Guess What the Cat Just Let Outta the Bag?

Last Friday, I got my first paycheck. Could it be that I am finally moving out of perpetual Micawberism to something a bit more...pocket-moneyish? Seems like. The first week of nannying went quite well and my two wards and I even wrote and illustrated bed-time books for them. That was, after all, Lila's (5) first condition upon hearing I was an author: "Can Miss Rachel help me write a book? She can write the words and I'll draw the pictures." And so we did. This masterpiece is entitled: The Princess And Her Dragon and is about a royal who is afraid of the dark and the brave and "huge-big" dragon named William who is given to her as a gift to puff fire all night so she won't be without light. Lila dictated to me and most of the words were her own. (Including the rather pithy line: "And she was no longer afraid because she had the moon and the stars and fire and she knew that light was on her side.") In case you were wondering, for Lila, this was rather autobiographical. All except the dragon part. She specifically asked to write a book to read before bed so she would not be afraid.

I am excited for two reasons:

#1: I ought to be getting Elisabeth Grace Foley's Mrs. Meade Mysteries Vol. I today and I am looking forward to being able to read these stories in paperback edition. I am in the middle of three books right now so I can't start straight away, but I shall soon!

#2: Anne Elisabeth emailed me this morning and we have an official release date for Five Glass Slippers! Not certain whether it was meant to be public but I tweeted and spilled the proverbial beans before giving it much thought so, you will all be able to purchase this amazing collection of stories on

June 14th, 2014

And you know what's even cooler about this news? You can officially pre-order Five Glass Slippers on Amazon.com! Also, go add it on Goodreads too! I know it's an amazing book because I let myself read the first chapter or two of each story and not only are the stories rather wonderful, but the book itself is precious in terms of interior design. You'll simply have to wait to find out what's what because I obviously cannot show you the galley-proof I also received in my inbox. If I've been a bit in regards to my own writing, it is only because I'm still editing Anon, Sir, Anon and it's going slowly because of work and on top of this, I'm about to start formatting a friend's debut novel and I'm in the depths of reading a certain amazing epic that, for all its virtues, must be read on the computer and is undoubtedly long (Wonderfully long, but length means time). So all that means that even if I knew what my next project was going to be, I have no time for it yet. So there. If you are interested to learn more about the various Cinderellas in Five Glass Slippers, you must head over to the blog dedicated to just such things and check it out! I cannot wait for June to come around so you can all read The Windy Side of Care...truly, I have a feeling you're going to like Alis... And now for some entirely random items on the list of things that you didn't need to know but will probably be interesting all the same:

Hand massages feel divine

Someone actually made the scones from my last post 

 If I was a character from LotR, I would be Sam, evidently

Agents of SHIELD's latest episode just about killed me

I am apparently a good public speaker

I am fonder than ever of Wodehouse

Our team is officially over 100% funded for our trip to Romania!

Five Glass Slippers Eye-Candy

Yesterday, I received my title-page for The Windy Side of Care! Isn't it a beauty? I cannot wait for Five Glass Slippers to come out. June really isn't that far away! And on that note, if you want to know more about my story as well as the others, do hop over the to Five Glass Slippers blog! I believe Elisabeth Brown has just done a post about her version of "Cinderella" from What Eyes Can See. I have seen the majority of the title pages and they are all simply beautiful. Cannot wait to read the others stories and share my Alis with you! (Fun fact: the designer paid heed to the way Alis is described and the crown at the top and her up-flung arm are direct nods to the plot. I warned you.) I was so excited to see this in my inbox yesterday. Who else is excited? ;)

The Windy Side of Care! {It won}

Yesterday morning, after several months of waiting for the Day of Judgement for Anne Elisabeth Stengl's Five Glass Slippers contest, I discovered that The Windy Side of Care had won a place in the anthology! You know how surprised I am. I know so many excellent writers who entered this contest; when my Australian friend, Joy, awakened me with a FB message all in capslock proclaiming my win, I had some time believing it wasn't an extension of the dream I had just pulled myself out of in which I had barely squeezed onto the winners list. Subsequent congratulations from friends and re-checking of the announcement showed that my story had, indeed, been chosen. Crikey. Rooglewood Press is going to publish the anthology this June, as they said in the official announcement.

