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May/June2013 Issue
May/June Issue
Writer's Digest Magazine
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Guide to Literary Agents Blogroll
Blogroll
- 2nd Draft Critique Service
Before you send out your work, have it edited by an established pro! - Agency Gatekeeper
A literary agent shares secrets. - Agent in the Middle
Agent Lori Perkins blogs and tells all - Ashley Grayson Agent Blog
From the Ashley Grayson Literary Agency - Ask the Agent
Literary agent Andy Ross in Oakland runs an agency blog. - Association of Authors' Representatives
- Barbara Doyen's Articles Page
Agent Barbara Doyen shares her knowledge. - Barry Goldblatt Literary
A blog from the whole agency. - BookEnds Agent Blog
Agents from Bookends Literary blog - Brenda BowenAgent Brenda Bowen's "Bunny Eat Bunny" kids writing blog.
- Cameron McClureCameron, with the Donald Maass Lit Agency, runs her "Book Cannibal" blog.
- Caren Johnson Literary Agency
The official CJLA blog - Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market Blog
This blog, run by Alice Pope, is a must-read for anyone writing in the juvenile market - Chip MacGregor's Agent Blog
A Christian agent speaks - Chuck's conference speaking schedule
See where Chuck will be presenting and when! - Colleen Lindsay's Agent Blog
A new agent at FinePrint Literary blogs - DHS Literary Blog
David Hale Smith's "Literary Show and Tell" blog. - Diana Fox's Agent Blog
A literary agent talks publishing - Dystel & Goderich Agent Blog
- Eddie Schneider
An agent from JABberwocky Literary blogs. - Elaine English Literary Agency Blog
A blog from the whole agency. - F+W Bookstore
Buy Guide to Literary Agents and a bunch of other great WD Books. - FinePrint Literary Management Blog
A blog from the whole agency. - Folio Literary Management's Blog
All the agents chime in on this new blog - Fresh Books Blog
An agency blog. - Full Circle Literary's Blog
Agents from Full Circle Literary in California blog - Girl Meets Book
Agent Jamie Brenner of Artists & Artisans blogs. - Greenhouse Literary Blog
Agent Sarah Davies shares her thoughts and wisdom - Hartline Literary Blog
A blog from the whole agency. - Janet Reid
Agent Janet Reid of FinePrint Literary gives her two cents on anything and everything - Jennifer Jackson's Agent Blog
An agent with the Donald Maass Literary Agency blogs - Jenny Bent's Blog
From the founder of The Bent Agency. - Jill Corcoran
A kids agent at the Herman Agency blogs. - Joshua Bilmes Agent Blog
JABberwocky Literary Agency - Kathleen Ortiz Agent Blog
Kathleen with Lowenstein Associates - Kelly Mortimer
Agent Kelly Mortimer's "Perils of Publishing" blog. - Ken Atchity
The president of AEI, a script and literary management co., blogs. - Kid Lit
A blog by kids agent Mary Kole of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency - Kimberly Cameron & Associates
A blog from the whole agency. - Knight Agency Blog
Exactly what it sounds like - Laurie McLean's Agent Blog
The "Agent Savant" blog - Lit Soup (Jenny Rappaport's Agent Blog)
An agent at the L. Perkins Agency blogs - Lucienne Diver's Agent Blog
A blog on "Authorial, Agently and Personal Ramblings." - Lyons Literary Agent Blog
Agent Jonathan Lyons blogs - MFA Confidential Blog
This new WD blog features Kate Monahan and all things about getting an MFA - Michael Larsen's Blog
Agent Michael Larsen of Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents blogs about publishing and nonfiction writing. - Miss Snark
No longer active, but this blog by anonymous agent Miss Snark still has oodles of priceless info in its archives - Nathan Bransford
A popular blog from an agent at Curtis Brown in San Francisco - Nephele Tempest's Agent Blog
An agent with the Knight Agency blogs - Poetic Asides
A poetry blog from the editor of Writer's Market - Promptly (Prompts Blog)
WD's own blog of writing prompts, run by magazine staffer Zac Petit - Pub Rants
Kristin Nelson's Agent Blog - Publishers Marketplace
- Query Shark
