“My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win.”

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The PRIZE: Any book available from Entangled Publishing

(continue reading…)

INBETWEEN (Kissed by Death, #1) by Tara Fuller (August 7, 2012)

Blurb:

Since the car crash that took her father’s life three years ago, Emma’s life has been a freaky—and unending—lesson in caution. Surviving “accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option.

It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn’t let her die before, and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the only thing he has left…his soul.

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And here’s the excerpt:

Chapter 1

Finn

Sometimes Emma made me feel so alive, I almost forgot I was dead.

Almost.

I sank down onto the side of her bed, amazed by the blazing wildfire that swept through me whenever Emma was near enough to touch. I took a deep, unneeded breath, and settled down on my side next to her. The mattress didn’t sink. The springs didn’t groan with the weight of an extra body. The distance between us was an impossible void. Inches that might as well have been miles. Miles that left me wanting in so many ways that I ached.

Even the sun couldn’t resist her. Its glowing rays caressed her skin, and stained her hair the satiny color of summer wheat. Before I knew what was happening, my hand followed their lead. Cells ignited. My skin burned, screaming with the agonizing need to touch—

“What do you think you’re doing?”

I jerked my hand away just as Easton melted up from the polished hardwood floor beneath the window. Like an oil slick coming to life, he unfolded his long, shadowy legs until he was just an ink blot against the square of tangerine sunrise behind him. His violet eyes pinned me like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Which, I kind of was.

“Nothing,” I lied.

“Yeah, looked like nothing.” He strolled across the room accompanied by a wave of sulfur and smoke, the black serpent tattoo on his neck glinting. “What were you planning to do, recite her poem? I swear to God, if you were still alive I’d confiscate your man card.”

I ignored the barb and scrunched up my nose. “Jesus, Easton. Don’t they have a shower somewhere between here and the afterlife?”

“Screw you. You didn’t just have to tow somebody’s grandpa to Hell.” He brushed something chalky and grey off of his cloak and a shudder worked its way down my spine. God only knows who or what it belonged to. “Besides I wasn’t the one about to feel up a sleeping human.”

“I wasn’t—”

“Save it.” He waved his hand. “We have work to do. I don’t have time for your useless obsession with the human today.”

“Will you please stop calling her that?”

“What?” Easton glanced up from Emma’s vanity, where he’d been inspecting the various lotions and bottles like he was on some alien planet. Then again, Easton had been dead for something like four hundred years, so all of her stuff probably was sort of alien to him.

“The human. You make me sound like a freak. It’s not like we’re a different species for God’s sake. We were humans, too, or don’t you remember that far back?”

“Were. Past tense.”

We could have gone back and forth like that for hours, but the call came. It always did. It started in my bones—a cold so cutting that it sliced through me like a machete. When I looked up, Easton’s jaw was clenched, his muscles taut and ready. He slowly closed his hand around the handle of his scythe that burned black and softly smoked at his side. I flexed my fingers as the icy ribbons of death worked their way through each one of my limbs.

“Can you take this one for me?” I asked. “You’re already going to be there, and I just got back—”

“No,” Easton said. “Hell no. I have my own job to do. I can’t keep covering for your sorry ass. Besides, you’re already on thin ice with Balthazar. Don’t push your luck, Finn. Just keep your nose down, collect your souls, and thank the Almighty that you don’t have my job. Now let’s go.”

“Yeah, but…” My eyes returned to Emma. Sleeping. Perfect. Safe.

“For the love of God. She’ll be fine, you pansy.” Easton clamped a hand over my shoulder and dragged me from the bed.

“How do you know?”

He shrugged. “I don’t.”

With that he vanished, consumed in a flash by the keening wails of the damned. The screams beckoned. Clawed at me from the inside out.

Rule one as a seeker: Death doesn’t wait for anyone.

And it sure as hell wasn’t waiting for me now.

In the future, only one rule will matter:

Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed – arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention.  She¹s a military legacy who¹s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know – especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.

