Query Trackers Making Tracks, #19

Welcome to installment number nineteen of my series on successful authors from QueryTracker. Some of my guests have agents, others have found success in less conventional ways. But one thing they all have in common is the utilization of the QueryTracker website to help make their tracks in the publishing world.

Today’s guest, Kerri Maniscalco (known to QTers as mystree1), is, according to the bio on her fabulous blog Write. Eat. Repeat, "a twenty-something native New Yorker who drinks too much tea, loves avacados, reading, writing, and supporting friends and local musicians." She signed with her agent Barbara Poelle of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency at the end of February this year. To read her call story, visit this post on her blog. 

One of the things I love about Kerri is her effervescent personality and positive outlook on life. It shines through her tweets and blog posts. She's helped so many other writers with her amazingly inspirational blog. In fact, she's the only blogger I know to have ever earned the Blog That Sparks the Soul Award.  So it's only fitting that today she's in the spotlight.

AGH: Kerri, welcome to my humble online abode! Could you give us a quick summary of the book which snagged your agent?

KM: Sure! INVARIANCE is a YA science fiction adventure story. It’s about a seventeen-year-old supernova hunter that has one week to solve a mystery that spans the space-time continuum almost a thousand years, or humanity will be lost forever.

AGH: Before you signed with your agent, how many books had you tried to query?

KM: This is my sixth novel. Before signing with Barbara I queried five other books for two years. While querying I would start writing another manuscript, that way if project “A” didn’t work out, I’d have project “B” polished and ready to go. I’m kind of a workaholic, so being idle for too long makes me anxious. (On top of already being super anxious over the querying process!)

AGH: What were the responses to those queries (stat-wise: fulls, partials, etc.)?

KM: Oh my gosh, I’m not sure. If I had to take a guess I’d say I racked up three or four hundred rejections, and averaged around a 40% request rate. I saved all my rejections as motivation, so I’ll have to count them one day and come up with accurate stats.

INVARIANCE was a little different when I queried it. I emailed it to Barbara first, then sent out a handful of queries and ended up with a 70% request rate. My offer came a week or two after directly submitting it.

I had A LOT of close calls with the last manuscript, and received a few direct submission requests. One of those came from my agent. If you’re still getting rejections, but an agent says to try again with your next project - take them up on it! You’re getting closer. The only time you fail is when you stop trying.

AGH: What genre(s) do you write?

KM: I write YA science fiction but there are always other elements that creep in. I’m a huge fan of genre bending and I enjoy adding horror, romance, fantasy, or thriller and mystery elements to my work, too.

AGH: What inspired your very first book idea?

KM: Fair warning, it’s a crappy story - but it does have a happy ending.

Writing is something I’ve always loved doing and there was a perfect storm leading up to that first book. Putting it mildly, I was going through a rough year personally. I had just gotten out of a relationship that played out like a brutal divorce, lost my job, my apartment, and I desperately needed an outlet to sort through all of those feelings. I felt blindsided and devastated by what happened and writing was my way of coping with it. Out of all the negative things that were going on, I was able to make a new world and turn it into something positive.

It was like the Universe decided I needed a major change and gave me a clean slate to start over. Terrifying (and painful) as it was at the time, I couldn’t be happier now. If I wasn’t forced to reexamine what I wanted out of life, I don’t think that first book would have ever gotten written.

AGH: How do you come up with titles?

KM: Titles are probably one of my favorite parts about starting a new project. My process is always slightly different with each book, so I’ll just talk about the last one. INVARIANCE was originally called “Relativity” since it deals with Einstein’s theory of Special Relativity. About halfway through writing it, I changed the title because there’s this theory called “Galilean Invariance” and it’s very fitting for the plot of my book.

AGH: What books / authors have most influenced your own style and concepts?

KM: I love authors (and poets) like Salinger, Frost, Dylan Thomas, Kerouac, and Shakespeare. Growing up I couldn’t get enough of Shel Silverstein, I must have read WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS and A LIGHT IN THE ATTIC a million and one times. I think that both he and Roald Dahl had a fairly large impact on my own style. Or my imagination at least. Ray Bradbury, Madeleine L’Engle, and Neil Gaiman were/are really influential, too.

AGH: How did you find QueryTracker, and how did it help you in your effort to get inside the publishing doors?

KM: Prior to querying (or even finishing that first novel) I was googling information on literary agents and how to draft a query letter. I think I found Nathan Bransford’s blog first, then Miss Snark, and eventually I came across QT. I thought it was a fantastic resource for finding agents that rep your genre and cross-referencing information.

As far as how it helped in my effort to get inside the publishing doors, that’s easy! Being around other writers who are going through the same process helps on the bad days when you question your sanity.

AGH: Have you recently learned anything about the business side of publishing that you can share with up and coming writers?

KM: Definitely! Up until the last few weeks, I had never heard of literary scouts before and the important role they play in foreign rights. I thought you had your agent and foreign rights agent, and that was it. After being completely immersed in EVERYTHING publishing I couldn’t believe I’d never come across information on them. They are another great resource for authors, since they have their thumbs on the pulse of everything that’s going on in publishing. It’s pretty incredible.

AGH: Do you have any current news to announce?

KM: As you know, publishing is a world filled with dirty little secrets - so I sort of have a gag order on what I can and can’t say at this time. We are on submission and it’s been equal parts thrilling and surreal. And terrifying. Always a little terrifying.

***Five for fun***

1.) Which would you rather do: carry an umbrella or sing in the rain?

KM: Sing in the rain! Carrying an umbrella is super practical, but sometimes you’ve just got to be wild and free.

2.) What’s your favorite breakfast?

KM: Oh man. I’m a little quirky with food. I always start by having green chai tea with agave and soy milk, and a strawberry/oat milk smoothie with a dairy-free meal replacement vitamin powder. The smoothie is packed with lots of nutrients and much needed brain-food. It’s also fast and easy to make when I’m writing so that automatically makes it my favorite.

