AUGUST KICKOFF WITH AUTHOR ASHLYN CHASE!

AUTHOR ASHLYN CHASE IN ROCCO’S HOT SEAT– PART DEUX

Meow! As promised back in May, now that THE VAMPIRE NEXT DOOR has been released, here is part deux of my interview with its author, the fabulously talented Ashlyn Chase!


R: Welcome back, Ashlyn! Are you excited now that THE VAMPIRE NEXT DOOR has been released!
A: Absolutely!

R:To recap, please tell us a bit about it.
A: The Vampire Next Door is the 3rd in my light paranormal series Strange Neighbors. The Vampire Next Door is the story of Sly (the vampire) and Morgaine (one of the witches) who live in the Boston apartment building, which seems to attract paranormal residents.

I’ll give you part of the back cover blurb:

How does a vigilante vampire hook up with a witch who’s afraid of the dark?

Undead Sly just hasn’t been the same since he lost the love of his life many years ago. He devotes his vampiric powers to maintaining a nice, safe neighborhood, until a chipped fang undermines his confidence—and leads him to a beautiful witch who awakens his long-forgotten desires.

The charming Morgaine has spells to cure everyone’s problems but her own. Her intense phobias keep her in her shell, until she gets to know tall, dark, and brooding Sly. Just when these two unlikely lovers think they might find a cure for both of them, their deepest fears are realized.


R: Thanks Ashlyn! That sounds intriguing! So, last interview we focused on your writing. Now let’s find out more about you! When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?
A: --I should have known early on, but missed the signs. I loved my creative writing classes in high school, but I had my heart set on becoming the world’s next great fine artist. I didn’t like starving though, so I gave up that dream and became a nurse. After a while in a very non-creative job, I was going stir-crazy. I’d married a neat-nick, so painting was more of a pain than pleasure. I took a screenwriting course at U.Mass and enjoyed the heck out of creating stories. So, the light dawned later in life, but fortunately, “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” George Eliot said that.

R: Favorite TV Show?
A: --Castle. I’m SO excited it’s being renewed.

R: So are we! The Human and I are active supporters of Nathan Fillion’s charity, KIDS NEED TO READ. As a matter of fact, we’ll be having another fundraiser next month…but I digress.

R: Spies or Spooks?
A: --Neither one. I don’t like being scared—almost as much as I don’t like crying.

R: Very important question, so pay attention: Are you a cat person or a dog person?
A: --Cats, all the way

R: Heh heh, always a good thing to suck up to the interviewer, meow!

R: Day or Night person?
A: --I’m one of those annoying morning persons.

R: Favorite drink?
A: --Rum and diet coke. If you see me at a conference, send one over!

R: What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to know about you?
A: --That I’m relatively normal

R: What is the craziest thing you've ever done?
A: --Joined a ski club (even though I don’t ski) to get a cheap trip to the Alps, then going off by myself sightseeing through Germany, Austria and Italy. I was 18.

R: Ah, memories, reminds me of the time I chased this pretty calico…but I digress. If someone could describe you in one word, what would it be?
A: --I don’t know. Enigma?

R: What do you hope readers will most take away from your writing?
A: --A smile

R: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
A: --Yes. You are getting sleepy…buy my books. Your eyelids are closing…buy my books. You are completely relaxed…buy my books.

R: Ah, good old mind control
A: You got it, Rocco!

Ashlyn, thank you again!
Readers, run, don’t walk, to your nearest bookstore and get your copy of THE VAMPIRE NEXT DOOR TODAY!

To keep up with all Ashlyn's latest news, check her blog:
http://ashlynchase.blogspot.com/

Other places to find Ashlyn:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ashlynsnewbestfriends/ (My fans e-mail chat loop. We have contests.)


http://www.twitter.com/GoddessAsh
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Raymond-NH/Ashlyn-Chase/101303673285353 (My fan page, please ‘like’ it. We have contests.)
http://ashlynchase.blogspot.com/ (Just the news)
http://casablancaauthors.blogspot.com/ (my fellow Sourcebooks authors)http://naughtyauthorchicks.blogspot.com/ (A group of awesome hot romance authors)


And coming soon: Interviews with authors Jill Myles and Caitlin Kittredge! Plus: Our KIDS NEED TO READ FUNDRAISER, Part 2!

ROCCO
SCI FI BLOGGING CAT

EDITOR KRISTEN WEBER SITS IN ROCCO'S HOTSEAT!

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing the Humans friend, former NAL editor and now freelancer, Kristen Weber!

For those of you who don’t know Kristen, she began her career in the subsidiary rights department of what is now Hachette Book Group, but quickly switched to the editorial side, eventually overseeing Grand Central Publishing's legendary (although now defunct) Mysterious Press. There, she worked with many amazing authors, including such luminaries as M. C. Beaton, Lindsey Davis, Margaret Maron, and Marcia Muller.

She most recently worked as a senior editor for Penguin's New American Library (NAL), where she helped launch Obsidian, their dedicated mystery imprint. Besides running the day-to-day operations of Obsidian, she edited approximately 30 original titles per year and also oversaw NAL's movie/television tie-in program and edited numerous original novels based on TV programs such as Burn Notice, The Unit, Criminal Minds, and Psych.

