tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91209162011-12-24T11:26:55.921-05:00Writing Links, Blurbs, Articles of InterestLaurennoreply@blogger.comBlogger2311100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-58568547476738273872007-04-02T23:06:00.002-04:002009-06-29T10:49:15.848-04:00

Elmore Leonard has 10 rules of writing.Kurt Vonnegut has 8 rules.Both are worth the read.Any other authors with rules of writing?

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1167959435477755142007-01-04T20:10:00.000-05:002007-01-04T20:11:18.486-05:00

Click on the link and you'll find out why. Unless, of course, you already have the answer.powered by performancing firefox

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1167695547721359532007-01-01T18:52:00.000-05:002007-01-01T18:53:23.896-05:00

Fifty most popular stories in one sentence.powered by performancing firefox

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1167579060755835652006-12-31T10:31:00.000-05:002006-12-31T10:31:43.183-05:00

From the mouths of . . . You fill in the blank. At least when you say something stupid at work or at home people may not remember what you said. In the courtroom, you don't have that luxury. You have a court reporter.powered by performancing firefox

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1167577431944343492006-12-31T10:03:00.000-05:002006-12-31T10:05:58.686-05:00

Creative types can be so entertaining in the early stage of developing an idea. Many of the absurd inventions fall into this category. Maybe if they pursued another draft or two, their inventions would be anything but absurd.powered by performancing firefox

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1167062919269149952006-12-25T11:08:00.000-05:002007-01-05T15:17:35.236-05:00

This site contains links to the macabre and weird that have occurred in a specific area of the country. On the home page, visitors click on a state then city contained in a list, which brings surfers to the oddity that had occurred in that location: from hauntings to UFO sightings, etc.. Great for story ideas, as well as just a fun place to lurk if you enjoy learning about things that go bump in

Laurennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1167008365249173362006-12-24T19:59:00.000-05:002006-12-24T20:00:57.666-05:00

Found this website that lists links to many classic short stories. Hence, the title of the website: Classic Short Stories.powered by performancing firefox

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1166306047802640782006-12-16T16:54:00.000-05:002006-12-16T16:55:02.360-05:00

Another great website. That is, if this is your cup of poison.powered by performancing firefox

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1166305384181535302006-12-16T16:43:00.000-05:002006-12-16T16:51:29.536-05:00

This is a website definitely worth visiting if you are an armchair detective like me.powered by performancing firefox

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1166207839215580802006-12-15T13:37:00.000-05:002006-12-15T13:41:02.746-05:00

Stumbled onto this website while doing research on my book. I'm hoping it is a joke but not sure. The subtitle on the site is: Hitman - The most trusted name in professional killings! You be the judge if this is the real thing or not. Scary . . .powered by performancing firefox

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1163528736794806962006-11-14T13:25:00.000-05:002006-11-14T14:00:38.726-05:00

An informative article on how to increase book sales at book signings.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1163426272620288382006-11-13T08:57:00.000-05:002006-11-13T08:57:52.700-05:00

Small Press Center - Homepowered by performancing firefox

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1162443667540215692006-11-02T00:01:00.000-05:002006-11-02T00:39:17.883-05:00

John Shors, author of "Beneath A Marble Sky," a romantic novel, boosts book sales by speaking at book clubs. Shors proves that a little innovation can go a long way.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1161527173616294662006-10-22T10:26:00.000-04:002006-10-22T10:26:13.680-04:00

Interesting article. As long as the doctors are not into Horror or Science Fiction, it could be highly effective.Craft of writing might help art of medicine - Health Care - MSNBC.com

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1159807518593815022006-10-02T12:45:00.000-04:002006-10-02T12:45:18.766-04:00

Good punctuation site if you can get past the typo in the fourth paragraph.Writing English - Proofreading and Copyediting Services

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1159655626275394882006-09-30T18:33:00.000-04:002006-09-30T18:33:46.323-04:00