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1. Can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

I am a photographer, videographer and video producer of some really great books’ book trailers. I started off as a photographer of everything from portraits to weddings to fine art, but my love for reading navigated me towards young adult and book trailers and now am madly in love with what I do.

2. What kinds of books do you most enjoy reading?

I love books I can get immersed in. I usually read young adult only because that is the core of my work right now. But I love reading and read something every day (mostly emails)! But I will say that a good fantasy/paranormal book always gets my attention.

3. When did you first get interested in photography?

Way too young to remember. My Dad’s always had a camera and taking pictures. Black and white at the time, but pictures that made me fall in love with photography. In high school I took some classes, three out of the two they offered (yes, I took one twice) and was a goner. I did a lot of other photography through high school and college from portraits to wedding photography but book trailers really stuck with me. I get to do everything at once!

4. What drew your interest into the creation of book trailers?

I loved reading and I loved movies, especially if they were book adaptations. When I saw book trailers come around for YA books a few years back I saw an opportunity for ME to adapt or translate books I love. I get to be a mini movie maker and for my favorite reads. How many people can say that?

5. What can an author expect from a VLC Productions book trailer?

I started a boutique video production company a year and half ago and have since been producing book trailers for some of the young adult genre’s best books. I oversee everything from concept to story board to casting and even shoot each trailer myself. I offer something unique to each book; no two book trailers will be alike and I stand by that. As an author once put it, they liked VLC Productions for the “beautiful photography, creativity, an eye for color and texture…”

6. Do you have any trailers you are particularly proud of?

That is a very hard question to answer. I’ll say one of my first book trailers for Beautiful Creatures. It was such a fun trailer to put together and one that still gets a lot of comments which I love reading! Such great international love for that book and trailer!

7. Who are some of your favorite clients to work with?

I LOVE working with everyone and have been SO incredibly lucky to develop great relationships with so many people. I love working with Kami Garcia and Cassandra Clare and of course everyone at Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins. Everyone’s been so great to me!

8. Do you still get excited when you get to work with famous authors?

I get excited to work with ANY authors. Everyone’s famous to me! But yes, when I do get that particular book and author to work with I am definitely giddy for days. I think I was dancing and screaming for weeks when I got news I’d be working on Cassandra Clare’s book. Still pinching myself.

9. What trailers are you working on now?

I just finished CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS and WITHER. And next I’ll be working on a series trailer for Alyxandra Harvey’s Drake Chronicles, which is such a fun read! As well as Hannah Moskowitz’ INVINCIBLE SUMMER and Amy Plum’s DIE FOR ME. I’m really excited to be working on some fun books this year!

10. How can an interested author reach you for additional questions?

Anyone with questions can reach me at vandsmedia@gmail.com. Ask away!

VLC Productions is a boutique book video trailer production company. Boutique doesn’t just mean small. It means we are innovative and creative, tailored to your book and needs. We take our time to find just the right look and feel for your book and always use our own footage and photography to achieve something unique. Something that won’t be seen anywhere else. http://www.vlcphoto.net/

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your role with Entangled Publishing ?

First of all, thank you for having me! I’m always thrilled to represent Entangled and spread the word out about the amazing things we’re doing.

A little about me.I’m an agented YA author in love with all things dark and romantic. After editing professionally in the technical and legal sectors for a few years, I shifted over to fiction and haven’t looked back. Prior to taking the Managing Editor spot at Entangled, I freelance-edited YA manuscripts while working as the Acquisitions Editor for an adult paranormal/fantasy publisher. I now spend my days wrangling Entangled’s publishing schedule, sifting through slush, formatting books, making covers, and editing. Lots and lots of editing.

2 How would you describe the Entangled publishing philosophy ?

In two words, agile and exclusive . We publish only the most compelling stories written by the most intriguing voices. Freshness is key. We also strive to provide readers with what they want, not what NY tells them they should be reading.