Janet Reid's blog where she dissects query letters - Questions and Quandaries Blog
WD staffer Brian A. Klems answers questions of all kinds - Rachelle Gardner
A blog by an agent who specializes in Christian Writing - Romantic Reads
Dorchester editor Leah Hultenschmidt blogs romance. - Sara Crowe's Blog
An agent from Harvey Klinger blogs. - Scott Eagan's Agent Blog
The great Greyhaus agent blogs away. - Script Notes
A WD scriptwriting blog from Chad Gervich, TV producer - Steve Laube's Agent Blog
A Christian agent and former editor talks the biz. - Suzie Townsend
A new assistant agent at FinePrint Literary blogs. - Terry Burns's Blog
An agent with Hartline Literary blogs. - Terry Whalin's Blog
"The Writing Life," as told by a former editor and agent. - The Buried Editor
A blog dedicated to juvenile writing (YA, middle grade, picture books) run by an editor at CBAY Books and Blooming Tree Press - The Gail Ross Literary Agency
The agency blog. - The Inside Pitch Screenwriting Blog
A Hollywood Executive Talks About Screenwriting - The New Literary Agents
A few new literary agents share advice. - The Rejecter (Anonymous Agent)
- The Shatzkin Files
- The Sound and the Furry
WD contributor Nancy Parish talks writing. - There Are No Rules
Jane Friedman of Writer's Digest Books, talks about publishing trends and has interviews online - Tracy Marchini
An agent from Curtis Brown, Ltd. blogs - United States Copyright Office
- Upstart Crow Blog
A blog from the whole agency at Upstart Crow Literary. - Waxman Literary Agency
A blog from the whole agency. - Wendy Sherman Associates Blog
Multiple agents blog. - Writer Beware
A site dedicated to protecting writers from scams of all kinds - including unscrupulous agents - Writer Unboxed
Primarily devoted to genre fiction, this site features plenty of interviews with industry pros - Writer's Digest magazine
This big hub has tons of online articles from past issues of WD. Check out the revamped new site! - Writer's Digest University (Writers Online Workshops)
Online writing courses are taught by WD staffers and contributors - Writer's Market
This pay site is our online database of listings (magazines, book publishers, agents, and everything else). It has more than 6,000 listings. - Writing-World
A huge writing website and resource writers should check out. - Wylie Merrick Agency's Blog
- Zack Company Blog
Agent Andrew Zack blogs.
- 2nd Draft Critique Service
Website of the Week
Guide to Literary Agents
Author Interviews
Brian Kimberling: An Interview With the Author of SNAPPER
Brian Kimberling’s debut, SNAPPER, details the brief but romantic career of a backwater birdwatcher. It won the 1st Annual Janklow & Nesbit Prize, and will appear from Pantheon (April 2013) and from Tinder Press (UK, May 2013). In a starred review, Booklist said of the book: “Told with precise and memorable prose in beautifully rendered, time-shifted vignettes, Snapper richly evokes the emotions of coming to adulthood … Kimberling writes gracefully about absurdity, showing a rich feeling for the whole range of human tragicomedy. A delightful debut.” Read more
Debut Author Interview: Kenneth Kraegel, Author of the Picture Book KING ARTHUR’S VERY GREAT GRANDSON
It’s rare to get to sit down and chat with a debut picture writer. It seems that because picture books are sometimes a tough sell, finding a true blue debut is not the easiest task. But today I am lucky to sit down and talk with Kenneth Kraegel, author of the 2012 debut picture book KING ARTHUR’S VERY GREAT GRANDSON (Candlewick), which features the title character seeking out adventure and facing down monsters. Along with getting a starred review in Publishers Weekly, the book was a New York Times Notable Children’s Book of 2012 as well as a Wall Street Journal Children’s Book of 2012. Read more
Author Interview: Eric Devine, Author of the 2012 Young Adult, TAP OUT
Today’s Author Interview is with young adult novelist Eric Devine, whose second novel, TAP OUT, was released in September 2012 from Running Press.
