Major Marketing Campaign: Where Does the Money Go?

By Tess Gerritsen

Tess Gerritsen is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Stanford University. Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, and was awarded her M.D. in 1979. After completing her internal medicine residency, she worked as a physician in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 1987, Tess's first novel was published. CALL AFTER MIDNIGHT, a romantic thriller, was soon followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift," which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson. Her thriller, Harvest was released in 1996, and marked Tess's debut on the NEW YORK TIMES bestseller list. Film rights were sold to Paramount/Dreamworks, and the book was translated into twenty foreign languages. Now retired from medicine, Tess writes full time and lives in Maine.


(Reprinted with permission)


I’m probably going to hear from someone wiser than I am that I shouldn’t be talking about this, but I can’t help myself. I’m fascinated by the dollars-and-cents side of publishing. So let’s talk about the price of promotion. Specifically, how much it costs to promote a blockbuster book.

Most of you writers know what the usual self-promotion strategies will cost when you shell out for everything yourself. You know what it’ll cost you for printed bookmarks and the author website and maybe, if you’ve got the energy, the drive-yourself-and-eat-at-McDonald’s book tour. But do you ever wonder what it costs a publisher to promote the really big books? Do you ever wonder what a publisher’s announced ”$250,000 marketing budget!” actually does for a book’s sales?
First, let’s talk about what you might spend that much money on. Let’s start with ads.
A full-page, color ad in the NYT Book Review will run you around $30,000. Since the Book Review comes out only once a week, this ad will, theoretically, get you some prolonged exposure. But not everyone reads the NYTBR; they just focus on the rest of the Sunday paper. And there are some areas of the country where people don’t read the New York Times at all.

A full-page, color ad in the NYT daily newspaper will cost you even more — $50,000 or so. But it has a huge visual impact if it’s on the back page of, say, the arts section. While you sit on the train reading your newspaper, the passenger across from you is going to be staring at the ad on the back of that page.

Then there’s a whole host of other publications you can choose to advertise in. USA Today features book reviews in its Thursday edition, and it’s a popular place to advertise because it has nation-wide circulation and the newspaper is read by just about every traveling businessman who happens to be on the road that day. The other national newspaper that seems like a good place to advertise is the weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal. It has a huge circulation. It goes to high-income households, right? It’s a way to catch the attention of those elusive male readers, right? So why does the WSJ carry so few book ads?

Because the price of their ad space will take your breath away. Last year I called to find out what a modest little ad in the WSJ would cost. I can’t tell you the exact amount, because I was so stunned I must have blocked it from my memory. All I can tell you is that it makes a NYT ad sound like a bargain basement deal.
So you can see how you can easily blow a hundred grand or more, just paying for ads in major newspapers. But do they actually sell books?
Most publishers will say that the cost of the ad isn’t justified by the number of sales the ad generates. I believe them. Still it’s true that an ad DOES cause a bump in sales. I watch my Amazon numbers whenever an ad runs, and I can see the effect on my sales ranking. But the effect is very short-lived — only a day or two. So no, I don’t think paying fifty thousand for an ad results in fifty thousand dollars’ worth of book sales.

What a big ad does do, however, is give a signal to booksellers that this is a major book. It tells them that if they didn’t bring in many copies, they’d better get on the phone and order some more. It tells those in the publishing and reviewing industry that this is a book they should pay attention to.

And it makes the author and agent very happy. I mean, let’s admit it– one’s vanity MUST be stroked.

If you want to blow a lot of money fast, try TV advertising. You’ll get lots of splash, will catch the attention of lots of eyes on the ad, but it’s also very ephemeral. Thirty seconds and poof — it’s gone. And because of the price of TV, chances are, you’ll only buy into limited markets. Channels that cater to women viewers for instance, like Oxygen and Lifetime. Or in certain regions of the country.

Again, the question must be asked: does it sell books? I don’t know the answer to this one. But there’s no mistaking the impact it makes on booksellers and others within the industry, as far as getting attention for your book.

I’m leaving out all the other fun and different ways to advertise, such as magazines, transit ads, radio spots, airplane tow-ropes, etc. Because no one really knows how well any single one of them works to sell a particular book.

But they’re all valuable in one regard: they get your name out there. Even if consumers aren’t actively paying attention, your name will become embedded in their subconscious.

I was once in a bookstore where I saw a woman eyeing the paperback rack. My book, BODY DOUBLE, was there. When she picked it up and looked it over, I couldn’t help asking her, “have you heard of that author?”

“I’ve never read anything by her,” she said. “But you know, I’ve heard her name about three times in the past month. So I guess I should buy this.”

Then she told me that “three times” is her rule of thumb. That’s how many times she needs to hear about a product before she’ll try it out.

So it may be that ads are effective in ways that aren’t immediately measurable.
Free publicity is what DOES work. Feature news articles, for example. Interviews on TV and the radio. Stories ABOUT your story.

And that’s where publicists and book tours come in. Publishers don’t send an author on the road so that she can sit forlornly in some half-empty bookstore and sell two copies of her book. She’s on the road so that the local newspaper will run a feature, and the local radio station will invite her to talk up her book. She’s there to get FREE PUBLICITY. And if her subject matter is unique and interesting (not just another ho-hum serial killer story) she’ll get the media’s attention. Since VANISH is about a corpse who wakes up in the morgue, when I went on tour, I brought along a whole file of real-life examples of awakening corpses, which I’d gathered from national news sources. (One of the reasons I subscribe to Lexis-Nexis is that it makes newswire searches so easy.)

This fall, when I go on tour for MEPHISTO CLUB, I’ll be ready to talk about the Nephilim, an evil bloodline mentioned in ancient and Biblical texts. (see the historical background for MEPHISTO CLUB.) The fact I’ve written a crime thriller won’t interest the media. What will interest them, however, is the fact there’s a whole community of conspiracy theorists out there who believe that Nephilim have hijacked the leadership of the world in order to foment wars and bring on

Armageddon.

In order to snag the media’s attention, though, reporters have to know about your book. So some of those marketing dollars go toward printing up galleys, assembling press kits, and mailing them to reporters. Most of the time, these efforts are done in-house by the publisher. But occasionally, with a special book, the publisher (or the author herself) will bring in an outside publicist to help with the effort.
How much does a private publicist cost? There’s a huge range of prices here. I’ve heard of publicists who charge only a few thousand dollars. The big names, however, will charge upwards of $20,000 for a national effort. Then there are others who will charge you by the region — $2,000 to publicize you in the San Diego market, for instance, or $3,000 for the Los Angeles market.

Along with the cost of a publicist is the cost of the book tour. Which means hotels (usually very nice ones!) and media escorts and airfare. Most authors fly coach, but because travel itineraries can change on a dime, the airline tickets must be flexible (meaning expensive.)

Finally, there’s the price of co-op. This is the money publishers pay to major booksellers for front-of-store display and in-store promotions. I haven’t been able to find out what it costs, but I’ve been assured that it’s “very expensive.” (And I wish someone who knows will email me with the numbers. I promise to keep it secret!) Co-op is the one thing that WILL increase sales of a book. A book on the front table in Barnes and Noble will immediately catch the eye of the consumer. Once the book is moved to the back of the store, its sales drop drastically.

I know. I’ve compared the sales figures on my own books, both on and off co-op.
The real problem is that you can’t just throw money at the chains and expect to get that front table; Barnes and Noble has to AGREE that your book should be on co-op. The space on that front table is limited, and only a select few titles are deemed worthy of it.

And only the rare title gets to purchase the best space of all: the Barnes and Noble stepladder.

For years, my books have hit bestseller lists, but I can’t get more than two weeks on the front table, even though my publisher is willing to pay for it. And the stepladder remains an impossible dream for me.

So, what’s the best spending strategy for a marketing campaign?
If I were a publisher, here’s where I’d put my money, in order of priority:
First: galleys, press kits, and mailings to the media. This can be done most cheaply in-house. (Ths is one of the things an author can do herself if she finds herself without publisher back-up.)

Second: bookstore co-op. If the book’s not at the front of the store and easily spotted, it’s not going to sell. The publisher should try to get as many weeks as possible on that front table.

Third: Book tour. You’ve got the author working for free as a traveling salesperson. If she’s media-genic and has a good story to tell, the publicity will come.

Fourth: hire an outside publicist. Yes, there are some things a well-regarded private publicist can do that an in-house publicist can’t. The private PR person often has special contacts within the media. Also, when a journalist gets a press kit from a nationally known publicity firm, he knows that this must be an important book, and will take a closer look at it.

Fifth: Newspaper ads. I’d start with USA Today. If the budget can absorb it, then also ads in the NYT Book Review or the NYT daily. You can back this up with additional ads in magazines such as People or Entertainment Weekly. Or in a fanzine like Romantic Times, which offers quite reasonable ad prices.

Sixth: If you’re really serious about promoting this book, there’s always TV.
(I haven’t mentioned online promotions here, because I’m not certain about their effectiveness. Also notice that I didn’t mention an author website; I just ASSUME that an author will take care of that absolutely essential promotional tool herself!)
Unfortunately, even a million-dollar promotional budget won’t ensure that a book will hit bestseller lists. Sometimes, the book’s just a dog. There are plenty of examples of publishers who’ve thrown fortunes behind a new author, only to get back 80% returns. But that’s the business. There are no guarantees.

S'up Saturday

The following fine folks will be blogging conference tips, stories, etc. dealing with the upcoming American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. Feel free to copy and post.

Click here to learn more about the 2006 ACFW writers conference.

July 28th, Mary DeMuth: http://relevantprose.blogspot.com/
July 31st, Rachel Hauck: http://www.rachelhauck.com/
August 1st, Colleen Coble: http://girlswriteout.blogspot.com/
August 2nd, Terry Whalin: http://terrywhalin.blogspot.com/
August 3rd , Marilynn Griffith http://marilynngriffith.typepad.com/
August 4th, Brandilyn Collins: http://forensicsandfaith.blogspot.com/
August 4th, Mick Silva http://mywritersgroup.typepad.com/
August 7th, Lisa Samson: http://lisasamson.typepad.com/
August 9th, Camy Tang: http://camys-loft.blogspot.com/
August 11th, Heather Diane Tipton: http://heatherdianetipton.blogspot.com/
August 13th, Claudia Mair Burney: http://claudiamairburney.blogspot.com
August 14th and 15th: Gina Holmes: http://noveljourney.blogspot.com/
Also:Robin Lee Hatcher: http://robinlee.typepad.com/
Dee Stewart: http://www.gospelfiction.com/


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2006 Inspirational Reader’s Choice Contest

Long Contemporary:
1st—Shattered Justice by Karen Ball (Multnomah)
2nd—Rolling Thunder by Mark Mynheir (Multnomah)
3rd—Dark Star by Creston Mapes (Multnomah)

Short Contemporary:
1st—The Trouble With Lacy Brown by Debra Clopton (Steeple Hill)
1st—Hero Dad by Marta Perry (Steeple Hill)
3rd—To Heal a Heart by Arlene James (Steeple Hill)

Long Historical:
1st—Hannah Rose by Louise Gouge (Cook)
2nd—Troublesome Creek by Jan Watson (Tyndale)
3rd—Legend of the Emerald Rose by Linda Wichman (Kregel)

Short Historical:
1st—The Maverick by Lori Copeland (Tyndale)
2nd—The Drifter by Lori Copeland (Tyndale)
3rd—Sooner or Later by Vickie McDonough (Barbour)

Women’s Fiction:
1st—Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Tough by Neta Jackson (Integrity)
2nd—Over The Waters by Deborah Raney (Steeple Hill)
3rd—Unspoken by Angela Hunt (Westbow)

Romantic Suspense:
1st—In Sheep’s Clothing by Susan May Warren (Steeple Hill)
2nd—The Trouble With Tulip by Mindy Starns Clark (Harvest)
3rd—Escape to Morning by Susan May Warren (Tyndale)

Novella:
1st—Unexpected Blessings by Vickie McDonough (Barbour)
2nd—Veteran’s Way by Robin Lee Hatcher (Revell)
3rd—Liberty, Fidelity, Eternity by Jill Stengl (Barbour)

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CHRIS WELL WANTS TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME IN HIS NEXT NOVEL!


August 9 is Chris Well’s 40th birthday, but he’s giving YOU the PRESENTS!

Every person who buys DELIVER US FROM EVELYN from Amazon *on his birthday* will be thanked BY NAME in his third novel, KINGDOM COME (in stores April 2007).

BUT THERE'S MORE!

You *also* get the super-limited compendium 40 AND COUNTING, the literary equivalent of a "bootleg box set" in convenient pdf form.
This four-part document offers 40 super-collectible items:

-- 40 AND COUNTING: STORIES
A brand-new collection of 10 short stories, including four that have NEVER been published.

-- 40 AND COUNTING: LISTS
10 pages of crazy lists, like Chris has done over the years for 7ball and now CCM. You know, stuff like "Signs Your Neighbor is a Leprechaun" and "Signs You Need to Get A Life." (It makes you laugh AND it makes you think.)

-- 40 AND COUNTING: COMICS
Includes "Que Es Amor?" -- a BRAND-NEW tale written by Chris and penciled by his wife, Erica. PLUS: An assortment of scripts, pitches to Archie Comics, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and even some rejection letters.

-- 40 AND COUNTING: WHATNOT
"Lost" material from Forgiving Solomon Long and Deliver Us From Evelyn, fanfic from his younger days, a preview of his upcoming
best-selling zany crime suspense thriller Kingdom Come, and more!

REMEMBER: Wednesday, August 9

BONUS HOURS: For your added convenience, the event goes live 6PM Tuesday, August 8 … and ends NOON Thursday, August 10.

Complete Details: http://www.studiowell.com/Birthday06

EVELYN on AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0736914064

What's your Pitch?

If you want to have television and radio interviews, you need to pitch to producers. A lot of sources will tell you to find what's hot in the news and find a way to weasel in on the story.

So, let's say you wrote a novel about an earthquake and suddenly San Francisco has its long-awaited shake down. Hmm, sounds like CNN might be interested in having you on as a guest. Should you pick up the phone and demand that your publicist call them?

Well…, hmmm, I don't recommend it.

This might sound a little silly to you, but you'd be surprised at how many authors call their publicist and request something like this. Chances are, however, that CNN will be able to find a real seismologist. Chances are also equally high that the viewers would be more interested in watching said seismologist explain why the earthquake was a certain magnitude, then listen about how you came up with the concept of writing a novel about an earthquake.

Another mistake that writers can make is to focus their pitch solely on their writing. Because every author writes, interviews about the writing life are not going to stand out. Unless you typed your manuscript with your toes, or were forced to pen your Magnum Opus on a park bench in NYC because you were homeless, why not make your Q&A stand out from among the other author press kits?

When looking for radio, magazine and television opportunities, the best tip I can give you is to make yourself interesting to their viewers or readership.

So, let's take our scenario earthquake book and consider this for a bit. For our purposes, let's also pretend that San Francisco is still standing.

You could try pitching something like this:

Is San Francisco really ready for the big one?

Nearly a million people live in San Francisco yet have no idea how devastating the expected earthquake will actually be. John A. Doe was shocked by what he discovered during his research for his novel, Earthquake—The Big One, and your listeners will be too. For a start, did you know that there are millions of little pockets of fossil fuel waiting to implode on us? The Queen of the Pacific has never been closer to sinking to the bottom of the ocean. I propose a guest appearance with John, where he'll tell us where the fiction ends and reality begins.


Okay, so I’m feeling a little tongue-in-cheek tonight, but you get the idea.

Barbara Warren ~ Author Interview

Barbara Warren lives on a farm in the beautiful Ozarks. She is a writer, editor, and Sunday school teacher. Her hobbies are reading and raising flowers. The Gathering Storm, her first novel, will be released from Jireh Publishers in September.

Plug time. What book or project is coming out or has come out that you’d like to tell us about?

My mystery novel, The Gathering Storm will be released in September this year. It’s set in the Ozarks where I live, close to the Missouri-Arkansas border. Stephanie Walker, the heroine had always felt rejected by her famous songwriter father, Marty Walker. When Marty is killed Stephanie becomes the main suspect and tries to solve the crime herself with the help of Brad Wilson, ex-con. The book deals with rejection, love and forgiveness, with a healthy dose of mystery.

Tell us about your journey to publication. How long had you been writing before you got the call you had a contract, how you heard and what went through your head.

It’s been a long road. I can’t remember when I first started writing. Even as a child I took a writing tablet on family trips and wrote. But then I married Charlie and I had a job and somehow writing got pushed aside. One day a local group held a writers conference in my hometown. I attended and won the humor contest and all of a sudden I had to write. I called some of the people who were at the conference and we started a writing group, which is still active. I started sending out stories and articles and sold several. Then I started working again, wrote off and on until I retired, but stopped sending anything out. Then after I quit work I finally I got serious about writing.

When I received the news that Jireh wanted to publish my manuscript I had a hard time believing it. A letter arrived in the mail saying they would send a contract in a few days.

I have enough rejection slips to paper my office. So it was very exciting.

The Gathering Storm is my first published novel, but Jireh is looking at the second in the series and I have a new project that I love. It’s a mystery about a group of women my age who talk like me and act like me. They’re bored and they decide to start a club solving murders as soon as they find one. It’s called Murder and the Sisters of the Do-Right All Faith Church. I’m having a wonderful time with it.

Do you still experience self-doubts regarding your work?

Yes. I think everyone does. Writers are a strange blend of arrogance (we believe people want to read what we write) and inferiority (we are sure no one will ever want to read what we write) When I have doubts they usually come at night when I’m tired. Then I’m sure I’ll never be able to write another word. I’m wasting my time. A real no one loves me, I’m going off and eat worms kind of mood. Then in the morning I turn on my computer and get started again. The problem is our writing is so much a part of us that we would have a hard time stopping.