I am so thrilled and astonished and ever so slightly puzzled that I won. I knew I liked Alis and Auguste but my taste runs contrary to so many other peoples' in these things that I doubted it would last to the final round. Well. Apparently it did and now my Spring shall be extra busy with all the revisions and edits to make. I am looking forward to the challenge of working with real editors/proof-readers/publishers. It is going to be a push and a shove but I expect to learn so much. Also, getting to work with Anne Elisabeth Stengl on a project is an honor itself. This is entirely useless information, but as it turns out, my name (and thus story) is smack in the middle of the other winners since they arranged it in alphabetical order. This makes me happy; I don't find being out in the front of the pack quite terribly comfortable. :)

Thanks to the unexpected win, this means that when you have purchased and read (and hopefully loved) Fly Away Home, there will be another little dose of "me" ready for you by June! My little career is taking off to a busy start and I find myself feeling professional, breathless, and a little confused at the sheen of it. I know there were many excellent stories that did not make it into the collection, and to these authors, I still say congratulations: you had the courage, talent, and determination to actually re-tell the story of Cinderella in a multitude of ways and that is a success no matter how you view it. If it had been any of you instead of me, I would have been equally thrilled. We're in this business together, we writers. I can't wait to work with the other four authors on polishing this collection for your reading pleasure!

Also, rumor has it that Anne Elisabeth will be hosting another similar contest and has promised the cover will be even more delightful than the gorgeous one above. (!) Here's to second chances! My friend Meghan and I are praying that she chooses "Beauty and the Beast"...it is my very favorite fairy-tale. On a random note, I have a fancy to come down the aisle to "Beauty and the Beast" on my all-elusive wedding day...let us see what I fiance thinks of that idea. ;)

Cheers, everyone! My mind is full of Cinderella...wonder where I could get a pair of glass slippers?

Dear Hopeful One: a letter

Dear Hopeful One:
     Yes, you, with your eyes shining and the buds of a thousand stories in your lapel, showing you what you are championing for. You are at that stage wherein writing seems like a world apart from a world; a world that is all your own only so long as it is in your head, but a world to which you will invite an excited public someday.
     You read this blog and other blogs of writers who are published or about to be so, and maybe you're just a little bit jealous. Maybe you wish it was you being featured on other blogs, your book with a Goodreads page and a promise of Amazon in a month or so.
     But dear hopeful one, enjoy your innocence. Enjoy the thrill of stepping into the realm of the written word. Enjoy writing for the pure joy of writing, unencumbered by deadlines and emails and interview queries. There are things you hold right now that I no longer have:
     You have likely never opened a document to find all your careful formatting had been absorbed into the hole of the Never-Never and must be re-done with the painstaking precision you have already spent hours upon.
     You don't have to keep a planner full of all the little things you forget about, like contacting review websites and other bloggers, and arranging guest-posts and interviews and giveaways and then re-contacting all those people to let them know the schedule/details/information.
     Formatting probably means a glorious nothing to you.
    Sitting at the desk till your neck is stiff and your back hurts is entirely optional for you at this point and if you don't much feel like writing, you can always doddle off and pick up the next tantalizing book that's been wanting to be read.
   I realize that for all the hard work and unforeseen difficulties in my stage, I hold something precious too: I have my book in hard copy in my hands and there are few things quite so exciting as your first novel. I'm not trying to tell you it isn't as exciting as it looks; it is. But just because I have printed my novel is no grounds for thinking there aren't difficulties in my writing life.
   Don't despise your youth, Hopeful One. Enjoy the simplicity of being unknown because (as I'm learning) even the littlest bit of being known is enough to change one's perspective on whether writing is a joy or a business arrangement. I intend never to let writing become all business, but dear Hopeful One, you don't need to make that choice yet. Hold onto the joy of word-play and rejoice in anonymity. There are plenty of years in which to print your books, plenty of stories to tell, plenty of areas in which to grow.
   Take your time, Hopeful One, because every stage has a special beauty.

             Ever Yours,
                       Rachel Heffington

I do a judge a book by its cover

In my not-so spare hours of the day not devoted to writing The Windy Side of Care (I only have 6k words left which means that in two or so days I should be done.) I have decided to browse cover-design ideas for my books. Whether I end up self-published or go the traditional route, there is one thing I will have: an awesome cover. I believe that the author ought to have some idea of what they want the cover of their book to look like or--at the least--to know the difference between a bad and good design. Hence, my diatribe...

