June's First Impressions selection is now up. As always I've marked my notes/edits in red and ask that you feel free to comment with your constructive critiques. Submission instructions are posted below should you care to have your first page reviewed.
The Veil
Paranormal Romance
By Julie Anne
“Another shocking death amps suspicions of something sinister in the city.” (Good opening although it's not quite as pithy as a newscast might sound.)
The eleven o’clock news brought Ava Draikar stumbling from her closet. (Can't help but wonder why she was in her closet? Could be an interesting avenue to explore later on but if you don't then I don't see the point.) Comfortable in her pajamas, she stared at the tiny television on her kitchen counter. Here we go again. Reporters will be all over the hospital tomorrow. Ava increased the volume, only slightly, for to better hear the details. (Because the tv was loud enough before to bring her out of the closet.)
Sipping wine from a large stemmed glass, she nearly choked. (Did she have the wine with her in the closet? Where did it come from?)
There, on the television screen, was a photo of the latest victim. And Ava knew him. A photograph of the latest victim was lodged securely in the left corner of the broadcast. Ava knew him. (Rather confusing the way orginally written.) Sort of. She saw She'd seen him every day for the past week and had toiled uselessly with lustful fantasies wherein with him playing he played the leading role. The man was gorgeous, but Ava was prone to neither, lust nor fantasy. (Which is it? She had lustful fantasies or she's isn't prone to lust and fantasy? Or maybe it's just not worded the way you mean.)
Pensively, she She lowered the remote and turned away from the television. She was missing her favorite show.
The city was fascinating from her window. Even in darkness, and despite the rain that streaked her view, nothing ever seemed to remove the city’s vast complexity, or its irrefutable draw. Separating herself from it would be like removing her own skin. If she could survive the process, she’d never be the same. (A bit overwritten here.) To Ava, the entire metropolis was alive, and she was a part of it. The city was one enormous, pulsating, entity, and it was that image that kept her at her window most nights. (The change in direction between this paragraph and the previous one is quite confusing.)
My thoughts: The story has a good opening and I was hoping to get more from the first page. The sudden change from Ava watching TV to looking out the window and waxing poetic about the city left me very confused. I really suggest staying with the topic initially brought up which is that of the latest victim.
There are a lot of extraneous commas thoughout.
I felt there were some interesting directions this story could go but the writer needs to continue with a thought rather than allude to it and move on. Answer the questions that are being brought up while they are still fresh in the reader's mind rather than having to explain them again later. _____ To enter First Impressions, email your first page (300 words or less) to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net with “First Impressions” in the subject line. Include the title and genre in the email, as well as the name you wish us to use when referring to you publicly. All genres are welcome. Do not send your entry as an attachment; it must be within the body of the email. Winners are randomly selected using http://www.random.org/.
**Disclaimers, Rules, Stipulations, What Not, and All That Jazz: By emailing your entry to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net, you agree to have your first page posted on our blog for critique. Entrants will remain in the selection queue indefinitely, so your number could come up tomorrow or two years from now. Such is life. We will drop you a line if your email is pulled out of the hat. Maybe. It’s best to just swing by our blog often and check things out, no? Winning a first page critique does not in any way indicate an interest or offer of representation by The Knight Agency, and we reserve the right to delete any material that we find improper or offensive. Though we encourage blog readers to offer positive, thoughtful feedback, we cannot control their opinions with Imperius Curses. However, we will promptly banish nasty, mean-spirited comments to the outer limits of cyberspace. Dontcha wish you could do that with people in real life? Addendum (11/03/2010): In order to give everyone a fair chance, only one entry is allowed per person. If you've submitted more than one first page, your initial email will be added to the queue; however, subsequent emails have been deleted
May You Always Make a Good First Impression by Melissa Jeglinski
It's time for May's First Impressions post. I take one of our first page entries and offer a constructive critique. (My notes/edits are marked in red.) Then I ask all of you to make your thoughts known in the comments section. Remember, this is meant as a learning experience so please be honest and kind. And, if you would like to have your first page randomly chosen to be critiqued by moi, please see our rules at the bottom of this post.