What mistakes have you made while seeking publication?

I wasn’t persistent enough about marketing. You have to keep sending stuff out, keep studying to learn the craft. Accept the rejection slips as part of the business and keep trying. I love writing. I don’t love marketing, so I get lazy and that has hurt me. I’d do it differently if I had a chance to go back and start over.

What’s the best advice you’ve heard on writing/publication?

Study the markets. Get a Sally Stuart Christian Market Guide or a Writer’s Digest Market Guide, or both and study them. Look for publishers who handle the type of writing you do and target them. And I’d like to add, don’t be afraid of the small publishers who don’t pay advances. Get your foot in the door and keep trying.

What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve heard?

I was at a local writing conference and a brash young man was speaking. He told us to keep our group as a close community. Not open our writing groups to everyone, otherwise we’d have a lot of little old ladies in tennis shoes showing up and driving everyone crazy. Well, it doesn’t matter how old you are or how young you are, if you have the ability to write, then write and let God decide how He will use it. I’ve learned something from almost everyone I’ve met, regardless of age.
And I’d like to introduce myself. I am a “little old lady in tennis shoes.”

What’s something you wish you’d known earlier that might have saved you some time/frustration in the publishing business?

I wish I’d known more about how the publishing business actually works. All too often writers learn about the business of writing but neglect learning about the writing business, two entirely different things. We need to know both.

Do you have a scripture or quote that has been speaking to you lately?

There are so many scripture passages, which comfort me and speak to me, but the one on my editing brochure is a favorite. “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 KJV. Those times when I have doubts I remember the Lord has promised I will fly like an eagle.

Is there a particularly difficult set back that you’ve gone through in your writing career you are willing to share?

Other than all of those rejections you mean? The funny thing about rejections, the more you get the less you mind them. They’re just a part of the writing life. When I took time off from writing to go back to work I had a difficult job, managing a deli in a grocery chain. I worked nine hours a day, but I had limited work hours to use with my employees, so if they didn’t show up I usually ended up working their shift too. By the end of the day I was too tired to write. After I quit work and started writing again and it was very difficult to pick up where I had left off. It was like starting over from the beginning. Since then I’ve tried to write something every day. Our writing muscles are like the rest of our muscles, they grow slack when we don’t use them.

What are a few of your favorite books?

I’m a great fan of the late Ann George. Her Southern Sisters mysteries like Murder Carries the Torch, Murder on a Bad Hair Day, Murder on a Girls’ Night Out, and Murder Boogies with Elvis, were the inspiration for my own Do-Right Sisters. Her books may be out of print now but I think they’re still available on Amazon.

I like Tony Hillerman’s Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn mysteries.

Anything by Hannah Alexander and Lori Copeland. And since I’ve started doing book reviews I’ve discovered so many great Christian writers. I’ve particularly enjoyed Judith Miller’s Freedom’s Path series and Kacy Barnett Gramckow The Genesis Trilogy. I could list a ton of others. All of the books I’ve reviewed were good and I enjoyed them very much. Christian Fiction has come a long way the last few years. I buy very few secular books anymore, and those are writers I’m familiar with and like.

What piece of writing have you done that you’re particularly proud of and why?

This is going to sound rather strange. But I used to do Children’s Church on Sunday morning and I wrote my own lessons. They are very simple, but I enjoyed them and the children I taught really seemed to like them. Those lessons used to teach godly principles to young children stands out as something special and important to me. They never earned me a cent and never will, but I believe God used them in His own way. I put the lessons in book form and handed them out to the Sunday school teachers in my church and they are still using them today.

Do you have a pet peeve having to do with this biz?

Okay, this is going to sound very petty. Sometimes, because we’re writing for the Christian market, we can get the feeling that our stories came straight from God wrapped up in tissue paper and tied with a red ribbon. That attitude can affect our growth as writers. God gave the talent and it’s our job to learn all we can about writing, to constantly grow as writers. We should never stop striving to be better with every thing we write. It’s not glorifying God to do bad writing in his name.

I have an editing business, Blue Mountain Editorial Service, and ever time I get a manuscript with the words that “God gave me this. It practically flowed and I know it is inspired.” I cringe, because I know I’m in trouble. Any correction I make will offend. Because you see the writer didn’t write that. God did. And who am I to critique God’s writing. At a writer’s conference, an editor from Guideposts addressed this problem. She quoted from a reply she got from a rejection letter. “How dare you reject my manuscript? God dictated that. Don’t you recognize His writing?”

Funny, but a warning to each of us. If we write for the Christian market, we need to do the very best we can at that point in our writing career, but never be satisfied with our best. Keep learning, keep growing, and keep on getting better. God will bless our efforts.

Can you give us a view into a typical day of your writing life?

I start by checking my e-mail right after breakfast. Then if I have a free morning, which doesn’t come all that often, I’m at my computer, writing or editing until eleven. I try to be back at the computer by one thirty and work on my manuscript, or some one else’s, or on my newsletter, until six. Then after dinner I sit at the kitchen table and do editing or work on my own manuscript using my Alpha Smart, or read books to be reviewed. I know that’s more than most writers can manage, but I’m retired, have no children, live on a farm, and hate to shop. So I have more time than most. Also I read fast and can write fast and that helps.

If you could choose to have one strength of another writer, what would it be and from whom?

Oh my. I need so much. Could I just have a smorgasbord, take a little here and a bit more there? I think every writer I read helps me in some way. I get an idea for a story of my own, I learn a bit more about characterization, or how to develop a scene. I really believe we learn more from reading other writers than we do from reading books on writing. So I’m not sure I can answer that question by naming one writer. So many people have helped me in so many ways.

Do you have a dream for the future of your writing, something you would love to accomplish?

Well again, this is off the wall. I have a humor/ inspirational book, non-fiction, I’d like to see published. I’ve sent it out and people like it very much but it doesn’t fit their list. I teach a woman’s Sunday school class, and the book has most of the principles I’ve taught over the years, linked with funny stories about real people. I’d like to see it published. But God knows about it and if He wants it published, He’ll open up a way.

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

No. I get discouraged, but I don’t think I could quit. My head is too full of stories and ideas. No matter how much I might want to quit, I think I’d still have to pick up a pen and put words on paper.

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?

My favorite part is rewriting. Once the story is down on paper I enjoy reading through it and making changes. That’s when the story really comes alive. My least favorite part? I suppose sending proposals out and waiting to hear. I got a rejection on a story the other day that had been out so long I had forgotten sending it out.

How much marketing do you do? Any advice in this area?

I’m a newbie at marketing. I’ve read everything I can find about marketing and it seems to me that the most important part, other than getting stores to handle your book, is name recognition. I know when I go to a bookstore, the names I recognize jump off the shelf at me, and those are the ones I reach for first. All we can do to get our names out there helps. Interviews like this one gives us a chance to show people what we’re like and maybe they’ll remember. Another thing I’ve learned is to thank everyone for everything they do for me. The other day I did an edit of a proposal for a writer. It didn’t take long. A few days later a lovely bouquet of flowers was delivered to my door. You can bet I’ll remember that writer’s name. But I also remember the ones who thank me for doing book reviews or putting their news in my newsletter. That’s one thing we can all do and it doesn’t cost a thing.

Parting words?

I really want to thank you for interviewing me. People like you do so much to promote others and I really appreciate it. And I’d like to say, never get discouraged if you don’t seem to be going anywhere. Just keep writing, keep learning, keep entering contests and sending stuff out. Never give up. There are more quitters than failures in this business. Do your best and God will do the rest.

10 Tips to Help You Along Your Writing Journey ~ Mary DeMuth

I've learned a lot of surprising things as I've realized the dream of being published. For those of you in the midst of the pursuit, I offer a few snippets of advice that may help you along the journey.

1. Make friends.
When you go to a writers conference, be more consumed with making relationships with other writers who are in your stage of publication. These dear folk will become some of your closest friends. As you get published, you'll be able to seek advice, ask for prayer, and kindly request endorsements.

2. Get used to rejection.
It happens on every level of the publishing process. You'll be rejected by publishing houses, agents, magazine editors,people who DON'T want you to speak. And as you get published, there's more rejection heaped on. Now that I'm a "midlist" author, I experience yet another level of rejection, getting messages like, "Well, we'll talk to you in a few months, when we see whether your numbers are up." Ouch.

Repeat to yourself: rejection is normal; rejection is normal; rejection is normal.Rejection is the air you breathe in this crazy business.

3. Realize that publishing is a BUSINESS.

Though you may view your writing primarily as a ministry, the folks paying you advances see it in bottom-line terms. Be prepared to be a part of that. Realize that a lot of the onus for marketing will rest on your shoulders.

4. Kindness will preserve you.

Don't burn bridges. Don't be petty. Shun gossip. Yep, this is a weird business populated by all sorts of people. Realize it's a small community and word gets out.

5. Do your best NOT to be difficult.

Meet deadlines. Answer emails promptly.Listen, really listen, to your editor. Unless it's deeply important to you, acquiesce to their changes. That will allow you to go to bat for the things you think really shouldn't change. But always, always communicate with kindness and respect.

6. Make friends with folks in the industry whether they help your career or not.

I've made some lovely, lovely friends who I will probably never publish with. The fun thing, though, is that this is a fickle industry. Editors and agents and publishers move hither and yon all the time. Connect with all sorts of folks, not for the sake of your gain, but because Jesus is fascinated by people and you should be too. Pay attention to the people God puts in your life. Perhaps that editor will become a lifelong long friend.

7. Don't become so hootie-tootie for your own britches that you are beyond editing.
Make it a goal to write a better book (or article or column) each time. Be teachable. Become a lifelong learner of the craft. Go to conferences.

8. Give back whenever you can.

Teaching enables you to learn more. Consider that helping other people become better writers is a gift you give to the future. You never know the impact Jesus will make through another writer.

9. Get rid of jealousy.

Life's way too short to brood on someone else's talent or success. Rejoice with those who succeed. No sticking pins (or pens) into the hands or brains of successful writer voodoo dolls. (Say THAT ten times fast!)

10. Continue to read widely.

Read different genres, classics, poetry by Siouxsiepoet, pithy articles by the Bertrand-one, writing books, comics,and, of course, Watching the Tree Limbs. (Sorry, I'm simply obeying number 3. . . yeah, baby, the marketing onus is on my shoulders!) If you'd like to add more advice, start with number 11 in the comments section.

Mary E. DeMuth
Christ Follower. Novelist. Freelance Writer.
Author: Building the Christian Family You Never Had
and Watching the Tree Limbs:
www.relevantblog.blogspot.com
www.pioneerparenting.blogspot.com
www.relevantprose.com

Author/Magazine Editor Interview ~ Kurt Rheinheimer

Kurt Rheinheimer did graduate work in English at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. His stories have appeared in numerous journals, including Michigan Quarterly Review, Shenadoah, Glimmer Train, the South Carolina Review, and Quarterly West. He lives in Roanoke, Virginia, where he is Sr. Editor for Blue Ridge Country and The Roanoker magazines. His short story compilation, Little Criminals, won The Spokane Prize.


~Tell us about your short story compilation book, Little Criminals.

The stories were written and published—mostly in literary journals—over a period of almost 30 years. They seemed like the best of the 60 or so of their type that I’ve written.

You won the Spokane for short fiction. Tell us more about that—who issues that award and how one gets nominated and selected.

The Spokane Prize is awarded by Eastern Washington University, in an annual competition for short story collections. There is a monetary award and the other part of the prize is publication of the collection.

Do you think you’ll have a novel published one day or are you more comfortable in the short story arena?

I don’t think I’ll write a novel. I’ve been writing short stories for more than 30 years and that form is what I enjoy. There are two other collections—one of stories similar to those in Little Criminals and the other based on family experiences—that I continue to submit for publication, as yet to no avail.

Besides being a writer, you're also an editor. How did you get into that field?

My education was in English and communication arts, and then, after a master’s degree, I worked for 15 years or so in the social services field. In the meantime, I wrote stories and freelance material, including a silly column in The Roanoker magazine, called The Star City Seer. It was from that experience that I was hired as the magazine’s editor, in 1984.

What is most rewarding about your job as an editor?

Bringing to fruition a magazine that is full of good stuff to read.

The most challenging?

Finding good writers, especially those who’ll dig and investigate and invest the time needed to do great work.

How would a person go about breaking into the field of magazine editing?

Read read read all the magazines you can; come to understand what they do and why; write write write for magazines until you become indispensable.

How would you suggest a writer breaking in to your magazine?

The Roanoker: Great investigative or topical ideas and the willingness to pursue them.

Blue Ridge Country: Great, compelling contemporary (‘40s-‘70s) history pieces.

Do you still experience self-doubts regarding your work?

Every story is a new start and none is guaranteed to work; many languish or go nowhere. So yes, there is plenty of self-doubt.

What mistakes have you made while seeking publication?

I hope not many. I try to learn the markets I submit to—that’s important, I think.

What’s the best advice you’ve heard on writing/publication?

When your rejected piece comes back, get out a new set of envelopes—one to send it and one SASE—and send it out again.

What’s something you wish you’d known earlier that might have saved you some time/frustration in the publishing business?

Well, I once had a story accepted at Redbook—they said they got 30,000 pieces of fiction in the slush pile per year and took one of them; I then wasted a year of writing trying to write to the market. Write what you know and think and worry about where it’s published after it’s finished.

Is there a particularly difficult set back that you’ve gone through in your writing career you are willing to share?

See immediately above. Also, in many ways, it is one long difficult setback. Getting stories published is hard, and when they are, hardly anyone reads them. Collection publishing is even harder, and the same thing happens.

What are a few of your favorite books? (Not written by you.)

The Flannery O’Connor short stories
The first collection by Joyce Carol Oates “By The North Gate,” I think.
The Raymond Carver stories
Any story by John Updike
“Like Life,” a collection by Lorrie Moore.

What piece of writing have you done that you’re particularly proud of and why?

There’s a piece—non-fiction—due out in an anthology next spring (’07) called “The Bad Case: A 50th Birthday Love Letter,” which chronicles my love of an on-the-fringe interaction with the Baltimore Orioles. I’m proud of it because I have long counted myself the best fan the team has, and taking on this piece gave me the chance to prove it to myself and anybody who might read it.

Do you have a pet peeve having to do with this biz?

Read the magazine before you approach it about material.

Can you give us a view into a typical day of your writing and editing life?

Get up, run or otherwise sweat, go to work, read the paper at lunch, come home 5ish, eat, work in home office at least a half hour and hopefully longer, pick up the guitar, watch a few innings of the Orioles.

If you could choose to have one strength of another writer, what would it be and from whom?

From John Updike, the ability to write like the poet he is no matter what he’s writing.

Do you have a dream for the future of your writing, something you would love to accomplish?

To have the boy-eyed story collection published.

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

There’s never been that thought per-se; there have been times when I got much less done than others. It was more neglecting than quitting.

How much marketing have you done for your book? Any advice in this area?

Very little: A couple of readings and a bookstore or two. I guess the advice is the same as about most things: You get out of it what you put into it.

Parting words?

Only the axiom from my grandfather: Take two and hit to right. Which translates, in life, I reckon, to something like, take your time, think about it, and do the best you can with what’s before you.




Book Description:

"The characters in Kurt Rheinheimer's first collection are players in the late innings of a tied ball game between hope and the limitations imposed by their histories, obsessions, affections, loyalties, and unspoken regrets. More real than the residents of Masters' Spoon River, more familiar than the denizens of Winesburg, Rheinheimer's people, young and old, look straight at us, as though waiting for us to remember that we are not alone in our struggle to understand and to become whole. Though the stories have the weight and reach we expect from serious fictioin, they also frequently tiptoe on the margins of hilarity. And the washed up ball players, hubcap collectors, minor league umpires, mobile home salesmen, and all the others we meet on our way through small town America also serve out generous helpings of charm."

Click here for more information.

S'up Saturday

Hi all! First off the big news is that our interview with Chip MacGregor received the largest readership we've had to date. It's no wonder, Chip was so gracious in sharing his expertise and humor. I think we all learned a lot, (including some new words we aren't allowed to use ; )

On the home-front, I'm going back to work full-time as RN on a hospital floor. I'm very excited and this shouldn't effect Novel Journey or my writing. Both my boys will be in school full-time in the fall so the timing worked out all around and I thank God for that.

If you haven't checked out Mike Duran's blog, DECOMPOSE, you're missing out. He's a friend, critique partner, and exceptionally talented novelist/short story writer. I don't say that lightly. I expect someday I'll be green over his success. His blog is one of my favorites. It's not a 'what I did today' type of site, and he doesn't try and copy other blogs. It's kinda like the CBA's answer to Andy Rooney.

He's writing his second novel and it sounds a bit like a cross between Koontz and Ingermanson. Though he hasn't let me have a peek yet. He's worried I might try to 'girl it up', I think. And, of course, I would.

Another site I've been enjoying lately, is Kristy Dykes', Christian Love Stories. If I could change my personality out with someone else's, it probably be this lovely lady. She's genuinely sweet and optimistic, and after spending a little time with her at last year's ACFW conference, I found she's also incredibly humble and just plain pleasant to be around. She has some interesting insights she blogs about.

Upcoming interviews include: Rene Gutteridge, Neta Jackson, Lauraine Snelling, Lisa Samson, best-selling ABA author-Tess Gerritsen, non-fiction author/fiction acq. editor-Terry Whalin ... among many others.