3.) When would you go to if you had a time machine, and why?

KM: LOVE this question! I would travel back to 1610 when Galileo published STARRY MESSENGER and he described his observations of the 4 moons of Jupiter. It was basically the beginning of his conflict with the church because of his support of Copernican astronomy. The why? Let’s just say it would be in-depth research for my book.

4.) If you were tight with one of the Greek gods, which one would it be and what favor would you ask of them?

KM: This is tough because there are a few I’d love to be tight with. That being said... I’d have to go with Dionysus and I’d ask him to keep me supplied with endless wine. Writing can be stressful and let’s be honest, having a free wine tap would be awesome.

5.) Drinking tea … pinky up, or heavy on the Long Island?

KM: Both! In the morning and afternoon it’s pinky up all the way, but once it’s five o’clock somewhere the Long Island comes out to play :)

***

Kerri, thank you so much for stopping by! Your book's premise sounds awesome (love me some sci-fi) and I'm also interested in your wine tap idea! I know several writers who would be eternally grateful for such an invention. :)

You can follow Kerri's publishing journey on her twitter or website. And please give her some writerly/readerly love in the comments!

Have a great weekend, everyone! If you have a chance, stop by next week. I'm going to give a peek at my publishing timeline (how long it took me to from when I first started querying to the signing of the contract) and also I'll be announcing some pretty big changes on my blog. Hope to see you then!

Query Trackers Making Tracks, #18

Today is installment number eighteen of my "First Friday of the Month" series on successful authors from QueryTracker. Some of my guests have agents, others have found success in less conventional ways. But one thing they all have in common is the utilization of the QueryTracker website to help make their tracks in the publishing world.

My guest today,  Rachel Harris, signed with her agent Lauren Hammond in August of last year, and by January she had signed a two-book contract with Entangled Publishing. And now her fabulous book has an equally FAB cover:

Available for pre-order now at Amazon
And deeply discounted at B&N for $5.70

 Wow, things are moving fast for Rachel! Let's get the inside scoop on her journey.

AGH: Rachel, could you give us a quick summary of the book which snagged your agent?

RH: Quick, huh? Why is that always so hard to do? J Here’s a one-liner: When a teen walks into a gypsy’s tent and steps out into Renaissance Italy, she learns the only thing worse than an unwanted Sweet Sixteen is an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

But that does leave out gorgeous, aspiring artist Lorenzo….and sweet and innocent Alessandra…. And protective Cipriano…and the host of hilarity that follows Cat during her time travel adventure.  This book was so much fun to write!

AGH: Before you signed with your agent, how many books had you tried to query? 

RH: I queried one book before this, which is now actually being considered by my editor (*fingers, toes, and eyes crossed*)

AGH: What were the responses to those queries (stat-wise: fulls, partials, etc.)?

RH: For my first book, I sent 24 queries. Of those twenty-four, four asked for partials, ten asked for fulls, five passed with very personalized letters explaining why and giving feedback (which as a newbie, I so appreciated!), and five closed with no response.

For MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY, I sent my query out in batches of ten, and ended up querying thirty-five agents. Of those thirty-five, four asked for partials, ten asked for fulls, twelve passed with personalized letters back, and nine closed with no response. Four months to the day that I sent my first query, my agent, Lauren Hammond, emailed saying she received my signed contract and we were diving into revisions.

AGH: What genre(s) do you write?

RH: Right now, I write YA, though I just plotted out a fun adult contemporary romance. Within YA, my first manuscript is a contemporary romance, Super Sweet is a magical realism/historical/romance, and I also have a partial out with my editor that is a contemporary romance with a paranormal twist. I kinda like to experiment J

AGH: What inspired your very first book idea?

RH: I was first inspired to write after being completely sucked into the Twilight series—I just have to say that to begin with. I think the influence Stephanie Meyer has had on young people reading again has been amazing, and it also helped me remember how much fun it can be. But when I decided I wanted to try writing myself, it wasn’t paranormal that I was drawn to. I wanted to write about real life, a situation that any teen reading could relate to. I did pull some plot points from my own life as a springboard but it completely took off and morphed from there.

AGH: How do you come up with titles?

RH: Ha, my husband helps A LOT! I came up with the title for my first manuscript, 2nd Type of Girl, on my own and it just came from writing…. It was a term that the characters used a lot. But My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century was a complete collaboration with my husband, and the companion novel, A Tale of Two Centuries was all him. He likes to remind me of that often J

AGH: What books / authors have most influenced your own style and concepts?

RH: I read so much—I’m kinda/a little bit/okay a lot obsessed with it—that it’s kind of a huge eclectic mix, but I would say if I had to pick the authors that most shaped the kind of author I wanted to be, I would have to say: Stephanie Perkins, Holly Schindler, Sarah McLean, Sarah Dessen, Simone Elkeles, Susane Colasanti, Mandy Hubbard, and Gayle Forman. J See, even that list is huge!

AGH: How did you find QueryTracker, and how did it help you in your effort to get inside the publishing doors?

RH: I learned about Query Tracker from Mary Lindsay (Shattered Souls) who is in my local RWA and YA writers group. They were having a contest with her agent and she encouraged me to submit. Though I didn’t win, I did get an email from her agent asking for the first ten pages, and then a partial. Being my first attempt to send my work out, it was an amazing start to my writing career. Then using QT going forward, I learned of so many agents I would’ve have otherwise, and the most special part was the relationships built with the other writers in the trenches. Cheering each other on, lifting each other up. It helped me to see just how supportive and welcoming the writing community is, and was a complete blessing.

AGH: Do you have any current news to announce?  

RH: My editor just sent me the digital ARC, which has had me petting my screen for a few days, and we hope to have a handful of ARCS for the RT Convention in Chicago. I’ll be there and looking forward to meeting everyone! Then it is all about getting ready for the release in September and completing the companion novel, A Tale of Two Centuries, which will be released June 2013!