There is nothing that brushes my fur the wrong way like a poorly designed, obviously amateur cover. I mean honestly. Sometimes I look at a book and think, "Oh, darlin'. I might read that if it wasn't so ugly." Because even though everyone knows the old adage about "You can't judge a book by its cover", we all do. The cover of your book is how you're selling yourself because if you can't lure a reader over by the appearance of your book, you'll never get them to become captivated by your characters and story. And though the inside of the book (like the inside of a person) is the most important part, you're doing yourself no favors putting forth a dowdy or childish presentation. I was on Pinterest, pinning eye-catching covers, and I decided to search Self-Published book designs. I have seen cheesy professional covers, but if we are to be honest, the ugliest covers are found in the annals of self-published novels. I found this hypothetical cover...

...making a fun (and heart-wrenchingly ugly) poke at what The Hunger Games might have looked like if it was self-published. {Note to self: never use papyrus or bleeding cowboys fonts if you want to be taken seriously. }With this example, I set off to put together a post of covers that work and most definitely do not work, and to discuss the differences with you. Please note that I have read very few (if any) of these books and cannot tell you if they're any good or not. Also, my thoughts on the cover-design are not intended to slam the authors' taste, but to point out where it works and doesn't work for my own taste. Not every one of these books is self-published, so I am aware that they range in quality. Please don't get ruffled and shout things like, "WELL THEY COULD AFFORD A PROFESSIONAL!" I am interested in discussing composition.

 What works: I like the guy and the way his palm is outstretched with the ring in the center. And I love how you can't see his face. I don't like being fed an image that never matches with my mental picture of characters. (especially Christian fluff that end up looking like those wretched Harlequine Romances you find by the drove in a thrift-store)
What doesn't work: The font. Everything is one font, one color, and aligned left. There was little to no imagination in the set-up of the text, and this immediately screams "SELF-PUBBER" to me.
How to fix it: Imagine this could be a pretty cool cover with a bit of tweaking as regards filters. This is pretty one-dimensional. Also, if the text was just cramped and blah, you could do something pretty cool with writing the title on the guy's palm instead of a ring. I think that would be a good use of your somewhat limited space, and a bit more interesting.

What works: For me, pretty much everything. I don't know anything about this book but I can tell it will probably involve Spies, Nazis (brilliant touch with the swastika), and a woman who appears to be trapped by her own loyalties. If I could get a cover design like this for Fly Away Home, I'd be forever happy. Note the use of three different kinds and sizes of fonts for interest, and the way the two photos (above and below the center stripes) use the same filter. This is what I meant with the cover above when I said it needed a filter. Something to tone the light and shade down so it isn't so glaring and raw, and to blend all the elements together.
What doesn't work: Really, there isn't anything sticking out that makes me think, "ew". I could do with less face because like I said, I don't like the cheesiness of face shots (full-body shots are far worse) but since her eyes are dropped, it works. And I love the veil
How to fix it: Run with this cover far, far away from everyone else who will want it for their own. (Ahem. Meeee? Ahem.)

What works: I like the filter used here, and the background image is pretty good, though there ought to be a bigger difference between the shades of sea and sky.
What doesn't work: Again, the font is horrifically monotonous. Not only is it all the same size and style, but the subtitle is rendered almost unreadable (it says "a tale of the Titanic) by the mirage-effect put on it. I am getting a headache from squinting at it right now.
How to fix it: When a book has nothing but a landscape-image on the front, I subconsciously assume its characters were too boring to make the cover. Or the personalities were too flat to occasion thought when the author went to make a cover. I know these authors were probably trying to go for the midnight desolation of a sinking-ship tragedy, but I'd request at least a teeny little row-boat bobbing along in a swath of moonlight to intensify the mood.

 

What works: I love this cover too. I love the ship in the background and the way we are seeing from behind the girl. I love the mood, and I most especially love the pop of crimson in her skirt to add life to an otherwise foggy cover. Also, I love the design along the bottom.

What doesn't work: It'd be nice to see a little more text. Maybe a subtitle or a quote from the book on the front because there's a bit of empty space up toward the top. Maybe that's purposeful, in which case leave it. All in all, I love this cover.

How to fix it: Add a bit of "what people are saying" or something at the top, or leave it as is. I like this cover.