STRAPPED
Horror
by Sean Thomas Fisher
“Can they get in here?” Carla whispered,with wide eyes and a face that changed expressions in the flickering candlelight. (Awkward. How about: ...Carla whispered, her eyes wide and her face seeming to change expression in the flickering candlelight.)
“I hope not,” Dan replied, hitting the joint and offering it around the circle, catching a disapproving glare from Carla in the process. No one accepted, too paranoid already.
“They can’t,” Paul lied, chewing the partially frozen apple pie. He had tried to thaw it out by the fireplace, which, to avoid being spotted by outsiders, washad been extinguished just before dark.ness took hold. He watched Carla nervously glance to the farmhouse’s living room windows again while she clung to her two young boys. Looking to the large windows again himself,He wished they were boarded up as much as Carla did. Or at least had thicker curtains than the dirty white ones hanging there now.
The small amount of light the three candles were giving off made him nervous as well. They should put those out too, he concluded. But he worried about Sophia the most.(You mention Sophia, then have Carla speak next so it's confusing; you should go right to a description of Sophia or her line of dialogue or perhaps expand upon why he's worried about her. As it is that sentence is just hanging there and seems out of context. I'd just delete it.)
“I don’t know,” Carla surmised, still inspecting the premises, her breath floating out in white, ghost-like waves. (It's a long time between dialogue so I had to go back and reread what Carla is responding to.)
“Mom, they have guns,” Mike contended.
“I know, sweetie,” she patronized said patronizingly. “We’re gonna be just fine.”
“Your mom’s right,” Sophia lobbied said, (Simplify your dialogue tags. Why is she lobbying?) discreetly brushing a gloved hand against her pink gun, just to make sure it was still there. Like one would have subconsciously done with their cell phone or wallet at the mall or the fair before all of this began. (Again, we're in Paul's POV so how does he know she's doing this discreetly? He's got to "catch her discreetly brush a gloved hand against her pink gun as if to make sure it was still there.) “We’ll be playing volleyball on the beach soon.”
Both Mike and Matt nearly cracked a smile at this. (How can he tell they "nearly" cracked a smile? He's not in their minds. Be careful to maintain a consistent point-of-view.)
Paul shook his head, knowing he would never get used to hiding out in a different house like this every night with their rotating smells and furniture and pictures of the people who used to live there. (I get what you're going for in this last line but it reads awkwardly.)
My overall first impressions:
I'm guessing that Paul is the main protagonist; I read this twice before I knew for sure. The first line should be from his eyes
Not every line of dialogue needs to have an action immediate follow it. The writer tends to do that a good deal in the opening page. Sometimes that can make the piece read like a screenplay.
From not a lot of set up I definitely get that this group of individuals has banded together to keep safe. And I get the sense of danger with which they are living. So a very good job on getting the atmosphere right. Really work on establishing character development right from the start and confirming who your main protagonist is. I'd read on.
_____ To enter First Impressions, email your first page (300 words or less) to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net with “First Impressions” in the subject line. Include the title and genre in the email, as well as the name you wish us to use when referring to you publicly. All genres are welcome. Do not send your entry as an attachment; it must be within the body of the email. Winners are randomly selected using http://www.random.org/.
**Disclaimers, Rules, Stipulations, What Not, and All That Jazz: By emailing your entry to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net, you agree to have your first page posted on our blog for critique. Entrants will remain in the selection queue indefinitely, so your number could come up tomorrow or two years from now. Such is life. We will drop you a line if your email is pulled out of the hat. Maybe. It’s best to just swing by our blog often and check things out, no? Winning a first page critique does not in any way indicate an interest or offer of representation by The Knight Agency, and we reserve the right to delete any material that we find improper or offensive. Though we encourage blog readers to offer positive, thoughtful feedback, we cannot control their opinions with Imperius Curses. However, we will promptly banish nasty, mean-spirited comments to the outer limits of cyberspace. Dontcha wish you could do that with people in real life? Addendum (11/03/2010): In order to give everyone a fair chance, only one entry is allowed per person. If you've submitted more than one first page, your initial email will be added to the queue; however, subsequent emails have been deleted.