Counting words in a manuscript. all that's new(s) from A to Z

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1152489189121651602006-07-09T19:53:00.000-04:002006-07-09T19:56:30.066-04:00

Noah Lukeman article on plot at the link. . .and Flannery O'Connor quote on writing below."'People are always asking me if the university stifles writers. I reply that it hasn't stifled enough of them. There's many a bestseller that could have been prevented by a good writing teacher."--Flannery O'Connor"

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1152020880186158662006-07-04T09:48:00.000-04:002006-07-04T09:48:00.253-04:00

A primer on the grant of rights by Agent Kristin at pubrants. Great explanation why agents are important in negotiating a publishing contract.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1151335769336098492006-06-26T11:23:00.000-04:002006-06-26T11:29:29.370-04:00

Book readings have reached a whole new entertainment level. Authors supplement their bookstore readings with appearances at fashion stores, corporate headquarters and even at car dealerships. So why not a reading at a Casino?

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1150676683032966722006-06-18T20:24:00.000-04:002006-06-18T20:24:43.133-04:00

A helpful article on what editors are looking for and not looking for in a manuscript.FictionAddiction.NET - What Do Editors Want?

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1149436098114761282006-06-04T11:48:00.000-04:002006-06-04T11:48:18.183-04:00

After reading a query, an agent will request a partial (first 30 pages of a manuscript). This article provides an agent's insight into how she looks at partials. Backspace-- The Writer's Place

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1149376984645335132006-06-03T19:23:00.000-04:002006-06-03T19:23:06.903-04:00

Found this great article, "Ten Rules for Suspense Fiction," by Brian Garfield, author of "Death Wish." International Thriller Writers: The Thriller World

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1149348035077897482006-06-03T11:19:00.000-04:002006-06-03T11:20:35.126-04:00

Small book publishers thrive in Brooklyn, the heart of a new literary renaissance. village voice > books > by Jessica Winter

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1147623348163137142006-05-14T12:15:00.000-04:002006-05-14T12:15:48.240-04:00

Bookseller Chick's article on midlist authors.Bookseller Chick: The Rise to Greatness: the Power of a Single Reader: "The Rise to Greatness: the Power of a Single Reader"

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1145803088914471382006-04-23T10:38:00.000-04:002006-04-23T10:38:08.976-04:00

This link will take you to an article written by an editor at Tor, which delineates the cost of printing a mass market book. Interesting stuff!alg: P&Ls and how books make (or don't) money: part the first: the mass market original complete failure

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1145637425701811052006-04-21T12:37:00.000-04:002006-04-21T12:37:05.813-04:00

A lot of useful information here on building characters.Building Fictional Characters

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1145308178012492972006-04-17T17:09:00.000-04:002006-04-17T17:09:38.096-04:00

Great news for memoir writers in the Washington Post article. Despite James Frey's deception, the memoir market still thrives and did not explode into a million little pieces.WSJ.com - Publishers' Solution to Slow Sales: My Story (And His, Too)

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1144857415977884492006-04-12T11:48:00.000-04:002006-04-12T12:00:30.340-04:00

Agent Kristen at Pub Rants posted this exceedingly relevant article about having an original story line. It is relevant because last night I had attended a MWA Mentor Panel in New York City with agents, an editor and authors. One of the topics of conversation was having an outstanding hook. Kristen echoes this sentiment. I would strongly recommend reading her post at http://

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1142358034891463722006-03-14T12:36:00.000-05:002006-03-14T12:40:34.910-05:00

Ah, behind every successful man there is a good woman. In Dan Brown's testimony while under cross-examination, he admitted that his wife carried out much of the research for The Da Vinci Code. Read about Dan Brown's climb from obscurity to household name.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1141920956876624202006-03-09T11:04:00.000-05:002006-03-09T11:15:56.963-05:00

May be a good market for subbing.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1141766843620173792006-03-07T16:25:00.000-05:002006-03-07T21:02:27.816-05:00

The James Frey effect. Tsunami or ripple?

