The Query Letter: Start with a Stop Sign, Guest Post from John Paine
You need to arrest the agent’s attention with the first line. She does not want to read about the fact you actually completed a novel. Everyone who queries her has done that. She doesn’t want to know anything about you personally, at least not at first. She wants to know: why does this book […]
Weather watching on Mt. Hood, one of America’s most dangerous mountains
Christopher Van Tilburg,M.D., author of MOUNTAIN RESCUE DOCTOR and THE ADRENALINE JUNKIE BUCKET LIST, is no stranger to danger. In fact, you could say he courts it. Dr. Van Tilburg is a member of the oldest search and rescue team in the nation, The Crag Rats, all volunteers. Here’s a recent clip of Chris on […]
PRETTY IN INK, Lindsey J. Palmer
Set in the fast-paced world of women’s magazines, this dishy debut novel from a former magazine editor establishes Lindsey J. Palmer as a stand-out young novelist to watch. Here’s the story line: For years, Hers magazine has been a fixture on newsstands–relatable, reliable, and ever-so-slightly frumpy. But with sales slumping, Hers’ editor-in-chief soon finds a […]
THE LANGUAGE OF THE DEAD, Stephen Kelly
The first in a projected series of crime novels set in a small English village during World War II, featuring Inspector Lamb. Reminiscent of Foyle’s War, THE LANGUAGE OF THE DEAD takes place during the Battle of Britain and is inspired by true events. (Pegasus, World Rights)
In the “how cool is this?!” department, thrilled to learn that Lindsey J. Palmer’s delicious debut novel, PRETTY IN INK, has been chosen by WomensHealth magazine as their 60 second Book Club pic! http://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/pretty-in-ink-review#
THE INNOVATOR’S PATH winner of 2014 Axiom Business Book Award
Congratulations to Madge M. Meyer, author of THE INNOVATOR’S PATH: How Individuals, Teams and Organizations Can Make Innovation Business-as-Usual (Wiley, 2013), chosen by Axiom Business Book Award as one of the best business books in the category of Success/Motivation/Coaching (Bronze). Read more: http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1772A guide to creating and sustaining a culture of innovation focused on business […]
From Author to Marketer–the All-Important Query Letter
I invited freelance editor, ghostwriter, and blogger John Paine to contribute advice on how to approach the query letter. Here he focuses on how to switch hats–from author to marketer–when formulating your pitch to agents. You feel a tremendous relief when you finish your novel. All those months, all those snatches of stray time you […]
The Author Photo
So you’re one of the lucky ones. You are getting published! Your publisher asks you for an author photo. You get your best friend or your son to snap a shot of you on his phone. Voila! There was a time when publishers would invest in an author photo. Yes, they would actually hire photographers […]
Book of the Week: Quiet Your Mind, John Selby
From psychologist, therapist, educator and noted meditation expert John Selby, Quiet Your Mind is one of the agency’s steady backlist gems. For anyone seeking calm and clarity of mind, this step-by-step guide will set you free from chronic worry, negative thinking and the inability to move forward by letting go of the past. As John […]
Where I Write: Deborah Swiss
The next installment of Where I Write, in which our authors share their favorite writing spots is from Deborah Swiss the author of the fascinating Tin Ticket: The Heroic Journey of Australia’s Convict Women. “I seem to do my best writing when I lead with my heart rather than my head. To find my voice, […]