This is all made possible by our business model, which allows us more flexibility than traditional publishers without compromising quality, all the while enabling us to pay some of the highest royalty rates in the industry. Everyone from the copyeditor to the editorial director is paid a percentage of sales, so we’re all invested in the success of each book, and to delivering a quality product. If our entire team can’t get behind your book, it won’t make it onto our list.

3 What are some of your favorite books that you’ve read this year?

Honestly, the phenomenal stories that come through our slush pile top my Best of 2011 list. There’s nothing better than sifting through the slush and finding hidden gems. It’s like having my own bookstore in my inbox.LOL And, of course, we’ve bought nearly all my faves, so you guys will get to read them soon!

If I had to pick something outside of my inbox, I’d have to go with Barry Lyga’s BOY TOY, Beth Revis’ ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, Stephanie Perkins’ ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, and Ally Condie’s MATCHED.

4 What are the primary mistakes you see writers make in query process?

There are two huge ones that I see daily.

#1 – Not following the submission guidelines. Seriously. I do NOT open unsolicited attachments. If you send one, expect a form rejection unless we’ve been friends for years, in which case, I *might* ask you to try again

#2 – The query letter itself. You have less than one page to tell me the following:
■ who your characters are
■ why I should care about them/what makes them unique
■ what will happen if your characters fail (the stakes)

That’s it. Your bio means nothing to me unless you’ve been published elsewhere, so feel free to skimp there in favor of telling me more about the book. I highly encourage everyone to research what a query letter looks like BEFORE sending your manuscript out into the world. Agents and editors are conditioned to expect certain information to be conveyed a certain way. If we can’t figure out your query letter, we’re less likely to look at your sample pages.

5 Can you tell us about your particular young adult tastes?

I love edgy contemporary, gritty thrillers, stark dystopian, and dark paranormal/fantasy. Strong romantic elements are a must. Voice is everything to me, so if you have a killer voice, I want to see your manuscript!

On the flipside, I’m tired of the hot-paranormal-boy-falls-for-plain-human-girl storylines. My acquisitions have all turned that trope on its head, and readers are loving it. I also think love triangles need to be handled correctly and add something fresh to the genre, if they’re used at all. I’ve acquired two books with love triangles. Both are different than anything I’ve read.

6 Can you each tell us some of your most wanted submissions?

YA thrillers are hot right now! I’d love to see some of those. I haven’t seen near enough contemporary YA in general, though, and would love to see a lot more. I’d personally love a contemporary where the hero and heroine go from being longtime friends/enemies to more.

7 Can you tell us about Entangled’s young adult line?

Definitely! I’m extremely excited about our burgeoning young adult and new adult lines, which currently feature everything from reluctant necromancers to hot aliens to serial killers. I’m a HUGE dystopian fan, so needless to say, I’m thrilled about the two series we’ll be releasing in 2012. And wait until you guys read the dark, sexy fairytale retelling I’m working on for next Fall. *evil grin* I’d read all of these books over and over again if I had time, they’re that good.

8 What kind of posts will readers and writers find on your blog? 

Entangled is all over the place. Check out our books on the website

( http://www.entangledpublishing.com ), chat with our authors on the blog ( http://www.entangledinromance.com ), follow us on Twitter ( http://twitter.com/#!/entangledpub), and friend us on Facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/EntangledPublishing ).

I’ll admit to being the world’s lamest blogger when it comes to sticking to a schedule on my personal blog, but I like to do what I call Craft Quickies ( http://www.heatherhowland.com/category/craft-quickie/ ) and have an ongoing series called YA vs. Adult ( http://www.heatherhowland.com/category/ya-vs-adult/ ). I’m always open to suggestions, so if anyone has something they’d like an editor’s perspective on, hit me up through the contact form on my page! ( http://www.heatherhowland.com/contact/ )

Twitter ( http://twitter.com/#!/HeatherHowland ) is the best way to keep in touch with me, but I can also be found on Facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/pages/Heather-Howland/157108790971324 ) from time to time.