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1141569971568647492006-03-05T09:46:00.000-05:002006-03-05T09:46:20.830-05:00

Blog hosted by Assistant Editor, Fantasy & Science Fiction.The Slush God Speaketh: Slush Annoyance of the Day: 2/28/06

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1141488570181527922006-03-04T11:09:00.000-05:002006-03-07T21:01:40.773-05:00

This is excellent advice from an agent about finishing a novel. Please read it and learn as I did.http://misssnark.blogspot.com/2006/03/almost-done-with-novel-read-this.html

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1141418549569169682006-03-03T15:41:00.000-05:002006-03-07T21:05:50.050-05:00

Interview with Literary Agent Jenny Bent of Trident Media Group By Pam Payne, Industry LiasonJenny Bent is a literary agent with the Trident Media Group., where she represents a number of bestselling authors and leading journalists. Her New York Times bestselling projects include The Sweet Potato Queens Field Guide to Men by Jill Conner Browne, Nesting: It's a Chick

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1141407790958387252006-03-03T12:28:00.000-05:002006-03-03T12:43:11.066-05:00

It's nice to know that writers aren't the only people in the world that receive rejections. The above link shows how the other half lives and also receives rejections.It's not often that we get to see this perspective.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1141047143651056902006-02-27T08:32:00.000-05:002006-02-27T08:32:23.726-05:00

Drum roll . . . Introducing the Snarkives -- An index of Miss Snark's archived posts, now accessible by topic. If you haven't yet sauntered over to http://misssnark.blogspot.com/ test drive the index and see her invaluable resource in a more organized format. Once you have stuck your toe into the cool waters of literary reason, dive into http://misssnark.blogspot.com/ -- and go mad.Miss Snark:

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1140786006341554512006-02-24T08:00:00.000-05:002006-02-24T08:00:07.793-05:00

How to pitch an editor at a writer's conference, as written by an editor.alg: Pitching and Catching. (Hahaha, thanks, SerialKarma.)

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1140611582991946072006-02-22T07:33:00.000-05:002006-02-22T07:33:03.096-05:00

More sex in books. The sheet hits the fan!Romance novels for women get frankly sexual - Yahoo! News

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1140482355054999002006-02-20T19:39:00.000-05:002006-02-20T19:39:15.110-05:00

Another great agent blog to bookmark. It's fantastic that these agents take the time to post their thoughts to help writers. Really, anything you glean from these sites is gold. Pub Rants

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1140221520876091282006-02-17T19:12:00.000-05:002006-02-17T19:12:01.280-05:00

Thought this was a useful article.Contest Tip Sheets

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1139177779570388022006-02-05T17:16:00.000-05:002006-02-05T17:16:23.780-05:00

Great article about Harper Lee, author of "To Kill A Mockingbird."Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Mockingbird author steps out of shadows

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1137504385238072902006-01-17T08:25:00.000-05:002006-01-18T07:52:02.490-05:00

Check out this site. It's a hoot. www.rejectioncollection.comShawn

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1136993961012184292006-01-11T10:34:00.000-05:002006-01-11T10:39:21.030-05:00

Want to get inside a literary agent's head? Mosey along to Miss Snark's blog and read "The Tipping Point." 10+ reasons why she passes on manuscripts.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1136866318478263952006-01-09T23:11:00.000-05:002006-01-09T23:11:58.536-05:00

The Biggest of 2005: The 200 Bestselling Books of the Year

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1136522082939620812006-01-05T23:28:00.000-05:002006-01-05T23:34:42.956-05:00

In honor of the twelve coal miners who lost their lives and the one who lays in a coma, I wanted to post this quote by George Orwell."The comforts of civilisation, the light and heat we take for granted, depend on men toiling deep below the earth's surface to mine narrow seams of coal."My heart goes out to the families.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1136303164489604902006-01-03T10:42:00.000-05:002006-01-18T07:59:05.490-05:00