Hello and Happy Groundhog Day! If you're currently getting blasted with snow, I'm so sorry. And might I add how happy I am to be living in Georgia these days (although we've gotten our share of ice and snow storms here as well.)
We've got a new First Impression page to read and critique. For those of you who might be new around here, this is something I do the first Wednseday of the month. You're invited to submit your first page for a chance to be critiqued by myself and fellow TKA blog readers (see below for guidelines.) Everyone should feel free to post your constructive criticism in the comment section.
Title: DOUBT
Genre: Suspense
Author: Stephanie St.Clair
“We had a deal,” Tom Dubium said (We're in his point-of-view. People don't think of themselves this way. "Tom Dubium" should be "he" instead.) as he turned his attention back to the blonde across the table. Without waiting for an answer, he lifted the cold bottle of Heineken to his lips. The bitter liquid flowed down his throat, but couldn’t wash away the distaste of doing business with Alessandra LaFave. (Really nice and solid first paragraph. I get a strong sense of this protagonist.)
Alessandra tapped her long red fingernails, one by one, on the table as she silently stared at him.
Clack…clack...clack. (I'm personally against sound effects. But if used, italicize them. It's also a bit redundant.)
The impact of acrylic against Formica echoed like deliberate shots of distant gunfire. She took a long drag off the slim cigarette, tilted her head back and blew gray smoke toward the yellow stained ceiling. (Over use of descriptives; every noun doesn't need an adjective.)
“Deals are made to be broken. Aren't they?” she asked.
He could see the gears turning behind those icy blues. It was now a waiting game. Tom glanced out of the large glass window behind her as he waited for her reply. (But he just had her reply, so why is he waiting? Perhaps this sentence is in the wrong place.)
The small Italian seaport in which he (currently) found himself was an ocean away from home. Fishing trawlers docked alongside freighters from around the world in Gaeta Harbor. From where he sat, Tom could just make out the NATO base in the distance.
It was getting late and hurried workers anxious to get home for dinner yelled to each other as they offloaded boxes and fish. The salty air merged with the acrid taste of burning tobacco as diners left the small cafe with their arms full of boxes stuffed with a local specialty, Tiella, a combination of a pizza and calzone.
Tom's dinner sat untouched on his plate.
My thoughts: The story sets out with a certain intensity. And then it wanes while Tom contemplates the view and thinks about local cuisine. The impact of the opening paragraph needs to be sustained. The descriptives of where these characters are isn't important right off the bat. Their conflict is what needs to be established right from the start.
A little less descriptive phrasing should help the pacing.
This is intended as a suspense novel and so I urge the writer to really build up the suspense aspect from page one.
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To enter First Impressions, email your first page (300 words or less) to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net with “First Impressions” in the subject line. Include the title and genre in the email, as well as the name you wish us to use when referring to you publicly. All genres are welcome. Do not send your entry as an attachment; it must be within the body of the email. Winners are randomly selected using http://www.random.org/.
**Disclaimers, Rules, Stipulations, What Not, and All That Jazz: By emailing your entry to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net, you agree to have your first page posted on our blog for critique. Entrants will remain in the selection queue indefinitely, so your number could come up tomorrow or two years from now. Such is life. We will drop you a line if your email is pulled out of the hat. Maybe. It’s best to just swing by our blog often and check things out, no? Winning a first page critique does not in any way indicate an interest or offer of representation by The Knight Agency, and we reserve the right to delete any material that we find improper or offensive. Though we encourage blog readers to offer positive, thoughtful feedback, we cannot control their opinions with Imperius Curses. However, we will promptly banish nasty, mean-spirited comments to the outer limits of cyberspace. Dontcha wish you could do that with people in real life? Addendum (11/03/2010): In order to give everyone a fair chance, only one entry is allowed per person. If you've submitted more than one first page, your initial email will be added to the queue; however, subsequent emails have been deleted.**
Happy New Year, everyone! We're starting 2011 off with a new First Impressions critique. If you would like the opportunity for one of your projects to be critiqued, please see the details below. And please feel free to add your own comments and thoughts. Here's hoping the new year is fruitful for all!