What works: Fantasy is one of the hardest genres to create a good cover for, because one step in the wrong direction and you're sunk. This is a pretty cool cover. I like the illustration--that's how dragons are supposed to look, Mr. Man-Who-Made-The-Dawn-Treader-Movie. I mean honestly. The colors are great, it looks interesting, and bravo to the creativity with text-arrangement!
What doesn't work: It's a bit duo-chromatic, being entirely green and brown respectively.
How to fix it: More color would be nice, (some purple or navy shadows in the lake?) but I'm liking the author's choice to keep it simple and effective. Well done.

 What works: I admit, I'm a sucker for covers with awesome graphic-art. The black and red design is just gorgeous, and I love the unexpected blue smack in the center.
What doesn't work: Umm...it doesn't really give you an idea of what the book is about, which leads me to believe it's a literary novel which, in its turn, reminds me of stuffy people on an airplane who only pick up a book when their iPhone battery dies. I like literary novels, but most people who read them are dull. This is probably a book about a girl in India who was abused or something and has a secret orchard where she keeps jars with all her bitterness toward these people written on scraps of papyrus, and this helps her learn forgiveness.
How to fix it: Well if it is a literary-novel then they've made their point and personally I like this cover a lot. If not, then the author/publisher needs to adjust their cover design to better portray the story.

What works: I like the actual picture. It's interesting, it isn't too revealing as to exactly who this person is, and the lantern is a nice touch. The font is actually pretty and I like the accent-bar up at the top.

What doesn't work: There is too much dead-space in this cover. And since there's light being thrown back onto the girl from her lantern, I think there ought to be a faint glow on the rest of the cover. Also, a sure sign of being self-published is using your first and middle name only. (Bethany Faith) People in real life have last names, so real authors have last names unless you're Avi, in which case we can forgive you, or if you've otherwise stylized yourself for a specific reason. If you are one of those people who shy from revealing their identity, then by all means make up a pen-name. But give your alter-ego a last name because it just looks more professional.
How to fix it: Add a lantern-glow on the blackness. I get that the point is to make the book look dark (hence the name?) but a little glow never hurt anyone. I think the glow would fill up the blankness of the right side of the the cover. Also, get a last name. Truly, though, this is a pretty schnazzy self-pubbed cover and I actually think the book looks interesting and promising.

 What works: If I can't have Where Treasure Hides for Fly Away Home's cover, I'd like something like this. The girl is halfway-hidden, I love the glimpse of a town behind, and the filter used in the photos tells me its vintage if everything else fails. Also, notice the variation of scripts and sizes. Lovely.
What doesn't work: Unlike the example above of Bethany Faith (thanks for your patience, Miss Faith. I'm sure you are a fine author and I tip my hat that you've actually got books in print), Michael E. Glasscock III has surrendered himself to forever being identified in my mind with P.G. Wodehouse characters.
How to fix it: Either he's aristocracy and thinks himself entitled to drawling on and on in the credits, or he ought to have chosen either a middle initial or the III. Having both seems pompous. Some people might also find the introduction of the purple tab up-top to be annoying. I rather like it, as it adds interest and lets you know that this is Book 2 of a series. But if it bothers your sensibilities, take it off.

Your thoughts? Do you agree with my observations of this sampling of covers? And how important is cover-design to you? Leave all your thoughts, mind-wanderings, and what-not in a comment below and I shall reply with promptness. I'd love to hear what you think are the most important (and/or bothersome) elements in the composition of a cover-design.

The Gentle Life

I walk into Barnes and Noble and my eyes briefly scan the center tables loaded with colorful books. Some are hardbacks with embossed covers. Others are paper-bound and adorned with a bright foil seal that marks them as something special.

My chest tightens as it always does when I see the titles:

Fifty Shades of Grey

The Hunger Games

Harry Potter

A Game of Thrones

Whiskey Beach

Breadcrumbs

I hurry past all these books till I reach the aisles that embrace me like the old friends they truly are. Josh Groban's voice comes softly over the speakers that I happen to be standing directly beneath, and my nerves settle. Then the c.d. changes and Anne Hathaway dreams a dream while I flip through the books on the classics shelf or the titles in the youth section. Once in a while I venture into the christian romance aisles and realize over and again how much Beverly Lewis just isn't my thing, though I'm sure she's a wonderful writer. 