Also the author of This Side of Normal, Eric Devine is a high school English teacher and education consultant. who married his high school sweetheart, and together are raising their two daughters in Upstate, NY. Eric is represented by Kate McKean of the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency and is currently working with editor, Lisa Cheng, on his next YA novel with Running Press. Read more
Mike Jung: An Interview With the Author of GEEKS, GIRLS, AND SECRET IDENTITIES
How did you find your agent?
Mike: EMLA agent Ammi-Joan Paquette contacted me after reading whatever lunacy i was spouting on my blog back in 2009, and I ultimately signed with her in June of 2010. A few months earlier I’d already hurled my manuscript onto Arthur Levine’s slush pile in a fit of megalomaniacal optimism, and in August 2010 I took Arthur’s master class at the SCBWI summer conference. We hit it off, and shortly thereafter Joan called to tell me that Arthur wanted to publish my book. So the final offers of representation and publication happened in kind of a whirlwind. Read more
Debut Author Interview: Anna Loan-Wilsey, Author of A LACK OF TEMPERANCE
It’s time to meet another debut author and see how they found their literary agent and got published. These interviews are a great opportunity to see what debut writers did right on their journey as well as what they wished they did different. Today, we meet novelist Anna Loan-Wilsey, author of the historical mystery A LACK OF TEMPERANCE. Read more
Debut Author Interview: Orest Stelmach, Author of THE BOY FROM REACTOR 4
This installment of Debut Author Interviews is with writer Orest Stelmach, whose debut thriller, THE BOY FROM REACTOR 4, released on March 19, 2013 from Thomas & Mercer. Neil McMahon, New York Times bestselling author of Dead Silver, called Stelmach’s book “a top-notch, fast-moving thriller with gripping authenticity from Stelmach’s knowledge of politics, history, and crime in Eastern Europe and America.” Read more
Debut Author Interview: Ryan McIlvain, Author of ELDER
This debut author interview and spotlight is with 2013 success story Ryan McIlvain, author of ELDERS (March 2013, Hogarth).
ELDERS is literary fiction. Jonathan Evison, author of West of Here, said, “Elders is a refreshingly earnest, clear-eyed, and self-assured debut by a young writer to watch. McIlvain wrestles with sturdy themes, conflicted characters, and big ideas—the stuff of classic literature.” Author Ryan McIlvain was born in Utah and raised in Massachusetts. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in many journals, including The Paris Review. A Stegner Fellow at Stanford from 2009 to 2011, he currently lives with his wife in Los Angeles. Read more
Debut Author Interview: J. Michael Major, Author of the Thriller ONE MAN’S CASTLE
It’s time for another author interview with a writer celebrating the release of their first book. Today we meet J. Michael Major, author of the debut thriller ONE MAN’S CASTLE (Five Star, April 2013.)
J. Michael Major is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the Horror Writers Association. His stories have appeared in the anthologies DeathGrip 3: It Came From the Cinema and New Traditions in Terror, and such magazines as Hardboiled, Bare Bone, Pirate Writings, Into the Darkness, Outer Darkness, and The Sterling Web. He lives with his family outside of Chicago. One Man’s Castle is his first novel. Visit his website at jmichaelmajor.com. Read more
Debut Author Interview: Jack Gray, Author of PIGEON IN A CROSSWALK
It’s time to meet another awesome debut writer. This time it’s narrative writer Jack Gray, Emmy Award-winning producer for CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360.” Born and raised in Massachusetts, he previously worked as a television producer in New Hampshire and Boston. He lives in New York City with his Labrador retriever, Sammy. Find him on Twitter.