How to find Media if you're working your own publicity

If this is your first novel, you've most likely spent the majority of your time working on your craft. You may not have given much thought as how to publicize your novel. For this post, I decided not to use any of the tools available to me as a publicist and consider some ideas and resources that anyone can utilize.

Television:

Want to be on a National Show like Oprah? Try their website. Many have a list of shows that they are working on (usually found under the "Be On the Show"). See if you fit a show they are planning.

Magazines:

Did you know that at the beginning of most magazines there is a section that lists the names of the editors and contributors? You can also find the magazine's address. Spend some time in Barnes and Noble flipping through their periodicals. Find ones that might be interested in your novel. For example, if you write westerns, check out magazines about horses, rural life, and cowboys. If you're book is mom-lit, check out the parenting and baby magazines.

Newspapers:

A quick google search of "newspaper reviewers" led me to this site: http://www.bookmarket.com/newspapers.html. I suggest checking the paper's website to see if the contact information is still accurate. While you're there, see what other book reviewers are on staff and read their reviews. You may decide to send your novel to one of those.


Local TV and Radio:

Check out http://www.city-data.com/. Type in your city and state. At the bottom they compile a list of radio and television signals that are strongest in your area. Most of these stations will have a website with contact information.


We all know blogs are a great way to network. Contact your local library and learn what groups in your area to support writers. Google book review sites and read their submission guidelines.

Anyone else want to throw in a few suggestions?

Jacqueline Winspear ~ Author Interview

Jacqueline Winspear is the author of three previous MAISIE DOBBS novels, Maisie Dobbs, Birds of a Feather and Pardonable Lies. Maisie Dobbs won the Agatha, Alex, and Macavity Awards, and Birds of a Feather won the Agatha Award. Originally from the U.K., Winspear now lives in California.








What new book or project would you like to tell us about?


My new book, MESSENGER OF TRUTH, will be published on August 22nd - I am very excited about it. You can read more about the book by going to the following link:
http://jacquelinewinspear.com/messenger_truth.htm

Tell us about your publishing journey. How long had you been writing before you got a contract? How did you find out and what went through your mind?

MAISIE DOBBS was my first novel, started in Spring 2000. I was working full-time and also had a life-coaching practice as well – but I did have a flexible schedule which allowed me time to write. I stopped work on the novel completely at one point, mainly because I moved, got married, and generally had many other life issues to deal with, including recovery from a serious horse-riding accident.

It was during my convalescence that I completed MAISIE DOBBS – at the end of August 2001. I bought a copy of Jim Herman’s book – A Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents – and read through the section on agents. I made a list of 30 agents whom I thought might be interested in my work, then I divided that list into three groups of 10 – groups A, B and C. I could only afford to send out 10 proposals at a time, so I thought that by the time I had received all the refusals from the first 10, I would be ready to send out the next lot.

I sent out the first batch of proposals during the first week of September 2001 – and at that stage I had only a first draft of the manuscript, mainly because I was still only half-way through my physical therapy rehab and didn’t have the energy to revise. I had calls from three agents within two weeks of that mailing going out and within two months had signed with one of those agents. I worked on some suggestions made by my agent, and also made my own changes. She went out to publishers a couple of months later, and the book was sold within another month. That takes us up to spring 2002 – and MAISIE DOBBS was published in June 2003.

At every step of the way, I thought to myself, “At least I made it this far.” By the time I knew I had an agent, I was thinking, “Now I’m in the game, I’ve got an agent.” And all the time I felt so grateful, so fortunate. And I still do, nothing is taken for granted. I feel so lucky to be doing something I love to do.

Do you still have self-doubts about your writing?

I wouldn’t trust myself if I felt completely confident. The only thing I don’t doubt is that I will meet my deadline – I am good with deadlines. They’re there for a reason, so I always make them.

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

No, never. But then I have never thought of writing as a “career” or a “job.” It’s work I would do whether I had another job or not. I have only been a full-time writer for two years. This is something from which I will never retire – writing is what I do.

What mistakes did you make while seeking an editor or agent?

I don’t know that I made “mistakes” as such – I had a plan and it bore fruit, so I don’t think I would have changed anything.

Do you have a pet peeve having to do with this biz?

No. Publishing is a business, and that’s the first thing you have to keep in mind as an author. As a business it has to make a profit to remain viable and it has to pick its winners to back and it has to keep a raft of shareholders happy.

I think authors who familiarize themselves with the business will have an easier time being part of the team working to bring a book into the market – because the fact is that when you are writing your book, you’re on your own, but as soon as the book is submitted to your editor and it goes into production, you are part of a team, although obviously you have the strongest connection to what is, in effect, a product.

I know that seems a tough perspective, but it’s no secret that the publishing industry runs on some pretty tight margins – it’s not oil or pharmaceuticals. When you think of the hundreds of thousands of books published every year, I think that shows a real leap of faith – as does the emergence of new, small publishers, which keep a balance in the marketplace to counter the influence of the big monolithic “media” organizations.

What do you wish you’d known early in your career that might have saved you some time and/or frustration in writing? In publishing?

I believe that everything happens at the right time, even if that right time means a long wait. I’m happy with the manner in which events have unfolded in my work as a writer.

Was there ever a difficult setback that you went through in your writing career?

Not really. I think I have to answer this in such a positive manner because I didn’t know what to expect when I began writing fiction – so even if there was a setback, I wouldn’t have known it then.

What are a few of your favorite books?

This is a smattering from a cast of thousands:

East of Eden by John Steinbeck; USA by John Dos Passos; A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway; Everything ever written by Jane Austen; Tender is the Night and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald; The Snow Goose by Paul Gallico; Precious Bane by Mary Webb; As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee; Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham; The works of Graham Greene; White Teeth by Zadie Smith; And generally, I love anything by the following authors: P.D. James, Susan Isaacs, Susan Howatch.

What work have you done that you’re especially proud of and why?

The work I am most proud of has nothing to do with any of my books. It was the part I was privileged to play in getting someone else’s book published. There’s an instructor at UCLA Extension that I really admire, and I try to join her classes whenever I can – her name is Barbara Abercrombie. A core group of us have come back to Barbara’s classes time and time again, and together we played a part in publishing a book of which we are all very, very proud. I can only tell a small part of the story here, but I hope it will inspire people.

Nancy Davenport came along to The Illuminated Writer as a beginner. At seventy-two years of age, she was past retirement and wanted to tell her story. Each time Nancy read her work in class, that story unfolded – and we were all absolutely captivated. She made us laugh, cry, shake our heads in disbelief and ask when the next piece was coming. I was just thrilled to see her back again at the next class, and the next. She already had emphysema, so when she began to have trouble speaking, we thought it would pass. We took it in turns to read her work, often penned in her beautiful handwriting.

In spring 2005 Nancy was diagnosed with ALS – Lou Gehrig’s disease (“And I’ve never even held a baseball,” she said). As she lost the ability to speak, so her voice on the page became louder – and still she came to class until she could walk no more. We knew she was dying, and knew, too, that her dearest wish was to have her work published, to hold her book in her hands.

As soon as Nancy delivered the final chapter at the beginning of February 2006, we set to work along with the amazing people at iUniverse, who pulled out the stops so we had early copies one month later. Barbara Lodge, one of our classmates who was helping to care for Nancy, placed a copy in her hands in the first week of March and we had a “publication party” at her bedside on March 12. Nancy died three days later.

Her memoir is called, ETERNAL IMPROV, and is available at www.bn.com. You will see that my name is listed there too – I had nothing to do with the writing of the book, but when you put a book into production with iUniverse, all the contact names are published on the webpage.

When we walked into Barbara’s memoir class in April, I felt as if Nancy would come though the door at any time, leaning on her walker, ready to sit down and read another of her stories, or offer words of encouragement to someone else. Her book sits on my desk at home, as if the title itself were there to remind me that life, like writing, is an eternal improv.

I should add that I am often asked why I go to the classes – the assumption being that because I’m already a published author, I wouldn’t need such a thing. My answer is always the same – creativity is a muscle, and if you don’t use it, it’ll atrophy; if you don’t cross-train, you’ll never go beyond the plateaus that come along time and time again. There’s an athleticism with words to be gained in writing exercises, along with the camaraderie and encouragement of other writers. There are many ways to exercise that creativity muscle – this is just one of mine.

Do you have a scripture or quote that has spoken to you lately in regards to your writing?

God grant me the fear to keep me succeeding.

(and most of the time, that “succeeding” means actually finishing a book!)

Can you give us a look into a typical day for you?

When I am writing a novel, I like to get to my writing as soon as I can in the morning. Once I have finished writing for the day, I have many emails to deal with, along with the administrative work that goes along with being a writer. And I have to leave time for research, which represents an investment of several hours per day. But I also have to fit in walking my dog and riding my horse, so I am a busy person each and every day.

Do you have a word or page goal you set for each day?

Minimum 1500 words

Are you an SOTP (seat of the pants) writer or a plotter?

Probably a bit of both. I mean, I like to have a map, but the great thing about having a map is that you are more likely to wander off the beaten track in search of adventure.

What author do you especially admire and why?

There are many, many authors for whom I am filled with admiration; however, one in particular always comes to mind. Though she is a long-established author, I think it has been during the past seventeen years or so that Susan Howatch has demonstrated her extraordinary gift for combining a depth of scholarship with commercial fiction in a way that is witty, intelligent, insightful and though-provoking.

Starting with her “Starbridge” series, and now with the series based upon the fictional St. Benet’s healing ministry, Howatch has proven herself to have a wonderful gift in writing for the broadest readership in novels that show both a depth of compassion and academic endeavor. Her work is complemented by an understanding and empathy for the human condition, along with a religious scholarship. I think she writes really, really good books.

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?

Bottom line - I love writing and I feel blessed that this is now my day job as well as something I love to do, but I do not like the actual business of travel, because I do a lot of it in connection with my writing. And when I say I dislike the travel, I mean the flying, or driving or whatever – I’m fine once I get to my destination, as it is always just great to meet the people who read my books. But I am also rather scared of flying now, so that adds to the pressure.

Do you have any parting words of advice?

I really believe that if you can see something, you can make it happen. Call it the power of visualization, if you like. I never saw my first novel as anything but a published book – it was never just a manuscript. For example, I’m no artist, but I designed a cover, stuck it on a ring binder, and each day I added my finished pages so that at the end I had a “book.” The extraordinary thing is that the cover design for the first edition of MAISIE DOBBS was along the same lines as the amateurish design I had come up.

Associate Publisher Interview ~ Chip MacGregor, Part III

How important are writer’s conferences to the new writer?

I think writer’s conferences are a great way for newbies to get educated in the process of writing. Hanging around a bunch of experienced people in your chosen field is ALWAYS an excellent idea. If you want to be a mechanic, you hang around mechanics. If you want to be a millionaire, you hang around millionaires. It’s nice to find somebody a bit further down the path.

Do you think a new author should start by writing the easier to place books, (like sweet romances, etc.) even if it’s their heart’s desire to write a gothic thriller or whatever?

I do. In fact, I’d suggest a new author start with something much shorter – articles, reviews, short stories. Every new writer needs to learn the craft, needs a place to be bad. That’s one of the biggest problems newer writers face today – they have heard all these wonderful stories about writers getting published, and they assume it happened overnight, so it could happen to them. It’s the curse of the internet, or maybe the curse of MacDonalds – “You can have it now, without waiting!”

Unfortunately, good things take time.

I’m a ballroom dancer. I sometimes teach swing dancing. If you’re a total clod out there on the floor, I can help you get the basic movements in less than an hour. You won’t be Fred Astaire, but you won’t be Frankenstein either. I can teach just about anybody how to survive on a dance floor. Still, you can expect it’ll be awhile before you’re replacing the lead in 42nd Street.

Describe a dream author’s attributes.

He (and feel free to replace with “she”) can write like Mark Twain.
He has ideas bigger than Alvin Toffler.
He has the platform of Oprah Winfrey.
He solicits input into his ideas.
He is flexible, but he knows his own mind.
He listens to advice and input.
He meets his deadlines.
He helps us sell his book.
He looks for ways to help us make him more successful.
He says yes to our marketing requests.
He works to understand the business of publishing.
He sees me as his partner in the business of writing.
He makes an effort to work with me.
He occasionally says thanks.
When he has a complaint about me or my team, he comes directly to me with it.
He makes us a lot of money.
He only sends me one email every other day.
He sends me Starbucks products at Christmastime.

Who do you like to read?

I love everything Ross Thomas ever wrote, and just about everything Helen MacInnes ever wrote. I think William Shakespeare was a genius with words, Mark Twain the greatest American writer ever (the man could create clear and clever prose while half drunk and falling off a log), and that modern Americans should read both.

I love Barbara Tuchman, Mark Helprin, Tom Pynchon, Lauren Winner. I think Haven Kimmel is a genius, Sebastian Junger the writer we all aspire to be. I believe people overlook the great writing style of P.G. Wodehouse, Russell Baker, and Dave Barry (yes, THAT Dave Barry), and that people are afraid of Dostoyevsky needlessly. Brennan Manning, Henri Nouwen, and Frederick Buechner have been the most influential spiritual writers in my life.

If you want me to name people who aren’t as famous, I also like many of the writings of Sue Monk Kidd, Davis Bunn, Tom Bodett (of Motel 6 fame), Garrison Keillor, Robert Fulgham (yeah, it’s dopey, but I love it), and Lisa Samson. Some people have this image of me as being too negative, but I believe I see several young writers in CBA who have incredible potential to write something great.

What should aspiring novelists be reading?

Hmm… I think aspiring novelists should be reading great writing, not just the same old stuff everybody in their genre is reading. Read HUCKLEBERRY FINN, LITTLE DORRIT, NOSTROMO, CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, 100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE, E.M. Forster, Lewis Carroll, and Jane Austin. Pick up a copy of IN THE BEGINNING by Alistair McGrath to see where books came from, and DICKENS FUR COAT by Daniel Pool to discover the roots of the modern novel. If you want to see where we get our American novels, start with Twain, then try AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY, something from Carl Sandburg, Ernest Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, and Saul Bellow. Don’t miss THE SOTWEED FACTOR, THE CATCHER IN THE RYE, CATCH 22, FARENHEIT 451, THE JOY LUCK CLUB, OF MICE AND MEN, and, maybe, THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD. You’ve probably heard what to read from somebody else. But don’t miss C.S. Lewis or Chaim Potok or Victor Hugo’s LES MISERABLES. And read books on how to write better. I enjoy the work of Noah Lukeman, Patricia O’Connor, and Carolyn See.

I’ve heard Hachette Book Group will only work with proven authors, is that true?

Nope. I’m always looking for great writers. I’ll admit that a track record helps, but it’s not true that we only work with people who have done a lot of publishing.

What genres are you actively pursuing; and must an author be agented to query?

Actively pursuing women’s contemporary fiction and suspense thrillers. Would love to find a writer of legal thrillers.

What are you most encouraged about when it comes to CBA fiction? Least?

I’m most encouraged by the new writers with great talent. Some names: Ray Blackston. Ginger Garrett. Sigmund Brouwer. Davis Bunn. Charles Martin. Siri Mitchell. Lisa Samson. Rene Gutteridge. They’re taking us in new directions, publishers are suddenly willing to move in those directions, and the whole of CBA fiction is looking good.

I’m least encouraged by…ack! I hate this question. It’ll make me sound negative. Um…okay, recently I was asked to help with a fiction writing contest. (There have been several, so nobody can trace this back to any one contest or group.) I read the finalists. I kept thinking… “These are the FINALISTS? There was a group of experienced writers who PICKED these as finalists?” They were awful. Every one of them. They were everything I speak out against – trite, stupid stories, stupid names, overwrought dialogue, everything pat. I would guess what was going to happen on the next page and invariably be correct. In the end I helped choose a winner based on the fact that “I hated this one the least.” To me, with all the good fiction being produced in CBA, and the incredible opportunities for growing our writing, I couldn’t believe this was the best people could do. Very discouraging.

But then, I keep in mind that “these people need a place to be bad.” (They certainly qualified.) So I keep spreading the message, and hoping writers are listening.

What new trends do you see in the way of fiction? Non-fiction?

Trends that are working in CBA include creative nonfiction, humor, fiction books that are focused on relationship, charismatic titles, nicely designed interiors, and the use of agents by authors. Trends that are not working include children’s books, homeschooling, most men’s titles and many audio titles, art-based gift books, and old-line CBA thinking.

The biggest change we’re facing is the delivery system to consumers – they’re walking into Wal-Mart instead of Betty’s Dove Book Shop to purchase their Christian books. I think future trends will include the continued slide of denominations and the rise of the postmodern church, an emphasis on volunteerism and self-help, even more of an emphasis on speed, and a whole new slate of Christian experts/spokespersons.

What’s your favorite chick-lit book?

Sophie Kinsella’s CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC. But I know this is a trick question. A couple of people have been suggesting that I hate chick-lit. (A curse from Camy and bloggers like her who fail to grasp my brilliance.) Not true. I just think we’ve explored the misunderstood-girl-with-chubby-thighs-who-works-in-publishing-in-New-York-and-has-struggles-with-her-relationships-but-a-heart-of-gold story line. For goodness sake, give us something else.

We’re starting to see that. Tracey Bateman’s CLAIRE books are great, and Laura Walker’s novels at Westbow have real charm. There are undoubtedly others.

What accomplishment, writing, agenting, publishing, etc, industry-wise, are you most proud of?