Award-winning young adult author Heather Howland began editing in the legal, industrial, and technical sectors eight years ago while working as a Production Manager. She has since honed her fiction editing skills as a freelancer and as the former acquisitions editor of a small publisher. A portrait photographer in a former life, Heather’s eye for art lends itself to simplistic, NY-style book covers. She holds a BS in creative writing and psychology, which she channels into her love of dark, romantic fiction.

For some, writing your query letter will be the most frustrating part of your pitch process. Just the idea of summing up your massive story into four paragraphs can be mind-numbing. However, no matter how much we complain or curse the person who came up with idea; we still must complete the assignment at hand. To help ease your mental strain, we’ve come up with a query structure to get you through it.

There are key questions your query must answer for a perspective agent or publisher. It’s best to answer these questions on a separate sheet of paper before you get started.

• Who is the story about?
• What happens to this character?
• What decisions does this character have to make?
• What are the consequences of those decisions?

Once you’ve answered those questions, then it’s time to start writing the query. The first paragraph is considered the creative portion. This section should be limited to 100-250 words. This is where you get the agent or publisher excited about your story, so take time to answer all the above questions. Also, don’t forget to include your genre, title, and approximate word count in this paragraph.

The second paragraph is considered your bio. This is not where you talk about your life or your love of writing. This is limited to relevant information like your publishing experience, writing awards, or organizational memberships for which you belong. If you have no experience, please do not say that here. List only the credentials or educational background that makes you uniquely qualified to write the story.

The third paragraph is where you tell this particular agent why you feel they are the best person to represent your story. Do not for any reason submit a project to dozens of agents at once. That’s the easiest way to the rejection pile. Also, go to the agents’ website and see what genres they are looking for. I read an agent’s blog recently that said that more than 30% of the queries that he rejects are because he does not represent the genre for which the story is written. That simply means that agents want you to pay attention. Don’t go blindly into the process. Research and find out which agents represent stories like yours.

The final section of your query should include your contact information. It also wouldn’t hurt to be respectful and thank the agent or publisher for taking the time to consider your work. Remember, you are basically requesting a writing job from this agent or publisher; so treat this document as a cover letter or resume. Always be professional.

After your query is complete, read it again and make sure it answers the following questions:

• Have I conveyed the concept clearly so the agent understands exactly what my story is about?
• Have I used compelling language that suits the tone of my story?
• Is my query entertaining?

If you’ve honestly answered ‘yes’ to all those questions then you’re ready to submit. Good luck!

So you have written a Young Adult Fantasy novel! What do you do next? You might want to consider submitting it to an agent. This is a good next step. Stacey has put together a valuable list of agents for you to consider. Are you ready to take the next big step?

After you’ve completed your novel, finding an agent can be one of the most difficult parts of the publishing process. First, there are literally thousands of agents out there and not all of them are great. Second, not all of them are interested in the fantasy genre. Third, not all of them are looking for new clients. So, we have compiled a list of who we consider to be the best. These are agents who have great reputations, represent fantasy authors, and are currently accepting unsolicited queries. We’ve even included their guidelines to make it just a little bit easier for you. Here is our top 10 List of Agents that represent both Young Adult and Fantasy. Good luck!

Curtis Brown LTD Attn: Ms. Ginger Clark Ten Astor Place New York, NY 10003 gc@cbltd.com Submit: Query Only

Writer’s House Attn: Mr. Daniel Lazar 21 West 26th Street New York, NY 10010 dlazar@writershouse.com Submit: Query & 1st 5 Pages

Andrea Brown Literary Agency Attn: Ms. Laura Rennert lauraqueries@gmail.com Email Only – No Address Provided Submit: Query & 1st 10 Pages

Nelson Literary Agency Attn: Ms. Kristin Nelson 1732 Wazee Street, Suite 207 Denver, CO 80202 query@nelsonagency.com Submit: One Page Query Only

Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency Attn: Query Department 548 Broadway, #5E New York, NY 10012 agent@ethanellenberg.comSubmit: Synopsis & 1st 50 Pages

Trident Media Group, LLC Attn: Mr. John Silbersack 41 Madison Ave, Floor 36 New York, NY 10010 jsilbersack@tridentmediagroup.comSubmit: Query, Paragraph about yourself & Plot Synopsis