Interesting experiment conducted by The British Sunday Times.Typed manuscripts of the opening chapters of Naipaul’s In a Free State and a second novel, Holiday, by Stanley Middleton, were sent to 20 publishers and agents.None appears to have recognised them as Booker prizewinners from the 1970s that were lauded as British novel writing at its best. Of the 21 replies, all but one were rejections.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1134231764586612122005-12-10T11:22:00.000-05:002005-12-10T11:22:44.593-05:00

This article published in Backspace by PCQuill Blogger Jon Kohl describes his recent investigation into magazines, aggregators, and mystery postings to Amazon.com.

Jon Kohlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02060734681354474569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1134006352602113692005-12-07T20:45:00.000-05:002005-12-07T20:45:52.663-05:00

Found a great magazine search site. You can do a specific search and then scroll down to see a list of magazines. This site also allows you to save your search list in a file. You don't need to pay a dime to join. Just create a user name and password. I don't know how often the magazines are updated.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1133919124428985742005-12-06T20:32:00.000-05:002005-12-06T20:32:04.640-05:00

This blog is a must read for writers. It is written by an anonymous agent and offers advice on marketing, synopsis writing, and answers writers questions on agents, as well as other writing related issues. The questions are posted by writers seeking advice and answered by Miss Snark. The site is informative and amusing. How is that possible? You ask. There's only one way to find out. Go

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1132959424700915872005-11-25T17:57:00.000-05:002005-11-25T17:57:04.746-05:00

The Sherlock Holmes quote: "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth," encapsulates Stephen King's latest novella, "North by Northeasater." Read entire article by clicking on the title link.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1132752282568906412005-11-23T08:24:00.000-05:002005-11-23T08:24:42.666-05:00

Science fiction and fantasy writers be heartened by this article, appearing in USA Today. It appears that sales of science fiction and fantasy have jumped 8.5% in the past five years. Click on the link and find out why.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1132279523069367802005-11-17T21:05:00.000-05:002005-11-17T21:05:23.140-05:00

With the recent publication of Lauren Weisberger's second novel, Everyone Worth Knowing, job-horror fiction has officially come into its own—but only for women. ------------- I can relate to job horror. Work sucks the life from you like a vampire.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1132232018201030452005-11-17T07:53:00.000-05:002005-11-17T07:53:38.270-05:00

Nov. 17, 2005 — Are you convinced you have a novel in you but just don't want to spend all that time and mental effort to actually work on it? If that's the case, you could join 60,000 other intrepid, wanna-be novelists competing in National Novel Writers Month (NaNoWriMo for short) — a sprint to finish a 50,000-word novel from scratch during the month of November.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1131741253531493882005-11-11T15:33:00.000-05:002005-11-11T15:34:13.546-05:00

A MUST READHere are some interesting facts and figures about the book industry.

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1131294043000835302005-11-06T11:19:00.000-05:002005-11-06T11:20:43.020-05:00

Stamford University Recreates Vitoriana

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1130967545515155602005-11-02T16:37:00.000-05:002005-11-02T16:39:05.556-05:00

Sales and Royalty Info. I have no idea how many sales this is based on, but found it interesting, nonetheless.Shawn

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1130381827402230182005-10-26T22:57:00.000-04:002005-10-26T22:57:07.446-04:00

"For less than $500, anyone can become a published author. But how many self-published books make it to the mainstream?" For the answer to this question and others, click on the above link header. If you absolutely cannot wait to find out the answer to the above question . . . Drum roll! "Fewer than 50 titles are picked up by traditional publishers each year - that's about 0.5 percent." By

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1130089586913185562005-10-23T13:40:00.000-04:002005-10-23T13:46:26.996-04:00