Title: Now and Then
Genre: Chick Lit/Romance Author: Jen Baggiero
It's very rare that Emily Hayes has to remind herself why exactly Nicole Wright is her best friend. (I do think this would be a bit more engaging if it was first person point-of-view.)
“I just don't know,” Nikki's voice drifts out from her fitting room. Her voice is filled with consternation and Em can practically see the pose Nikki's striking in the mirror: lips pursed in concentration, head tilted to the side, and one hip jutted out to the side. (Repetitious with "side".) They've been at the bridal shop for three hours now, the other bridesmaids sitting patiently on the couch as Em continues jiggling her knee agitatedly. She started when they passed the one hour mark and hasn't stopped since.
This is Nikki's show, Em tells herself chidingly, her inner voice sounding entirely too much like her mother for comfort. It's going to be her wedding day, her wedding pictures, and this is her wedding dress that's going to be at the center of everything come January. It's a Big Deal and even in her thoughts, the words sound capitalized. (Not a bad phrase because I get what you're trying to do but it just reads oddly to me.)
She left those thoughts behind at the two-hour mark. The other bridesmaids are giggly, huddled together on the maroon what is that squishy material called(perhaps trying too hard to be cute?)couch, still sharing the bottle of champagne that the bridal attendants had dropped by in an ice bucket back when they'd all thought that this would be a short, relatively painless process. (Why is she not with them?)
“Okay!” Nikki's voice exclaims. Em hears a loud clap and imagines Nikki nod decisively. The dressing room door flies open to reveal Nikki in a frothy concoction of white lace and beading. The dress's skirt (tangled around Nikki's legs) (I'm not one for parenthesis in text, you can easily separate this with em dashes.) rises from a bell shape up to a satin sweetheart neckline embellished with iridescent crystal beading. If dresses were bicycles, this would be the bright pink one, with a flowered wicker basket, silver sparkling streamers, and a bell.(Nice description.)
My thoughts: Overall, I thought this was a clever opening and put me in the mind of the protagonist; she so obviously does not want to be there. Good hook to draw the reader further into the book.
Okay, this is totally personal opinion, but I'm not one for present tense. It distances me from the story rather than drawing me in which I believe is the ultimate point. Do others feel that way or is it just an odd quirk of mine? I mean, I put a book down if it starts this way it's that hard for me to get involved. And this book could so easily be fine in past tense. Usually chick lit is first person as well.
I do think the writer could tone down her descriptions. I'd like to know more how her protagonist feels rather than just what she's seeing.
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To enter First Impressions, email your first page (300 words or less) to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net with “First Impressions” in the subject line. Include the title and genre in the email, as well as the name you wish us to use when referring to you publicly. All genres are welcome. Do not send your entry as an attachment; it must be within the body of the email. Winners are randomly selected using www.random.org. **Disclaimers, Rules, Stipulations, What Not, and All That Jazz: By emailing your entry to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net, you agree to have your first page posted on our blog for critique. Entrants will remain in the selection queue indefinitely, so your number could come up tomorrow or two years from now. Such is life. We will drop you a line if your email is pulled out of the hat. Maybe. It’s best to just swing by our blog often and check things out, no? Winning a first page critique does not in any way indicate an interest or offer of representation by The Knight Agency, and we reserve the right to delete any material that we find improper or offensive. Though we encourage blog readers to offer positive, thoughtful feedback, we cannot control their opinions with Imperius Curses. However, we will promptly banish nasty, mean-spirited comments to the outer limits of cyberspace. Dontcha wish you could do that with people in real life? Addendum (11/03/2010): In order to give everyone a fair chance, only one entry is allowed per person. If you've submitted more than one first page, your initial email will be added to the queue; however, subsequent emails have been deleted.** First Impressions Schedule: February 2nd, March 2nd, April 6th, May 4th
First Impressions by Melissa Jeglinski: December Edition
Hello, everyone! Welcome to December's First Impressions blog. This blog, featuring a first page critique by yours truly, will occur the first Wednesday of every month. Rules on how to enter YOUR first page are listed below. Now let's get critiquing.