She’s since moved to LA with her husband, and now runs a freelance editorial service called (what else) Kristen Weber Editorial Services.

So now without any further ado….here’s Kris!

R: Meow, Kris! Welcome!
K: Thank you, Rocco. A pleasure to be here.

R: I see from your photo you are a dog person (ahem) Hope you don’t mind a cool cat interviewing you?
K: Not if the cat is you, Rocco.

R: No extra points for sucking up to the interviewer, meow! Although I do appreciate it. Let’s get to it!

R: What book that you’ve edited are you proudest of?
K: Honestly, this is like asking me to choose between my children. Every book I work on has a special place in my heart. It's a lot of work to buy a book as an in-house editor - you need to sell every member of your team on it and it's impossible to do that if you yourself aren't completely over the moon about it. And as a freelance editor, I only take on books that I feel this same way about. An editor needs to be as strong a champion for a book as the author. I always feel when an author trusts me with their book they trust me with their heart.

R: You were an editor in-house (both at Grand Central and at Penguin's New American Library) for years. How would you compare working for a “Big Six” publisher with freelance editing?
K: I loved working in-house, but I really love working freelance. I only have to answer to myself. There are projects I've taken on as a freelance editor that I know my publishers would have said required too much editorial work, but I took the spark I saw in them and really helped the author figure out how to take it to the next level–and almost all of them went on to find agents! They just needed an advocate. Sometimes you can't take that leap as an in-house editor that I can take as a freelancer. For a manuscript to be able to land a traditional book deal, it has to be at level that is hard for an author to get to on their own. I can help them hone their manuscript in a way that they probably weren't even aware it needed, while still retaining their voice and vision. Then hopefully an agent or editor will take them on.

R: Was there ever a book you just loved that you couldn’t get the okay to make an offer on?
K: Yes, but I assume it wasn't meant to be. If my publishing house wasn't as enthusiastic about a project as I was, it would be very hard to publish it in a big way. It's really important to have your entire team behind you.

R: What qualities do you feel are most important in the author/editor relationship?
K: I think an open and honest dialogue is the most important. That's why I usually call my freelance clients first to let them know what kind of notes they're going to be getting. It can be overwhelming to receive notes on what is essentially your baby. I try to make them go down as smoothly as possible. It's also important that if you disagree with something, you talk to your editor about it so you can figure out a fix that works for both of you. In the end, it's your name that's going to be on the cover, but it’s important to remember that sometimes you're just too close and need an unbiased eye to point out what isn't working.

R: What is your favorite genre of book and why? As an editor and as a reader.
K: I edit what I love to read. I'm a voracious and very commercial reader. I read everything as you can tell from the last few books I've read - River Marked by Patricia Briggs, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (I'm going through an obsession with young adult novels), Voodoo River by Robert Crais, You Belong To Me by Karen Rose, A Pug's Tale by Alison Pace, and next up is Jennifer Weiner's Then Came You. I'm a crazy person when it comes to books. I usually travel with 4-6 just on a 5-hour plane ride back to New York, in case of delays. I used to carry two books on my 10-minute commute to my office at Penguin. My worst nightmare is to be stuck somewhere without something to read.

R: The book market is ever changing. What are your views on the “indie” market? The future of e-publishing as opposed to print?
K: I have strong views about this. My concern is that authors are just doing it because it is "easy" - and not because it is the right step for their career. Rejection does not mean you should automatically self publish - it might mean you need to take careful stock of your manuscript. I have so many authors that come to me because they've been rejected by agents and are thinking about self-publishing - but their books are nowhere near ready yet. It only takes me a couple of chapters to figure out where a manuscript needs help - and many of those clients who work with me end up taking their books to another level and go on to traditional book deals. Even if you don't want a traditional book deal, it's still important to make sure you have the best product possible and have a real plan for publication. I really worry about authors putting out a product just because they can - and this is happening with established writers as well. Readers know if you're not putting out your best product and will feel cheated. And the self-publishing process isn't as easy as one might think. While it's easy to get your book out there, how is anyone even going to find out your book exists? Figuring that out is a huge and complicated job, as evidenced by many self-publishing "stars" now seeking and receiving deals from traditional publishers.

R: What author, past or present, would you most have loved to work with and why?
K: Probably Judy Blume or Agatha Christie - their books were the ones that turned me into the reader I am today.

R: What was the greatest challenge you faced as an editor?
K: My greatest challenge always came when a book I loved didn't perform as well as we hoped. I'm still heartbroken over authors that I had to let go. Nobody buys a book because they think it's going to fail - but sometimes no matter what you do it just doesn't work.

R: There are many writer conferences. In your opinion, which are the best ones for “Newbie” writers to attend and why?
K: I'd look for any that offer courses on the craft of writing and plenty of chances to network with agents and editors. I am particularly a fan of the regional conferences put on by local Romance Writers of America or Mystery Writers of America chapters, because they're smaller with more of a chance to make contacts - which is something you might not get to do at a bigger fan oriented convention (although those are always so much fun too!).

R: Just for fun: (I’ve omitted my usual dog or cat person question for obvious reasons. Ahem)

R: Night or Day?
K: Night

R: Beach or Mountains?
K: Beach

R: Black or white?
K: Black - you can take me out of NY but you'll never take me out of my all black clothes.