Interesting advice from author Warren Adler, brainchild of "War of the Roses." For someone who has been in the publishing industry for years, Mr. Adler provides contemporary solutions, i.e., e-book publishing, etc. for getting ones book in print, if the conventional route doesn't pan out.Mr. Adler also offers book marketing solutions, as well as practical approaches in the art of writing.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1129814108660798672005-10-20T09:13:00.000-04:002005-10-20T09:15:08.673-04:00

Lots of interesting stuff. Shawn

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1129775985048921172005-10-19T22:26:00.000-04:002005-10-19T22:49:39.196-04:00

Well, actually, before it was scored for opera, it was first illustrated. Some people just can't enjoy their commas and hyphens without an attractive backsplash. I, for one, can't fathom viewing an exclamation point without a smattering of red. Though the excitement of viewing this much beloved volume in color will likely keep me awake at night, I think I'll wait for the release of the opera.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1129512613484180812005-10-16T21:25:00.000-04:002005-10-16T21:30:13.496-04:00

Times Critics Lev Grossman and Richard Lacayo picked what they saw to be the 100 Best books since 1923, the year that TIME Magazine began.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1129380557469747872005-10-15T08:47:00.000-04:002005-10-15T08:49:17.476-04:00

Looking for an eclectic mix of fiction, poetry, arts and culture, book reviews, writing advice, humour as well as interviews from some of the best contemporary authors today? The Scruffy Dog Review is just what's needed.Offering some of the best writing found on the web or in print, The Scruffy Dog Review begins accepting submissions in October for its premiere issue publishing in January

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1129225018935560262005-10-13T13:22:00.000-04:002005-10-13T13:40:24.740-04:00

Great article on sentence structure. For those who have a desire to work on grammar, this article is really a good way to learn the basics. Grammar has been an elusive creature for me. Though, I have taken several grammar and punctuation courses over the years. I found that the best way to learn is to have your work edited. At this point in my life, I'm beginning to understand the comma (no

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1129132966495539802005-10-12T12:01:00.000-04:002005-10-12T12:02:46.503-04:00

Here is the link for Bruce Holland Rogers' short stories. (Magic Realism style.) Shawn

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1129129624010720672005-10-12T11:03:00.000-04:002005-10-12T11:07:04.033-04:00

Here is the course on Magical RealismShawn

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1128965466577384572005-10-10T13:25:00.000-04:002005-10-10T13:31:06.790-04:00

Please note this excerpt from Writers Market Market Watch.Fantasy Magazine, a new quarterly magazine brimming with stories, book reviews, and interviews, launching Nov. 2005. Each issue is at least 80 pages in length, full-size, with gorgeous cover art. Source: publishersnewswire.com Also, for anyone located near Madison, Wisconsin, the World Fantasy Convention, takes place Nov. 4 - 6 in Madison,

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1128957762602033382005-10-10T11:19:00.000-04:002005-10-10T11:22:42.613-04:00

Another great site I've stumbled across--Literary Agent's Live Journal. The Agent's entries touch upon client book signings, running behind in his reading of manuscripts, his days on the road, etc. It offers an interesting behind-the-scenes perspective.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1128897750006099792005-10-09T18:41:00.000-04:002005-10-09T18:42:30.016-04:00

I recently found an excellent site that discusses "How to" get published and find an agent. The site also has useful links.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1128082114449734272005-09-30T08:07:00.000-04:002005-09-30T08:08:34.456-04:00

"Magical realism" has become a debased term. When it first came into use to describe the work of certain Latin American writers, and then a small number of writers from many places in the world, it had a specific meaning that made it useful for critics. If someone made a list of recent magical realist works, there were certain characteristics that works on the list would share. The term also

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1128012883220628852005-09-29T12:52:00.000-04:002005-09-29T12:54:43.226-04:00

Writers Services has just updated their US Agents Listing. Please visit their website and check out the valuable resourse information posted at their site.The title is the link to their website.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1127921292701850412005-09-28T11:25:00.000-04:002005-09-28T11:29:41.233-04:00