Then the questions start. "What the blazes am I doing trying to be a writer?"

I cast a quizzical eye toward the next aisle over and am assaulted by books on how to make your love-life "better", right alongside another obnoxious book adorned with a lady in a skimpy bikini.

"Oh Lord, what the heck am I doing?" I mutter. "That is what the world wants. Where do I fit in?"

I think of Fly Away Home, sitting in the inbox of an agent, hoping to be read. I think of the trouble I've had trying to find comparative titles for this witty, pretty little story. It's almost an impossible task because let's face it...there aren't many books like mine written these days.

Like mine. What are mine like?

I puzzle over the question and put The Story Girl back on the shelf, or close the covers of Persuasion. I am tempted to think my books had their heyday in the 1800's when people actually agreed with Jane Austen: 

"Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery. I quit such odious subjects as soon as I can, impatient to restore everyone not greatly at fault themselves to tolerable comfort."

See, as cheesy and outdated as it sounds, I write from my heart. I'm an optimist, and there just isn't dark fantasy or apocalyptic ideas to be found in my brain. I don't contemplate the end of the world so I don't write about the end of the world. I've had no experience with drugs and alcohol and murder so I don't write drugs, alcohol, or murder. I don't write writhing pain and lurid depression. I wouldn't want to. There's too much of it in real life for there to be any need for people to read whole novels circling around the idea. At least that's my opinion; the way my taste runs. 

But is there anyone who shares my desire for witty, cheerful, optimistic literature that deals with real life but in a way that doesn't leave you thinking you'd better build a bomb-shelter in your backyard just in case? I've read books that leave me scrambling frantically for pepper-spray, karate lessons, and antidepressant pills. Am I alone (and are my books alone) in our cheerful corner of the world's literary appetite? I shrug, mentally stick my tongue out at the writing books that preach "Death! Destruction! Depression!" and wander toward the check-out line with a YA novel under my arm. I'll try this one and see if it's any better than the last I read about a dreary, depressed eleven year-old.

Then I pass an end-cap with the Downton Abbey cookbook. Oh....Julian Fellowes is a bit more plucky than most others. I forgot about him. The rumbling wit of the Dowager Countess, and the boyish 'hail-fellow-well-met' cheer of Matthew Crawley. Sure, it's a TV show and he kills off every character you like, but it's not murderous or suicidal. One for the Cheerful score!

I'm feeling a little better when I pass another end-cap with Winnie-the-Pooh books loaded on top with their lovely bumble-bee-spangled covers. Oh, yes. Entirely different category than Downton, but these books have never gone out of popularity in their hundred-year reign. Score Two!

But the third endcap is what sends a satisfied smile to my face: down the next aisle I see a Mitford book. Jan Karon! I'd entirely forgotten about her. She's modern. She's successful....she's.....cheerful! And then my mind flings back to a conversation I had with a blogging friend related to my additional trouble of trying to peg what genre most of my books fall in. Though I eventually decided on pegging Fly Away Home as "historical romance", it could also fall under the oft-overlooked category of "gentle fiction", as defined by the all-knowing Wikipedia:

With charm and humor, these novels explore the everyday joys, frustrations, and sorrows of lives quietly led. They typically revolve around the activities of a small community of people, such as a small town, a church, or a gathering of friends. The realities of sex, violence, and other passions are downplayed and are never presented in a graphic manner. Although the genre was once largely dominated by British authors, American authors in the vein of Jan Karon are now extremely popular

And there you have it. Me and Jan Karon in a nutshell. Having that comparison, my smile sticks.

There is a place for me and my books.

There's a place for Mitford, and Cynthia and Father Tim.

There's a place for Penelope Wilcock's Hawk & Dove trilogy and other books of the kind that bring to mind firesides or sunny porches with a glass of ice-tea sweating close-by. My plan is simple: I only have to find a gentle agent who will confer with a gentle publisher who will then spread some goodwill to the gentle readers like you. It's only a matter of patience and perseverance, and ceaseless optimism. Maybe that is an optimistic point of view...but maybe, just maybe, the world needs a little cheering-up after all. 

when it springs upon you.

 "We should take care not to make intellect our god; it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality." 