Donald Maass Literary Agency Attn: Ms. Jennifer Jackson 121 West 27th Street Suite 801 New York, NY 10001 info@maassagency.com Submit: Query, Synopsis & 1st 5 Pages

The Bent Agency Attn: Ms. Susan Hawk Email Only – No Address Provided kidsqueries@thebentagency.comSubmit: Query & 1st 10 Pages

Kate Epstein Literary Agency Attn: Ms. Kate Epstein The Epstein Literary Agency P.O. Box 392 Randolph, MA 02368 Kate@Epsteinliterary.com Submit: Query and 1st 3 Pages

Congratulations! You’ve finally completed your novel and now you’re ready to submit your future best seller to publishers. However, most publishing houses won’t consider your work until you’re represented by a literally agent. So, you research and narrow down a list of your favorites and write your query letter. All that’s left now is for the offers for representation to come pouring in. Alas, if only it were that simple.

The truth is, getting published is a difficult process. Statistically, only 1 out of every 100 query letters submitted to an agent gets a positive response. That means, 99% of everything they receive is rejected. So, the odds are not in your favor, especially considering that most agents get over a thousand new queries each month.

New York Times bestselling author, Bruce Coville told me during an interview that the secret to his success is “bone-headed obstinance”. He means that most writers don’t have instant success. Most of the time, it takes years and hundreds of rejections before you get to the promise land and the majority of us will quit well before that ever happens. You have to develop very thick skin and you have to keep moving forward regardless of the odds or the rejections. You also have to accept that you may need help developing your craft.

With that in mind, I have created a list of tools that can help you through your journey. Starting off, these are the books that were recommended by bestsellers, Bruce Coville and Alyson Noel. Most you can find at your local library.

STORY by Robert McKee

SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder

ON WRITING by Stephen King

SPILLING INK by Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter

I’m a big supporter of writing critique groups. http://www.meetup.com is a great website that will help you find a group in your area. These groups are free. Another online group for young adult genre authors is http://www.yalitchat.ning.com They have a $30 annual membership fee, but it’s well worth it. They have groups setup to help you with your query, synopsis, and the first five pages of your manuscript. Some of their members have received representation after joining this online community.

Unless you have a degree in literature or communications, I strongly recommend taking an online writing course or a noncredit course at your local community college to beef up your basic skills. Poor writing is the quickest way to a rejection letter.

Lastly, if you’re struggling to finish your novel or just feeling bad about yourself then I recommend reading: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. He’s a screenwriter and really puts everything in perspective in a humorous way.

Good Luck to everyone!

Tamar Rydzinski worked at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates prior to joining the Laura Dail Literary Agency. She graduated from Yeshiva University in 2003 with a major in literature and a minor in business. Tamar is not interested in prescriptive/practical non-fiction, humor, coffee table books or children’s books (meaning anything younger than YA). She is interested in everything else that is well-written and has great characters, including graphic novels. A fantastic query letter is essential – “you need to make me want to read your book, and be excited to read it,” she says, “with those first couple of paragraphs.”

Interview

1. What is the best part of being a literary agent?

Oh wow! What a question. The best part, to me, is getting to work on books I love (and you’re going to read the word, “love” a lot in this answer). I’ve yet to represent a book that I don’t truly love and I count myself very lucky for that. When I submit a book to editors, I get ridiculously excited. And when I sell an amazing book and I know that the rest of the world is going to get a chance to experience it too, well, I just love that feeling. And, truth be told, I get a little thrill out of negotiating, too; I was a business minor in college.

2. How would you summarize your personal agenting philosophy? What do you expect from an agent-author relationship?

My agenting philosophy is very hands-on. I usually go through quite a few rounds of editing before submitting a book to editors. And I continue to edit second and third books in a series, even if they’ve already sold, because a) I always enjoy reading my clients’ books and b) I think it’s important to have as many pairs of editorial eyes as possible on a manuscript. If your book is good, readers are unforgiving of mistakes or missteps because they’re so invested in the world you’ve created. Plus, I like to tell myself that what I think is important to my clients.

