You. Guys. I was on a podcast. Not just any podcast, but a podcast I've been listening to since I first decided I wanted to take this whole "writing thing" seriously. The #AmWriting Podcast with KJ Dell'Antonia, Jessica Lahey, and Sarina Bowen. The hosts are successful writers in their own right in different genres of … Continue reading I was on the #AmWriting Podcast
Tag: #amwriting
Copy Edit Season
One year ago this week, I began writing Her Dying Day. I'd flown to Bangor, Maine to participate in a writer's retreat. I'd never done anything like that before. I was nervous. As a mystery writer and true crime aficionado, part of my brain was telling me that trekking out into the woods where I … Continue reading Copy Edit Season
Writing the Book is Only Half the Job
This week, at the end of a marathon writing sprint lasting 3 days and producing over 9000 words (but the rough draft of Book 3 is DONE!), I was given some new, fun stuff to do by my publisher. I'm not talking about simple line edits. The first fun thing was an author questionnaire. It … Continue reading Writing the Book is Only Half the Job
I Have a Book Deal!
I started querying this book almost exactly 1 year ago in June 2020. I got my agent in February 2021 and now on June 15, 2021 I have a deal with an honest-to-God publisher. Crooked Lane is a smaller publisher, but it specializes in mysteries, which is exactly the kind of publisher I want. And, … Continue reading I Have a Book Deal!
The First Rule of Book Submission is You Don’t Talk about Book Submission
I won't be able to talk much about my book situation right now. No matter where I actually am in the process of getting a deal, my book is still "Under Submission" to editors until a contract is signed and Publisher's Weekly has made the announcement of the deal. Submissions themselves can take anywhere from … Continue reading The First Rule of Book Submission is You Don’t Talk about Book Submission
Under Submission
That's a weird term, "Under Submission." Under = In an existent state of. Submission = Consideration or Judgement. There's a nebulous quality to that phrase that can't quit convey how emotionally fraught it is to be "Under Submission." To be "Under Submission" means your agent wrote a pitch (essentially a much better written query) and … Continue reading Under Submission
Agented!
Ladies, Gentlemen, and Children of All Ages, I had The Call with a real, live agent If you’ve ever wanted to publish or have a loved one who is an author with aspirations you know how important The Call is. The Call, spoken with a hushed reverence, is the moment an agent offers to represent … Continue reading Agented!
The Coffee Shop I Used to Know
I'm in the middle of drafting my second book. I've been working on it since June, when I finished the edits on my first book and started sending it to agents in the hopes that one of them would love it as much as I do and want to help me sell it for big … Continue reading The Coffee Shop I Used to Know
November is National Novel Writing Month
There is this thing that exists in writer circles called NaNoWriMo. This stands for National Novel Writing Month. It happens every November, with people getting ready in October. There is a whole organization you can find at https://nanowrimo.org/ that will support and encourage you during the month. This quote is at the top of their … Continue reading November is National Novel Writing Month
Hello, 2020!
Welcome to the New Year, my friends. We're only a couple of weeks in and I can already tell it is going to be a wild one. At the start of every year it is commonplace to start assessing where we are at and where we want to go. Particularly this year, as we are … Continue reading Hello, 2020!