-Albert Einstein

When an editor, agent, or publisher looks at your novel they are looking for many things. The feel of your writing, your talent in playing out a story, your plot, your characters...but they are also looking for a elusive little thing called Originality.
As a general rule I define Originality as "that spinning out of an idea that is not commonly seen, and which sprang upon you, rather than you springing upon it." You know when you've hit something original, because it will probably have very little to do with anything else you've ever read. Sometimes it will resemble in some way another author's work because after all, there are only so many basic plots. BUT--an original idea won't be concocted of bits of Jane Austen's novels smashed together and called your own. Publishers don't need more conglomerations of what they've already seen. They need an idea that stands out of the hoards because of the fact that it is exotic and rare. Nobody, walking through a park, would stop to look at pigeons when there was a swan floating on the lake. You want your novel to be that swan--that one book that catches the eye of the Lofty Ones so that they take a second glance.

So how do you make sure your work smacks of originality? By avoiding a host of things, some of which I've listed below for your benefit and mine.

Stop Using the "Different Girl"-- Rookie Mistake No. 1 is making your protagonist a willful, headstrong, freedom-grasping girl who only wants to "be different" and spends the whole novel fighting with tooth and claw to prove herself. If I have suddenly squashed your little character-bubble, forgive me. But instead of wasting a whole novel saying your character's different, why not make her different from the start? After all--being different is all a part of that self-same Originality. But show it--don't tell it. We are tired of the Different Girl--and her horse. Which brings me to Point Two:

You Don't Have to Include a Horse: Not that there's anything wrong with a horse, but honestly--if you tallied up all the books that have ever been published, I assure you that books with a strong horse-character are already crowding neck and neck with romance to claim Most Used Ploy. Try something new.

If you write fantasy, find another letter to use:  The letter that is overused? "Y." I assure you that from experience, and from the reading of blog posts of several friends on this topic last year, the letter "Y" is another technique young and old writers alike use to make their names "different." Somehow names like Brynn, Wyfur, Kyla, Nyanna, and Hyr have crept into the average novel of today so that I wince when I crack the binding and peer through the pages, bracing myself for the inevitable. Try a new combination of letter so that you don't earn a grimace when I read your book next!

Let your voice play out: Instead of trying to be original, just write as fast and furious as you can. Your natural voice will develop and mature in this way, and a good natural voice is another thing publishers look for. If you are trying too hard your writing will feel stilted. Just write and let it lie. Tighten things that need tightening, and cultivate your craft, but always keep your voice intact.

Pay attention: The thing is, there are thousands of stories crowding around us every day in the form of People, yet because we are so absorbed in our own troubles, our own business and hey--even our own imaginations--we fail to gather anything from this treasury. Go out, get coffee or a doughnut or something and just watch people. If you are in an airport and waiting for a flight, don't grab your book. Sit there and watch life go by, taking stock of things for once.

Do the things your characters are doing: Trying something yourself will add an authenticity to your descriptions that is lacking in most fiction. Of course you can't go off to war or get lost in a fjord or get kidnapped by gypsies and forced to read things to them, but you can light candles at dinner and watch the play of the light on your family's faces. You can make the food of the culture you're writing about. You can tour a battlefield or visit a farm or go to a dance. Getting you and doing things bring your one dimensional, blah descriptions and breathe life into them...literally. Read your dialog aloud with a friend or sibling--tweak where needed, and get them to adlib with you. You might come up with something hilarious.

Keep a notebook handy: Anytime an interaction, description, or event pops into your mind, go to that notebook and catch the idea on paper. You don't have to have any definitive plans for the pieces you catch, but I can assure you that they'll be helpful. You see, originality largely depends on the expanse of your mind. If you can turn your notebook into a second mind for yourself that can remember things you would have forgotten, then so much the better!

"Keep it secret; keep it safe": I recently heard another author speaking about the fact that your characters need secrets. Yes, you know the character well, but just as you don't know everything about your friends to begin with, so your characters should reflect that maxim. Keep your readers guessing. Let your characters have motives and secrets they might keep hidden even from you for a time, only to let them fly at a crucial moment in your story.

These are my tips and things that I have found helpful in cultivating a sense of originality in my writing. I hope they'll help you, and that someday I'll get to read dozens of original stories pouring out of publishing houses as we all strive to have fresh, new ideas! :)

The First Step Toward Terrific Terror. ;)

As I begin the query-process of getting A Mother for the Seasonings published, I have had the distinct honor of opening up a document I had laid aside, unsure it was worthy of notice, and finding that I have rather a charming story to my name. After six edits, I was sick to death with the story, the characters, the entire thing. I laid it aside intent on never opening it again till a publisher wanted it, and now I have resurrected the dear tale and am sending it off into the wide, wide world. It's also been interesting to write my query letter. I feel like those pigeons in Bolt!