From Chekhov to James Joyce, the short story defined modern fiction. The form later came to be defined by America. Writing in 1981, one of the great US writers explains why he came to prefer the story to the novel Raymond Carver.This essay first appeared in the "New York Times Book Review" in 1981 as "A Storyteller's Notebook." Entitled "On Writing," it is included in "Fires: Essays, Poems,

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1127663133705856582005-09-25T11:45:00.000-04:002005-09-25T11:45:34.893-04:00

"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross." -- Sinclair Lewis

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1127569390766540552005-09-24T09:42:00.000-04:002005-09-24T09:43:10.773-04:00

Writing Suspense: Fiction vs. Reality by Michele Martinez As a federal prosecutor in New York City, I spent most of a decade locking up hardened criminals. Specializing in narcotics and gangs cases, I knew crime inside out. By the time I left that job, I'd done so many drug trials, listened in on so many wiretaps, and debriefed so many cold-blooded killers and thugs about so many different types

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1127569144062474582005-09-24T09:38:00.000-04:002005-09-24T09:39:04.070-04:00

Suspense & MysteryShane P. Carr, Associate Editor, Suspense & Mystery Unleashing the Dark SideThe Motives of Villains and Heroes in Suspense Fiction By Shane P. Carr ©2001, Shane P. Carr Did you ever wonder what the author’s mind must be like to think up such a twisted, sadistic character? Would you believe me if I told you that it was the character’s humanity that really sends those chills

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1127188260176074602005-09-19T23:51:00.000-04:002005-09-19T23:54:55.880-04:00

He once appeared on the Dating Game.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1127187753645738592005-09-19T23:42:00.000-04:002005-09-19T23:42:33.710-04:00

Psychopaths could be best financial traders? Mon Sep 19, 2:45 PM ET "Wanted: psychopaths to make a killing in the markets."">Print Story: Psychopaths could be best financial traders? on Yahoo! News: "Back to Story - Help Psychopaths could be best financial traders? Mon Sep 19, 2:45 PM ET 'Wanted: psychopaths to make a killing in the markets.'"

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1124237643594093292005-08-16T20:08:00.000-04:002005-08-16T20:14:03.603-04:00

A REAL LIFE STORY. SHAWNAn interesting thing happened to me while at RWA in Reno. I was made anoffer I couldn't refuse, and it's one that may impact favorably on many ofyou.A bit of back-story--I'm represented by Carolyn Grayson of the AshleyGrayson Literary Agency. The agency is a member of AAR and is comprised of4 agents and 1 intern. Each of the agents specializes in one or more genres(

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1124026614206578752005-08-14T09:34:00.000-04:002005-08-14T09:36:54.213-04:00

I thought it might interest everyone to hear this. In a letter from Helen Rosburg, President/CEO & Editor-in-Chief of Medallion Press, regarding RWA's decision to pull Medallion from the list of RWA-recognized publishers, Ms. Rosburg says:'The average return rate for fiction books is now at 40%.'Shawn

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1123443241704464872005-08-07T15:30:00.000-04:002005-08-07T15:34:01.710-04:00

Please check out my latest experiment. Goggles and lab coats not required.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1123200055313126902005-08-04T20:00:00.000-04:002005-08-04T20:02:20.110-04:00

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1122865531966750262005-07-31T23:05:00.000-04:002005-07-31T23:05:31.986-04:00

for those of you not familiar with the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, this contest encourages bad writing. The entry with the worse opening of a fake novel wins. Here is the 2005 winning entry. As he stared at her ample bosom, he daydreamed of the dual Stromberg carburetors in his vintage Triumph Spitfire, highly functional yet pleasingly formed, perched prominently on top of the intake

Laurennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1122384223789087912005-07-26T09:23:00.000-04:002005-07-26T09:23:44.080-04:00

