to you, pay attention. 

Hi everyone. Thank you for dropping by.

I'm not here today because I'm over at The Writers Lens. Come over and say hi.

I'm answering questions in the post:

How much fact is in your fiction? 

What's the highest compliment someone could make about your writing?

What movie star would be perfect for (your main character) and why?

Would you share a bit about your next project?

Where to Find Angel Sometimes and Helen

If you have other questions, leave them in the comment section. I'm happy to answer them.

http://www.thewriterslens.com/2014/11/helen-ginger-mermaid-career-link-to.html

Publisher's Lunch 11-4-2014

Here's more news from Publisher's Lunch:

Former ceo of Atlantic Books Toby Mundy has established  his own literary agency, Toby Mundy Associates. He will use Ed Victor Ltd.'s service operation Bedford Square Literary Management for "turn-key back-office service." 

Caitie Flum has joined Liza Dawson Associates as assistant agent, also working on audio rights for the agency. Previously she was editorial coordinator of Bookspan's Children's Book Club.

Natasha Alexis and Lana Popovic have joined Chalberg & Sussman as agents. Both were previously at Zachary Shuster Harmsworth, where Alexis supported business affairs and Popovic managed international rights.

Dave Fessenden formerly acquisitions editor at CLC Publications, has joined WordWise Media Services as literary agent.

Literary Agents Update

Leon Husock joins L. Perkins Agency as an associate agent specializing in speculative fiction, as well as young adult and middle grade novels. 

At the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Laura Rennert has been promoted to executive agent. Jennifer Laughran has been promoted to senior agent, and Jennifer Mattsonhas been promoted to agent. 

Pam van Hylckama Vlieg has joined the D4EO Literary Agency. She was previously at Foreword Literary Agency.

Lydia Moëd has joined The Rights Factory as foreign rights associate, and will also build her own domestic list. In addition, Cassandra Rodgers has been promoted to associate agent.

Literary agency Alive Communications has hired Lisa Jackson, former associate publisher of Tyndale, and Brian Thomasson (a senior editor at NavPress) to join the Colorado Springs-based firm as agents. 

James Lance formerly publisher at Kumarian Press, has joined WordWise Media Services as literary agent and can be contacted at Jlance007@comcast.net.

William LoTurco has joined Kuhn Projects as an associate agent. Previously, he was at Vigliano Associates and WME.

Noah Ballard has joined Curtis Brown as a literary agent. He had previously been with Emma Sweeney Agency. He will continue to represent literary fiction, thrillers and narrative non-fiction.

Book People

If you live in the Austin area, come over to BookPeople this evening.

I, along with Nan Cuba, Katherine Catmull, and Suzy Spencer make up the panel. We'll be talking and taking questions from 7pm to 9pm.

Our discussion topic is:
How does a writer achieve emotional resonance in his/her narrative?  How can one attain the mindset to accurately convey a tone or a character's depth of feeling?  Authors often mine from their own lives -- tapping into emotions, experiences, or memories in order to recreate the right mood or state of mind on the page.  But how?  And at what cost?
It's free to attend.

BookPeople is located at 603 N. Lamar.

Once you park, head up to the third floor. You can use the elevator in the back of the store.
 

Looking For An Agent?

Sandy Lu has returned to the L. Perkins Agency as senior agent after a brief departure, and will also oversee the agency's foreign rights.

At Foundry Literary + Media, Matt Wise has been promoted to agent. He is interested narrative nonfiction and commercial fiction.

At Kuhn Projects, Nicole Tourtelot has been promoted to agent.

Rachel Marks has joined Rebecca Friedman Literary, representing young adult, fantasy, science fiction, new adult and romance. She has worked as a publicist for authors for the past three years.

Sergei Tsimberov has joined Ayesha Pande Literary as an associate agent, specializing in literary fiction and nonfiction. He was previously with Anderson Literary Management.

Heather Alexander has joined Pippin Properties as an agent. Previously she was an associate editor at Dial.

Thanks to Publishers Lunch for this information.

Mermaid Helen Ginger

Come over and talk with me today on Jennifer Modette Perry's blog: http://madameperryssalon.blogspot.com/2014/08/mermaid-picnics-computer-gaming-and.html

I'll keep checking her blog all day. If you have questions, I'll do my best to answer.

In case you're asking if I was really a mermaid, the answer is yes. I really did eat and drink underwater as well as do a mermaid ballet. (I'm the tall girl on the left.)

Just head over to Madame Perry's Salon: http://madameperryssalon.blogspot.com/2014/08/mermaid-picnics-computer-gaming-and.html

Book Review: Chain Reaction by Diane Fanning

This is not the first book by Diane Fanning that I have read. As a matter of fact, I have quite a few of her books on my book shelf. Chain Reaction is the latest in her Lucinda Pierce series.

I like this series. With each book, it's like getting back together with a friend. I like Lucinda.