Novel title: The Occupied
Genre: Dark fantasy
Author: T.D. Grubbs
------------------------------
Evening settled over her bare skin with a shiver. (Perhaps would read better: ...bare skin, causing her to shiver.) Other than this slight spasm she didn’t move. She hadn’t moved in days. Her arms, tied and twisted above her head where she lay against hard earth, had long gone numb. (Compelling opening paragraph. We get a definite sense that this protagonist is in quite the serious predicament.)
She lay on one side. Shackles weighted her wrists to the ground. All of her limbs were useless. (If only her wrists are bound, why are her legs useless?) They weren’t broken, they simply didn’t hold any strength. Against her captors she was a rag doll, a sack of skin and bones and pliant connective tissue. (Overwritten; rag doll is sufficient.) Nothing more.
Fingers of a fading sun pierced the basement ceiling above. They stretched into a languid fade, (Again, a bit overwritten, using "fade" twice in two connected sentences) making a final grasp across hand-packed earth. Then, too quickly, dusk faded to shadow. Darkness stretched its oily (strange adjective) wings, awakening all that was unseen, calling to life what should long be dead.
The air crystallized with a sudden frost. She shivered again, this time a spasm that rattled against her cold bones. It was the chill that preceded them. The icy breath of animated death.
Fully awake, she listened for their approach.
The cold drew back, lessening without breaking. A soft fog, like an exhale of a hundred breaths, drifted against the edges of the room.
Then a scent tickled her nose. It was followed by a whisper of sound. She sensed movement above, outside of the house. Steady steps. Twenty yards away. Moving closer.
She continued to listen, to taste the cool air that drifted through the crags of old wood. It was not them that she sensed, but something else. Neither demon nor animal. Something that in the three years of her imprisonment she’d never encountered. (This is compelling and leaves me wondering what is about to appear. I want to turn the page.)
The writer did a good job of setting up a desperate situation for the story's protagonist. From the first line we get a sense of her being in danger and about to be drawn into something dark and sinister. It's immediately apparent that there is some type of paranormal element involved; so even if I wasn't aware this was a Dark Fantasy novel, I would sense that otherworldly issues were at hand.
While the author does have an atmospheric writing style, they may want to watch the use of flowery language. The text comes off a bit overwritten at times. And while it is good to explore multiple senses (the author had visual, sensory and even auditory descriptions) sometimes it can overload the page. ________________
To enter First Impressions, email your first page (300 words or less) to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net with “First Impressions” in the subject line. Include the title and genre in the email, as well as the name you wish us to use when referring to you publicly. All genres are welcome. Do not send your entry as an attachment; it must be within the body of the email. Winners are randomly selected using www.random.org.
**Disclaimers, Rules, Stipulations, What Not, and All That Jazz: By emailing your entry to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net, you agree to have your first page posted on our blog for critique. Entrants will remain in the selection queue indefinitely, so your number could come up tomorrow or two years from now. Such is life. We will drop you a line if your email is pulled out of the hat. Maybe. It’s best to just swing by our blog often and check things out, no? Winning a first page critique does not in any way indicate an interest or offer of representation by The Knight Agency, and we reserve the right to delete any material that we find improper or offensive. Though we encourage blog readers to offer positive, thoughtful feedback, we cannot control their opinions with Imperius Curses. However, we will promptly banish nasty, mean-spirited comments to the outer limits of cyberspace. Dontcha wish you could do that with people in real life? Addendum (11/03/2010): In order to give everyone a fair chance, only one entry is allowed per person. If you've submitted more than one first page, your initial email will be added to the queue; however, subsequent emails have been deleted.**
First Impressions Schedule: January 5th, February 2nd, March 2nd, April 6th
New Feature Coming Soon! First Impressions: Page Critiques by Melissa J.