How a subtitle became a bestseller By Mark Feeney, Globe Staff | July 25, 2005 It's easy to name the elements that can contribute to a book's success: the story, the author, the title. Even the dust jacket can make a difference. But the subtitle? As publishing sensations go, it's not exactly Harry Potter or ''The Da Vinci Code." But for several years, nonfiction titles containing the words ''

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1121138683347384092005-07-11T23:24:00.000-04:002005-07-11T23:24:43.380-04:00

Found this contest for speculative fiction writers. You know who you are.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1120660688017100712005-07-06T10:34:00.000-04:002005-07-06T10:38:20.350-04:00

By: Diana SchwaebleCurrent Editor 07/01/2005Matthew Kressel pays tribute to Hoboken by naming his magazine Sybil's Garage. Do you ever find yourself wishing your job was more fulfilling? Did you ever wake up one morning and decide to follow your bliss? That's what happened to Matthew Kressel, Hoboken resident, who had a career in computers when he decided to take the plunge. The New School

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1120503119233511042005-07-04T14:51:00.000-04:002005-07-04T14:51:59.236-04:00

(VERY INTERSTING ARTICLE) Like a world held between the gravitational pulls of two stars, the publishing industry is suspended between two great paradigms. One is the familiar industrial model built around tangible objects: bound volumes of paper manufactured on printing presses, warehoused in depots, transported in vehicles and sold in stores; the other, newly born, can be described as virtual.

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1120474834938140012005-07-04T07:00:00.000-04:002005-07-04T07:00:34.950-04:00

NTERVIEW WITH AGENT CAROLYN GRAYSON,ASHLEY GRAYSON LITERARY AGENCYBy Lois Winston, KOD Industry Liaison(permission granted to forward to other RWA chapters)When I asked Carolyn to tell us a bit about herself and her agency, shereplied, "I'm anxious to meet the author whose novel is going to buy me mynext car (and I don't mean a Geo)." You've got to love an agent with asense of humor! She went

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1119987477354232612005-06-28T15:34:00.000-04:002005-06-29T11:33:41.200-04:00

By Marg McAlister Long ago, movie directors mastered the technique of creating a convincing fight scene. Bodies crash to the floor.. chairs are upended... viewers are treated to closeups of terrified or furious faces... and the punches thrown are enough to make us wince and close our eyes. (No more of those prissy punches that fooled nobody in the early films - sneaky camera angles to hide the

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1119960508169376482005-06-28T08:08:00.000-04:002005-06-28T08:08:28.203-04:00

Fictitious Force A New Speculative Fiction Market

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1119883878992759082005-06-27T10:51:00.000-04:002005-06-27T10:51:19.020-04:00

June 24, 2005 By Anna Weinberg On June 19, Cory Doctorow announced on his blog boingboing.net that his third novel, Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town, had just been published by Tor Books. More interestingly, he also announced that the entire text of the book, like the text of his two previous novels, was available online under copyright terms that allow the “unlimited, noncommercial

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1119489569478805152005-06-22T21:18:00.000-04:002005-06-22T21:19:29.483-04:00

(I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR EVERYONE'S OPINION ON THIS.) SHAWNWhat is a prologue? When should you use one? Should you forget about a prologue and simply start at Chapter 1?All too often we pick up a published book and read the prologue, then wonder why it was there at all. It doesn't seem to do anything that Chapter One couldn't have done - or that couldn't have been worked in during the story itself.

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1119395170785211442005-06-21T19:04:00.000-04:002005-06-21T19:06:10.790-04:00

Shimmer Magazine is now accepting submissions for their October 2005 issue.Shimmer is a new speculative fiction magazine, published quarterly. Each issue will contain new fiction from emerging and established writers - fantasy, science fiction, horror, magical realism, and stories that defy categorization.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1119192106353804752005-06-19T10:40:00.000-04:002005-06-19T10:50:38.990-04:00

For all you sci-fi writers (or readers), check out this intriguing article from the BBC about Time Travel. Please access at the above link. I've included the first paragraph below, a carrot dangled in front of your nose. The concept of time-travel is laden with uncomfortable paradoxes If you went back in time and met your teenage parents, you could not split them up and prevent your birth -