PIGEON IN A CROSSWALK (Feb. 2013, Simon & Schuster) is a nonfiction book in which Gray observes and echoes the fixations and neuroses of his generation and our times. Publishers Weekly said “With humor and heart, Gray uses his recollections as a sentimental, sassy mirror into his own personal and professional affairs.” Entertainment Weekly called the book, “Addictive… Gray’s insight and snarky, self-effacing humor make him someone you’d want at any dinner party.” Read more
Debut Author Interview: Aaron Hartzler, Author of the YA Memoir RAPTURE PRACTICE
It’s time for another debut author interview. I love profiling debut authors because I think their stories to publication are excellent roadmaps for other writers trying to get published. This interview is with YA memoir writer Aaron Hartzler.
Aaron Hartzler is a writer and actor who has been seen on stages across the country, and a couple of times on TV. RAPTURE PRACTICE (2013, Little, Brown) is his first book, and received a starred review from Kirkus. His writing can also be found online at BigThink, Salon, Fresh Yarn, and The Huffington Post. He lives in southern California with his boyfriend Nate and their two dogs, Charlie and Brahms. Read more
Debut Author Interview: Rayya Elias, Author of the Memoir HARLEY LOCO
Debut memoirs are very exciting to examine because a lot of people want to write about their life, and interviewing success stories can help others illuminate paths to publishing success. Today we meet Rayya Elias, whose debut memoir came out in April 2013. It’s called HARLEY LOCO: A Memoir of Hard Living, Hair, and Post-Punk From the Middle East to the Lower East Side.
Regarding the book, Publishers Weekly called it, “[A] compulsively page-turning memoir…Haunting and mesmerizing, Elias’s story captures powerfully the vulnerability of being an outsider and the deep yearnings to be a part of something.” Read more
Debut Author Interview: Henriette Lazaridis Power, Author of THE CLOVER HOUSE
This installment of Debut Author Interviews is with debut literary fiction novelist Henriette Lazaridis Power, for her novel, THE CLOVER HOUSE (April 2012, Ballantine). Her agent is Kent Wolf at Lippincott Massie McQuilkin.
THE CLOVER HOUSE was praised by author Jenna Blum (Those Who Save Us) as “A rare treat: an elegantly written debut about a family mystery set during wartime, the slipperiness of memory, and the challenges of forgiveness . . . Read it, read it!” Author Henriette Lazaridis Power is a first-generation Greek-American who has degrees in English literature from Middlebury College; Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar; and the University of Pennsylvania. She taught at Harvard for ten years, serving as an academic dean for four of those. Read more
Debut Author Interview: Wendy Welch, Author of the Memoir THE LITTLE BOOKSTORE OF BIG STONE GAP
I love featuring interviews with first-time book writers on my blog. It’s a rare treat that I get to sit down and talk with a debut memoir writer, but that’s just what’s happening today. Meet author Wendy Welch, who wrote the inspiring and fun book, THE LITTLE BOOKSTORE OF BIG STONE GAP (Oct. 2012, St. Martins). The book has been featured by People. Redbook, NPR, and many other media outlets.
Wendy’s story is billed as “the little Virginia bookstore that could: how two people, two cats, two dogs, and thirty-eight thousand books helped a small town find its heart. It is a story about people and books, and how together they create community.” Publishers Weekly said “The whole narrative exudes enormous charm and the value of dreams and lives truly lived,” while Kirkus called it “An entertaining book with a full cast of eccentric characters.” Read more
Debut Author Interview: Sandi Tan, Author of the Literary Horror Novel, THE BLACK ISLE
This edition of our Debut Author Interviews is with the very successful 2012 first-time novelist, Sandi Tan, who penned the acclaimed ghost story, THE BLACK ISLE (August 2012, Grand Central). The Library Journal and the Philadelphia Inquirer both called the book “beautifully written,” while Publishers Weekly chose it as a “pick of the week.”