From an industry perspective, it’s easy to point to a couple of big winners – when Lisa Beamer’s LET’S ROLL hit #1 on the NYT bestseller list, I knew I’d hit the big time. That was a special moment. When I finally got publishers to buy Donald McCullough’s THE CONSOLATIONS OF IMPERFECTION and Mary Jenson’s OVER SALSA AND HOT BREAD and Marcia Ford’s MEMOIR OF A MISFIT (three of the most well-written books I ever represented), that meant a lot, even though none of the books sold. And I’m still married, after 24 years, even though I’m difficult. There’s a real accomplishment.

Still, from a personal perspective, I think I’ve helped a lot of people. I think there are writers out there who have read my posts and learned a bit from me. Maybe I’ve helped them move forward. I have set up a bunch of writing groups and mentor/protégé relationships – some of which I’ll never even know about. That’s been probably the most meaningful thing to me.

What’s your best advice for aspiring novelists? Non-fiction writers?

Writing is hard work. Approach it that way.

Is there something writing-wise that you’re working on and can talk about?

Sure. Right now I’m working on a book about the Great Schism of 1378. The Roman Church was falling apart. The plague had killed more than one-third of the priests in Europe. People were beginning to see themselves as nations. Governments were tired of the Church dictating to them. The people were in desperate need of spiritual guidance. When the Pope (who had been living in Avignon) died, the College of Cardinals gathered to elect a replacement. Dominated by Frenchmen, they were determined to elect another French pope. The Roman people encircled St Peter Basillica, demanding an Italian.

About 11 o’clock at night, they put the pope’s mitre on an 80 year old Italian priest and pushed him outside to wave at the crowd. The people, thinking they had their pope, went home to bed. Two hours later, the Frenchmen elected a French pope (a terrible human being who had been accused of slaughtering civilians while a soldier), then got out of Dodge. The next morning the people discovered the duplicity and rioted. They forced the Italian cardinals to elect an Italian pope. They foolishly chose an illiterate country priest they thought they could control – unfortunately, he was mentally ill, had moments of extreme violence, and was even more manipulative than the cardinals who elected him.

The church thus had two popes: an Italian in Rome, and a Frenchman in Avignon. They each had their armies, fighting each other, and it led to some tragic-comic moments – before one battle, both climbed ladders and excommunicated the soldiers on the other side. (Pope A: “You’re going to hell!” Pope B: “No, YOU’RE going to hell!”) With a weakened treasury, the church couldn’t do as much in the world. Their influence in civil affairs waned. They offered absolutely no spiritual leadership to the masses of people who wanted a leader, but didn’t know who to believe. One monk in England wrote, “The church has become a whore and a laughingstock; the butt of every joke.” This went on for more than forty years. (The modern Roman church calls this “the Babylonian Captivity of the Papacy,” and try to suggest some evil leaders tricked the church into moving the pope to France, but I don’t know of any non-Catholic scholars that accept that explanation. This was a disaster of major proportions, brought on by the church’s own corruption.)

How to resolve the situation? They couldn’t call a church council, since only a pope can convene a council – the French wouldn’t attend a council called by the Italians, and vice versa. Eventually some cardinals got together and resolved the situation by sacking both men and electing a third…but neither man stepped down, so for a time they Roman church actually had THREE popes.

From this situation rose some of the worst practices of the medieval church – selling indulgences to raise money, the violent questioning of suspects, an insistence on blind following of the leader. And yet, at the same time, it gave rise to reform movements – people who wanted to see the church become pure and strong again. From this sprung holiness groups, the rise of civil governments, the conciliar movement, and the Protestant Reformation. It’s a fascinating story that touches on history, doctrine, politics, leadership, and organizational influence. I’m writing about it for Random House.

Parting words?

Always take your wallet on stage with you.

Associate Publisher Interview ~ Chip MacGregor, Part II

Can you explain the process a publishing board goes through in deciding to publish a book?

We generally start by drawing a pentagram on the floor in goat’s blood…oh, wait. You probably don’t need that much detail, right? Okay, let me give you the big picture. I’m going to assume you mean the editor has already worked with the author and agent to get the proposal in shape, so that it already has a salable idea, strong writing, and a clear sense of the author’s platform.

The first hoop to jump through is always that of finding an editor who actually likes your proposal. The editor will then generally bring the idea to an editorial group meeting, just to bat it around with other editors and get ideas for improving it (or to be told nobody else likes the idea or the writing…or maybe they just don’t like the author).

The next step is to refine the proposal and, at least at our house, to bring it before our Nashville group so as to get recommendations from somebody in sales and somebody in marketing. Assuming it gets past that group, the proposal is then brought to our Pub Board – the final authority on which books we’ll choose to publish. Our PubCom is a broad group – a handful of key sales people, some representatives from our marketing and advertising division, our business manager, our publisher, even the president of our company. That means there is a conglomeration of people from both Nashville and our NY offices, and we come together to discuss the viability of the projects that have made it this far.

Everybody has read the proposal beforehand, and done research on the author and the idea, so we all come ready to discuss it. (Really. As a matter of fact, I was always surprised when I would talk to CBA sales types, and they would admit to not being readers. I know of one publisher who offered a cash bonus to any sales rep who showed up at a pub board meeting having read a book by the author they were considering. I’m not exaggerating. And these are the guys you’re relying on to get your books into the stores… Fortunately, HBG/USA has a reputation for having one of the strongest sales teams in the industry.)

Anyway, at that meeting the editor who has worked with the author and agent presents the book, introduces everyone to the author, and talks a bit about the unique strengths of the project. Sales makes their projections, marketing talks about the promotional opportunities, and we basically try to come to agreement – Can we publish this book successfully? Does it fit our publishing program? Is it a big idea? Do we like the writing? Does the author have a track record? Is there a built-in market for the project? Who will buy it? How will we market it? In the end, the decision is largely made on group enthusiasm based on our research and discussion.

I sometimes don’t agree with the decision, but I’d say in the huge majority of cases the bulk of us are in agreement, whether it is thumbs up or thumbs down. We make the decision then and there, after that it’s up to the editor to either share the bad news or negotiate a deal with the agent.

Besides stellar writing, what can an author do to increase their chances of getting a book contracted?

Hate the question. It makes it sound like there is a trick, and if the potential writer learns the trick, he or she can also get published. In my view, that’s a crock. Every book proposal needs three things: a great idea, great writing, and a great author platform. Rarely a publisher will agree to do a book based on just one of those factors (for example, a celebrity book based solely on the fact that the author is well known), but they will often make the decision based on two factors.

So if you’ve got a great idea, by all means begin working to build a great platform, and spend time working on the craft in order to become a better writer. I have often seen pretty good book ideas presented to me that are attached to terrible writing by unknown authors. And the fact is, I can’t buy your book based on the fact that you woke up with a good idea. In my experience, good ideas occur all the time. The rare event is when a writer with a good idea determines to put in the time required and express that idea in a coherent and entertaining manner.

So this question actually skips over an important point: the easiest thing for an author to do in order to get published is to improve the craft of his or her writing. There are a million venues for doing that – critique groups, writer conferences, mentors, books, classes, etc. Again, I feel as though the reason most wannabe authors remain unpublished is because they just aren’t willing to put in the time, to do the hard work and become better at the craft of writing. In other words, laziness will keep you from being a great writer. Given the chance, inertia will dominate. And then you can make yourself feel better by saying, “I COULD have been a great writer, if only I’d put my mind to it.” It reminds me of the high school student who waits to write his paper until the night before it is due. Then he stays up all night, bangs it out, gets a C+, but tells himself, “That’s because I waited. If I would have started earlier, I’d have gotten an A.” It’s a gentle way of lying to ourselves.

If you want to get published, the BEST thing you can do it to become a better writer. As I’ve said a million times, greatness will out. I don’t know of any great writer who goes unpublished.

Okay, but your question was what will improve the odds aside from becoming a better writer…and the answer is simply, “Work on those other two areas.” But I hate saying that. Why? Because I don’t like telling people, “Come up with better ideas.” It just seems lame, like telling me to dunk a basketball or suggesting that I try to look “more like Brad Pitt.” Some things are simply out of my range.

Truth be told, I don’t really know where good ideas come from. Sometimes they come from research (“we found that 47% of readers at Borders wanted to see someone use science-based murder investigation procedures on the Waco incident”), other times from looking at the culture (“we saw all the interest in American Idol, so we decided to do a novel based on that storyline”). Often great ideas come from our own needs (“I never knew how to study my Bible, so I researched and came up with a great plan for teaching yourself Bible study methods”). And sometimes you can just look at classic books and realize our culture needs it’s own voice on the topic (“no 25 year old mom wants to hear what a 70 year old grandpa has to say about raising little kids – we decided to find a young, fresh parenting expert”). But I don’t have some secret for generating great ideas. They just come – and they’re not all equal. Perhaps the best thing that happens to a mature writer isn’t just the ability to write with more clarity, but to evaluate the worth of all the ideas they come up with and focus on the real winners.

I’m also not a huge fan of talking to authors about their platform. It’s just not my area of expertise, and I feel pretty lame saying to people, “Become famous. Go get yourself your own TV show or establish yourself as an expert speaker.” There are plenty of other people who do a great job of explaining this (Ellie Kay is a fine example in CBA – check out her tapes at conferences), so I’ll leave it to the experts.

One more thing needs to be said about this
topic… 90% of the stuff I reject is rejected for one reason: it isn’t good
enough.

The idea is weak or trite or unclear. The writing is elementary or pedantic or flowery. The author has no platform and no plans to get one. Compare writing to playing the piano – you wouldn’t sit down at a piano one morning, plunk out some notes, and expect that by the afternoon somebody should be paying to hear you play. You probably wouldn’t assume that your first attempt at composing a melody line will have much depth or be musical genius.

To create something good enough that people will pay money to hear you play it will require a huge investment on your part. Hours of practice, every day, for years. Experienced teachers. A broad array of musical influences. Even then, there is no guarantee you’re any good – innate talent plays a role in your career choices. Using that as a contrast, why would we expect a newbie writer to be any good? Why would you assume that, because you thought up a plot line, it has some element of quality to it? Let me suggest that you can do yourself a favor by doing some self-editing (not all your ideas are great) and by getting some perspective (listening to others tell you that not all your ideas are great). But stop looking for “the secret that will get you published” and start treating this like any other art form.

What is your pet peeve when it comes to the business of publishing?

1. “My best friend told me this is a fabulous idea. She’s a cook at our local junior high.” (Hint: Your friends love you. They’re not going to say anything bad about your writing. They probably also don’t know diddly about writing or publishing.)

2. “I can turn this manuscript in the first of August. I need the book out by the start of my conference speaking in October.” (Hint: Most major houses require your completed manuscript to be turned in twelve months before copies hit store shelves. Yes, we can sometimes crash the schedule for a timely or important book…but you wouldn’t believe how hard it is to do that. Wise up. You’re better off having that long lead time – it allows the marketing department to create buzz for your book, the sales department to talk with their accounts about your title, the publicity department to get your book reviewed, and the editorial department to thoroughly work out all the manuscript problems. When you try to speed that up, you increase the probability of errors in all parts of that system. Patience is a virtue. In publishing, it’s a necessity.)

3. “I would NEVER allow you to cross-collateralize my contract! I read on the View that it’s the tool of Satan!” (Hint: Do you have any idea what it costs for Hachette to produce your book? Not just the advance, but the investment of personnel and time? Publishing is a partnership. Allowing me to spread our risk over a couple or three books makes it more likely you’re going to actually get published. Besides, if you can’t explain what cross-collateralizing is, you probably don’t understand it enough to be talking it down. It’s intellectually dishonest – like criticizing people from another country for doing something that doesn’t make sense without ever studying them to understand their culture.)

How true is the adage it’s all in who you know? Is networking really that important?

OF COURSE networking is important. Good grief. Name the job in this country where networking is unimportant. (I’m waiting. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?) Let’s say I have one slot to fill and two equally worthy projects. One of them is from a person I don’t know. The other is from a person I’ve met, who has made an effort to get to know me and my company. A writer who has proven she knows how to listen to advice and put it into practice in her work. Someone I met at a writers conference and was impressed by her insight. An individual I like, who I’m comfortable with, who has proven she’s not a pain. [Gina: oh shoot, until the "not a pain" part, I was so sure you were talking about me.] Given that scenario, and the fact that the two ideas are of equal worth to me, the writing in both proposals is good, and the platforms about the same…who do I choose? Who would you choose?

Get to know people in the industry. Go to industry events. Attend writer conferences. Stop to introduce yourself to people. Be prepared to talk knowledgably about books and writing. Rub shoulders with people. Have a conversation about normal life – don’t make it seem like your book is the start and end of your life. You’re going to find some editors and publishers become friends. I met Julie Barnhill at a gathering of women writers years ago. She came over, introduced herself to me, and was both friendly and pleasant. We struck up a conversation. Eventually I became her agent. Ditto Mary DeMuth, who I met at the Mount Hermon conference several years back.

There are a bunch of others with a similar story. I found Siri Mitchell to be very talented as well as a knowledgeable individual. I thought Ginger Garrett was delightful, AND she could sit and talk Braves baseball with me. Sure, all of these people had talent, but they also came across as normal people who I might meet and be friends with (assuming I actually HAD friends…and that I could recognize normalcy.) Of course, the reverse of this is true as well: Don’t be a pest. I was at a conference recently, and I had this one guy more or less stalk me. Every time I turned around, he was there, a dopey smile on his face, pushing his lousy book idea, trying too hard to be my best friend. He gave me the creeps. I don’t care if he sends me something great, I’m not going to publish him because then I’d have to deal with the clown on a regular basis, and life is too short to be surrounded by Mr. Weirdness and the Children of Doom.

How can an author take their work from good to great?

This is my favorite question, because I get to prattle on and sound like an expert, and I’m fairly certain the writers reading this will actually get something out of my answer.

1. Improve your vocabulary. (It’s okay to find your readers occasionally have to get up and go get their dictionary while reading your book. Growth is a good thing.)

2. Find your voice. (This is my favorite writing topic, of course. Most writers seem to be pretending they are still writing an English paper. Kill the teacher in your head. You’re writing your life. You’re writing to a friend. You are NOT writing for a grade. You are NOT writing to show off. You are revealing yourself via verbs and nouns.)

3. Get organized. (Every book requires research and planning. EVERY book.)

4. Know your topic. (If you don’t, you’re wasting your time. And if you send it to me, you’re wasting MY time. I won’t waste it on you again.)

5. Learn to set the mood. (Your emotional tone should shine through your writing.)

6. Develop a sense of rhythm. (Short sentences speed up your pace.)

7. Refine your ability to use imagery. (Your images should be…as clear as a Siamese cat wearing a red coat and dancing the Highland Fling. Or something.)

8. Be clear.

9. Don’t belabor the obvious.

10. Learn to create strong leads and stronger closings. (Grab me. Then send me off to ponder.)

11. Meet great characters and reveal them on the page. (If you don’t know these people, if you don’t know their setting, you’re about to write a crummy book.)

12. Read your dialogue out loud to yourself. (Your ear will catch anything dishonest.)
13. Make sure you have a story to tell. (And remember that every story has conflict.)

14. Write in scenes, and let every scene raise the stakes. (Every story has beats to it. Learn to think in paragraphs.)

15. Show us the journey. (I want to be moved. I want to read your story and be changed.)

16. Write with verbs and nouns. (Stolen from ELEMENTS OF STYLE. Still the best writing advice I know.)

17. Work as hard on every sentence as you do on your lead. (Don’t get lazy.)

18. Shut up and listen to your editor.

19. Write every day. (Nothing will move your career forward faster.)

20. Read widely. (And read something different from your own stuff.)

21. Go back and rewrite. (Don’t assume it was perfect the first time.)

22. Depth is found when multidimensional characters that I can relate to face timeless questions in complex circumstances, then make decisions that are open to interpretation…so they may not be right. (THAT’S what causes me to learn, what helps me to understand myself, what leaves me thinking about your book. And this can’t be faked – so don’t write with an agenda. Nothing is more boring than to read a polemic. We’re tired of both Rush Limbaugh’s outrage and Al Franken’s posturing. They’re going to spend hell together, arguing their points.)

How important are writer’s conferences to the new writer?

To be continued tomorrow ...

Associate Publisher Interview ~ Chip MacGregor, Part I

Jerry Chip MacGregor (note the lack of “ ” on either side of Chip) is an Associate Publisher with the Hachette Book Group USA, formerly the Time Warner Book Group. He oversees the editorial function for two imprints, Warner Faith and Center Street. The former is the line of Christian books produced in the US by Hachette, the latter is the “heartland” publishing initiative for the company, offering fiction and nonfiction books that reflect the values of middle America.

Chip would like to think he is notorious in Christian publishing circles for being (a) a snappy dresser, (b) an insightful critic of writing and books, and (c) an international bon vivant. In reality, he’s a bit of a pain. Many know him for being a successful literary agent for years with Alive Communications – a place where he represented such luminaries as Brennan Manning, Michelle McKinney Hammond, Lisa Beamer, and dozens of others. Others recognize the name from having spoken at more than a hundred Christian writers conferences (clearly the man has too much time on his hands).

What you might not know is that Chip comes from an immigrant family (his grandparents came over from Scotland), grew up in Witch Hazel, Oregon, in a household where neither of his parents went to high school, and was the first person in his family to ever graduate from college. He was first published at the age of 8 (a letter to the editor), got his first real job in publishing while he was in college (copy editor for Clearing, a magazine for junior high science teachers), graduated with a Master’s degree from Talbot Seminary, and did his doctoral work at the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!). He has authored about three dozen books with his own name on the cover, another couple dozen with someone else’s name on the cover, about 40 Bible study guides, and been a contributor or general editor for many other projects. After making his living as a writer, he began working with other writers as an editor, then as an agent, and he maintains a keen interest in the mentoring of Christian writers around the country.