**Five for fun**

1)      Which would you rather do: carry an umbrella or sing in the rain?

Sing in the rain. Definitely. Not only do umbrellas bother me—half the time I can’t figure the darn things out, and I get wet trying to open and close them anyway—but there is just something fun and childlike about dashing between the drops and splashing in the puddles J

2)      What’s your favorite breakfast?

I’ll eat anything—cereal, left over pizza, yogurt, cheeseburgers lol—but I HAVE to have caffeine! Sadly, I don’t do coffee much, but I can drink my weight in Dt. Mt. Dew.

3)      If I were at your house right now, what would I find in your refrigerator?

Lots and lots of Dt. Mt. Dew, water, lettuce, spinach, yogurt, left over salmon, strawberries, salsa, and jalapenos. Makes me sound a lot healthier than I am, trust me.

4)      When would you go to if you had a time machine, and why?

He he, I feel like I’m cheating since I kinda wrote about this, but yes, definitely Renaissance Italy. I’ve always loved that time, one of discovery, and art, and beauty. The clothes, the art, wonder. And come on, it’s Italy! But I would also love to go to Regency London (again with the clothes, the balls, the hot dukes and rakes), or 1950s America. Not totally sure why the last one but the music is so fun and innocent, the clothes interesting, and I’ve kinda got a crush on young Elvis. I blame my mother.  

5)   Drinking tea … pinky up, or heavy on the Long Island?

Ha! Heavy on the Long Island, but still pinky up….even with a cold long neck beer, my pinky remains up while I drink. Hey, I’m all about the classy.

***

Thank you for the interview, Rachel. Your book premise sounds amazing and FUN. I'm already crushing on Lorenzo (I have a thing for artists). I may not be a gypsy palm reader, but I see great things ahead in your future, lady!

To our readers, please feel free to offer support and kudos to Rachel in the comments. Also, you can follow her publishing star on the internet:

Goodreads
Twitter
Facebook author page
Facebook friend page:
Blog
Amazon author page

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great weekend!

Query Trackers Making Tracks, #16

Today is installment number sixteen of my "First Friday of the Month" series on successful authors from QueryTracker. Some of my guests have agents, others have found success in less conventional ways. But one thing they all have in common is the utilization of the QueryTracker website to help make their tracks in the publishing world.

I met today’s guest, Darke Counteur, through QT and blogging, and she's every bit as intriguing as her lovely name. I've been watching her career with interest as she's ventured out into the Indie waters. E-readers have opened up a whole new world for authors. In fact, self-publishing writers are being coined by some as the new mid-list authors. So it's a great time to be an Indie author, and a great time to get some insights from someone on the inside!

Welcome Darke. Let's get the interview started...

AGH: What gave you the idea for your first book?

DC: To be honest, most of my stories start off as fanfics. I see something on television or at the movies and I think- "Hey, what if this happened or that happened?", then I spend a huge amount of time trying to make it NOT read like a fanfic. Sometimes I merge two or more ideas into one novel. THE WATCHTOWER and the other books that will come after, are a combination of the television shows ANGEL and SUPERNATURAL. I have a scifi series that is a combination of XMEN and STAR WARS, but that won't be out for a while. 

AGH: How do you come up with titles? 

DC: I'm not sure, they just come to me. I try to make them reflect the content of the book as much as possible, to give the reader a good idea of what they can expect from the story. Sometimes the working title ends up being what I use.

AGH: Did you try to query conventionally before you went Indie?

DC: Oh yes, but I soon realized that what I was writing was not what the agents were looking for. I don't write YA, or romance, or even high fantasy. So many paranormal and urban fantasy novels that I've read have young characters with older ones more for background noise or a place to get needed information. Characters in my novels are over the age of 25, and a few have children. Maybe because I'm older is the reason my characters are too. I just find them more interesting to write about. They have more life experience than younger characters, more fodder for the stories. 
               
AGH: How long did you query and what were your stats?

DC: I used Query Tracker and found a good list of agents that rep'ed fantasy and/or urban fantasy. I queried for about four months (March to June), sending out three to four queries per day from Monday to Friday. I think I sent out around 60 or so query letters, and out of that, less than half replied. I got one partial.

The biggest drawback for me was that I don't write YA. When you see that an agent reps fantasy, that's what they want. The replies I did get back said it was good, but not right for them. We all know what that means.    

AGH: How many books do you now have available to the reading public?

DC: I have two, THE WATCHTOWER and my newest book UNDER THE COVER OF WICCA, which is the second book in the series. I want to release two more books this year, one in summer and another in late fall/winter.

AGH: Are you doing anything special to promote yourself online or otherwise?

DC: I started a pretend 'website' – The Paranormal Pit-Stop located on my Wordpress blog. The idea is, that the paranormal world has the internet as well (the Ethereal-net), and every now and then the administrator is allowed to 'cross over' and be a guest in the human world. So far, I only have blog interviews with characters from my book, but I would like to add other authors, so if you're a writer of paranormal and would like me to interview you, drop me a line!

Like other writers, I'm on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and I have a blog. I also have a newsletter. I use it to send out excerpt and coupons, but that's about the extent of it. I've only sent out a few, just because I don't want to spam people. I hate that crap too.    

AGH: How did you find QueryTracker, and how did it help you in your effort to get inside the publishing doors?

DC: I found Query Tracker through friends. It has to be one of the best tools I've seen for keeping track of who you've queried. It keeps you organized in a meticulous way, and that's a good habit to get into if you're going to do this on your own.

AGH: What advice on the business side of publishing would you give to up and coming writers … something you wish you’d known when you first started?

DC: I consider myself lucky and learned from other's mistakes. One thing I did learn the hard way, don't skimp when it comes to editing. Especially proofing. I would have saved myself a lot of time, energy and money had I used a proof editor on my first book. Finding typo's is normal, but too many can really hurt your reputation in the eyes of the reader. You only get one chance to make a good impression, people may argue with me on that, but if a reader sees a book full of errors--even small ones, they're remember and may not purchase any other books by that author.