Author Sandi Tan was born in Singapore and has an MFA in screenwriting from Columbia University. Her short films have been shown around the world at venues such as the New York Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand, MoMA, and on European television. She lives in Pasadena, California, with her husband, the critic John Powers, and their bossy Siamese, Nico. THE BLACK ISLE is her debut novel. Read more
Kim Kavin: Read an Interview With the Author of the Acclaimed MY BOY BLUE
This interview is with Kim Kavin, award-winning writer, editor, and photographer whose work is widely published in magazines, in books, and online. In April 2013, she will celebrate 10 years of earning a living as a full-time, freelance journalist. LITTLE BOY BLUE (Barrons, Sept. 2012), a true story about a dog named Blue who was rescued from a gas-chamber shelter in North Carolina and transported hundreds of miles to be adopted. This is Kim’s ninth book and her first hardcover. It’s also her first book about dogs, a topic she hopes to write about for many years to come. Read more
Debut Author Interview: Jenifer Madison, Author of of the Self-Help Book, LIVING THE PROMISES
Today’s debut author interview is with a nonfiction writer: Jenifer Madson, author of LIVING THE PROMISES: Coming to Life on the Road to Recovery (March 2013, Conari Press). I find it fascinating to study the paths of debut writers, so that other scribes trying to make it can see what they did right and wished they’d done different on their journey to publication.
LIVING THE PROMISES is an inspirational self-help book that discusses finding purpose and joy after breaking from addiction. Karen Casey, PhD., author of Each Day A New Beginning, said, “Jenifer’s book is a must for your morning meditation or night stand, or both. She writes with such clarity about the journey we share in light of the ‘promises’ made to us in the Big Book. You will enjoy every morsel of this book. I did.” Read more
Debut Author Interview: Frank Bill, Author of DONNYBROOK
I love interviewing debut authors on my blog. It’s because the path of debut authors is a great roadmap for others who are trying to get their books published and/or find a literary agent. That said, today we meet novelist Frank Bill.
Frank Bill’s March 2012 debut novel, DONNYBROOK, is about “The Donnybrook, a three-day bare-knuckle tournament held on a thousand-acre plot out in the sticks of southern Indiana. Twenty fighters. One wire-fence ring. Fight until only one man is left standing while a rowdy festival of onlookers—drunk and high on whatever’s on offer—bet on the fighters.” Frank’s previous story collection, Crimes in Southern Indiana, was one of GQ’s favorite books of 2011 and a Daily Beast best debut of 2011. Frank lives and writes in southern Indiana. Donnybrook is his first novel. Read more
Author Interview: Tamera Will Wissinger, Author of the Debut Middle Grade GONE FISHING
I am a huge fan of debut authors and new writers, which is why I interview so many on the Guide to Literary Agents Blog. Today’s getting-to-know-you interview is with Tamera Will Wissenger, author of the debut middle grade contemporary adventure, GONE FISHING (Houghton Mifflin, March 2013), illustrated by Matthew Cordell, which uses poetry in its writing. Reading how debut authors got published is a great roadmap for those looking to follow in their footsteps. Read more
Judy L. Mandel: Meet the Author of REPLACEMENT CHILD (A Memoir)
I have always loved interviewing debut authors, both for the GLA Blog, and for Writer’s Digest magazine. Today, I’m happy to interview author Judy L. Mandel. These interviews are a great way to learn more about how new writers got published and found their literary agents.
Judy L. Mandel is the author of REPLACEMENT CHILD: A MEMOIR (Seal Press, March 5, 2013). She began her career as a journalist, branched out to public relations, and settled in corporate marketing, where she worked for more than 20 years as a marketing director for several Fortune 100 companies. Mandel is now a student in the MFA program of Stony Brook Southampton and lives in Connecticut with her husband. Read more
Debut Author Interview: N. Griffin, Author of the Young Adult Novel THE WHOLE STUPID WAY WE ARE
I love sharing interviews with first-time authors here on the Guide to Literary Agents Blog. I think they’re a great resource for others trying to get published, as each interview serves as a mini-roadmap of what a writer did correct on their journey as well as what they wish they did different. Today I’d like you to meet N. Griffin, author of the young adult debut THE WHOLE STUPID WAY WE ARE (Feb. 2013, Atheneum Books). In a starred review, Publishers Weekly said of the novel, “Griffin’s portrayal of [the main characters' friendship and their] sense of injustice, frustration, and rage is wrenching and difficult to forget.” Kirkus Reviews said, “Readers who invest in this quirky set of characters and circumstances will be rewarded.”