[That’s pretty much the official story. Can I give you some other details? I’ve been married to Patti for 24 years, God help her. I’ve got two kids in college at Seattle Pacific University, and another about to go to college. I love Shakespeare, baseball, reading great novels, and card magic. My books have hit #1 in their category on the bestseller lists three times. I enjoy all things history, and currently have a book contract with Random House to do a book on the medieval church from an organizational development perspective.


One of the things that is so striking about you, (besides your good looks, amazing fashion sense and obvious genius), is your blatant honesty. Does speaking your mind get you into as much trouble as it seems it would?

Yes and no. Some people (many people) seem to be fans, and send me nice notes on occasion, like when they’ve gone off their meds or had too much to drink. Others clearly do NOT like me. Especially nice church ladies who can’t understand why I’d say that a book is bad or a writer has done a terrible job. They’re entitled to their opinion. But something those in the industry know is that I rarely get upset when someone disagrees with me. This is a business, and I treat it as such. If somebody wants to disagree, they’re entitled to do so. And they’ll find I can take it. But the funny thing is, most who disagree never actually write to me. Instead, they write to others, and make subtle remarks about my character, because they don’t have the brains or the balls to be biblical and confront me.

Too bad. I learned long ago that there’s nothing I can do about rumors (and I’ve had my share). So for all the noise and hoopla surrounding my thoughts, careful readers will see I’m always trying to do the same thing: help writers improve by pointing out the things I believe to be true and the lessons I’ve learned.

However, yeah, sometimes I get into trouble. For example, I happen to think Jim Dobson is a guy who did a lot of important things for the Christian community in this country. Back in the days when he was the face of evangelicalism, he was doing good stuff, and getting people to talk about important issues. At the same time, I’ve offered the occasional criticism (let’s face it: the man can be a tad bit sensitive; he’s no biblical scholar, so his attack on Zondervan’s NIrV was astoundingly stupid; and I thought BRINGING UP BOYS was flabby, redundant, and out of touch – nothing more than a means of making money on his good name). But when I shared some criticisms of his book at a Christian writers’ conference in California several years ago, somebody sent him the tape. He had -- (well…that may be too strong…I don’t have any direct evidence Jimbo actually set this in motion) – SOMEHOW, by some unknown means, one of his henchmen at Focus on the Family called me on the phone to berate me. For what? Criticizing his stupid book? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

I mean, you’re telling me that Jim Dobson is sitting there amidst his millions of dollars and numerous real estate holdings, and he’s concerned because Chip MacGregor offered a criticism of a book that he didn’t even write? Give me a flippin’ break. I called the guy a moron and hung up.

Oh, and the story doesn’t end there. After sharing that story in print one time, I had several people write to me to offer criticism – not of Dobson and his band of merry men, but critical of me for daring to say something negative about Saint Jim. So, yes, I occasionally get some heat. But nothing I can’t take. I’m a critic – a critic of books and writing, and particularly of Christian books and Christian writers. Don’t we need critics to offer some perspective and advice now and then?

Um… I should add one thing: If I spent a lot of time complaining about all the criticism I get, I’d be crying wolf. I don’t get that much. Sometimes my employers have been unhappy when I’ve said something about an author they’d like to work with. And I certainly have my faults: I suffer fools badly. I can be too caustic. I’m occasionally wrong. But I really do think I’m helping move us forward, even if it’s only in a small way.

One of the debates in Christian book review circles is a lack of harsh reviews of CBA books. Should Christian authors be brutally honest when we review other Christian authors?

One of the things I noticed several years ago is that the world of Christian publishing had become awfully “nice.” Nobody ever got a bad review, even if the book in question was clearly a hunk o’ dung. I remember reading this very polite review for a CBA novel about ten years ago – I read the novel, but the only way I could finish the stupid thing was to tear out the pages I’d read and light them on fire, in hopes that occasionally sticking my hand into the flames would keep me awake. Mourn the trees that died so this tome could see print.

That experience made me wonder…why can’t we be honest? I mean, how are we ever going to get better as Christian writers if we feel the Lord is somehow calling us to be eternally nice? I’d suggest that many of the Old Testament prophets helped the culture make strides not by being nice, but being honest – even blunt. Ditto Paul. Ditto Jesus, for that matter (take a peek at his criticisms of the upstanding church leadership of His day). Okay, I understand that we sometimes do a nice review to help a book sell. Or to pay back a friend who said something nice on our own book. Or because we can’t think of anything else to say. Fine. But where does that author go to get better?

Think of it this way: Let’s say we have this nice young novelist who has just published her first book with Heartsong Presents. It’s a genre romance (Daphne meets Buck. They fall in love. Buck, who is as stupid as his name would suggest, misunderstands something and they quarrel. The romance is off. Then the fire breaks out and threatens Daphne’s barn. Buck comes to the rescue. They both are too stupid to realize they’re just characters in a trite novel, so they fall back into love again. They move into each other’s arms. There is an ellipsis in which nonChristian readers will assume they’re going to have sex. And the story wraps up with everyone tired but happy.)

Okay. She (the author, not Daphne, who is busy having an ellipsis with Buck) gets her book reviewed in a couple places. The reviews all say, “It’s lovely.” Her friends at church are impressed. She gets to sign copies at her local Christian Book Store (which is no doubt having a sale that week on Thomas Kinkade Napkins and Precious Moments Soap-on-a-Rope). She gets to hold it up at Glorietta and have all the wannabe’s fawn over her.

So…how does Ms Novelist improve her craft? I mean, everybody is telling her that she’s suddenly a genius. She starts posting opinions on Chi Libris and the WritersView. Pretty soon she is mistaking her inexperience as experience; substituting immaturity for maturity. And she moves on to sharing her weakness with everyone as though it were a strength. (Think that ain’t happening? Take a look at the writing experience of some of the experts.) I’m just trying to point out Ms Novelist needs to have a dose of reality. She needs somebody who is a bit farther down the path to suggest to her that she’s not All That.

So I think part of my job, part of the responsibility I have to the industry, is to try and help Miz N improve. That means I get to be honest. And I should point out that I long ago stopped reviewing books for magazines, newspapers, web sites, and other places that are basically marketing venues. I never try to torpedo anyone’s book, so you won’t find a bunch of toasty reviews I’ve created in trade magazines. It is NOT my job to harm someone’s book sales. If Christian Retailing and Publishers Weekly want to give the book solid reviews, then I think that’s great for the author’s sales. My comments ALWAYS take place in venues that are followed by writers, NOT by the general reading public. (In fact, my ego stays in check by reminding the rest of my brain that, outside of the very small audience that is Christian writers, nobody really knows who I am.)

So what’s the harm in being honest? Even brutally honest? Can’t we all admit we’ve got stuff to learn? I read books about writing regularly, because I really want to improve my craft. I listen when somebody I respect talks writing – a Cec Murphey, a Doc Hensley. I even listen to writers I used to represent, because I represented some good people, and I love hearing what they have to say – a Mary DeMuth, a Julie Barnhill, a Keri Kent. I figure if I’m going to be an opinionated loudmouth, that’s okay so long as I can back it up. But that means I really need to be teachable, or I’ll turn into nothing more than a pompous ass.

What does an associate publisher do? (Or in your case what should you be doing?)

As Associate Publisher, my job is to coordinate the editorial function for the Nashville offices of HBG/USA. I’m in charge of the acquisitions process for all the books we publish, so I’m regularly identifying and chasing authors and ideas we need to pursue, looking for areas where we can grow. I implement company policies and try to give strategic direction to our list. I oversee the list, the budget, the personnel, and the processes in the editorial department. When I arrived, our office wasn’t very strong with our systems. Now we’ve got great people in place and our systems seem to have been smoothed out.

I hire (and occasionally fire) editors, train the staff, and make sure the Editorial Assistants are moving forward in their careers. I do some editing and copy writing, and I try to stay in touch with some of our key authors and agents, as well as connect our office to our marketing, sales, and managing editorial departments. I go to lots of meetings and drink an inordinate amount of coffee. Right now I’m part of a strategic planning group out of New York that is moving our company forward technologically by exploring new ideas and systems that can help us do our jobs more effectively.

But, in all fairness, most of the work gets done not because of me but because of the people who work in editorial with me. This is no false modesty – I’ve got people around me who are great, and who routinely make me look good. In my opinion, the editors we have at Hachette Book Group are as strong as any set of editors anywhere.

Can you explain the process a publishing board goes through in deciding to publish a book?

To be continued tomorrow ...

S'up Saturday

Taken at the Christy Awards 2006

Left to right:
Carolyne Aarsen
Michelle Cox
Ann Tatlock
Yyvonne Lehman













Left to right:
Brandilyn Collins, Colleen Coble, Deborah Raney, Tamera Alexander




















What's coming: Well only our most informative interview ever! It may offend you. It may make you laugh. But you'll definitely learn something.

No kidding. Monday-Wednesday we have a 3 part interview with (Time Warner) Hatchett Book Group Associate Publisher, Chip MacGregor.

This is one you'll want to tell your friends and writer's groups about. If you have a blog, it's worth providing a link on those days. If there's one interview we've done this year you shouldn't miss, it's this one. No hype.

Your Publicity Campaign

So now that you understand the components of a press kit, lets talk briefly about working with your publicist.

Based on your target audience, galleys are going to be mailed to media sources. This might include: magazine, newspapers, book reviewers, television stations, radio, websites and bloggers.

So how can you help?

Keep in mind that at any given time, a publicist might be working between 40-100+ campaigns. Best-sellers, of course, are going to be where a publicist is pressured to show results. Even then you are not guaranteed to have one-on-one time with your publicist. I had lunch with a best-selling author and was shocked to discover that in her ten years of writing, she had yet to even speak to a publicist who was working on her campaign.

So be of the mindset that you need to be active with publicity.

Here are some tips:

~Ask your publicist for a list of the outlets that your galleys went to. (They will not give you contact names, but they might give you the outlet names.)

~Determine the five most important outlets (and most likely to review your book) and ask your publicist if they've had any response on those.

~Ask about sending books and / or press kits to other sources. Most likely, they are going to tell you "as long as you keep me up to date" so you don't cross paths.
Find magazines that cater to your target audience and send them galleys and your press kit.

~Go to your local bookstores and introduce yourself, set up local book signings and make certain that the local news is aware of those signings.

~At your local library you can learn what book club and groups are in your area. Work with them.

~Work with other writers in your genre to combine efforts.


Again, I will stress that you need to be in contact with your publicist as you do this. For example we've had an author who contacted local media and had a 2-page story in a large city paper months before his/her book hit the shelf. While we love authors who are active in their publicity efforts, a campaign also relies on timing. When there is a local media hit, we prefer for their product to be on the shelf.

Ha! Here's a chance to plug Rebeca's company. If my authors are reading this, it is GRPR's policy that a full-time publicist works no more than 30 campaigns a year, allowing us to place our full focus on those campaigns. You should already know that you can pick up the phone and call me.

Author Interview ~ Wanda Brunstetter

Wanda Brunstetter began writing in 1980, after taking the "Writing for Children and Teenager's" study course from The Institute of Children's Literature. Since that time, she's had several hundred stories, articles, poems, word puzzles, devotions, monologues, and puppet plays published with a variety of publishers.






Tell us about your two newest series, The Daughters of Lancaster County and The Brides of Lancaster County.


The Daughters of Lancaster County is a series of 3 books, beginning with The Storekeeper’s Daughter. The second book is The Quilter’s Daughter, and the final book is The Bishop’s Daughter. All three books center around the kidnapping of an Amish child that occurred in Book 1. Naomi Fisher, the storekeeper’s daughter, feels responsible for this tragedy, and we follow her and other family members throughout the three books, as they ride a roller-coaster of emotions and learn to deal with the heartbreak of losing Zach. We also hear from the one who kidnapped the baby and learn what struggles he must face because of his unplanned deed.

The Brides of Lancaster County is a revised/expanded version of a book I wrote several years ago called, Lancaster Brides, which is now out of print. In that book there were four shorter stories about four Amish women who were interrelated. In the new Brides of Lancaster County series, each of the books will be published separately as longer, full-length novels. The basic plots from the original stories are still there, but many new scenes have been added, as well as an Amish recipe at the end of each book. The first book is called A Merry Heart, and it’s about an Amish schoolteacher with a bitter spirit. The next three books, Looking for a Miracle, Plain and Fancy, and The Hope Chest are about relatives of the woman from the first book. Each story involves a situation where the main character must rise above some kind of physical or emotional struggle in order to find peace and love.

Have you had any personal experience or contact with the Amish during your research? How else do you research?

I have made friends with several Amish people, and also with some who used to be Amish or have family members who left the Amish faith. These people have graciously answered any questions, and they enjoy reading my books, as well. Another way I do research is by visiting Amish communities around the country, where I can see the Amish at work and play. I’ve also found some helpful information in updated Amish research books.

Tell us about your publishing journey. How long had you been writing before you got a contract? How did you find out and what went through your mind?

I took my first writing course in 1980, and by 1981 I had sold a short children’s story to a Mennonite publication for one of their Sunday school take-home papers. In 1996, I had my first novel accepted for publication with Barbour Publishing’s Heartsong Presents Book Club. I found out through a letter that was sent to me from the editor of the book club, and later she phoned to discuss the details of the contract. I was surprised, thrilled, nervous, and grateful to God for allowing me such a wonderful opportunity to share the words He had given me to write.

Do you still experience self-doubts about your writing?

Like most authors I know, I have moments of self-doubt, wondering if my books are really touching lives, concerned that I might not make my deadlines, and anxious about whether I’ll be able to come up with new and exciting stories in the future. But then I’m reminded that God is there, guiding, directing, and walking with me every step of the way.

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

I have never actually thought seriously about quitting, but I have had moments of questioning my abilities.

What mistakes did you make while seeking an editor or agent?

I’m not sure that I made any mistakes, as I believe God opened the doors for my first book to be published with the publisher and editor He had chosen for me.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve heard?

An author friend once shared a quote with me from an author of long ago that said, “In order to write a good book an author needs to make the reader laugh, make the reader cry, and make the reader wait.” I have tried to incorporate all three of those elements in each of my novels.

What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?

A newspaper reporter suggested that my books would be better if God wasn’t mentioned.

Do you have a pet peeve having to do with this biz?

Not really, but I do get a little frustrated by some reviews that are done by people who can’t say anything positive about a book and come across as though they have all the answers.

What do you wish you’d known early in your career that might have saved you some time and/or frustration in writing? In publishing?

I wish I had known sooner about the importance of having a computer, which I eventually discovered would link me not only to my publisher, but with all sorts of research opportunities. I also wish I’d had as many books on the craft of writing in my home library as I do now.

Was there ever a difficult set back that you went through in your writing career?

There was a two or three year period during the late 1980’s when I wasn’t able to write much because of some health issues I was facing, which have since been resolved. During that time of being unable to write I felt as if a part of me was missing. However, I believe God used that time to draw me closer to Him, which, in turn, has helped my ability to touch other people’s lives through my writing.

What are a few of your favorite books?

My favorite book to read as a child was Nancy and Plum by Betty McDonald. I read that book over and over again. I still have a copy of it in my home library. Some of my favorite adult novels are The Bluebird and the Sparrow by Janette Oke, Christy by Catherine Marshall, Danger in the Shadows by Dee Henderson, and Beyond Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingbury.

What work have you done that you’re especially proud of and why?

I’m pleased with my Daughters of Lancaster County series, because the story idea was born from an experience I had when my husband and I went to an Amish farm to get some homemade root beer. The young woman who waited on us left her little brother sitting on the picnic table alone with me while she went into the house for some cold root beer. It got me to thinking. . . What if I had been the kind of person who would kidnap a child? How easy would it have been for me to take the baby that had been left sitting on the picnic table with a total stranger?

Do you have a scripture or quote that has spoken to you lately in regards to your writing?

I have several scriptures and sayings tacked on a strip of corkboard above my computer, but one in particular speaks to me on a daily basis: “Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.” Joshua 1:5. Whenever I feel as if I’m failing or can’t complete a project, I’m reminded that God is with me and He will never leave.

Can you give us a look into a typical day for you?

I write fulltime, and a typical day for me usually begins around 8 A.M. with a quick breakfast, at which time I do some editing on the hard copy of my work in progress. Then I work at my computer until noon, take a lunch break, again doing some editing, and it’s back to the computer until time to begin supper. During my computer breaks, I will put a load of laundry in, make any necessary phone calls, pick up the day’s mail, etc. After supper, I return to my computer and work for a few more hours, ending the day in my lounge chair where I do some more editing on the hard copy of my manuscript. I try to reserve the weekends for errands, time with family, and rest, but occasionally, when under a tight deadline, I might do some writing on a Saturday. Sunday is my day of rest, when I go to church, enjoy my husband’s sermon, and get renewed of body, mind, and spirit.

Do you have a word or page goal you set for each day?

When I’m writing the first draft of a novel, I usually shoot for a chapter per day. During the editing process I will edit anywhere from two to six chapters per day.

Are you an SOTP (seat of the pants) writer or a plotter?

I think I’m a little of both. I always have a chapter-by-chapter outline done up before I begin writing, as well as in-depth character sketches on each of the characters in my book. I use these to keep me on target with what’s supposed to happen, but during the first draft, I often deviate from what was in the outline, as my characters take over, and sometimes surprise me with a new twist or turn.

What author do you especially admire and why?

Karen Kingsbury, because she not only touches lives through her novels, but when she meets her readers in person she is personable and takes time for each one.

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?

My favorite part of being an author is being able to minister to others through the words God puts on my heart. My least favorite is trying to balance my time so that I’m able to meet all my deadlines, stay healthy and rested up, and spend time with my family.