AGH: Do you have any current news to announce?  

DC: Only that my new novel, UNDER THE COVER OF WICCA is now online! I'm hoping to have the third book, OF COVENS AND PACKS online by summer 2012.

***Five for fun***

1) How many hats do you have in your home?

I'm Canadian. We don't have hats, we have toques. :P

2) Are you Team Dog or Team Cat?

Right now, Team Cat, but I'd love to get another dog, just to keep CatPack on their toes.

3) What video games do you play?

Right now, Sithboy (my son) and I are right into the Zombie game on Modern Warfare 2, but other than that, I'm a massive Sims 3 fan. I even download game content from the website. I can't get enough new clothing for my Sims!  

4) When would you go to if you had a time machine, and why?

I would travel back to ancient Greece and watch Vesuvius erupt. That, or Krakatoa or Mount Pelee.  So much destruction, but I think it would be beautiful to see. It really puts things into perspective when nature unleashes Her fury. 

5) If you were tight with one of the Greek gods, which one would it be and what favor would you ask of them?

I think it would be Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory, and the inventiveness of words and language. Being a writer, I think she could help me create brilliant stories. 

***

Thanks for the interview, Darke. Those book covers are gorgeous! And I gotta say, judging by your amazingly creative story premises, the ones already out and the ones you have planned, I think maybe you have met Mnemosyne. Could be you just forgot... (◕‿-)

Congratulations on forging out into self-publishing, and may it be a successful, fun, and rewarding venture for you! And readers, please be sure to cheer Darke on in the comments. I know she would love to hear from you. Have a good weekend!

Places to find Darke online:

Facebook 
Facebook Author Page
Twitter 
Blog
Goodreads 

Query Trackers Making Tracks, #15

Today is installment number fifteen of my series on successful authors from QueryTracker. Some of my guests have agents, others have found success in less conventional ways. But one thing they all have in common is the utilization of the QueryTracker website to help make their tracks in the publishing world.

Today’s guest, Jenn Johansson, signed with her agent Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency at the end of March last year. To read her "Call" story, visit this post on her blog. One of the things I like about Jenn is her wacked out sense of humor. It shines through her tweets and blog posts. In fact, she even receieved the coveted Mad As a Hatter blog award from my Wonderland Bloggie Awards last year. So it's intriguing to me that this lady with such a keen wit is drawn to the darker side in her writing. Let's find out what makes her tick.

Welcome Jenn, and on with the interview!

AGH: Could you give us a quick summary of the book which snagged your agent?

JJ: Sixteen-year-old Parker spends every night trapped in the dreams of the last person he made eye contact with, and it’s killing him. He misses soccer practice, falls asleep at the wheel, and his mom thinks he has a drug problem. His exhaustion from never reaching the deeper levels of sleep is getting worse every day, and he knows his time is running out. Until he meets Mia.

Mia’s dreams are the first Parker’s encountered where he can finally get real sleep. A good night of rest after so long is addictive. He has to have it. But getting it means he must follow Mia and find a way to make eye contact every day. Mia is increasingly freaked out, even turning Parker’s best friends against him. To make matters worse, Mia starts to receive threatening e-mails, and her wonderful dreams become scenes of a horror movie—and Parker is cast as the villain. He must discover who is truly tormenting her, and clear his name, before she turns him in for a crime he hasn’t committed–or worse, the true stalker makes good on his threats to end Mia's dreams forever.

AGH: Before you signed with your agent, how many books had you tried to query?

JJ: I'd gone the rounds and then some with another book before moving on to INSOMNIA and signing with Kathleen.

AGH: What were the responses to those queries (stat-wise: fulls, partials, etc.)?

JJ: Unfortunately, I don't have the stats on my first book. I know it was no where near the percentages of my second. Let's just leave it at that.  But on INSOMNIA, I queried 40 agents, had 19 requests--11 fulls and 9 partials. 

AGH: What genre(s) do you write?

JJ: I stick with YA, but within that arena I like to dabble. I've done some sci-fi, urban fantasy and even horror. INSOMNIA is a supernatural psychological thriller. No matter which genre I'm writing though, I tend to stick toward the darker end of the spectrum. I love a lot of dark and twisty in my stories.

AGH: What inspired your very first book idea?

JJ: I'm honestly not really sure where the idea came from. I was going through a rough time in my life and then suddenly there was this story in my head that just wouldn't let go of me until I wrote it down. It wasn't even an option really. I HAD to write it.

AGH: How do you come up with titles?

JJ: I don't worry myself much about titles. Usually by the time I have the story written and have gone through the first couple of rounds of revisions, I have a title that just clicks with me.

AGH: What books / authors have most influenced your own style and concepts?

JJ: There are really so many, but to name a couple I'm a big fan of Holly Black's White Cat series, Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game Series and anything by Stephen King.

AGH: How did you find QueryTracker, and how did it help you in your effort to get inside the publishing doors?

JJ: QueryTracker was recommended to me by a fellow writer and I loved the way it allowed me to research, track and update all in one place. It saved me so much time and made it so I could focus on what I needed to, the writing.

AGH: Have you recently learned anything about the business side of publishing that you can share with up and coming writers?

JJ: I've learned that even when you feel like you've learned an enormous amount about this business, there is still so much more to discover. For example, I knew nothing about literary scouts until one helped my book sell overseas before it sold here. I posted on my blog about literary scouts and how that side of the business works, if you're interested, you can find the post here.

AGH: Do you have any current news to announce?

JJ: Toward the end of last year, I sold my debut novel, INSOMNIA, at auction in Germany to Heyne (Random House), and to Newton Compton in Italy. It was an awesome and crazy year--also, auctions are every bit as fun as they sound. l'm currently waiting on final dates for INSOMNIA to release in Italy and Germany. I'm working on a new project while we're on submission here. So, no--nothing really current yet, but stay tuned to my blog and I'll update you as  things move forward. 