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1118677623126645052005-06-13T11:43:00.000-04:002005-06-13T11:47:03.133-04:00

By ALEX WITCHELPublished: June 12, 2005"Troy let the towel on his waist drop. The morning light falling into the room put his abs and pecs and nipples into perfect relief. • Brad gasped, as if it was the first time he had seen what was hidden beneath. Troy was a magnificent specimen of manhood. At 33, three years older than Brad, he had the firm, hard stomach of a high-school athlete. His muscles

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1118413988321234432005-06-10T10:32:00.000-04:002005-06-10T10:33:08.326-04:00

'Writing a novel, I discovered then, in that initial fumbling stage, is a test of absolute faith and absolute endurance. It puts you in a position of vulnerability at the same time as handing you a wand. For me, it felt like wading out into the sea on a raft in the dark and staying there all night, drifting and surging, worrying a lot, until the morning comes up and you can see where you are.

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1118178474994641392005-06-07T17:07:00.000-04:002005-06-07T17:07:55.000-04:00

Mining Your Novel for GoldGot an unsold novel languishing in a drawer? There's hope for it yet—here's how to pull short stories from those pages, which can get you published and ignite more interest in the novel itself.by William BartonIt hurts to be told that no one wants your novel, whether it's your first or your fifth, whether you've been previously published or not. All those months, even

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1117856378512581752005-06-03T23:39:00.000-04:002005-06-03T23:39:38.536-04:00

Associated Press in Morgantown Saturday June 4, 2005 The Guardian A man who says he was severely burned when a portable toilet exploded after he sat down and lit a cigarette is suing a general contractor and a coal company, accusing them of negligence. John Jenkins, 53, and his wife, Ramona, 35, of Brave, Pennsylvania, are seeking $10m (£6m) in damages from Chisler Inc and Eastern Associated

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1117831915158895042005-06-03T16:50:00.000-04:002005-06-03T16:51:55.163-04:00

WRITER'S LIFE Fiction May, 2005Fiction editors talk about unsolicited submissions By  Anne Allen Editors are too often cast as ogres, but the piles of crap they face is a real eye-opener.On my British editor’s desk is a rubber stamp that prints, in red ink, the words “I do not have time to read this crap.” Its blood-coloured imprint adorns several submission letters that lie scattered around his

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1117721799651544712005-06-02T10:15:00.000-04:002005-06-02T10:16:39.656-04:00

Department Stores: A New Home for Indie Booksellers?May 31, 2005By Rachel Deahl A shopper walking through the main floor of Marshall Field’s flagship department store on Chicago’s State Street will pass a number of branded boutiques, ranging from high-end clothing shops, like BCBG and Max Azria, to one less-expected carve-out: Barbara’s Bookstore. While a decade or more ago, many department

Laurennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1117680759792990912005-06-01T22:52:00.000-04:002005-06-01T22:58:34.076-04:00

Dracula Novel Earns $2M Advance(Page 1 of 2)ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 1, 2005(AP) Elizabeth Kostova used some unconventional ingredients from her own life — a childhood spent listening to Dracula tales, a love of Balkan folk music and a passion for libraries — to produce a debut novel that earned her a breathtaking $2 million advance. Despite its quirky origins, publisher Little, Brown and Co. is

Laurennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9120916.post-1117564603598641572005-05-31T14:35:00.000-04:002005-05-31T14:36:43.603-04:00

I shared this with my pub group and thought you all might enjoy it also -"I'm sorry, Mr. Kipling, but you just don't know how to use the Englishlanguage." Editor of the San Fransciso Examiner to Rudyard Kipling.Mystery writer Mary Higgins Clark recently received a $60 plus milliondollar advance on her next five books, but this is what happened whenshe was sending out her manuscript "Journey Back

Shawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11087331245831611579noreply@blogger.com0