When a bomb goes off at a high school, two bodies are found in the aftermath. The FBI move in to investigate, but Lucinda, a homicide investigator, doesn't agree with the FBI's theory of what happened. Lucinda begins to investigate on her own. She's not alone, though. She has the backup of her boyfriend, FBI Agent Jake Lovett.

In addition to the bombing, there's a suspicious teacher who's not above soliciting the male students.

I like books with female protagonists. I especially like ones like Lucinda: smart, determined, concerned, involved. The people in Fanning's books come to life. Some of them you'd like to sit down and have coffee with in the morning. Some you'd like to punch. There are no cartoon characters, only ones that are believable and relatable. Ones that you'd like to meet again in another book.

Publishing News 6-12-14

Simone Garzella Literary Scouting has been appointed US literary scout for the Lira Publishing Group in Hungary.

After 25 years at Ed Victor Ltd., Sophie Hicks has set up her own literary agency. For more information, see the new site for the Sophie Hicks Agency.

Tisse Takagi has teamed up with The Science Factory as an agent, based in New York, focusing on non-fiction in the areas of biography, food, and music as well as science.

At Trident Media Group, Alexander Slater has been promoted to domestic agent, and he will focus on children's, middle grade and YA authors. He was a foreign rights agent for TMG, also focused on children's authors.

Book Review: The Doll

The Doll by Taylor Stevens is a thriller with heart-racing action, unexpected twists and dangerous turns.

The main character, Vanessa Munroe, can change herself and "become" whatever she needs to be to survive.  She's a fighter. More importantly, she is a survivor. In The Doll, she gets kidnapped and taken into an underground world in Dallas where women and girls are sold, used and abused.  This world and the women forced there are controlled by a man known as the Doll Maker. He captures women and young girls and sells them.

Munroe has not only herself to save, but also a young girl, Neeva, who also has escaped. Munroe doesn't want to be saddled with Neeva, but Munroe knows if she doesn't take Neeva with her, Neeva will either be killed or taken back into slavery.

Munroe is used to violence. Most of her life has been marked by violence. She can speak multiple languages and she knows how to fight and how to survive. She could escape and disappear into the shadows, but she'll have to take Neeva back to the Doll Maker, even though she knows what will happen to her.

Munroe will have to decide between Neeva and someone she dearly loves. I give The Doll a rating of Hel-of-a-Ride.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is a dark book. Women and young girls being kidnapped and used in sex trade. It took me a while to realize the book was set, not in some far away country, but in Dallas. But the story moves at a fast clip and will keep you turning pages.

Agents on the Move

If you're looking for a literary agent, it can be a bit frustrating. You hear of one you'd like to query, but then you can't find them. Agents tend to move around. Some stay with the same agency their whole career. Others don't. New agents join. Some retire.

Here's some information on agents (on the move) that you might find helpful.

Maria Ribas and Paul Lamb have joined the Howard Morhaim Literary agency as literary agents. Ribas was an associate editor at Adams Media and will continue to focus on cookbooks, self-help, health, diet, parenting, and humor. Lamb was most recently senior marketing manager at Viking, and will focus on representing non-fiction in the areas of business, memoir, political science, sociology and sports, as well as crime, mystery and literary fiction.

Jana Burson has launched The Burson Agency, a literary agency and speakers bureau. She had been an editor for the FaithWords and Center Street imprints of Hachette Book Group and before then, the imprints' director of publicity.

Dr. James Lance has joined WordWise Media Service as a literary agent. He was an acquisitions editor for Kumarian Press. He'll focus on scholarly but reader-friendly books in international relations, environmental science and policy, anthropology, economics, history, public health, cultural studies, public administration, US foreign policy, and philanthropy.

Michelle Richter is joining Foreword Literary as an associate agent. She has been an editor at St. Martin's. She is planning to represent a broad selection of fiction, and nonfiction focused on fashion, film, television, science, medicine, sociology/social trends, and economics for trade audiences.

Interesting article on Publishers Weekly

Here are the opening two paragraphs from an article called: Will the Agency Model Survive?

For publishers, negotiating terms of sale with Amazon has always been difficult. But reports last week of Amazon’s hardball tactics with the Hachette Book Group suggest that this year’s negotiations could be among the most brutal yet.

One likely reason is that when the publishers' 2012 consent decrees in the e-book price-fixing case begin to expire this fall, so too will Amazon’s ability to discount e-books. The parties don't comment on specific negotiations (and neither Hachette or Amazon will comment directly on the current dispute or ongoing talks). But it is fair to say that Amazon officials likely see the current negotiations as their best chance to push for the end of agency pricing for e-books, and are apparently prepared to bring to bear all the pressure they can on publishers—whether on the Kindle side, or print. The question is, will the publishers stick together to keep agency pricing for e-books?

To read the full article, go here:  http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/retailing/article/62349-will-the-agency-model-survive.html 

Shelby O'Neill

If you have time, zip over to Bookworm Reviews on Chicksters. Shelby O'Neill wrote a review of Angel Sometimes. Thank you Shelby for the review.

Shelby is a great writer and editor. The local chapter of Sisters in Crime does a Mentor/Mentee event each year. Those more established in publishing mentor up-and-coming authors. This year, Shelby was my mentee. Not that she needed much advice from me.