"Wait..wait..wait. Get ready for it...."

"ALIENS!"

"Ooooh snap!"

 It's been funny to make a sale's pitch since I'm not that type of person. :D But I'm learning a lot. Later on [if any of them get results] I'll write up some tips, but for now I'm a novice. A perfect child! ;) The list of Christian publishing companies that accept children's literature (and unsolicited manuscripts) is teeny. But since I've never expected fame and fortune, I think I'll be able to find someone to take me. It might be a small place--I'm open to that. After all, I'm not sure my books could elbow their way into the ranks of those Great Companies anyway. They are much too modest and charming for that. They like retired corners of literarydom, becoming beloveds, and earning a respectable keep. They like popularity but not celebrity-status. If celebrity-status finds them they'd roll over in shock, but they don't think they'll ever win a Newberry Award. Still, they are social butterflies in their own right. :)
I would covet your prayers as I move into this territory of publishing. In theory it's amazingly exciting. It reality it's amazingly exciting while being, at the same time, tremendously terrifying. I'll need lots of wisdom and discernment, and a strong Pilot steering this craft. I'll make sure I keep you updated! :) ~Rachel

It's a long, long way to...finding a publisher :P

Goodness Glory...I decided it was about time that I get on to looking at lists of publishers that accept unsolicited manuscripts. But you see...it seems that what everyone wants is sci-fi and fantasy...which is not what I write. Furthermore, I would like to publish my books with a Christian publishing company, since I don't want to be linked to companies with any questionable books.

But I have to admit, it's hard to wade through the muddy waters of subsidary and vanity publishing companies.

"Ehh...he's a bit of a reptile." ;)

I actually have a rather embarrassing story to tell. Last year, not knowing anything of that horrid species of publisher, I sent my completed manuscript into Tate Publishing Company. They sounded like everything I was looking for...until they sent me a follow-up email letting me know that I would need to invest $5,000 dollars into their "investment" with me. Basically, this company will publish anything, provided you pay them. It doesn't matter if your work sounds like a teenager wrote it. They'll print it off and let you feel special. That is not what I want to do with my book, and I think Tate Publishing's technique a rather shoddy piece of workmanship, to quote Sir Percy Blakeney.

Anyway, I thought that while I was on the subject of looking for a publisher, I ought to warn you other young authors about subsidary and vanity publishers, so you won't get in the same embarrassing pickle I found myself in. Seriously, that was the fastest retreat I've ever taken. :D

Also, it is widely known and accepted that the best way to find publishers who accept unsolicited manuscripts is a book called The Writer's Market. They publish a new one each year, and inside is a list of all the publishing companies, what they are accepting, and how to submit your manuscript to them. I hope to get a copy soon, as I'm tired of looking at publishers online. :P

Hope this post helped someone.

The "Literary" Genre

For a long time I have wondered about classic literature. Why do those authors like Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Sir Walter Scott, and many others seem to get away with things that are no-gos in our time? Like telling, for instance. And the author's voice slipping in.
The beginning of Pride and Prejudice is all telling and author-voice for the first paragraph. But everyone seems to love it. Have our reading preferences changed so drastically that what was good writing back then is shabby craftsmanship now?
I was rather confused myself so I asked my critique group about it. Diana Sharples , the group leader, explained it rather well.
She said that the classic novels are in the "literary" genre where such things are acceptable. The only problem is that modern readers are not so much into the "literary" thing. They want faster-paced, more exciting books. If you are trying to write in the "literary" genre you have to have plenty of talent, be a fair hand at keeping an interesting and worthwhile "author voice", and be able to sell it. If you truly do want to be a "literary" writer, than you'll have to accept the fact that your public of adoring fans will be much smaller than if you write for the main group of readers.
I was glad to get that question answered--I don't think I could have figured it out for myself. :P Also, while on the subject of publishing and writing and things of that nature, Taylor Lynn did a really great post on the submission process of publishing, as well as writing queries, etc.
So hop on over and read it--she has some great ideas! :) -Rachel