R: Favorite Drink:
K: A milkshake

R: Favorite Movie:
K: So many! But Clue is one I am always happy to catch on cable.

R: Favorite TV Show:
K: Criminal Minds

R: Finish this sentence: If I could have one wish granted it would be…
K: to have all my family and friends back in New York move out to Los Angeles with me!
R: What, not my pawprint?????

Kristen Weber is currently working as a freelance editor and loves helping authors figure out what's keeping them from a traditional book deal or perfect their book before self publishing. Please visit her web site at http://www.kristenweber.com/ for more information about the services she offers.

Thank you so much, Kris!

Well, kitties, what better way to finish off July than with this interview? Keep cool, now,and enjoy the weekend!
And don’t forget next week – Monday we kick off August with Ashlyn Chase – Part Deux!

Until then,


ROCCO
SCI FI BLOGGING CAT.

Amazing August!

Hello, Kitties, Meow! Whilst the human spent the weekend nursing her back and rewriting her book for her agent, I reviewed what's up and coming for the blog for the amazing month of August! We've got a lot of good stuff coming up!

August 1; Part Two of my interview with Ashlyn Chase!

Mid-August: An interview with paranormal romance author Jill Myles!

Mid to end August: An interview with UF author Caitlin Kittredge!

Meow, my paw will be sore from all this typing!

Well, I must go and prepare some questins for Caitlin - take care, keep cool (isn't this heat wave just disgusting) Remember to keep a fan or AC on for your pets - hey we've got all this fur, yanno!!!!!!!!

DONT' FORGET WEDNESDAY - MY INTERVIEW WITH EDITOR KRIS WEBER!



ROCCO
SCI FI BLOGGING CAT

By Popular Demand....Ashlyn Chase!

Since August 1st marks the debut of THE VAMPIRE NEXT DOOR and Part II of my interview with author Ashlyn Chase, I've decided to reprint Part One over this weekend for any of you who might have missed it :) Meow.

Enjoy. and don't forget to check back next Wednesday for my interview with freelance and former NAL editor Kris Weber!

Ashlyn Chase in Rocco's HotSeat - Part One! (Reposted from May)

R: Hello, Ashlyn, and welcome!
A: Thank you, Rocco.

R:To begin, why don’t you tell us a little bit about your newest novel ‘THE VAMPIRE NEXT DOOR?
A: The Vampire Next Door is the 3rd in my light paranormal series Strange Neighbors. *Pardon this excited aside, but I just found out Book 1, aptly titled Strange Neighbors, is a finalist in The National Readers Choice Awards Contest! Thank you for letting me squee.
The Vampire Next Door is the story of Sly (the vampire) and Morgaine (one of the witches) who live in the Boston apartment building, which seems to attract paranormal residents.

I’ll give you part of the back cover blurb:

How does a vigilante vampire hook up with a witch who’s afraid of the dark?

Undead Sly just hasn’t been the same since he lost the love of his life many years ago. He devotes his vampiric powers to maintaining a nice, safe neighborhood, until a chipped fang undermines his confidence—and leads him to a beautiful witch who awakens his long-forgotten desires.

The charming Morgaine has spells to cure everyone’s problems but her own. Her intense phobias keep her in her shell, until she gets to know tall, dark, and brooding Sly. Just when these two unlikely lovers think they might find a cure for both of them, their deepest fears are realized.

R: Wow, that sounds great, Ashlyn! I know my master can’t wait to get her hands on it….Where did you get the idea for an apartment building inhabited by supernaturals. It has a very “Friends” feel.
A: It was inspired by (believe it or not) Tom Brady, quarterback for the Boston Patriots. I’d heard he owned a building of condos in Boston’s Back Bay…my old neighborhood! I thought, “Wouldn’t it be great to live in that building.” Soon after, I was talking to my suburban neighbor about our single years back when we lived in city apartments. It just all sort of converged, and my warped sense of humor thought it would be fun to make most of the characters supernatural and throw into the mix an unsuspecting human or two.


R: What are your favorite types of supernaturals to write about and how does your “lore” differ from the traditional?
A: I’m not sure I could pick a favorite. Shapeshifters are always fun, because they lose their clothes when they shift, but I love witches who can make anything happen with the right words or a wave of their wands. Vampires have that sexy vibe going on…so there are good things about all of them. I have adopted some of the traditional mythology, but added my own fun twists.

R: In your own opinion what do you think makes your novels so different and engaging to readers?
A: I’m guessing it’s my nutty sense of humor and wild imagination. If I can entertain people with my warped mind, I’m happy to do it.

R: What sort of research did you do for your novels?
A: Nothing much for this final book. I used a lot of the vampire lore I had created for another book of mine, Vampire Vintage. The rest is from personal experience. Yes, I can shapeshift, become invisible at will, and use my superhuman senses—especially acute hearing. Don’t talk about me behind my back. I will hear you!

R: Can you do big cats?
A: VERY Big ones. 

R: Okay, then…What’s your preferred genre: paranormal, contemporary or erotic?
A: I love light paranormal romance. H/h, steamy, but not too kinky. Slutty heroines who aren’t afraid of their sexuality and heroes who can keep up with them.