***Five For Fun***

1)  In your opinion, what was the best thing before sliced bread?

JJ: Wow, hmm...fruit? I love fruit. I also think it was brilliant to spread smooshed fruit on top of sliced bread. Mmmmm...now I'm hungry.

2)  Are you Team Dog or Team Cat?

JJ: Team Cat, at least I was until Christmas. My kitten tried to build a nest in my Christmas tree every night. I think she is part bird. No wonder she freaks out when she looks in the mirror. Perhaps she needs therapy.

3)  If you could morph into any food, what kind would you become and why?

JJ: Probably brussel sprouts. I feel like I'm less likely to be eaten that way.

4)  If you were tight with one of the Greek gods, which one would it be and what favor would you ask of them?

JJ: Probably Athena, I could use some wisdom in my life. And a little strategy couldn't hurt either.

5)  What would be the first thing you would do if you woke up to find you were a fish?

JJ: Figure out how to stop swimming in circles. But I still haven't figured that out as a human, so my hopes aren't high.


Thank you so much for having me, Anita! It's been so fun to answer these fantastic interview questions! 

And thank you, Jenn. Your "five for fun" answers cracked me up!

Also, congrats on those amazing foreign sales! If you'd like to give a shout out to Jenn in the comments, I know she'd love to hear from you. To read an excerpt from her awesome YA thriller, check out her website. And don't forget to find her on twitter: @jennjohansson.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful weekend!

Query Trackers Making Tracks, #14

Today is installment number fourteen of my "first Friday of the month" series on successful authors from QueryTracker. Some of my guests have agents, others have found success in less conventional ways. But one thing they all have in common is the utilization of the QueryTracker website to help make their tracks in the publishing world.

Today I'm extra excited because my guest is Claire Merle from the beautiful city of love: Paris, France.

You heard right! My interview is going international, yo! (◕‿-) Actually, I've had one other author from London way back in the beginning phases of this interview series. Just goes to show how far reaching QueryTracker is and proves that a truly amazing idea backed by inspiring and enthusiastic people has no bounds.

Claire's book has already sold to Faber and Faber and is coming out in the UK June 2012! You can pre-order it right now from UK amazon, waterstones, and WHSmith.)

AGH: Welcome Claire! Could you give us a quick summary of the book which snagged your agent?

CM: THE GLIMPSE: In a near future society is segregated according to whether people are genetically disposed to mental illness. 17-year-old Ana has been living the privileged life of a Pure due to an error in her DNA test. When the authorities find out, she faces banishment from her safe Community, a fate only thwarted by the fact that she has already been promised to Pure-boy Jasper Taurell. Jasper is from a rich and influential family and despite Ana’s condition, wants to be with her. The authorities grant Ana a tentative reprieve. If she is joined to Jasper before her 18th birthday, she may stay in the Community until her illness manifests. But if Jasper changes his mind, she will be cast out among the Crazies. As Ana’s joining ceremony and her birthday loom closer, she dares to hope she will be saved from the horror of the City and live a ‘normal’ life. But then Jasper disappears.

AGH: Before you signed with your agent, how many books had you tried to query?

CM: I’d written and queried one book prior to The Glimpse.

AGH: What were the responses to those queries (stat-wise: fulls, partials, etc.)?

CM: I queried my first book long before I found QT and I knew very little about the process. I didn’t really keep stats or anything. I probably queried around thirty agents. From those I received 2 full requests and a phone call, but didn’t land an agent.

AGH: What genre(s) do you write?

CM: Young adult. Within that genre, I’m particularly drawn to sci-fi, fantasy and stories with a paranormal twist.

AGH: What inspired your very first book idea?

CM: I wrote my first full-length screenplay when I was thirteen and though it wasn’t a book, I’d say it was my first real effort to tell a ‘big’ story: Two best friends awake a malignant spirit that gives them the power to speak mentally to each other, but also leaves them running for their lives. I guess I’ve always been drawn to danger, adventure, the paranormal and psychological.

AGH: How do you come up with titles?

CM: Usually, when I start a project the title just seems to come at the same time as the ideas. Though sometimes I rework the title once I’ve finished a first draft and know more about my story.

AGH: What books / authors have most influenced your own style and concepts?

CM: Personally, I’m not sure I can be objective enough about my own writing style to give you any sort of definitive answer to that. I think an author’s style and concepts probably come as much from who they are, what they believe, what sort of questions they’re asking, and the experiences that have shaped the way they see the world, as anything else. Though I’m imagine along the way I’ve also picked up techniques and absorbed various elements from the stories that have had the greatest impact on me.

Some of those books include,

Favourite books pre-teens: ‘The Faraway Tree’ by Enid Blyton, ‘Ballet Shoes’ by Noel Streatfeild, ‘The Hounds of the Morrigan’ by Pat O’Shea.

Favourite books as a teenager: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ by Margaret Atwood, ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne du Maurier, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ Jane Austen.

Recent favs include: ‘The Sky is Everywhere’ by Jandy Nelson, ‘Fingersmith’ by Sarah Waters, ‘Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins, ‘The Gift’ by Alison Croggon. (Better known as The Naming in the US.)

AGH: How did you find QueryTracker, and how did it help you in your effort to get inside the publishing doors?

CM: I think I found Query Tracker through googling for agent information. QTs amazing forum helped me work and rework my query, get feedback on my first chapter, and introduced me to many wonderful writers – two of whom critiqued my whole manuscript before I sent it out. That sort of help is priceless.

AGH: Do you have any current news to announce?

CM: Yes, some very exciting news! Next week, Faber are launching online Open Auditions for a series of fictional video diaries that will be a prequel to The Glimpse. The videos will centre around a character from the book – 16-year-old Tamsin Strike – and anyone in the UK from 13 upwards will be eligible to audition. The videos will be shot by an award-winning British director in the Spring. So if you want to be the first to know when The Glimpse facebook page launches (sometime during the second week in Jan) with all the hows, whens, and wheres about auditioning, follow my author facebook page where I’ll be giving you the links and the most up-to-date info. I'll also be running an international giveaway for anyone who is kind enough to help spread the word.