Shelby's first novel is currently a quarter-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. And she's already hard at work on her next book.

Keep an eye on Shelby, 'cause I think she'll be big.

Fellowships at the Vermont Studio Center

For those of you who might be interested in a getaway to write and meet other writers and artists, I recommend the Vermont Studio Center.

Several years ago, I received a fellowship there and spent a month writing, walking, and making friends. If you like that idea, here's some information about getting a fellowship to go there. 

The Vermont Studio Center has announced 43 fellowship awards for artists and writers, including:

o    25 VSC Fellowships--open to ALL!

o    4 fellowships supported by the Joan Mitchell Foundation

o    5 Pollock-Krasner Foundation Fellowships

o    2 Sustainable Arts Foundation Fellowships for parents of children under 18

o    1 Grace Paley Fiction Fellowship 

For a complete list of fellowships and eligibility requirements, visit:

www.vermontstudiocenter.org/fellowships 

The deadline to apply is June 15th, 2014.  

Apply online at vsc.slideroom.com.

Applications must be received by June 15th, 2014. 

It was a fabulous month for me. Hope it is for you.

Publishing News 4-21-14

Maria Ribas and Paul Lamb have joined the Howard Morhaim Literary agency as literary agents. Ribas was an associate editor at Adams Media and will continue to focus on cookbooks, self-help, health, diet, parenting, and humor. Lamb was most recently senior marketing Manager at Viking, and will focus on representing non-fiction in the areas of business, memoir, political science, sociology and sports, as well as crime, mystery and literary fiction.

Mike Salisbury has joined Yates & Yates as associate literary agent. Most recently he was marketing director of trade books at David Cook.

Sara Sciuto is joining Foreword Literary as an agent, specializing in children's books. She was previously an agent with Full Circle Literary.

(From Publishers Lunch)

Updates from Publisher's Lunch 4-21-14

At Sterling Lord Literistic, Caitlin McDonald and Mary Krienke have been promoted to associate agents, while Nadyne Pike moves up to managing director.

Jon Baker is leaving Mary Ann Thompson Associates after 7 years to start his own scouting company, Baker Literary Scouting, Inc. 

Julia Kardon joined Mary Evans as a foreign rights director and agent. Previously she was an agent at Sterling Lord Literistic.

Kirby Kim joined Janklow & Nesbit, effective March 18. Kim was at William Morris Endeavor.

Tequila Sunset

Tequila Sunset is the second book I've read by Sam Hawken. It's set primarily in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, which is just across the border from El Paso. Felipe "Flip" Morales is the main character in this tense story.

Flip, whether he wants to or not, joins the ruthless Azteca gang. Being part of a group or gang is necessary to survive. Over the course of Tequila Sunset, Flip is pulled deeper and deeper into the gang. At the same time, the police and a Mexican federal agent are trying to use him to rat on the Aztecas. They don't care that he's being forced to do things he does not want to do. Things that he will pay dearly for doing. What he wants is peace and a life with his girlfriend Graciela without violence

Nothing could be more dangerous for Flip. He's not only trying to survive, he has family that he needs to protect, as well as Graciela.

There's quite a bit of violence in the book, but that's the way it is in Flip's life. That's the way it is along the border of Mexico.

Tequila Sunset is a captivating and powerful book. And at times, very intense. 
-----------------------------
Disclaimer: Okay, what do you think of the cover? I think it's great. It really fits the story and the setting. My husband and I used to go into Mexico every year. Friends who lived close to the border would go across for dinner or lunch. But we haven't been in years, probably decades. It became too dangerous to go. The last time we went, we got to the border back into the U.S. and the border patrol guy waved us back into the U.S. without looking at our passports. It pays to have a Federal agent in the front seat. If I ever went back to Mexico, I think I'd look for the mask on the cover. I'd hang it on the living room wall. Probably wouldn't have relatives showing up at the front door unexpected.

Pearls and Poison

Pearls and Poison by Duffy Brown is a cozy mystery. As in other books in this series, Reagan Summerside is up to her neck in craziness going on in town. If you've read a Consignment  Shop Mystery, then you know Reagan is like a daisy caught up in a wind storm. She tries not to get involved but, in this case, she has to stand up for her mom.

Reagan's mom is running for alderman and Regan supports her campaign. But then her mother's opponent in the race is poisoned. With her dead, Regan's mom becomes the number one suspect. From there things move fast, from costumes to sneak around in, to friends trying to help, and, of course, there's Boone, the best looking guy in Savannah … and possibly the most dangerous.

I think anyone would like this tale, whether you're from the South or not. I was born in Georgia and lived there ten years. I can relate to this community. But even if I weren't originally a Georgia peach, I would have liked Pearls and Poison. It moves fast, has characters who feel real (and the crazy ones could be my relatives), and is set in Savannah.

If you've never read a Consignment Shop Mystery, Pearls and Poison is a good place to start, but don't blame me if you get addicted.