R: Your novels have a rich cast of characters, particularly second string ones. Will we be seeing more of them in your future novels? If so is there anything that you can tell us about what we can expect to see happen to them in the future?
A: Book 3 is the final installment in this series. (As far as I know. My editor hinted that it could go on and on as long as people keep moving in and out. LOL) But I made sure all the residents who stayed throughout all three books get a happily ever after ending.

R: What was the hardest part of writing and/or publishing your book?
A: Length. I’m a short novel and novella girl at heart. But when I write long, I have to write a detailed outline. Problem is, I hate doing that. I usually have a vague idea of where I’m going, but if I write it all out in painful detail, it’s a waste of time. At some point, it’s going to jump the rails and wind up taking a different direction. It’s like using GPS and deciding to do some errands on the way. Recalculate! Recalculate!

R: Hah, that sounds like my master  So, What do you do when you are not writing?
A: Alphabetize my sock drawer, make prank phone calls, think about exercising but eat chocolate until the idea goes away.

R: How did you get your agent?
A: I did it backwards—the way I do most everything. First I received a contract offer for my Strange Neighbors series from a publisher, then I needed an agent to help me read my 15 page contract. It’s so much easier to get one if you can say, “Hey, I’ve got your 15% ready and waiting…”

R: What’s a must have for you when you are writing?
A: Wine, rum, whiskey…you didn’t think I wrote this stuff sober, did you?

R: I like a nice catnip ball myself…Do you have any upcoming projects we can look forward to reading soon?
A: Gee, I hope so. I’ve been working on a proposal that both my editor and agent are interested in. All I have to do is send in an outline, and you know how much I love doing those. Blech.

R: What are some of your must read authors?
.A: Mary Janice Davidson is my fave. I also enjoy Gerry Bartlett, Annette Blair’s witches, Katie MacAlister, Dakota Cassidy…just about everyone who writes what I do.

R: What books are you reading now?
A: I received a few paperbacks by Kristin Higgins as gifts. She writes light contemporaries. I just finished Catch of the Day (loved it!) and proceeded right on to The Next Best Thing. She writes awesome characters that stay with you. The only downside is she makes me cry. I hate being made to cry.

R: If you could be any supernatural creature/being, what would you be and why?
A: Believe it or not, I’ve thought about this. I think shapeshifting might be a little painful and embarrassing. With vampirism I’d miss the sun and I wouldn’t like an all liquid diet. Frankly, the only thing I’d want to be is magical witch or a Goddess. I think I could handle it.

R: Thank you for talking to me, Ashlyn, meow! If you don’t mind, we’ll save the rest of the questions for another interview to celebrate the release of THE VAMPIRE NEXT DOOR!
A: Sounds great,Rocco! Thanks for having me!



Dont forget, kitties - Part Two airs August 1 - same day as THE VAMPIRE NEXT DOOR is released. Order your copy now!

PHOTO OP

MEOW!

FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT, SOME PHOTOS OF ME AND MY SIBLINGS!

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND.....HUMAN WILL ALTERNATE BETWEEN A FRIEND'S POOL FOR HER BACK, AND HER REWRITES :)

AND ME....JUST PLANNIN' MY BLOG, MAN. JUST PLANNIN' MY BLOG.


ROCCO
SCI FI BLOGGING CAT

UP AND COMING!

MEOW!

Many have inquired what's in store for the rest of the summer, so I thought I'd share some upcoming events with y'all:

Next week: My guest is former NAL now freelance editor Kristen Weber! Yes, Kris answers questions about something all writers are curious about: the world of editing! What do they look for? Tune in next Wednesday to find out!

August: Part Deux of my interview with the lovely Ashlyn Chase is on the horizon, and hopefully we will have intereviews coming up with author Jill Myles, among others. I'm trying to line up more, and hopefully do at least one a month! However, now that the human must do her rewrites, she's hogging the computer.....

Well, we all didn't think the summer would turn out as hot as it has the past few weeks, meow! it's enough to make one's fur stand on end.....so methinks I'll find a shady spot, cool down, and think up some really cool blogposts for the next few weeks.


MEOWINGLY YOURS,


ROCCO
SCI FI BLOGGING CAT

Kimberly Killion in Night Owl!

Hello Kitties - hope you all enjoyed the break and reading the interview with the Human's agent, Josh Getzler! Human is working on his notes as we speak....

Anyway, the July digital magazine of NIGHT OWL REVIEWS carries a lovely article about the human's cover artist for Raven's Kiss, KIMBERLY KILLION! One might recall we did a bit on Kim awhile back - in honor of her Night Owl Article, I'm reposting it below for anyone who might have missed it.

And here is the link to the digital magazine. Kim's article is under "suspense"
http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Pages/Magazine.aspx

Kim Killion in Rocco's Hot Seat:

RL: Tell us how you became interested in the field of graphic art?
KK: Ever since I was little I’ve also been artistic. I also sent my aunties hand-drawn birthday cards back in the day. When I went to college, I know I wanted to continue along that path, so I majored in graphic arts and I’ve been working as a designer ever since.