Here's the linkage: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Claire-Merle-Author/195817850451377

**Five for fun**

AGH: In your opinion, what was the best thing before sliced bread?

CM: Hey, I live in Paris where they have baguettes and fresh, chunky loaves which I prefer to sliced bread, so I’m not convinced about the whole sliced bread thing!

AGH: Which would you rather do: carry an umbrella or sing in the rain?

CM: I’ve never been one for carrying an umbrella. Way too practical. I’d go for singing in the rain.

AGH: What’s your favorite breakfast?

CM: Coffee with whatever story I’m working on.

AGH: Are you Team Dog or Team Cat?

CM: Grew up with a cat, which I adored. But I think I’d like to try Team Dog now.

AGH: When would you go to if you had a time machine, and why?

CM: 150 years into the future. Wow! I’d love to see that!! And then I’d write a book about it.

Thanks so much for having me on your blog!

****

And thank you so much for coming, Claire! Two things, your premise sounds INCREDIBLE, and WOW on the promo-videos! If anyone out there knows a teen girl who's been looking to break into acting, this would be an excellent start! And if you're on twitter, please tweet Claire up so we can pass on the word!

Also, you can find Claire at these online haunts:

Website: http://clairemerle.com 
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ClaireMerle
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5130544.Claire_Merle

Thanks everyone for stopping by. Have a happy and safe weekend, and see you next week!

Guest Interview with Patrick McDonald *AND* QueryTracker Gift Card Giveaway!!!

(click on the above image to visit site)

Today I'm honored to have Patrick McDonald, founder and moderator of QueryTracker.net, joining us for an interview. *waves to Patrick*

(click picture to read Patrick's QT bio)

Patrick, who works in Industrial Automation by day, started QT back in 2007, and since then it's grown to be one of the most extensive online data bases for aspiring authors, boasting statistical information for 1,253 literary agents and 131 publishers. To date, there are 681 success stories born of the some 47,530 QT members.

Yet the most important service QT provides is the community fellowship. There's such a supportive spirit to be found at the blog, the agent/publisher threads, and the groups/forums. When I first started hanging around the threads, I was touched and impressed by the cheerleading and encouragement taking place. In spite of the fact that these people were all vying for the same thing, no one was competing. They were there to lend a helping hand or offer a word of comfort when someone was down, or share in the celebration when someone got good news.

I'll never forget the people who reached out and helped me, Patrick included. And even though I don't get over there like I used to, I know that there will always be someone to take up the slack. Because writers rock like that. (◕‿-)

One of the best things about QT is it's completely free to join and get access to the agent/publisher info, threads, etc... BUT, a $25/yr premium membership opens a whole new world of features. Click here to check out that list.

Interested? At the end of this interview, I'll let you know how you can win a FREE premium membership gift card. So stay tuned...

In a prior post, I put out a request to my readers: What would you like to ask Patrick Mcdonald, the wizard who so humbly stands behind the curtain to keep things running smooth in QueryTracker Oz? The last several questions in this interview were born of that post, so thank you ladies for your contributions! 

And off we go...

AGH: It’s rumored that you dabble in writing yourself. What genres are you drawn to creatively?

Patrick: It's been a long time since I've dabbled in writing, and that's a good word for it. I'd be the first to admit I'm just not very good at it. Now days, when I feel the urge to write coming on, I resist with every ounce of willpower.  I've accepted the reality that my poor brain is much better suited for programming than writing. When I write, it always comes out sounding like a computer manual, and we all know how much fun those are to read. 

AGH: Are you working on any current projects you can tell us about?

If you mean writing, then no. Besides being terrible at it, QT has kept me too busy to give it much thought. There are some new QT features I've been considering lately, and I hope to have time to get to them real soon. Maybe over the Christmas Holiday when I'll have some time away from my day job.

AGH: How did you being an aspiring author influence the birth/growth of QT?

It certainly helped me to identify the need for something like QT. Way back, when I was querying, I used AgentQuery (which is a great resource, by the way) but I kept thinking it would be really nice if I could mark off agents right there on the site as I went along. I looked around, couldn't find anything that did what I wanted, and since my queries weren't going anywhere, I decided to give it a shot. And, thanks to all of you out there who gave it a try and continue to use, it has been a success.

AGH: Who comes up with all of those great premium membership feature ideas?

I'm always on the look out for new ideas, so if anyone has any thoughts on new features, please let me know.

AGH: Speaking of features, QT has a recent one for premium members where if you mark which agents have your full MS it'll tell what other agents have "similar tastes." Kind of like the “customers who liked this book also bought this one” feature on Amazon. How do you come up w/that information?

It is based on the query results recorded by users. So, if two agents request the same material then they must have similar tastes.

Angela Cook: Some of the comments left on agent profiles are brutally honest and/or emotionally charged. Have you ever been asked by an agent to remove those comments? If so, did you?

I don't recall ever being asked "nicely". There have been a few cases where an agent threatened legal action if I did not remove a comment. In those cases I just removed the agent entirely. Those kinds of people don't deserve to be listed.

Jenny Phresh: Have you ever considered letting authors choose the look of their frowning/smiling status faces from a gallery? I would be prefer my frowning face, for example, to have an insouciant, devil-may-care expression that shows that I Will Rise Again! Right now it's too durned sad and beaten-down looking.

That's actually a pretty good idea. But I don't have the artistic talent needed to draw up a bunch of different icon sets. So, if anyone out there wants to contribute, just let me know.

Mindy McGinnis: How do you keep your agent contact information updated? Do they inform you of changes or do you hunt this information down?

Some agents will inform me of changes, other changes I find myself. But the majority come from users who send me a note about something they found, or post it on the agent's profile. After confirming the change, I update the agent's profile. And I really appreciate all the help I get from users. There's just no way I could keep up with all the agents on my own.