How much marketing do you do? What's your favorite part of marketing?

I do as much marketing as possible, and my favorite part is doing book signings, where I get to meet my readers personally. I also enjoy putting together the information for my bi-monthly online newsletter that includes not only a list of my upcoming books, but information about the Amish way of life.

Do you have any parting words of advice?

My advice to any aspiring author is to find a topic to write about that you enjoy and feel others would enjoy knowing about, too. Learn all you can about that topic so that when questions are asked, you will know the right answers. Also, one must be ready to spend long hours of writing, editing, and honing their craft.

Author Interview ~ Wayne Holmes

Wayne Holmes is the compiler of five books including, The Heart of a Teacher, Whispering in God’s Ear, and The Embrace of a Father. He is a popular speaker and teacher at writer’s conferences and is a member of Toastmasters, Int. He lives near Cincinnati, Ohio with his wife Linda.










What new book or project would you like to tell us about?


My latest book, The Embrace of a Father, was released in April, 2006, and I’m pleased with its reception. Like my previous titles, this is a collection of stories that reflect the nature of our heavenly Father. The stories are heartwarming and full of emotion. One reviewer wrote, “Don't bother trying not to cry.”

Tell us about your publishing journey. How long had you been writing before you got a contract? How did you find out and what went through your mind?

I have a file filled with rejection letters that remind me of the rocky publishing road I’ve trod. I had a perfect record of, “No thanks, not for us,” until Bethany House offered to buy The Heart of a Father. A close friend suggested I give up, and I almost did. I had been sending out articles, book proposals, and even finished manuscripts for eight years. Since I knew the subject matter well, I even wrote an article on rejection. It, too, “didn’t meet our needs.”

At the 2000 Write to Publish conference I pitched the idea for a collection of stories about fathers to Steve Laube. He loved the idea and by the end of the summer I received a call from him to talk over the details of a book contract. I was excited, but I also felt grateful. After hearing “no” for so long, finally someone was willing to give me a chance. After the call, I closed my eyes and offered a two word prayer, “Thank you.”

Why a compilation instead of just writing the book yourself?

When a door opens, you walk through it. That’s my philosophy. I tried to market a book of my own writing for several years. No one wanted to buy it, but one house was interested enough to ask for the proposal. They rejected the book, but my friend, Bob Hostetler, instructed me to develop a new idea and send them a query letter right away.

When the Chicken Soup books came out I fell in love with the idea of having a collection of short, inspiring stories. I wondered why there wasn’t one about dads and how they reflect God’s image. So, I decided to pitch this concept. They rejected it (my perfect record was still intact) but eventually it sold to Bethany House.

How did you choose the stories to be included in your compilation?

I chose the stories primarily on how I react to them emotionally. Did the story make me laugh, cry, or want to shout for joy? Quality of writing was also a determining factor. A good writer can take an average story and make it sing. A poor writer can take a great story and make it boring. Sometimes I worked with an author to improve their writing skills. But, I tried to avoid heavy editing whenever possible.

My advice for those submitting to compilations would be to follow the guidelines (how often have we heard that?) and send the best quality writing you can. Occasionally I received a submission from someone who wanted to know if the story was something I might be interested in. If so, they would be happy to clean it up. Polish your work before you submit it. If it’s worth writing, it’s worth writing well.

Do you go after certain authors to include or do you put out a "cattle call" so to speak?

Both. When I’m accepting submissions I send out a “call for stories” and everyone is permitted to submit. Of course, I hope that some of the writers I have published in the past will submit something because I’m familiar with the quality of their work. But I also use stories from highly successful authors and I search their books looking for vignettes that will fit the slant. Once I find a strong story, I secure permission to reprint from their publisher.

How are the authors paid for a compilation? Do they receive a flat fee for the story or do they receive a portion of the royalties?

I offer my contributors a flat fee, a complimentary copy of the book, and the opportunity to purchase additional copies at a reduced rate. Some of my contributors buy cases of books and make a nice profit by selling them at speaking engagements or through their church and friends. I don’t know of anyone that pays a portion of the royalties. That would be complicated.

Does the author retain the copyright to their individual story? Could they publish it again in another compilation like an article?

This varies a little depending on the compiler and the publisher. I have asked my publishers to allow the authors to retain the rights to their story and they agreed. WaterBrook asked for a one-year exclusivity for the stories but after one year the rights belong to the authors. In fact, two of the stories from The Heart of a Father were reprinted in James Dobson’s book, A Father, A Hero.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve heard?

When you write, lock up the editor. Get your words out and don’t worry about the quality. That comes later. You can’t edit your writing if you don’t have anything to work with. So, set aside that nasty editor voice and just write the story. Once it’s out there, open the door and let the editor do his job. Good writing requires hours of rewriting.

What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?

“Just give up.” For years I tried to get published. No luck. A close friend saw my struggle and frustration, and, thinking I’d be happier without the disappointment of rejection, suggested I quit. She suggested that my self-worth wasn’t dependent on success as a published author. In a way, the advice wasn’t all that bad, and it was well intentioned. I appreciated the advice and the love in which it was given, and then I ignored it. I’m glad I did. I’m also glad I married that woman. (smile)

Do you have any parting words of advice?

Improve the quality of your writing and you will lower the number of your rejections. My goal for 2005 was to improve the quality of my writing. My goal for 2006 is to improve the quality of my writing. My goal for 2007 will be to—you guessed it—improve the quality of my writing. Join a writers’ group, attend conferences, form a critique group, and read books on the craft of writing.

Interview With Noah Lukeman, Part II

I’ve read that you’ve written four novels. Are they published? Do you have plans to write more fiction?

I wrote them before, during and just after college. I liked them when I finished them, but after letting them sit a few weeks, I didn’t like them anymore! So I put them in a drawer, and never showed them, except when applying to the MFA at Montana (after college). I suppose they liked the novel I submitted, since they accepted me, but I ultimately decided not to go the MFA route, and it’s been nine years since I’ve written a novel, and I honestly have no desire anymore.

You are a believer in not showing anything until you’re ready even if it means ten years or more. Does this mean that a writer shouldn’t try to sell a novel on a partial without a completed manuscript to back it up?

It depends if you’re dealing with fiction or non-fiction. With fiction, yes. Absolutely. Particularly for a first novelist, 99% of the time you will need to have a finished novel to even have a chance to sell it. If an agent submits a partial, an editor will nearly always respond that they can’t make a final decision without the entirety.

With non-fiction, it’s actually the opposite. Agents and editors only want to see one chapter, or two at the most, along with a professional proposal (overview, outline, etc.). So in that case, you would be wasting your time to write the entire book until you knew you had a book deal in hand. (Unless you are writing a memoir, which requires a finished manuscript.)

Regardless, a writer should always wait until he is
ready, however long it takes. You only have one shot with agents and editors, and if your manuscript is not in its best shape, you have likely lost that shot. Agents don’t want to take on manuscripts that need work—and they don’t need to.
They can just turn to the other 9,999 on the stack, and find one that doesn’t need work. Editors, too, would rather buy a book that doesn’t need work. It frees up their scarce editing time, and allows them to buy the 20 or 30 other books they have to in order to meet their corporate
quota.

Agents are always telling their clients that networking with editors and authors at writer’s conferences can’t be stressed enough. Do you agree and if so why?

I agree that networking, in general, is crucial. One key contact, or one key piece of information, can make all the difference in your getting published. Conferences are often a good place to start, but be wary, since some conferences are better than others in terms of the industry talent they attract and the forums they create to allow interaction. I wouldn’t want to see writers spend a lot of money for a costly conference that doesn’t do them much good. In general, try not to spend money unless absolutely necessary.

Aside from conferences, you might consider writing workshops with respected teachers, talks, colonies, writing groups, etc. There are a lot of ways to network; whatever way works for you. The important thing is that you make a decision to do so, and make an effort to do it.

How can I make my agent’s job easier? How much communication is healthy in an agent/author relationship?

Every agent functions differently. In my case, I am always appreciative of an author that sits back and trusts that I am doing my job, and doesn’t try to micromanage, or call or email frequently. It frees up my time to do my job. That said, while I recommend that authors be appreciative of their agent’s efforts and respectful of their time, I wouldn’t necessarily make a blanket statement to all authors to just sit back, since in some cases there are agents who are not working hard for their authors.

The only thing worse than not having an agent is having an agent who does nothing for you, putting your career on hold.

This is why it’s so important to research the right agent to begin with. But if you feel confident that you have a good agent, then yes, I would advise sitting back and being respectful of the agent’s time. Remember, you are entering a long term relationship, which will likely span many years. If an agent feels that you are high-maintenance, he will be less likely to want to work with you in the long run.

What’s the best money an aspiring author can spend on their road to publication? (conferences, how to books, college courses, online workshops etc).

A tough question. In general, I always advise authors to spend as little as possible. I would not advise spending on an MFA if it is going to put you deeply in debt. I would also not advise spending on conferences if exorbitant. I would advise spending on a good writing workshop, if not too costly, and certainly on books, which, in context, are a fraction of the cost of an MFA. I would also advise spending on Fed-Ex when it comes time to query agents. In general, though, there are many, many ways to better your writing without spending money, such as devoting time to revising your own work, borrowing books from the library, improving your vocabulary, creating a mutual writers and readers group, etc. Sometimes spending money can be an escape, a too easy substitute for the harder work of improving your craft.

Can you tell us a little about the on-line workshops that you teach through Writer’s University?

The 4 week course at Writers University allows writers to have question-and-answer access to me for a period of 4 weeks, along with 4 weeks of course material and weekly exercises geared towards helping them land an agent. It’s really for writers who have completed (or are about to complete) a manuscript, and are getting ready to find an agent—it teaches them practical, industry insider tips.

What’s your dream for your writing future?

A Dash of Style was my fourth published book (my third published book on the craft of writing), and it will likely be my last. At least for now, I don’t have the desire to write another book.

Advice for aspiring novelists or parting words?

The best advice I can offer is not to give up. The writers who make it are those who dig in for a longer war, prepare themselves to persevere for 10 or 20 years. Make it a lifelong endeavor, and plan accordingly, and one day you will be published.




A Dash of Style
Noah Lukeman
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: W. W. Norton
ISBN: 039306087X













Reviewed by Gina Holmes:

This is a small, attractive book that you'll be thankful is hardback because you will be referencing it again and again.

With chapter titles like: Comma, or Period, I expected this book to be dreadfully tedious. I couldn't have been more wrong. Mr. Lukeman has truly lived up to the promise he makes that this style guide is like none other. We are not only taught how to correctly use punctuation, but also how to maximize each mark to our work's fullest stylistic advantage.

I have already high-lighted my copy extensively and will continue to go back to it throughout my writing lifetime. If you are a creative writer, from poetry to novel writing, this book is something you should have on your permanent reference shelf.

After reading this, I can't wait to get back to my novel and bravely use a colon, parenthesis or the occasional sentence strewn with commas, to make my prose sing. I have a new tool that will help me maximize my skills in a way I couldn't have without this help. My highest recommendation!

Click here to find out more or buy.

Interview with Noah Lukeman, Part I

Noah Lukeman is author of A Dash of Style: The Art and Mastery of Punctuation, published in 2006 by WW Norton in the U.S. and by Oxford University Press in the U.K. He is also author of the bestselling and critically-acclaimed books The First Five Pages: A Writer’s Guide to Staying out of the Rejection Pile (Simon & Schuster, 1999)and The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life (St. Martins Press, 2002), a BookSense 76 Selection, a Publishers Weekly Daily pick, and a selection of the Writers Digest Book Club. His books are now part of the curriculum in many writing programs.

He has also worked as a collaborator, and is co-author, with Lieutenant General Michael “Rifle” DeLong, USMC, Ret., of Inside CentCom (Regnery, 2004), a Main Selection of the Military Book Club. His Op-Ed pieces (with General DeLong) have been published in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Dallas Morning News. He has also contributed to Poets & Writers, Writers Digest, The Writer, AWP Chronicle and The Writers Market, and has been anthologized in The Practical Writer (Viking, 2004). Foreign editions of his books have been published in the UK and in Portugese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Indonesian.

Noah Lukeman is also President of Lukeman Literary Management Ltd, a New York based literary agency, which he founded in 1996. His clients include winners of the Pulitzer Prize, American Book Award, Pushcart Prize and O. Henry Award, finalists for the National Book Award, Edgar Award, Pacific Rim Prize, multiple New York Times bestsellers, national journalists, major celebrities, and faculty of universities ranging from Harvard to Stanford. He has worked as a Manager in the New York office of Artists Management Group, Michael Ovitz’ multi-talent management company, and has worked for another New York literary agency. Prior to becoming an agent he worked on the editorial side of several major publishers, including William Morrow and Farrar, Straus, Giroux, and as editor of a literary magazine.

He has been a guest speaker on the subjects of writing and publishing at numerous forums, including the Wallace Stegner writing program at Stanford University and the Writers Digest Conference at BookExpo America. He currently teaches a course online at Writers University. He earned his B.A. with High Honors in English and Creative Writing from Brandeis University, cum laude.


First of all, thanks for giving this interview. I know you’re time is limited, being a highly sought after literary agent, best-selling author, and teacher, (among other things).

Congratulations on your latest release: A Dash of Style—The Art and Master of Punctuation. I just reviewed it and couldn’t sing its praises enough. This had to be an incredibly difficult book to write, but I believe you’ve accomplished what you set out to do.
Can you tell us a little about writing A Dash of Style, the purpose of this book, and what you’ve learned from the process?

Thank you.

For a long time, I wanted to write another book for writers that might be useful. After I finished my previous book (The Plot Thickens), I waited several years, not wanting to venture into the genre again unless I felt I could offer something fresh.

Then came the publication of Lynne Truss’ Eats, Shoots & Leaves, which got me thinking seriously about the topic of punctuation. ESL was an enjoyable, humorous book, but not designed for writers, and not at all the approach I would take.

I began seriously thinking about the concept of a different type of book on punctuation, one for creative writers. It would be a book that looked at the period, comma, semicolon and other marks not as a mere grammatical convenience (as most punctuation books do) but rather as a way of enhancing and complementing the content itself.

I wanted to examine these marks at the most profound level: for example, how and why Hemingway used the period, Melville the semicolon. I knew it would be ambitious, and perhaps obscure, but it was certainly fresh, and the more I thought about it, and studied examples from literature, the more I realized that there was indeed something important missing from the genre. Not just from the punctuation genre—but from the greater creative writing genre as well.

Writing this book was an education. Before writing it, I tended to vaguely associate certain authors with certain punctuation marks. But once you start studying their works closely, you come to realize that some authors do not use the marks you had thought they did, and others use marks you hadn’t considered. It was fascinating to see how certain authors stuck to the rules or broke them altogether—and how that impacted the content itself. By the time I was finished, I started to view content in a different way: as at least partially the result of a book’s unique tapestry of punctuation. And every book does have its own unique tapestry, and every author does have a unique punctuation fingerprint. As I say throughout the book, punctuation reveals the writer.

“Punctuation reveals the writer.” Would you explain that?

As a literary agent, one is forced to read a tremendous number of manuscripts in a short period of time, and to make instant decisions. An agent is always looking to get an immediate handle on an author’s style, to decide whether he’d like to represent him. An agent is also looking for errors, so that he can reject a manuscript, if need be, and move on.

Punctuation, more than any other aspect of style, reveals the writer. A trained agent can glance at a manuscript’s punctuation and infer a tremendous amount about the style and quality of the work.

Become a good self-editor is as important as becoming a good writer, since it is in the editing and revision that writing transforms from good to great. Oftentimes, writers look back on their own work with little or no objectivity, and thus it is hard for them to get a fix on their own writing, and hard to self-edit. Punctuation can be very useful in this regard.

By challenging writers to look at their punctuation first and content second, it forces them to view their work in a different way, and can give them the objectivity they need. And punctuation never lies.

You describe punctuation as a “fearful topic” for writers. Why do you think that is?

For most writers, punctuation is something they learned when young and which they now do mostly by instinct. Most writers have not actively studied or paid close attention to the marks on an ongoing basis, or in recent years. Since they do so much instinctually, they prefer not to dwell too deeply. It is like holding up a magnifying glass to the part they prefer to keep in the dark, or at the very least, not to be highlighted.

Contemplating punctuation brings them into a grammatical mindset they prefer not to enter, and heightens their insecurities about their craftsmanship.

The idea of contemplating punctuation is also overwhelming for many writers, since it means slowing down the craftsmanship to a macro level. It raises the bar, and makes previously smaller issues seem so much greater. With an entire book before them, most writers want to plow ahead and focus on big picture issues, like plot and character. To stop and ponder punctuation can seem like an arduous task.

In Chapter Eight, you say, “I received hundreds of letters in response to my first book on writing, The First Five Pages. Many readers loved the book, some hated it, and others told me with a dark satisfaction that they didn’t read past my first five pages. Accustomed to receiving thousands of query letters a year, some truly bizarre, none of this really surprised me.”

Let me say, I did read past your first five pages. Great book. You receive thousands of query letters? Of those, how many would you estimate you go on to offer representation to?

Thank you.

At this moment in time I am not taking on new clients, but over the last 10 years or so I have taken on hundreds of authors, and there would be times when I received as many as 10,000 unsolicited query letters or manuscripts a year. Of those, I would usually take on one or two annually.

Would you give us an example of a “bizarre” submission you’ve received?

I wouldn’t want to single anyone out (to prevent embarrassment), but, generally speaking, when you deal with that sort of volume, statistically you are bound to receive some strange things!