RL: what is the most rewarding feature of your job?
KK: Well, acting as the Art Director of Hot Damn Designs, I now direct photoshoots. There’s nothing better than spending a day at the office surrounding by beefcakes. *g*

RL: Do you have a favorite cover out of all of your designs? Which one and why?
KK: I’m partial to a few, Kristen Painter’s DARK KISS OF THE REAPER is one of my favorites, but I also love Megan Hatfield’s CLAIMING THE DRAGON and the entire Ashley Garner series, oh, and Mary Jo Putney’s series, and I do love DARK COVENANT by Gillian Doyle. Oh…who am I kidding? I can’t name a favorite. I love them all. They are my little babies.

RL What would you rather design for, paranormal, fantasy or contemporary?
KK: None of the above. LOL My favorite covers to design are Regency and braw Highlanders. I’m partial to those because that’s the genre I write in as well.

RL: What inspires you in your art?
KK: One word: Skin

RL: What is one thing people would be most surprised to know about you?
Kk: I’m bold, outspoken, naughty, yet I’ve been known to blush on set (but few see that as I hide it well *g*)

RL: What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
KK: In regards to the biz, I would have to say agreeing to photograph two 10 foot pythons and a tarantula.

RL: If someone could describe you in one word, what would it be?
KK: Insane! I once asked a close friend of many years why he continued to support me. His response “Because you are insane yet one step away from genius.” I still don’t know if that was a compliment. *g*

RL: And now, just for the fun of it?

Cat or Dog person? Cat
Fantasy or Horror? Fantasy
Day or Night? Day
Favorite Drink? Whiskey and Diet Coke
Favorite Movie? Legends of the Fall
Favorite Saying? I am the Queen of Everything

RL: do you have a website?

KK: Yup, a bunch:

Design: www.hotdamndesign.com
Stock images: www.hotdamnstock.com
Writing: www.kimberlykillion.com



Closing:

Thank you so much, Kim! We look forward to your cover design for my master’s new book as well as many more!

PART DEUX - LITERARY AGENT JOSH GETZLER IN ROCCO'S HOTSEAT!

Meow, and thanks to all for the wonderful response to the first part of my interview with the human's agent, Josh Getzler!

Onto Part Deux:

R: Welcome back, Josh.
J: Thanks Rocco.

R: What’s your idea of the ideal client?
J: That’s not a question I can really answer. There are many different ways a client can be “ideal.” He or she can write amazing books (preferably one a year ), that many publishers want to publish; always be cheerful, optimistic and understanding; and send me vodka for the holidays . But you see, ultimately no client, like no agent, is perfect-perfect. And really they don’t need to be. Just good writers, with a certain amount of patience. If we become friends as well, all the better.

R: I’m going to repeat one question from yesterday, because it had a lot of information: What is it about a query that grabs your attention?
J: In a nutshell, here’s what I’m looking for in a query letter (which is how, basically, it’s going to get my attention. I read a query, decide whether the subject is one I like, whether the author is a good writer, and whether the first bit of plot has a voice I want to follow):
1) I want to know that you are approaching me because you think I specifically would be a good fit for you. That’s not ego talking, that’s simply an initial filter. If you are a serious writer, and want to get an agent to pay attention, you need to do research and see which agents represent your kind of book. If I do, and you think I’d be a good fit, then by all means, try me. If you have a Christian picture book, though, and tell me that you’ve done research and think I’d be perfect, then your credibility is strained.
2) I want you to conform to my guidelines: A letter and the first five or six pages. Not the first 25 pages. Not the whole MS. Not a synopsis (you hate writing them and I hate reading them). Again, it’s not ego, but merely that this is the way I really like to start the process. If the letter and beginning pages are compelling, I’ll ask for more. Gladly!
3) In the letter, I want to see
a. That you are approaching me specifically (see #1)
b. What genre your book is, and a SHORT description: “Hi Josh. I’ve written an 80,000-word historical mystery set in Renaissance Florence, where a young priest hooks up with a Medici daughter to solve the mystery of the sudden, violent death her father—the Pope.”
c. Whether you have a background that will help you sell: “I have dual Ph.D’s in Italian history and Theology, and my grandfather was Pope (oops!)”
That’s it! Then the first five or so pages (wherever it ends reasonably well. It shouldn’t stop in the middle of a sentence!). Not five pages from the “good part” in Chapter 7. A reader will not know to begin there. He will begin on page 1 and need to be hooked. Me too.

R: Would you represent a book written by a cat?
J: Sure!
(Side note from Rocco: Hmmm….ok, time to begin writing my memoirs….or would that be a conflict with the human?)

R: Is there any author that you wish you’d have gotten the chance to represent?
J: JK Rowling…OK, seriously…Faulkner (kind of, though I suspect he’d have been pretty high maintenance. But, I mean, the chance to read those books first…). No, on second thought, JK Rowling!

R: The book market is ever changing. What are your views on the “indie” market? The future of e-publishing as opposed to print?
J: I think we’re in the Wild West in terms of “indie” publishing. There are a lot of speculators panning for gold, and most will find sand and stones. But there are intelligent ways of going about it. One of the tricks is going to be for authors to figure out what their priorities really are. How much time and effort (and money) are they going to want to spend establishing a real platform, setting up editorial, design, and distribution support, and promoting their products after they go out in the world. Is your goal to sell 500 copies? 5,000? 15,000? 50,000? What’s more important, sales or revenues? My job, and I think all agents’ jobs, is going to be to set up sufficient infrastructure to assist our clients who wish to publish independently, and allow them to continue to do what they really are in this to do—namely, write.