Krista V:  How can QueryTracker users get the most out of QueryTracker? And what is QueryTracker's best little-known feature? 

There's a lot going on at QT, and it can be a little overwhelming at first. So, I think the best place to start is with the tutorial videos (which can be found at QueryTracker.net/videos.php).

As for best little-known feature, it's hard to think of just one. But, one of the things that I think is really simple, yet highly useful, is the agency cross-reference. When you view an agent's profile page, there is also a list of all the other agents at that agency along with your query status to any of them (if you happened to have already queried them). It helps to know, so you don't query the same agency twice. If you're a premium member you'll find the cross-reference on the right side of the page, where the advertisements would be.

**Five for fun**  

1) What’s your favorite breakfast?

Lunch. I like to sleep in.

2) Are you Team Dog or Team Cat?

It depends on how they are cooked.

3) If I were at your house right now, what would I find in your refrigerator?

Absolutely nothing. Just ask my teenage son.

4) If you could morph into any food, what kind would you become and why?

Turkey. It's the holidays and I always wanted to be the guest of honor. 

5) What would be the first thing you would do if you woke up to find you were a fish?

Drown. I can't swim.

***

Eek on the drowning! Hee. And I get what you're saying about your teenage son. I have one of those, too. Hungry little critters.

Thank you, Patrick, for the interview, and for everything you do for us!

Now for the GIVEAWAY: Patrick has offered to donate a premium membership gift card to give away to one of my readers. All you have to do is leave a comment* on this post, from today through Sunday at midnight (central time). I will close the comments then, and will draw the lucky winner's name TBA on Monday.

Thanks for dropping by. Have a fabulous weekend and see you next week!

*Please note: this pertains to legitimate comments ... I reserve the right to use the delete function if there are any naughties out there ... 'nuff said. ;)

Happy Holiday Contest!

 Hee. Okay, a little premature. But it will be here before we know it.

I want to give my readers a special Christmas gift this year, but it's going to take a little input from you. On the first Friday of December (Dec 2nd), in lieu of my usual Query Trackers Making Tracks interview, I'll be welcoming Mr. Patrick McDonald (QT's always kind and helpful creator/moderator) to sit inside the interview box.

What I need from you, is a list of questions to ask him. There are the obvious ones: how Query Tracker came about; how long it took to develop; how many people were involved in the beginning phases; etc... But I want to make this interview fun.

Here is Patrick's bio taken from the Query Tracker website:


The idea for QueryTracker came to me in 2007 as I sat with a fellow writer discussing the difficulties involved with the query process, especially the problem with keeping accurate records of who we queried and who we hadn't.


As a day-time computer programmer, once the idea was formed, actually executing it was only a matter of time. Thus, a few months later, QueryTracker was born. It was the first site of its kind, and continues to lead the way in the query management arena.

Although I don't write much any more, when I did, I focused on contemporary fiction, with an occasional sci-fi or fantasy thrown in now and then.
Currently, I am collaborating with a friend on a YA fantasy (though, to tell the truth, he's doing most of the work.)


These days, much of my time is spent adding to and improving QueryTracker, with my dreams of publication lived vicariously through QT members.

After reading that, what questions come to your mind?

Here's where the contest comes in: Anyone who leaves a question below in the comments (OR you can email a question: anita at aghoward dot com) that ends up being used in the interview will go into a drawing. I'll be giving away one full year's Premium QT Membership, and will announce the winner next Wednesday (Oct 5th).

Want to know what a Premium Membership entails? Hop over here for a gander.

The comment section of this post will be closed midnight central time this coming Saturday (Oct 1st), and I'll stop taking entries then. So put on your thinking caps, or your Santa hats -- whichever gets those creative juices flowing -- and post those questions!

Best part of all, no matter who gets their name drawn, we each get to enjoy learning more about a brilliant advoacate for writers. So we're all winners. (No Charlie Sheen pun intended). That's the Christmas gift part.

Now, I'm off to sample some eggnog. It's always in season. (◕‿-)

QueryTrackers Making Tracks, #9

Today is installment number nine of my Friday series on successful authors from QueryTracker. Some of my guests have agents, others have found success in less conventional ways. But one thing they all have in common is the utilization of the QueryTracker website to help make their tracks in the publishing world.

Today’s guest, Kaylie Austen (KAusten to us QTers), is not only a prolific writer (it's rumored she can whip out 6-10k words a day--WOW), she also managed to land an editor without an agent. Amazingly, this same publishing house (kNight Romance Publishing--e-books and trade paperbacks) only accepts agented authors now. So, the lady also has really FANTASTIC timing. ;)

Welcome Kaylie!

Kaylie: Thanks for having me! I feel so honored.

AGH: And I'm honored to have you here. Seeing as you're about to be sitting happily on the shelves, you have a lot you can teach those of us still climbing our way up. I'm very excited to pick that prolific brain of yours. For starters, how many books had you written before you found your publisher?

Kaylie: Two poorly written sci-fi books. They had interesting concepts, but bad writing. I've learned a lot about writing since.

AGH: When was your first book accepted, and what is its title/genre?
             
Kaylie: Ravens was picked up last summer. It's a YA urban fantasy (with a smidge of sci-fi and romance). Ravens are those who are sought out by portals and dragged into a parallel dimension where they acquire superhuman powers. The have white eyes and black sclera, an uncanny look which earns them the name Ravens. Liam and Julie vanished 10 years ago, and Liam's illusions haunt Kendra. When she moves closer to the brink of sanity, he appears through his telepathic ability and coerces her into the portal. She is the last human to portal into a world where Ravens are hunted by humans. Kendra has ill-controlled powers, is trapped in a torrid affair with Liam, and desperately struggles to find a grip on her new reality.

AGH: Sounds like my kind of read! ;) Did you try querying the book first?
             
Kaylie: I queried Ravens for several months. I had a few bites from agents and publishers, but mainly rejections. As soon as I found a publisher who offered a contract, I accepted.