Starting this November (along with a bunch of other cool stuff), associate agent and submissions coordinator Melissa Jeglinkski will be critiquing first pages RIGHT HERE every first Wednesday of the month. Cool, right? Not only is Melissa the query master around the office, she's also built an enviable client list in just two short years at The Knight Agency. Before joining, many of you know she was a senior editor at Harlequin. Melissa's promises all pages will be thoughtfully critiqued; however, don't expect to be treated with kid gloves. This is an honest, true-blue reaction to your work. So, if you're still with me, details for entering your first page are below:
To enter, email your first page (300 words or less) to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net with “First Impressions” in the subject line. Include the title and genre in the email, as well as the name you wish us to use when referring to you publicly. All genres are welcome. Do not send your entry as an attachement; it must be within the body of the email. Winners are randomly selected using www.random.org.
**Disclaimers, Rules, Stipulations, What Not, and All That Jazz: By emailing your entry to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net, you agree to have your first page posted on our blog for critique. Entrants will remain in the selection queue indefinitely, so your number could come up tomorrow or two years from now. Such is life. We will drop you a line if your email is pulled out of the hat. Maybe. It’s best to just swing by our blog often and check things out, no? Winning a first page critique does not in any way indicate an interest or offer of representation by The Knight Agency, and we reserve the right to delete any material that we find improper or offensive. Though we encourage blog readers to offer positive, thoughtful feedback, we cannot control their opinions with Imperius Curses. However, we will promptly banish nasty, mean-spirited comments to the outer limits of cyberspace. Dontcha wish you could do that with people in real life?**
First Impressions Schedule for the next 6 months: November 3rd, December 1st, January 5th, February 2nd, March 2nd, April 6th
We are a bit late to the party, but TKA agent Lucienne Diver is hosting a debut week on her blog with posts by authors Diana Orgain, N.K. Jemisin, Vicky Dreiling and Kalayna Price. Leave a comment in any of the blogs and you can win a "bundle of books." Today, Lucienne is taking her turn at the mike, giving an agent's perspective on making "The Call" to a debut author. http://varkat.livejournal.com/
Marjorie M. Liu, New York Times bestselling author of the DIRK AND STEELE and HUNTER KISS series recently interviewed with Fan Off. Click here for the podcast.
This week, Melissa Jeglinski was interviewed by her client Lydia Dare on the LadyScribes blog.
We are introducing a new regular feature on the blog...well semi-regular. Hmmm...make that when I can nail down our agents to write up a book review that has nothing to do with any of our clients. Ergo, off-topic. *sigh* Well, just enjoy this lovely review of FIRESIDE by the effervescent Melissa Jeglinski. Now let me go see who I can shakedown for the next one. Does the word shakedown make anyone else think of the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack (you know, "shakedown, breakdown, takedown, you're busted...")? *crickets* Okaaayyy, just me. Without further ado:
Melissa Jeglinski Reviews FIRESIDE by Susan Wiggs
I have always been a huge fan of Susan Wiggs, especially her LAKESHORE CHRONICLES series. I love revisiting her town of Avalon, New York, with its complex characters--it’s familiarity as warm and comforting as a hand-knitted afghan. And so it was with much anticipation that I sat myself down to read her latest, FIRESIDE.
It was nice to find baseball player Bo Crutcher as the main protagonist—he had intrigued me in prior books; he certainly had his share of baggage, not to mention attitude. As FIRESIDE begins, Bo has finally been given his big chance at the majors. But just as he is on the cusp of that life-long dream, he must take on the role of father to the son he’s never met. Young AJ’s mother has been sent to a holding facility for illegal immigrants—falsely held there due to a lack of proper legal documents. With nowhere to turn, AJ is now with the father he doesn’t know and refuses to love. The emotional relationship of between father and son was well developed and I thoroughly enjoyed Bo tackling his new role.