In terms of the future of epublishing vs print, I think they will coexist. I think that ebooks will take (actually have already taken!) significant market share from some genres in particular—thrillers, mysteries, romance, business books, many others, particularly those with mass market paperbacks as the primary printed edition. And I think more books will be published as print on demand, including from traditional publishers, particularly as brick-and-mortar bookstores contract in size and number.

R: At one point in your life you owned a minor league baseball team, which seems a pretty long stretch from pitching books to editors. (although both do involve pitching, don’t’ they??? :) Which do you prefer, managing a baseball team or being an agent?
J: Being an agent, almost all the time. I miss the games themselves mostly, and dealing with the fans and players; not the headaches, though! But it was the baseball part that was an aberration, not the books—I was an English major and an editor before going to b-school and getting into baseball. Coming back to publishing was incredibly natural. And now I read for a living, and what, really, can be bad about that.

R: You are a history buff. If you could have ten minutes with one figure from history, who would it be and why?
J: Depending on his mood, Henry VIII. He had SO much going on, and he juggled it brilliantly (much of the time). Not necessarily someone you’d want to be too close to, because one false move and you get your head chopped off. But fascinating.

R: Meow! So true! And now, just for fun:
Baseball or Football (that’s a loaded question)
J: You bet it is! Baseball (R: oh, gee. SHOCKER!)

R: Cats or Dogs: (another loaded question)
J: This time, I think I might disappoint you, Rocco! I grew up with a dog, then my wife and I had one for 12 years. It’s almost not fair, since I’m allergic to cats, but…dogs. (R: There are pills and shots for that, ya know!)

R: Beach or Mountains?
J: Beach, except for ski slopes.

R: Pool or Ocean?
J: Ocean when it’s warm enough!

R: Favorite Movie(s):
J: My Cousin Vinnie, Bull Durham, The Godfather

R: TV Show(s):
J: Top Chef, Masterpiece Mystery

R: Drink:
J: Vodka on the Rocks
(Side note from Rocco: Hmmm…second time he’s mentioned vodka. Note to human: Vodka for Josh for Hanukkah. Note to Josh: Gray Goose if you sell the human’s book!)

R: Finish this sentence: If I could be granted one wish, it would be for :
J: World Peace! (R: Who are you? Sandra Bullock? Just kidding :)

Meow, what a great interview Josh! I’m sure our readers will love all your answers! And now we’ll let you get back to work (with this subliminal thought: Rocco wants a jungle gym: Sell my human’s manuscript :)

WHERE TO FIND JOSH:
Josh blogs every Tuesday at There’s a Dead Guy in the Living Room: (If It’s Tuesday it must be dead guy)
http://WWW.heydeadguy.typepad.com

For information on where to send queries, check out Josh’s page at Publisher’s Marketplace (as the HSG website is still under construction)
http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/jgetzler/

Thank you, Josh! Now get back to editing those manuscripts, and making those deals, meow!

Toni's note: For the first part of this post, click on Wednesday’s entry: Literary Agent Josh Getzler in Rocco’s HotSeat.

Well Kitties, have a wondrous weekend! the Human is off to visit her cousin in Toms River where there are no computers to distract her, so I have the weekend to myself to plan next week's blogs (and maybe get in a bit of bird watching!)

Stay Cool!

ROCCO
SCI FI BLOGGING CAT

LITERARY AGENT JOSH GETZLER - IN ROCCO'S HOT SEAT (PART 1)

MEOW!
Today is a very special day – I interview the human’s fabulous agent, Josh Getzler of HSG Literary Agency!

For the record, (and for those of you who aren’t familiar w/him) here’s a bit about Josh:

Josh started his career out of college as an editor at Harcourt, then left to get his MBA. He took an unexpected turn out of business school and entered the world of minor league baseball, where he owned and operated a team for 11 years. In 2006 he returned to publishing as an agent, starting at Writers House, then moving in 2009 to Russell & Volkening. In May of 2011, Josh and his two partners formed Hannigan Salky Getzler Agency (HSG) in the corner of a funky business incubator in Soho.
Some of Josh’s clients include: Jeff Cohen, Gerald Elias, Geoff Rodkey, Joshua Gaylord (who also writes under the name Alden Bell), Nancy Bilyeau and Toni LoTempio (the Human!).

Because Josh gave such good and detailed answers to my questions, I’ve decided to split this interview over two days, meow. There’s a lot of information here to digest!

So without any further ado, here’s Part One of my interview with…JOSH GETZLER!

R: Meow! Hello, Josh and welcome.
J: Hello, Rocco. Thanks so much for having me.

R: My pleasure. Ever been interviewed by a cat before?
J: Ah, not that I remember.

R: Heh heh. This will be an interesting first for you then :) I promise to be gentle. Let’s get to it, shall we? First question: What book that you’ve sold are you proudest of?
J: That’s like asking a parent who is his favorite child! On some level, my first sale, of Jerry Elias’s mystery novel Devil’s Trill, is a very special one. It showed me, after leaving the business, doing something else (owning a baseball team) for 14 years, and starting over in publishing again, that it was indeed the place for me.