In terms of what I expect from an agent-author relationship, respect is key. I have to respect the work you’ve put into the manuscript and your opinions about every step of the process (my editorial ideas, the cover, etc.) And you have to respect me and the knowledge I have of the publishing industry, my guidance, my time–I try to get back to my clients emails immediately and read their manuscript as quickly as possible, but I have more clients than just you and they deserve my time and respect, too.I also have demands on my time outside of work.

3. What’s something coming out now/soon that you’ve represented and are excited about?

The next book coming out that I’ve represented is Nocturne by Syrie James (January, 2011). It’s a wonderful vampire romance set in the Colorado mountains. The book actually came about because Syrie James has written three great books (The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte, and most recently, Dracula, My Love) which came to the attention of the editors at Vanguard who approached us and wanted Syrie to write for them because they so admired her talent. Which I think is just a really fun story.

4. What are the primary mistakes you see writers make in query process?

I’m going to answer this with a few tips:

Check an agency’s website and follow the submission guidelines posted there.

Don’t query me with more than one book at a time–choose one, the one that you think is in the best shape and bring that one to my attention.

Make sure that my name and the name of my agency are both spelled correctly.

Make sure to give me a paragraph or two on plot and a paragraph, even if it’s short, about you. It’s OK if you’re telling me that you have no writing credentials but live alone in the woods so you’ve lots of time to reflect and write. Whatever it is, I want some clue as to who you are and more than just a clue as to what your book is.

Don’t tell me your book is the next ______. Comparable books are great, as in, readers of ____ and ____ would enjoy my book. But grandstanding and making outlandish claims is never a good idea.

Check for spelling errors! If you’re too lazy to read your query 25 times to make sure there are no mistakes, then being an author will be tough on you since you will have to go back to your manuscript numerous times, first for your agent, then for your editor, then to make sure there are no mistakes before it’s printed and spelling mistakes in your query doesn’t bode well for the process.

5. With fiction partials, what makes you stop reading and start skimming-or stop reading altogether?

I guess the two biggest things that make me stop reading are lack of authenticity and lack of pacing. To me, dialogue needs to be spot on or I lose interest in the character or characters, and if I’m not interested in the characters, the story is shot for me. And especially in fantasy/sci-fi, the world needs to be authentic and interesting, too. I want details! Without data dumping. Sound tough? It is! But when it’s done well, you’ve got me hooked. And to make things even harder, while you’re trying to give me realistic characters in a well-developed world, you’ve got to keep the pace up so that I’m not waiting for the story to start.

6. Can you tell us some of the fantasy/sci-fi subgenres that you’re drawn to?

I do love the epic fantasy, but I also love paranormal, historical retellings, steampunk. Um, actually, I’m not sure there’s a subgenre that I wouldn’t be interested in…

7. When accepting young adult, what subgenres do you lean toward?

Again, I’m really open to anything. But I would love to see a thriller, something really dark and twisted. And one thing I love about fantasy is the openness–I find that there’s little attention given to sexual or racial mores of “our world” in these other worlds and I would love to see some more of that in YA, both fantasy and not.

8. Will you be at any upcoming writers conferences where people can meet/pitch you?

I don’t have any planned right now.

9. What’s the best way to contact you?

Read through our submission guidelines here: http://www.ldlainc.com/dailsubmissions.html

10. Best piece(s) of advice we haven’t discussed?

One of the reasons that I don’t like to limit what I’m looking for too much is that you really need to write what you’re passionate about, whatever that is. And if you do that, it comes across and it helps with the authenticity that I mentioned earlier. A reader can tell when you’re writing to a specific genre that happens to be doing well at the moment and this reader, for one, doesn’t appreciate it.

Social media is huge right now. Make sure you’re on Twitter: @trydzinski and on Facebook (I am). Blog, if you can. Basically, build yourself as big of a social media platform as you can before your book ever comes out.