But while Bo struggles to find his footing as “dad”, his pairing up with Kimberly van Dorn simply fell flat. A few scenes with jaunty banter and they are suddenly in love? It simply didn’t evolve enough for me to believe in this relationship’s ability to withstand any sort of conflict. Perhaps it is because I could not route for the character of Kimberly. Sadly, I could not respect her decision to simply run from a bad situation, allowing the more powerful and well-connected man to have the upper hand...especially in a case where abuse is an issue. Her attitude to just let things go really bothered me. I wanted to see a character who would fight for what she wanted...not allow things to simply happen.
There was plenty of emotional material in both protagonists’ back stories, but they never moved forward. And because this romantic relationship fell to the wayside, so, too, did my interest. I had hopes that a secondary storyline involving Daisy and Julian would at least hold my attention—their arch has been building for several books. But those promising characters were given just a few fleeting scenes. In most all of the prior LAKESHORE CHRONICLE books, secondary storylines have intrigued me, allowing me to really get to know other characters in the town, anticipating whose story would be next. But FIRESIDE only provided the briefest mention of beloved townsfolk, leaving me unsatisfied.
This hasn’t stopped me from wanting more LAKESHORE CHRONICLES. Every one of my favorite authors has written a book I’m not a fan of. I chock this up to an author discovering she doesn’t love the plot or characters as much as she had thought she would when she began writing. Or, a looming deadline forcing her to hurry an ending she’d much rather have given another month or two to develop. So, while FIRESIDE isn’t going into my “keeper” pile, I did enjoy several hours of escapism—and these days, what’s so bad about that?
Melissa Jeglinski Encourages Budding Authors to Consider Category Romance
Category romance can sometimes get a bad rep. Why? Because it’s not usually on the shelf for longer than one month, and is priced lower than a single title. But writing category romance is an art form in itself; it takes a very savvy writer to be able to create a compelling romance with enticing characters and a fully developed conflict in 65,000 words or less. It’s a great training ground for writers to hone their craft, to dispose of the flowery prose, to make Every Single Word count.
There are a great many legendary authors who got their start in category: Nora Roberts, Linda Howard, Elizabeth Lowell, Lisa Gardner. And many other bestselling authors who continue to write category romances as well as single titles: Jessica Andersen, Linda Lael Miller, Diana Palmer, among others. Why? Because their fans discovered them in series and want more. Plus, they can be published more frequently in series due to the large volume of books the publisher puts out each month. That’s not the case in mainstream where there is a smaller amount of monthly releases.
So, as an unpublished writer looking for a way to break into publishing, I offer you this suggestion. Why not set aside any bias you may have about series, category, ‘those little books’ and go out and try to write one. Pick up a series that interests you--be it sexy, inspirational, paranormal, suspenseful--and see if you could put together a plot for that line. It’s not as easy as you may think, but it will certainly be a lesson in making the most of your words. And, you may even discover a love for a tightly connected romance. Or, if you’ve been working on a mainstream romance and it’s just not getting any interest, see if you could revise it to work for series. It might just finally find a home where it will really be appreciated.
And, if you do have something that’s just perfect for series, feel free to query me c/o submissions@knightagency.net. You never know where it might lead.
Through the Looking Glass: Life from the other side of the publishing world.
Making the transition from editor to agent was a complex move for me. Andeven after a few months, it’s still a work in progress. Coming from an editorial background, I was taught to look at projects with an objective eye, but within a very finite set of requirements. As an agent, the world has suddenly expanded, allowing me to fall down a rabbit hole filled with possibilities.
On this other side of the publishing table, I am reviewing a wider range of genres, working with a more eclectic group of authors and placing their works at a varied array of houses. There are no limitations. And that is both exciting and daunting.