R: Have you ever loved a book that just didn’t, for whatever reason, sell?
J: Yes, several. But they’re still on submission! Often, though, it’s either because the book either feels “too small” to editors, so they don’t think they can sell enough copies to justify an advance; or there is a particular issue with it that editors feel is too big to overcome. Sometimes that’s a character’s personality; other times a tone or voice; sometimes, such as some of the dystopian YA I’m seeing, it’s because editors feel the genre is played out for the time-being.

R: What is it about a query that grabs your attention?
J: In a nutshell, here’s what I’m looking for in a query letter (which is how, basically, it’s going to get my attention. I read a query, decide whether the subject is one I like, whether the author is a good writer, and whether the first bit of plot has a voice I want to follow):

1) I want to know that you are approaching me because you think I specifically would be a good fit for you. That’s not ego talking, that’s simply an initial filter. If you are a serious writer, and want to get an agent to pay attention, you need to do research and see which agents represent your kind of book. If I do, and you think I’d be a good fit, then by all means, try me. If you have a Christian picture book, though, and tell me that you’ve done research and think I’d be perfect, then your credibility is strained.

2) I want you to conform to my guidelines: A letter and the first five or six pages. Not the first 25 pages. Not the whole MS. Not a synopsis (you hate writing them and I hate reading them). Again, it’s not ego, but merely that this is the way I really like to start the process. If the letter and beginning pages are compelling, I’ll ask for more. Gladly!

3) In the letter, I want to see
a. That you are approaching me specifically (see #1)
b. What genre your book is, and a SHORT description: “Hi Josh. I’ve written an 80,000-word historical mystery set in Renaissance Florence, where a young priest hooks up with a Medici daughter to solve the mystery of the sudden, violent death her father—the Pope.”
c. Whether you have a background that will help you sell: “I have dual Ph.D’s in Italian history and Theology, and my grandfather was Pope (oops!)”
That’s it! Then the first five or so pages (wherever it ends reasonably well. It shouldn’t stop in the middle of a sentence!). Not five pages from the “good part” in Chapter 7. A reader will not know to begin there. He will begin on page 1 and need to be hooked. Me too.

R: What sort of manuscript do you wish you’d find in your query inbox? What’s your “dream novel” you’d love to represent?
J: See above, Florence, priest, Medici, mystery :)

(side note from ROCCO): Ah, then you would love the second book in my human’s DARK BLOOD series about four vampires who own a winery. That involves the mystery surrounding the sudden death of priests in Italy….but I digress. That’s a discussion for another time between you and the “human.”

R: You represent both YA and Adult fiction. Do you have a preference? Does one genre “speak” to you more than another?
J: It’s not really a question of having one genre speak to me. It’s really whether I relate to a voice or a topic. With YA, the voice REALLY matters. Because it’s often written by an adult in the voice of a teenager, the pitfalls are many and the successes, few. So when a YA query comes across and is snappy and true, I’m likely to look at it carefully. I started in adult books—adult crime fiction, primarily. So I have a soft spot for mysteries and thrillers. But as time has passed—and as my own kids grew up and are now reading for themselves and I spend a LOT of time in the kids sections of book stores—I’ve grown more comfortable with YA.

R: Is there any genre/book that you’ve represented that surprised you? (in other words, differed from what you normally represent?)
J: Yes! The marvelous Traci Hall’s Zombyre, My Love. I hadn’t thought I would be representing paranormal YA, never mind with zombyres! But her voice was just so good…

R: Describe a typical day for you.
J: I wake up at 5 AM to read, unless it’s Tuesday, when I spend that time writing my blog post for the week. http://www.heydeadguy.typepad.com

I wake my kids up between 6:30 and 6:45, then shepherd them through breakfast. I leave the house with my wife and kids at 7:30, and take the subway with my son to his school in Chelsea. Then off to work. I always begin my day by cleaning up my emails from the night before, unless I have a meeting to prepare for. The rest of my day is a combination of submitting manuscripts, working on pitches for those submissions, managing my authors—answering their questions, helping them with revisions, discussing their books, contracts, careers, and occasionally personal issues. I work with three terrific women: My assistant, Maddie; and my partners Jessica Salky and Carrie Hannigan. We often say that we could conceivably do much of our work from home in our Pjs, but we come in because we fundamentally like seeing people! Also, we spend a lot of time bouncing ideas off each other, whether it is terms of a contract, which editor to send a particular book to, whether the publisher who bought a manuscript is doing a good job…whatever. It’s way better, in my mind, than being alone all day in front of a computer.

I have lunch with an editor, author, or other agent three days a week or so (I try not to schedule lunches on Mondays, because I’m always catching up from the weekends; and Fridays, because I leave the office early. Afternoons tend to be less catch-up and more submissions/editor contacts, since I’ve found that more people are actually at their desks between 3:30 and 6 than any other time of day, so if I really need to catch up with someone, that’s a good time.

I leave the office between 6 and 6:30 in order to make it home in time for homework, dinner and bed for the kids. I tend not to do office work after I leave, except when my wife, who’s a teacher, also brings work home.
Wash, rinse, repeat! We start again the next day.

R: Meow, and so will we! Stay tuned for Part 2 of this interview tomorrow!