There have been queries wrapped in colorful ribbon, sent in black envelopes, sent as formal invitations; queries that included some gimmick, like a pen, or a piece of candy, or a $1 bill. Queries that demand I respond with a certain number of hours, that demand I write an essay explaining the reasons I would be qualified to represent them!

Queries that offer you a huge commission, or no commission, or long, handwritten letters from prison. Queries that threaten. There was a period of about two years when I received weekly postcards from a writer who claimed he was sailing across the world, and he mailed a postcard from every port. It was a two year prologue to a query letter which, oddly enough, never even came.

It seems today, that getting a book to publication has less and less to do with great writing, and more to do with marketing. Do you find this to be true?

First, I don’t think it’s necessarily much different today than it used to be—at least I don’t notice it being much different than how it was 10 years ago. It is true that many imprints have dissolved since then, making it harder to sell manuscripts—but then again, many new imprints have also popped up.

I wouldn’t necessarily say that getting published today has more to do with marketing than writing. Of course, if you are a celebrity, or have a national publicity platform, you will probably get a book deal regardless of the quality of your writing. But it’s pretty much always been that way.

For everyone else, it comes down predominantly to the quality of the writing and the strength of the concept. There are other factors, such as competition in the marketplace, timing. But editors, for the most part, still hold quality in high regard, and if a work of writing is utterly brilliant, more often than not it will find its way to publication eventually.

Of course, the author needs to get it into the right hands; if the author is a recluse and doesn’t share it with anyone, or gives it to the wrong people, or writes a poor query letter, or approaches agents and editors in the wrong way, then there is a chance that a brilliant manuscript can remain unpublished. So it is a combination of factors.

How helpful is an author’s marketing plan when they try to land an agent or publisher? Can you give us any advice to improving ours?

Yes, this is vital. I’ve written a lot on this topic, including an article called “How to Land an Agent,” which ran a few years ago in Poets & Writers (anthologized in The Practical Writer); a forthcoming article, “10 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Approaching the Publishing Industry,” which will be published in a Fall 2006 issue of the Brandeis University magazine; four weeks of course material for Writers University; and an entire 120 e-book called “How to Write a Great Query Letter” (available via the Lukeman site). So it would be hard for me to rehash all of it here.

Briefly, I’ll just say that you should query agents first (not editors), you should submit a one page query letter, and you should keep your query as short and professional as possible, only including what is absolutely relevant. You should also spend months researching the proper agents beforehand, and you should broaden your querying efforts to include at least 50 agents. Approaching the wrong agents, or not approaching enough of them, or writing a poor query letter, can all mean the difference in your getting published.

You said in a previous interview that often agents feel rejections more than the authors. Why is that?

When an agent agrees to represent a manuscript, he is putting his stamp of approval on it, in effect getting behind it and saying to editors, “I read this and loved it, and I vouch for it, and I’m asking you to trust my judgment and love it, too.” This is especially true because agents only have the time to work on a small number of manuscripts a year. So when an agent receives a rejection from an editor, he can feel the sting of rejection, too, as his taste is also being called into question.

Additionally, by representing the manuscript, the agent is also, in essence, telling the author that he can sell it. When the rejections come, the agent feels the double disappointment of having let down the writer, who has his hopes in him. And an agent can have a dozen or more manuscripts out on submission at any one time, each with dozens of publishers. So on any given day, an agent might receive several rejections. Few days have gone by during my last 10 years when I have not received at least one rejection for the day. So rejection becomes a part of daily life.

I’ve read that you’ve written four novels. Are they published? Do you have plans to write more fiction?

To be continued tomorrow ...

And the Winners are ...

Contemptorary stand alone: Levi's Will by W.Dale Cramer

Contemperary series: The Road to Home by Vanessa Del Fabbro

Historical: Whence Came a Prince by Liz Higgs

Romance: A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist

Suspense/Mystery: River Rising by Athol Dickson

Visionary: Shadow Over Kiriath by Karen Hancock

First Novel: This Heavy Silence by Nicole Mazzarella


(Thanks to Colleen Coble for reporting the winners.)

Photographers Wanted

If any of you attending the Christy Awards and/or the ICRS convention take pictures and wouldn't mind sharing them, Novel Journey would love to post them. Please forward on to Gina through her profile addy.

Please include your name and the link to your web-site/blog if you'd like that posted as well.

Thanks!

Novelist Shares Technique

Click here to read an interesting article featuring our own Alton Gansky.

S'up Saturday

I know every Saturday I'm telling y'all about all the great interviews coming up. This month is exceptional interview-wise. We have many amazing interviews, and commentary for you but what I'm most excited about is the interview with best-selling author and NY literary agent, Noah Lukeman (The First Five Pages).

I've read the interview and it is FANTASTIC!

Another interview I'm excited about is with Warner's Faith Words (did I get that right?) Publisher, Chip MacGregor. If you've met Chip, you know he's a bit of an intelligent donkey and says what's on his mind. The interview was a whopping thirteen pages long and is full of Chipisms and straight talk. I like the man a lot. He says a lot of the things I'd like to but wouldn't dare.

You definitely don't want to miss that one.
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I just finished reading Claudia Mair Burney's, Murder Mayhem and a Fine Man and it is awesome. Her voice is so fresh and the story which is a blend of women's fiction, romance, mystery and chick-lit was so funny, entertaining, steamy, sassy and heart rendering. I'm not big on romances but I may need to rethink that. The love story in this book was hot and for me, what I enjoyed most.

This chick has talent galore. She brings it home on every level. I'd love to see her someday write something like Charles Martin's books or Peace Like a River but of course in her own voice. That's the biggest compliment I'm capable of giving as those books are genius. Mair is absolutely capable of writing a classic. I'll be reviewing this book in full on Novel Reviews.

Give me a M...A...I...R...!!!
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Creston Mapes', Dark Star: Confessions of a Rock Idol has been selected by the Romance Writers of America (RWA) as a finalist for its 2006 Inspirational Readers Choice awards in the category of long, contemporary novel! Awards will presented this summer in Atlanta at the Marriott Marquis hotel.
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Now a word from our sponsor: (actually we have no sponsors as we don't like pimping our blog anymore than our souls but we will plug friends. This one being Camy Tang.)

The Story Sensei Summer Sale - A writers' summer event!

From now until July 15th, I will be holding a fabulous contest for my Story Sensei critique service.I will draw the names of TWO lucky winners! They will each receive: A free synopsis critique – up to 10 pages single-spaced, a $40 value!ANDA coupon for 25% OFF any manuscript critique – whether full or partial manuscript, any number of words. For a 100,000 word manuscript, that's a savings of $250! In addition, EVERYONE WHO ENTERS will receive a 10% OFF coupon for any service, whether synopsis, query letter, or manuscript critique (full or partial). For a 100,000 word manuscript, that's a savings of $100, just for entering. Go to my Story Sensei blog and post a comment to enter the contest!http://storysensei.blogspot.com/ Thanks!Camy

Yo-ho-ho, a new lass is aboard!

Arr, me hearties, in lieu of today's publicity teachin', Novel Journey is pleased t' take part in the launch of Marylu Tyndall's maiden voyage into the CBA.

Releasing the same month as Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean, The Redemption follows the merry yarn of Lady Charlisse Bristol as she's shipwrecked and taken captive aboard a pirate ship.

If ye be looking for a chance t' win a copy o' The Redemption for yourself, join The Redemption Treasure Hunt. (http://www.ambermiller.com)

If ye be looking for your next clue for The Redemption Treasure Hunt, here it be: What are the two pirate movies referenced in the post on Jerkrenak's Den? Find the answers and your next destination at http://jerkrenak.blogspot.com/

Below decks, the followin' Q&A be offerin' you a chance to learn more about MaryLu. Let's give her a big welcome!

1.) Tell us a bit about the story.

My story begins with a horrific storm at sea in which Lady Charlisse Bristol becomes shipwrecked on an island. She has run away from an abusive uncle in London and sailed to the Caribbean in search of a father she has never known. After weeks of combating the elements, her salvation comes in the form of a band of pirates and their fiercely handsome leader, Edmund Merrick.

Captain Merrick has only recently given his life to God and turned his back on a life of piracy to become a privateer. While battling his attraction to this winsome lady and learning to walk a more godly path, he offers to help Charlisse on her quest-until he discovers her father is none other than Edward the Terror, the cruellest pirate on the Caribbean. Edmund must find a way to win this lady's love while shielding her from his lecherous crew and working to bring her father to justice.

2.) What sparked the idea to write about pirates?

I've always had an obsession for pirates-those swashbuckling heroes who roamed the wild Caribbean seas in their tall ships. The Golden Age of Piracy was such an adventurous and romantic time in our history, and having grown up in that part of the world-south Florida-it grabbed my interest at an early age. What sparked the idea for the novel, however, was the Disney movie, Pirates of the Caribbean. After I saw it several times with my daughter, I had a desire to write about pirates that wouldn't go away. Why do the evil pirates get to have all the fun? Why not write about a Christian pirate?

3.) As you researched this subject, what most surprised you?

The biggest surprise for me was discovering that not all pirates were vicious thieves and murderers. Many, in fact, were commissioned by their countries during times of war to disturb merchant shipping lines and fleet movements, and in general to play havoc with their enemies. In fact, one of the most notorious pirate captains, Henry Morgan, commanded his own fleet of pirate ships, called the Brethren of the Coast, whose sole purpose was to raid Spanish ships and towns in the Caribbean. He was eventually knighted by King Charles II of England and became the governor of Jamaica. These facts aided my story a great deal as many of these pirates, who turned privateers, had strong religious convictions.

4.) How long did it take to write your first novel?

I began writing The Redemption in the Fall of 2003, but it was slow going at first. I was working full time as a software engineer, not to mention my responsibilities at home as wife and mother. I'm sure many of you can relate. There just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day! Consequently, I did not complete the novel until early Spring 2005, yet I still didn't feel it was ready. I hadn't written in a while and needed some counsel, so I hired two editors to go through my manuscript, and I entered four contests for the feedback. I made the final cut in two of those contests and felt encouraged, but I must admit, I learned a great deal more from my editors. By the end of Spring 2005, I had polished the manuscript the best I could and went looking for an agent. God's timing is always perfect. I was laid off from my job of fifteen years the same month my agent took me on as a client and began submitting The Redemption. By September of that same year, I had a contract in hand from Barbour for the entire three book series!


5.) How long must we wait for the sequel?

Not long! The second book in the series, The Reliance, will be released in January 2007, and the third book, The Restitution, will be out in stores, June, 2007. As you can tell, I've been very busy

Author Interview ~ Nicole Mazzarella

Nicole Mazzarella grew up in Ohio and writes with sensitivity and precision about rural, Midwestern life. Nicole currently teaches creative writing at Wheaton College. Prior to teaching, Nicole worked in a variety of settings, including the 1996 Olympics, an Episcopal Cathedral, a bank, an insurance company, and a software company. She now lives with her husband and daughter in Illinois.








Can you give us a look into a typical day for you?

I don’t know if “typical” exists now that I have an eleven-month old baby. Typical includes reading Goodnight Moon every night to lull my daughter to sleep, stepping on Cheerios every time I walk into the kitchen, and laughing at my daughter’s joke of saying “Da Da” when I ask her who I am.

Does my typical day include writing? Most days do. Even if I don’t write every day, I work out aspects of my novel every day. As I’m driving, walking, vacuuming, or standing in line, I’m also imagining conversations between my characters, considering the plot, or trying to figure out the back story of a minor character. I do sit down almost every day for at least a half an hour to get these ideas on paper. This usually happens during my daughter’s naptime or late at night.

Teaching also enlivens my writing. I typically teach my classes in the morning or early afternoon. It’s helpful to remember some fundamentals of fiction writing in the midst of a project as consuming as a novel.

How long had you been writing before you got a contract? How did you find out and what went through your mind?

In a box of old elementary school papers, I found a fill-in-the-blank ditto sheet “All About Me.” To the question, “What do you want to do when you grow up?,” I answered “write books.” I don’t remember writing that or admitting to anyone other than my mother than I wanted to write.

As a freshman in high school, I wrote what I then called a novel. Every night my mom listened to the latest installment - only a mother can give that type of encouragement. I did complete it, though it loudly echoes what I was reading at the time. Writing has always been my natural response to reading. After I read someone else’s stories, I have the impulse to tell my own.

Over fifteen years later when I sent my manuscript to Paraclete Press, I never imagined they would contact me. The day the acquisitions editor from Paraclete Press called, I had just put tortilla shells in the oven on broil. I was so stunned by the news that I completely forgot about them.

As I called my husband to tell him my novel would be published, I noticed smoke billowing from the oven. For a split second, I thought, “The fire can wait. I have to tell him.” But when I peeked in the oven and flames licked the door, I quickly hung up the phone and put out the fire before calling him. The oven has never been the same, but it’s a good story. I had worked on the novel for almost four years, so I was elated at the thought of sharing the novel with readers.

In addition to being a Christy Award finalist, your book was just named by Christianity Today as Fiction Book of the Year. It also received a starred review from Library Journal and was also named by Library Journal as one of the best books of 2005. Leif Enger, author of Peace Like a River, selected it as a finalist for the Paraclete Press Fiction Award of 2004. How did you find out about these awards?


Well, neither story is as dramatic as learning the novel would be published. I didn’t even realize my publisher had nominated my novel for the Christy Awards. I simply received an e-mail from them telling me I was a finalist. I missed the publisher’s call when they learned I had won the CT award, so I found out when strangers at the Calvin Faith and Writing conference congratulated me.

What new book or project would you like to tell us about?

I’ve started my second novel, but I have a quirk that I don’t talk about my writing too early in the process. One thinks of writers like Truman Capote and others who spent more time talking about their writing than writing. If I tell the story, I no longer have the urge to write it. I will say that I’ve moved on to a different location which intrigues me. I’m enjoying the research for this second novel and the characters who I’ve met thus far.

Do you still have self-doubts about your writing?

Of course. I obsessively revise. Even as I give readings, I want to tinker with sentences. I’m still a bit surprised to hear complements from readers. Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird has been the greatest help with my self-doubts. She normalizes so much about the writing life and gives practical ways to work in spite of self-doubt.

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

After I completed the first draft of This Heavy Silence, I stopped writing. I didn’t journal. I didn’t think about the novel. I stopped writing short stories. For about three months, I doubted that any one would ever want to read anything I had written. But then I had repeating dreams about my characters. I missed them the way you miss a habitual cup of coffee. That’s when I decided that even if no one ever cared about these characters, I had to finish the novel.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve heard?

Lousy First Drafts. That's from a book, Bird by Bird, that I read once a year, sometimes more. Before someone recommended this book, I would spend an afternoon staring at the blank screen. I would type, delete, repeat, and end the day with nothing. Allowing myself to write whatever comes to mind has allowed for characters who surprise me, dialogue that makes me laugh, and plot turns that shock me.

What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?

If you don’t write every day, you’re not a writer. Does a writer need to write when she doesn’t feel like it? Yes. Does a writer need to find a way to ignore other responsibilities to write? Yes. Does a writer need to write regularly? Yes. But I don’t believe you are no longer a writer if you don’t sit at your desk every day.

What are a few of your favorite novels?

I hate to even begin to name them. It’s an ever-changing list. As with all writers, I’m indebted to hundreds of writers. A few novels that instantly come to mind would be Middlemarch, Cat’s Eye, Poisonwood Bible, Bee Season, The Stone Diaries, A Thousand Acres, A River Beyond the World, Brother’s Karamazov, and a recent discovery, Dwelling Places; there are so many more.

What author do you especially admire and why?

Flannery O’Connor. Her essays and talks collected in Mystery and Manners made it possible for me to write. She says, “If the novelist is doing what as an artist he is bound to do, he will inevitably suggest that image of ultimate reality as it can be glimpsed in some aspect of the human situation.” This freed me to observe reality, not tidy it up. This allowed me to ask questions. This reminded me that careful observation of our world is similar to quieting oneself in prayer.

How much marketing do you do? What's your favorite part of marketing?

Quite a bit. I designed my website (http://www.nicolemazzarella.com/), postcards, and bookmarks when the novel was released. I set up readings and book signings. My favorite moments are casual conversations with book clubs and aspiring writers. Visiting classrooms is also a highlight. Elementary school students ask the best questions, such as why didn’t I illustrate my novel, how did I name my characters, and what is my favorite tree.

Do you have any parting words of advice?

Write because it makes you more present, more attentive, in life.

Scenes & Beans Goes Live!

I don't know if I mentioned that I auditioned for one of the roles for best-selling author, Brandilyn Collin's new character blog, Scenes & Beans. I, along with many other fine folks, including some of you all, won a part writing for it.

What fascinates me most is the publicity aspect of it. I think Brandilyn is one savvy writing chick.

Anyway, everything she does, she does with style, and this is no exception. The blog goes live today. I hope you'll check it out and leave a comment to support her, mine and the rest of your blogging friend's efforts. And if you want to post a newsclip on your blog announcing it, I'm sure she'd be grateful. Some day, God willing, we'll be promoting our own books with equally clever marketing plans.

www.kannerlake.blogspot.com

Author Interview ~ MaryLu Tyndall

MaryLu Tyndall spent her early years on the shores of South Florida. She graduated from San Jose State with a degree in Computer Science, and worked for a software company in Silicon Valley for fifteen years. She has been writing for more than twenty years, and currently lives in California with her husband, six children and three cats. .







What new book or project would you like to tell us about?

The Redemption, my first novel was just released on July 1st. It is a historical pirate adventure set in the 17th century Caribbean. My story begins when the heroine, Lady Charlisse Bristol, sets off on a voyage in search of a father she never knew, only to find herself shipwrecked on a deserted island.