Romance has always been my first love and I will always have a special place in my heart for series romance...that will never change. But working at one publishing house only allowed me to buy for that house’s needs. And though imprints were born and, sadly, died, there was a limitation on what I could pursue. Now, the only limitation is my own desire. The Knight Agency receives an average of fifty queries per day running the gamut from young adult paranormal, to self-help nonfiction, to three-hankie women’s fiction reads. With a broader array of genres and sub-genres to peruse, my excitement level has ratcheted up 200%. I’m literally a kid in a candy store with so much to choose from.
Adding these new genres into my repertoire has broadened my exposure to many new editors at many new houses. In my previous job, I had worked alongside editors for seventeen years. I saw them come and go...in my publishing house. I knew what they were looking for just by passing by their office to chat. In this broader world of agenting, I am involved with multiple publishing houses where new editors arrive constantly and whose tastes and needs vary more than all the tea in china. But I am expanding my world of business acquaintances. I am so looking forward to attending writers’ conferences where I can meet with these editors face to face. And...it’ll be really cool to get taken out to lunch for once instead of the other way around.
As for working with clients, I am loving the infinite possibilities this new endeavor has given me. Taking on new clients is much different in the agent world. When I was an editor, I’d be buying an author based solely on their manuscript. And that manuscript would have been sent to my attention because I was the senior editor of the line they were aspiring toward. Now, there is much more open communication involved in my taking on a client.
If the writer submits a project directly to me, it is either because they know my reputation, have worked with me in the past, or I was recommended by a fellow author. If the writer submitted a project to the agency’s general submissions folder and I happen to request it, then I have to introduce myself to the author. In both cases, the perspective client and I have an open, honest dialogue. We discuss what they are looking for in an agent and what I can do for them. We have to both be agreeable to the terms of our relationship. So we know we have a good connection. There is a lot more choice involved in this type of collaboration.
This journey into the agenting world has certainly brought about many changes to my career...all for the better. Working with such a variety of projects and talented writers has reinvigorated my joy for the written word. I know there will be challenges I will continue to face, but am eager to meet them head on and look forward to all that awaits me on this side of the looking glass.
TKA's agents always have their dandy Kindles on hand to read work-related stuff. But sometimes, though rare, they get to read something for sheer pleasure. Associate Agent/Submissions Coordinator, Melissa Jeglinski, shares her latest downloads below.
MELISSA'S KINDLE REPORT: "JUST BREATHEby Susan Wiggs because I'm a big fan of her emotionally charged stories, and I've been waiting for this book for months. I also havesTORI TELLINGby Tori Spelling because I LOVE a juicy tell-all and this one delivered!"
By the way, you guys are seriously into the Autumn Book Giveaway! All I can say is W-O-W! We’re thrilled to see so many people vying for our books! We love our authors are so glad to know you all love and support them too! Makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. There’s still time to get on this contest, so let your fellow booklovers know about this opportunity.
The Knight Agency (TKA) is pleased to announce the addition of Melissa Jeglinski to its dynamic team. In her new role, Melissa will act as associate agent/submissions coordinator. She previously served as senior editor of Harlequin Enterprise’s Silhouette Desire line, one of the company’s most prestigious and successful series.
Melissa began her 17-year career at Harlequin as an editorial assistant and has discovered more than two dozen authors, many of whom have become National bestsellers. Her romantic pedigree and distinctive tastes are perfectly in tune with the needs of TKA’s client roster, which boasts a number of well-recognized romance writers, including; Gena Showalter, Nalini Singh and Jessica Anderson.
A graduate of Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Melissa majored in English with a concentration in writing. She is extremely excited about her move to “The Peach State” and looks forward to utilizing her editorial experience at TKA by continuing to foster talented writers to national prominence. “Becoming part of the TKA family will allow me to continue what I love doing best – discovering talent and working with writers,” she says. “Being able to build a relationship with the author, molding their talent, providing feedback and finding them just the right home for their work…it’s a dream job!”