GIVEAWAY: N. Griffin is excited to give away a free copy of her novel to a random commenter. Comment within 2 weeks; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you’ve won before. (Update: DanielJayBerg won.) Read more
Author Interview: Susan Goodman, Author of IT’S A DOG’S LIFE
This interview is with Susan E. Goodman, author of the nonfiction children’s book IT’S A DOG’S LIFE: HOW MAN’S BEST FRIENDS SEES, HEARS AND SMELLS THE WORLD (July 2012, Flash Point). Of the book, Kirkus said “Children will be barking up the right tree with this enjoyable read.”
GIVEAWAY: Susan is excited to give away a free copy of her book to a random commenter. Comment within 2 weeks; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you’ve won before. (Update: vrundell won.) Read more
Debut Author Interview: Miriam Forster, Author of the Young Adult Novel, CITY OF A THOUSAND DOLLS
Meet author Miriam Forster. Miriam’s debut novel is young adult story, CITY OF A THOUSAND DOLLS (Feb. 2012, HarperTeen). Miriam sat down with Guide to Literary Agents to discuss how she came to sign with her agent, Jennifer Laughran of Andrea Brown Literary, and how DOLLS came to be published.
In a starred review, Publishers Weekly said of the book: “Set in a magically isolated Empire, Forster’s well-crafted story and confident prose are rich, packed with small details that immerse readers in her sumptuously imagined world.” Author Miriam Forster wrote her first story at seven and has been playing with words ever since. She is obsessed with anthropology, British television, and stories of all kinds.
GIVEAWAY: Miriam is excited to give away a free copy of her novel to a random commenter. Comment within 2 weeks; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you’ve won before. (Update: CC Dowling won.) Read more
Debut Author Interview: Laurie Boyle Crompton, Author of BLAZE
I love introducing my blog readers to the debut author of today. I believe that showing them the paths of those writers who have found success recently is an excellent way to provide roadmaps to those looking to follow in their footsteps. Examine what people did right — and learn from them! Today’s debut author interview is with Laurie Boyle Crompton about her young adult novel, BLAZE (OR LOVE IN THE TIME OF SUPERVILLAINS), out Feb. 2013 from Sourcebooks Fire. Read more
Interview: Lisa Tenzin-Dolma, Author of THE HEARTBEAT AT YOUR FEET
Meet Lisa Tenzin-Dolma, a canine psychologist and the author of The Heartbeat at Your Feet: A Practical, Compassionate New Way to Train Your Dog. Lisa is the director and principal of The International School of Canine Psychology, training dog owners and prospective dog psychologists in science-based compassionate methods. She is the founder of The Dog Helpline, which offers distance advice to dog owners and rescue shelters around the world.
GIVEAWAY: Lisa is excited to give away a free copy of her book to a random commenter. Comment within 2 weeks; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you’ve won before. (Update: vrundell won.) Read more
Author Interview: Seth Casteel, Author of the NY Times Bestseller UNDERWATER DOGS
This author interview is with Seth Casteel, award-winning photographer and New York Times Best Selling Author. His series of Underwater Dogs photographs have been seen by hundreds of millions of people around the world. Seth’s work has been published in National Geographic, The New York Times and in hundreds of other magazines, newspapers and calendars. You may have also seen him on Good Morning America, EXTRA, The Insider and Inside Edition. He has traveled the world in pursuit of his passion, working with animals on five continents. His non-profit organization, SecondChancePhotos.org, helps to increase adoption rates at animal shelters through better photography. He is based in Los Angeles and Chicago and is the proud “dad” to two dogs, Nala the mini-labradoodle and Fritz, the Norwich Terrier. Read more