After weeks of combating the elements, her salvation comes in the form of a band of pirates and their fiercely handsome leader, Edmund Merrick. While battling his attraction to this winsome lady and learning to walk a more godly path, Edmund offers to help Charlisse on her quest—until he discovers her father is none other than Edward the Terror, the cruelest pirate on the Caribbean.

The Redemption was born out of a difficult, personal journey. Like the heroine in my story, I too grew up without a father’s love and spent many years searching for acceptance and value in all the wrong places. I rejected God and didn’t realize that only in His arms would I find what I was searching for. There is a deep part of my soul written in the path Charlisse must take to find God’s love—a path that I hope will provide a healing touch to many lives.

Tell us about your publishing journey. How long had you been writing before you got a contract? How did you find out and what went through your mind?

I’ve been writing since high school, but not consistently. I submitted my work to a publisher twenty years ago and was rejected, but only in the past two years, have I seriously submitted a novel to agents and publishers. I’ve always heard how difficult it is to break into the publishing world, and truthfully, I was not confident enough to believe I could do it.

While I was still employed in a full time job, I felt the Lord nudging me to write a novel, a Christian pirate novel. I thought. Ok, I’ll write it, but I doubt anything will ever come of it. Well, it took me a year and a half to write it, edit it and get it in tip-top shape. I sent out twenty query letters to agents in the spring of 2005. I received nineteen rejections. In July of 2005, an agent picked up my book. That same month, I was also laid off from my job, so I thought, Lord, either I need to get a book contract, or I need to set my writing aside and find another job.

In September, my agent sent my novel out to ten publishers. Five days later, he called to tell me that Barbour was taking my manuscript to their review board. Five days after that, he called me from the ACFW conference to tell me that Barbour not only wanted to publish my book, but wanted an additional two more in the series! What was going through my mind? I remember running out into my back yard and screaming at the top of my lungs. I fell to my knees and began to thank God and praise Him over and over. I knew that this was His gift to me and had nothing to do with anything I had done. To be honest, I’m still a bit numb when I think about it.

Do you still have self-doubts about your writing?

Absolutely. Every day when I sit down at the computer. LOL There are so many great writers out there to whom I pale by comparison. But I always pray before I write, asking for wisdom and direction, and I leave the rest of to the Lord.

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

Yes, and I did quit. I wrote a science fiction romance novel twenty years ago that got rejected from Avon Publishers. At the time I was a single parent, working full time, and it had taken me years to write that novel! So I put it on the shelf and quit—that is until two years ago when the Lord nudged me into writing again.

What mistakes did you make while seeking an editor or agent?

I guess the biggest mistake I made was sending my proposal to agents who did not represent the genre of my novel. Agents are people too, and they have their own likes and dislikes. I was told by several of them that historicals were not selling and that the Christian market already had their “pet” historical authors. I’m glad I didn’t give up at that point.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve heard?

Put God first, write from your heart, and leave the rest to Him.

What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?

Write what sells.

Do you have a pet peeve having to do with this biz?

Yes, the “biz” part of it. LOL. The marketing, the book signings, the interviews (not this one, of course!) All the other stuff we have to do besides write.

What do you wish you’d known early in your career that might have saved you some time and/or frustration in writing? In publishing?

God is in control, not the agents, not the publishers, not the book stores, not the market or the readers, and especially not you and me. If we are truly called to write and we are writing for His glory, we have nothing to fear, not other people’s opinions, not rejections, not low contest scores, nothing. We can learn from these things, but we need not fear them because God will ultimately have His way.

Was there ever a difficult set back that you went through in your writing career?

The only major setback I’ve had is when I wrote that science fiction novel twenty years ago, and it was rejected by the first publisher I sent it to. I put down my pen and didn’t attempt to write anything for another eighteen years. That’s a pretty big setback, but God had some powerful things to do in my life between then and now before I could truly write for Him.

What are a few of your favorite books?

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Mark of the Lion Series by Francine Rivers

What work have you done that you’re especially proud of and why?

This is tough question for me. I spent most of my life without God, and I consider everything I did in those years as worthless and vain. Anything good I’ve done since then, whether it be my oil paintings, my books, or working to create a better family, I must give complete glory to God.

Do you have a scripture or quote that has spoken to you lately in regards to your writing?

Psalm 37: 23-24 The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

Can you give us a look into a typical day for you?

I get up at 6:30 and enjoy coffee with my husband before he goes to work. After he leaves, I spend an hour in prayer and Bible study. The next hour I usually spend reading my email and addressing anything of immediate importance. Then I go out for a morning jog.

I try to write uninterrupted from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm every day during the week, taking one small break for a snack. It doesn’t always work out that way as I often get interrupted with kids and various problems—unsolvable by anyone but Mom. After 3:00 p.m., I run errands, do housework, or work on the “biz” side of writing. By 5:00 p.m., I’m in the kitchen fixing dinner for the family, and evening time belongs to them.

Do you have a word or page goal you set for each day?

Yes, I try to write at least 1000 good words a day. By “good”, I mean that I’ve first allowed them to pour out of me and then I’ve gone back and reread them to fix any errors and enhance the writing where needed.

Are you an SOTP (seat of the pants) writer or a plotter?

I’m somewhere in the middle, but I’d say I lean toward the SOTP writer. I start out with a general idea of what my story is about, the beginning, middle and end. I know the theme or moral lesson I’m trying to portray, and I have the personalities of my major characters well developed. Then I just start writing and let my characters take me where they want to go.

What author do you especially admire and why?

Linda Windsor. I admire Linda not only because she’s an excellent writer, but also because of her courage in facing the recent loss of her husband and still being able to recover, with the Lord’s help, and write another novel.

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?

My favorite part is living in a world that I create. When I was a child, I used to daydream all the time. I would make up fantasy worlds in my head filled with wonderful characters living fascinating lives. Now I get to do that all day. My least favorite part of writing is all the other stuff besides that.

How much marketing do you do? What's your favorite part of marketing?

I do as little marketing as I can get away with. I’m a shy introvert, so I prefer to stay home and write. Having said that, however, I have gone into book stores asking about possible book signings, I have passed out bookmarks and sent postcards. I have gathered lists of influences who receive a free copy of my novel in return for a review. I’m also doing interviews like this one for blogs and newsletters, and I’m hoping to attend the annual Pirate Festival in Key West , FL.

Do you have any parting words of advice?

If you are an aspiring writer, do your best not to take any rejection, or bad critique, or low contest score personally. Ask God what you can learn from each experience. The very same manuscript that has now been published as my first novel, The Redemption, got low scores on several contests, and many rejections from agents and publishers. Learn from them and move on. Put God first, make sure He has called you to write, and never give up. And may the Lord richly bless each one of you in your writing and in all that you do.

The Power of Full Engagement

By Mary DeMuth










I'm reading an interesting book right now called The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. In their work with top-notch athletes, they've discovered an important principle for all of us. We are at our optimal when we take short breaks, where we disengage from life for a moment before plunging further into work. Life is better managed, not in time increments, but by how we use or misuse our daily energy.

"The richest, happiest and most productive lives are characterized by the ability to fully engage in the challenge at hand, but also to disengage periodically and seek renewal," writes Loehr and Schwartz. "

Instead, many of us live our lives as if we are running in an endless marathon, pushing ourselves far beyond healthy levels of exertion" (p. 12).

I've often felt like I've lived life disengaged from that which is truly important. Perhaps that's why the title of this book intrigued me. I want to be able to slow down and enjoy the smile on my son's face when he creates a new Lego creation. I want to be able to set aside my set-in-stone agenda for the sake of what is truly important. I want to be fully engaged in worshipping Jesus.But to do that, I need to take breaks. I need to rest. To rejuvenate.

One interesting thing I read in the book was that when people who came up with innovations or new ideas were interviewed none of them said they came up with the idea during work.

Ideas and innovations came on a walk, doing dishes, in nature, sitting still. When I run in the mornings (something I've forsaken during the cold and flu season that's taken up firm residence in our villa), I become clear. I hear the voice of God. Writing ideas flow in. Insights about my life and my heart become focused.It's no wonder this book is impacting me. It's all about something God commanded--Sabbath.

I've found myself writing and writing and writing. Though penning words brings me profound joy, I've found that joy turning to obligation lately. So, now I'm praying for wisdom as to how to reorder my day, how to incorporate breaks into my life. With crazy-minded type-A's like myself, it is hard. But, the premise of the book is that we will actually have more output if we dare to take a breather on a consistent basis.

How about you? What do you do for rest? How have you ordered your writing day? What brings you respite? For me, it's nature and gardening and playing and reading. It's creating small pieces of art and giving them away. Sometimes it's cooking. Or talking on the phone with a dear friend. These breaks become like sunbeams bursting through the clouds of my ordinary days.

In rest, I remember how finite I am. In rest I reconnect with the Giver of Rest. With rest, I realize the universe runs without my help. With rest, I engage more fully in the moment. Ghandi said, "There is more to life than increasing its speed." How true.

What can you do today to slow the pace a bit?


Mary DeMuth began her writing career as a newsletter editor, then novelist, columnist and freelance writer. She lives in France with her husband and three children. She has several non-fiction books to her credit, including--Building the Christian Family You Never Had and Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God. Her novel, Watching the Tree Limbs is available here.

Author Interview ~ James David Jordan

Jim is a business attorney with the Texas law firm of Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. From 1998 through 2005, he served as the firm's Chairman and CEO. The Dallas Business Journal has named him one of the most influential leaders in the Dallas/Fort Worth legal community. Texas Monthly magazine has named him one of Texas' Super Lawyers.A minister's son who grew up in Alton, Illinois, Jim has a law degree and MBA from the University of Illinois in addition to his journalism degree. He lives with his wife and two teenage children in the Dallas suburbs. Something That Lasts is his first novel.










What book or project is coming out or has come out that you’d like to tell us about?

My first novel, Something That Lasts, was released by Integrity Publishers on May 23, 2006. It’s a story of family, faith and forgiveness. It revolves around a minister’s family -- father, mother and twelve-year-old son – torn apart by the father’s scandalous adultery. They struggle for thirty years to find the secret of how to get back together and stay together forever. It is doing very well and has received great reviews.






Tell us about your journey to publication. How long had you been writing before you got the call you had a contract, how you heard and what went through your head.

It was seven years from the time I began writing to the day that Integrity accepted Something That Lasts for publication. I went into the publication process with a plan. I originally self-published the book in 2004 and marketed the book almost exclusively in Dallas-Fort Worth. I thought that if I could establish a good sales record in one major market, publishers would take note.

Things went just as planned (to my great surprise). The book was successful in Dallas-Fort Worth and received a lot of publicity in the area. It won honorable mention in Writer’s Digest’s International Self-published Book Contest. My big break occurred when Crossings Book Club called and said they wanted to use Something That Lasts as one of their 2006 selections. For Crossings to select a self-published book was very rare. Soon thereafter, Integrity gave me a contract. Crossings featured Something That Lasts in its late May, 2006 catalog, and Integrity coordinated its release with Crossings.

Do you still experience self-doubts regarding your work?

Are you kidding? That goes with the territory in this business. I have no illusions that I have yet mastered the craft.

What mistakes have you made while seeking publication?

Like most first-time authors, I underestimated the difficulty of getting a manuscript noticed by agents and publishers. My business background helped me a lot, though. I always understood that I had to find a way to reduce the business risk for potential publishers. In my case, establishing a track record in a single market accomplished that.

What’s the best advice you’ve heard on writing/publication?

Polish your manuscript and then polish it again. When you submit something, make sure that it’s as good as you can make it. You don’t get second chances to make an impression in the book business. Also, make sure you hook the reader in the first few paragraphs. Often that is all that an agent, publisher or potential purchaser will read before forming a judgment about your book.

What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve heard?

Actually, the writing advice that I’ve gotten has been quite good. I’ve had people suggest some things on the promotional side that I thought were not great. The marketing writing in the book business is not always of the same quality as the book writing. I suggest that first-time writers get marketing advice as well as literary advice. Ultimately, no one is responsible for selling your book but you.

What’s something you wish you’d known earlier that might have saved you some time/frustration in the publishing business?

I wish that I had taken the time to get to know people in the industry while I was writing. It’s a big advantage when people can at least put your name together with your face. Getting past the gatekeepers is half the battle.

Is there a particularly difficult set back that you’ve gone through in your writing career you are willing to share?

I got help from a creative writing instructor at SMU at a time when I thought my manuscript was near final form. Her feedback was brutal. It was something that I needed, though, and I am proud of the fact that I didn’t quit, even though that was a discouraging time. Something That Lasts ended up being a far better book because I was willing to listen and change some things.

What are a few of your favorite books? (Not written by you.)

War and Peace; A Farewell to Arms; Cold Mountain; Bonfire of the Vanities; The Brothers Karamazov.

What piece of writing have you done that you’re particularly proud of and why?

Something That Lasts is the first thing I’ve ever written for publication other than professional pieces for legal journals. (I’m an attorney.)

Do you have a pet peeve having to do with this biz?

Many people in the industry are very negative and discouraging. I’m an upbeat person, so that really bugs me.

Can you give us a view into a typical day of your writing life?

I am a full-time practicing attorney, so I write in the evenings and on weekends, whenever I can find a spare hour or two. When I sit down to write, I don’t mess around or grouse about writer’s block. I just write.

If you could choose to have one strength of another writer, what would it be and from whom?

I wish that I had Charles Frazier’s gift for dialect and Barbara Kingsolver’s gift for developing unique characters.

Do you have a dream for the future of your writing, something you would love to accomplish?

I want to write fun-to-read, page-turning stories that help people explore and grow in their faith.

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

About twice a year for seven years. But I kept telling God I wouldn’t quit no matter what. I kept my promise. I’m proud of that.

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?

I enjoy re-writing and editing, but I hate writing the first draft. I think it’s drudgery to get the raw story on the page. It’s a pleasure to polish each paragraph and make it good.

How much marketing do you do? Any advice in this area?

I work as hard at marketing as I do at writing. Maybe harder. I do speeches, radio and television interviews, and book signings. I’m always trying to think of a new approach to getting the word out about my book. I have always viewed it as my responsibility to sell the book as well as write it. That’s my business background coming through.

Parting words?

This has been, hands down, the most rewarding experience of my professional life. There is no feeling as good as having a reader say that she stayed awake until three o’clock in the morning because she couldn’t put Something That Lasts down. As difficult as this business is, I still highly recommend it.

Guest Blogger ~ Claudia Burney

Claudia Mair Burney is the author of the Amanda Bell Brown Mysteriesseries, NavPress. Her first novel Murder, Mayhem, and a Fine Man releases in July of 2006. She is the ragamuffiin diva, a neomystic, hippie chick Jesus Freak, married to Ken, mama to seven, and a friend of sinners (and a couple of saints). http://ragamuffindiva.blogspot.com/.







Meeting Jesus on the Page


I’m no devotional master. Sometimes my prayer life fizzles. I wouldn’t get any gold stars about my Bible study, either. So, what’s the Lover of my soul to do when I’m paying no attention to Him? When I’m somewhere typing away, and He is lonely for my voice? Jesus, with His tender mercy and outrageous grace, meets me right where I am. When I’m in a story He meets me on the page.

I’ve been reading the Notebooks of Nicole Gausseron. This wife and mother opened two homes for Jesus’ “Companions”. They barely made do. Many of the men went back to abusing alcohol. Some died. Some even committed suicide. This was daunting, thankless work—like writing—but through it all she kept scribbling in her little notebooks.

As I continued to read I realized she and I know the same Jesus. I’ve heard His seductive voice. Like her I know His playfulness and rebuke. He even flirts with me. Jesus kept telling Nicole, “I am alive. I am a person.” He did it right in her notebooks.

I am imperfect. I have my shining moments when it’s just Jesus and me. On occasion I manage to do as the Divine Liturgy says, and can “lay aside all earthly cares.” But too often I neglect Him. He whispers, “Come to me,” and I don’t. “I’m busy writing,” I may say. We play hide and seek.

Like Nicole, I keep hearing a persistent Jesus say, “Come.” But I treat Him like He’s on a plaster crucifix hanging on the wall. In those times, I miss His aliveness, His presence, but He’s kind enough to enter my story anyway. He’s done it many times.

Recently, in a crisis, I met Jesus in the pages of “The Crowded House.” In my story unexpected sorrows visit me. I entered into my fictional world with the same intensity I reserve for centering prayer and Bible study. Writing doesn’t take the place of time alone with God, but this guest blog entry is really about God’s mercy. It’s about writing and missing the adoration mark doing literary busy work for the Lord. But Jesus showed up, alive, His voice like surround sound, and image as vivid as HDTV. He bore gifts of love and healing to lavish upon us, both writer and reader.

We have an insistent lover in Christ. He needs our love. Astounding! He woos us any way He can. Not only will he meet us in a story, He’ll meet others in our work, too. Pure grace. As Madeline L’Engle said, “Jesus is God who told stories.” I say, He is God who enters ours. He’s the same God who used stories to show Himself in His Word, after all. He uses even the most soaring flights of fancy to let us and our readers know He’s here, and there, and everywhere. He’s altogether lovely.

Welcome Him, on the page and in your heart.

Mair






**A note from Gina: I'm in the middle of reading Claudia's first novel,
Murder Mayhem and a Fine Man (click here to read more) and WOW! It's all I thought it would be. Sassy doesn't even come close. It is so well written, funny, and the love story is so great, I think I've got a crush on the hero. More than anything, our girl, Mair, (aka Claudia Burney), says all the things we'd say if we were braver. You all have got to check this book out. It's fresh and a definite winner. I'll be reviewing it in the coming week or so on Novel Reviews. It releases July 5th.