AGH: It's so wonderful that you found a home! How many books do you now have available to the reading public?
             
Kaylie: Ravens will be my debut novel, but I am contracted for three other series in the upcoming years in the genres of YA fantasy, sci-fi, and dark fantasy.

AGH: Wow. That's an amazing line up. Congrats! Are there any marketing tips you’d like to share for others who are venturing out into publishing?
             
Kaylie: Do your homework to see where your novel will find the best exposure. Large publishing houses have entire marketing teams, and trade publishers have small marketing teams. All I have to do is say is that I'd like to go here or there, and the team will try to set up a signing or appearance. They send out ARC's to reviewers, and work out business with bookstores. I've been known to approach local libraries and grocery stores to ask if they'd like to carry my work. If you do this, check with your publisher first. They might have a deal going already and don't want their authors doing the leg work.

My publishing house actually prefers that their authors concentrate on writing and they'll handle marketing, which was new to me. I've also gone after radio stations. Definitely look for free advertising like interviews, social networks, and sites which cater to your genre. Take advantage of connections. I know several business owners who are willing to put my books out in their stores, coffee shops, bakeries, and other businesses.

AGH: What books / authors have most influenced you (either in your writing or in your publishing decisions)?
             
Kaylie: I like almost anything that is fantasy or sci-fi, so I set out to look at publishers who are big in those genres.

AGH: How did you find QueryTracker, and how did it help you in your effort to get inside the publishing doors?
             
Kaylie: I don't remember how I came across QT! But I'm glad that I did. I enjoy the community, the positive and informative feedback, and the new connections. It's good for new writers to learn about the experiences of others, no matter how long it took them to find writing success. It's very up building when QT'ers cheer you on and help you to keep going. Likewise, it's beneficial to learn about their struggles. You realize that you are not the only one who has difficulties. Actually, a friend from QT pointed me toward my publisher.

AGH: That's a really great friend. What advice on the business side of publishing would you give to up and coming writers … something you wish you’d known when you first started?
            
Kaylie: Read and research. Know the craft, know how to edit, find a critique partner to catch what you've missed. This saves your butt from a major spanking when the pro's are editing your manscript. Research the market, know what goes into contracts and rights, and get thick skin! This is a business. We may find friends along the way, but the publishing world wants quality books that make money, and they are not afraid to tell you what they expect from a writer. Being a writer is hard work even after the contract. You have to dedicate a lot of time and energy into your work including edits and marketing.

As you know, it's not as easy as people expect it to be.Take deadlines seriously, and don't do a half-butt job because you're busy, lazy, tired, or just stumped. If you truly want to be a published writer, consider it a career and not a hobby, but always remember that you do it because it's a passion, a skill, and you have a story to tell.

AGH: So true. Writers really have to be in it for the long haul. Do you have any current news to announce? A new book or books you’re working on?
             
Kaylie: Ravens will release in paperback and eBook on June 11, 2011 at local bookstores.

Currently, I have multiple projects that I'm working on. The release of Ravens will be followed by a YA fantasy series where mermaids and other mythological creatures destroy mankind and take over the world. This is a two-book series. There's been a lot of hype about my zombie mermaid joke prompted by the arrival of the Lady Washington (featured in The Pirates of the Caribbean). I didn't give in to turning my mermaids into zombies, but I started a different YA dark fantasy about mermaids, the secret of Atlantis, and zombies--err--sirens (who just happen to enjoy a succulent human or two). This is my "just for fun novel', but maybe it'll get picked up. Who knows?

Also, I'm working on a different YA dark fantasy which incorporates Egyptian mythology. This was sparked by all those History Channel documentaries (because I'm a nerd), and oddly enough, the TV series Vampire Diaries. Instead of vampire brothers, I use immortal Egyptian "gods" who are after something important that has fallen into the lap of an Egyptologist's daughter.

**Five for fun**

AGH: Which would you rather do: carry an umbrella or sing in the rain?
                              
Kaylie: Carry an umbrella! However, I live in the rainy state and no one carries an umbrella. They just wear hoodies, hats, or get wet. No thank you, I don't like getting rained on, plus I can't sing.

AGH: What’s your favorite breakfast?
                              
Kaylie: New Orleans French Quarter-Cafe Du Monde. A simple cup of cafe au lait, and a side of beignets (French powdered donuts). I'm literally moving there for this!

Are you Team Dog or Team Cat?
                              
Kaylie: Team dog. Cats are cute, but they're so independent and sometimes cranky. Dogs love attention and they are always excited to see you.

AGH: What would I find in your refrigerator right now?
                              
Kaylie: Lots of veggies and fruits, juices, and an assortment of cheeses. Oh, and Mike's Hard Mango Punch! Which I didn't know they made until it mysteriously showed up in my fridge.

AGH: If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
                           
Kaylie: The same as my characters in Ravens: Agility, superhuman strength, hyper-regenerative healing, heightened senses, telepathy, and the ability to fly.


Kaylie: Thanks so much for having me! This was really fun, and I hope to get to do it again! For anyone who's interested, you can become a member on my website www.kaylieausten.com and read about all of my projects as they come out; read my rants on www.kaylieausten.blogspot.com; follow my randomness on Twitter @kaylieausten, or friend me on Facebook www.facebook.com/kaylieausten. I look forward to hearing from you.

~~~

And thank you for the interview, Kaylie! That book cover is lovely. I'll bet you're looking forward to holding it in your hands. J And after seeing the kinds of food you keep in your fridge, no wonder you have enough energy to write so many words each day! I need to start eating more veggies. ;)

Congrats on all of your successes so far, and I wish you much luck and happiness on the rest of your writing journey! If anyone would like to show your support or ask Kaylie a question, please leave a comment below. I know she would love to hear from you.

I hope to see everyone next Wednesday on my new weekly blogging day. Until then, have a wonderful, safe, and relaxing weekend.