GIMMEE SHELTER.....

First, the Human wishes me to mention a lovely review for RAVEN'S KISS on BOOKS FOR LIFE. You can catch it here:

http://books-forlife.blogspot.com/2011/07/review-ravens-kiss-toni-lotempio.html


And secondly, I would like to wax eloquent on a favorite subject of mine: Animal shelters.

Are you looking to adopt a pet? Want to volunteer to help homeless animals in your community? Interested in becoming a foster pet parent? Need to report an animal you've lost or found, or contact an animal control officer about animal cruelty in your area? Your local shelter can help!
There are many good websites that can direct you to a shelter in your local area. Many even give helpful tips on dog or cat care! Here are just a few:

http://www.americanhumane.org/

http://www.petfinder.com/

http://www.aspca.org/


And Now, just a word about the shelter from whence I, and my sister Gata, came…the Clifton Animal Shelter!

Located right behind the town hall, the Clifton Animal Shelter (Friends of the Shelter in Clifton) is a clean, friendly environment that welcomes dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, and even a hamster or two! The volunteers there are all great, and they also have a foster pet program (I myself was fostered). Sister Gata stayed in the actual shelter before the human adopted her, and she was well taken care of!
All the volunteers are extremely fond of pet and gentle with them, so their experience is a good one. If you live in the Clifton, NJ area and are thinking of adopting a pet, do check them out!

http://www.cliftonanimalshelter.com/

Be sure and check back in tomorrow, when the Human’s agent, Josh Getzler, sits in the hot seat for my interview, heh heh heh.


MEOWINGLY YOURS,

ROCCO SCI FI BLOGGING CAT

HELLO AGAIN...I'M BACK! PLUS OUR CONTEST WINNER

Well, kitties, I have returned after turning the blog over to the Human to celebrate the end of her Raven's Kiss blog tour. Kudos to all who participated!

I'm also pleased to announce the winner of the blog contest is morganlefay86! Congrats, your name will be used for a character in the upcoming Raven novella!

Night Owl Reviews gave RK 4 1/2 stars! Read the review here:
http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Reviews/Talina-reviews-Ravens-Kiss-by-Toni-Lotempio.aspx

Can you believe summer is half over - seems like it just started, meow! Human has loads to work on book wise, and her back is improving, so that's a good thing :)

Tomorrow I shall speak a bit about shelters, particularly the Clifton Animal Shelter. the human has adopted several pets from there: myself, sister Gata and her dearly departed calico Misty, so we've got a bit to say....

And dont' forget my interview with literary agent Josh Getzler this week! Josh was so elequent we're splitting his interview into two parts - Wednesday and Thursday, so c'mon back!



ROCCO
SCI FI BLOGGING CAT

RAVEN'S KISS BLOG TOUR - FINAL STOP!

Hello, everyone! Toni here!

I've wrenched the blog away from Rocco becasue this is the last day of the Raven's Kiss blog tour. Firstoff, I'd like to give a big Shout-Out to Bookish Snob Promotions for setting all this up. You rock! and second, I'd like to thank all the blogs who participated in the tour by hosting me,whether it was an interview, guest post or giveaway! You all rock too!

I don't know if people are aware, but book bloggers are EXTREMELY important to authors - especially indie ones like msyelf! You guys give honest reivews and help to get the word about our books out there for the readers! We'd be nowhere without you, and I mean that sincerely!

I hope all of you following this tour have learned a little bit about me and my writings! I do hope that you will try one of my books, or at least come back and visit my blog :) (although ROCCO does think it's his). We've got a lot of good stuff coming up this month, including two interviews you all might find interesting: the week of July 11 there's an interview with my fabulous agent, JOSH GETZLER of HSG Literary Agency! Rocco asked tough questions and Josh gave him book-length answers, so I hope y'all will stop by and take a peek!

Also in July is a dear friend, Kristen Weber, former editor at NAL. Kris is now a freelance editor and she's going to be answering some questions on editing and what editors look for.

As for me, well, some of the future works I was going to indie publish are on hold right now, because they are with my fabulous agent :) However, there are a few projects that will see the light of day: my YA fantasy with the DARK SHADOWS tie-in will still be released next April (prior to the movie's release May 11) and I still have plans for a Wicca novella and, of course, the Raven novella, released either at holiday time or early next year.

And now, onto the contest!

I'm going to name one of the characters in my Raven novella after one lucky entrant! In order to enter, just leave a comment on this blog. To get extra points you can:

Tweet and mention this blog tour
Tweet and mention Rocco's blog
Tweet about RAVEN'S KISS
"Friend" me or ROCCO, THE SCI FI BLOGGING CAT on Facebook!

Each is worth one extra point. You can mention it in your post, like "Hey Toni and Rocco, enter me in the contest to become a character in Raven's next adventure. I've mentioned the RK blog tour and Rocco's blog on Twitter".

Contest closes Midnight July 10, and the winner (chosen by Rocco at random) will be announced later on that week!

Sound good! the winner will get a character named after her/him, plus an advance copy of the novella!

Okay, guys, get tweeting! thank you all for following my tour, I (and RAVEN) truly appreciate it.

ROCCO will return Monday!


TONI
Mom to ROCCO, the Sci Fi Blogging Cat