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As we are all aware, evidenced by rabid Twilight fans and Hunger Games casting mania (Lenny Kravitz as Cinna? We're still scratching our heads on that one...), young adult literature is on an upswing that shows no signs of slowing down. And well, if you didn't know that, you might be living under a rock or possibly from another planet. One of our very own beloved young adult authors, Rosemary Clement-Moore, has a new release coming out smack dab in the middle of summer reading season. In her Knight Post interview, she shares details about the inspiration and looonngg publishing journey for TEXAS GOTHIC, which features mayhem, mystery and magic in Texas Hill Country. Rosemary will be the featured guest in our chat room next Thursday, June 23rd at 9pm ET -- so make sure to set your reminders.
Also in this issue, agent Melissa Jeglinski breaks down the do's and don'ts of writing the perfect first chapter, and in the Agent Roundtable section Melissa and Lucienne Diver reveal what POVs give them the heebie jeebies when reading a first-time author.
Before we dive into the newsletter, we want to give a special shout out to a few authors |
who are making major news this month. Nalini Singh's tenth Psy-Changeling novel was released for the first time EVAH in hardcover and had a smashing debut. The title hit #9 spot on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list. Also this month, the authors of THE OTHER SIDE: A TEEN'S GUIDE TO GHOST HUNTING AND THE PARANORMAL, Marley Gibson, Patrick Burns and Dave Schrader are all getting ready for their closeups on Paranormal Challenge, a new series premiering TONIGHT at 9pm ET on The Travel Channel. More details in the agency news section.
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ROSEMARY CLEMENT-MOORE GOES DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS |
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As a high school student in Texas, Rosemary Clement-Moore surreptitiously scribbled plot notes during class for a ghost story she brainstormed with her history-buff father during a family trip to historic missions in San Antonio. “I wasn’t that successful at writing it during biology,” she admits. Though the finer details of frog dissection waylaid her publishing dreams at the time, years later Clement-Moore dusted off the idea she’d entitled TEXAS GOTHIC. “I kept writing more pages,” says the author of the Maggie Quinn: Girl vs. Evil series and THE SPLENDOR FALLS, “and [my publisher] didn’t protest.” Not only did they not protest; Random House kept the original title. On her blog, Rosemary’s Rambles, the young adult author gives readers a friendly warning when recounting the book’s road to publication. “Never throw anything away.”
Clement-Moore grew up on a ranch, so there wasn’t a ton of research required to write the scenes set against the rugged backdrop of Texas Hill Country for her upcoming July release, which she describes as a “spin” on southern gothic. The only part she needed a little extra help with was cave knowledge, but a mild case of claustrophobia kept her glued to the handrail of limestone caverns with cleared out paths for the spelunking-lite crowd.
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The opening of TEXAS GOTHIC introduces protagonist Amy Goodnight and her socially awkward mad-scientist sister Phin. The girls are ranch-sitting for their aunt, who’s taken off on a month-long cruise. Aunt Hyacinth has neglected to tell them about the acrimonious relationship she has with her neighbors, the McCullohs, who own the land surrounding Goodnight Farm and are mighty bitter about her refusal to sell an easement to them for a new bridge. Coincidentally, or not, there’s a ghost haunting the area where the bridge project has been forced to relocate, and he only wants to talk to Amy -- but she doesn’t want to talk back. Thrown into the mix is a young rancher with the unfortunate last name of McCulloh who has caught Amy’s eye, as well as an eyeful of her running around Goodnight Farm in her underwear after a runaway cow (which just so happens to be based on a real-life experience of Rosemary’s, minus the hot boy).
The trouble with Amy is that she comes from a family of witches with abilities ranging from spell casting to clairvoyance, and she doesn’t want any part of it. She just wants to be “normal,” like any other seventeen year old in the universe. But solving the mystery on the McCulloh’s land is going to take a healthy dose of magic, which forces Amy to finally accept her birthright. Herein lies the moral of Clement-Moore’s tale – be yourself and possibilities that you never knew existed will be revealed. The author cautions, though, that weaving the moral into YA should be done with a light hand. “One of the dangers is coming off as an afterschool special. Those are the kind of books they MAKE you read – nobody wants that,” she says. “I think the universal appeal of reading YA is that it’s about moving from one stage of life to another… Solving your own |
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problems. Proving yourself. Life is full of crossroads. This is something that emerges naturally from the type of story that YA tends to be.”
Though Clement-Moore says she was pretty much comfortable with herself as a teen, like Amy she did keep at least one secret close to the chest. “I didn’t fly my freak flag,” she shares. “I loved comic books, but I didn’t wear my Star Trek shirt to school.” One of her more public loves, however, was acting. Clement-Moore participated in theatre school from junior high through high school, and eventually parlayed that skill into a job as a creative drama teacher in her hometown after graduating from college with a degree in communications. Teaching was what finally cemented her path to becoming a young adult author. “The kids were so charming… [Like] the ones who wanted to jump on the stage and take the world by storm. It was always appealing [to me] to write about people who were full of that kind of energy.” |
Today, Clement-Moore lives in Arlington, Texas, where she has built up a strong network of writing BFFs in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including fellow Knight Agency author Candace Havens. “Candy was there for me from the very beginning when I wrote PROM DATES FROM HELL,” she shares. “She said she was going to kick my a#% if I didn’t finish.” After newly motivated Rosemary successfully completed her first manuscript, it immediately caught the eye of agent Lucienne Diver.
“I still use Rosemary’s query letter as an example of one that worked,” Diver says. “Not only did the title for her debut capture me right away, but the humor and intelligence of both the work and the author showed through. It’s one the few times that I remember bumping a manuscript up to the head of the queue.” As for how the author has grown since PROM DATES FROM HELL released in 2008, Diver shares, “I think that with each successive novel [Rosemary] writes, she throws in more of those elements that I love and integrates them so seamlessly with a unique voice, humor, suspense, dark secrets and romance.” |
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Join us for a online gabfest with YA author Rosemary Clement-Moore on Thursday, June 23rd at 9pm ET. We promise you pub talk, book giveaways and good times!
WHAT: Chat with Rosemary Clement-Moore
WHEN: Thursday, June 23rd at 9pm ET
WHERE: The Knight Agency Chat Room
HOW TO CHAT: Enter any combination of username and password. Login. Your computer must be Java enabled to chat.
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Nalini Singh ’s tenth Psy-Changeling novel, KISS OF SNOW, debuted at #9 on the NYT hardcover list. This marked the first time her series has been sold in hardcover.
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Debra Mullins's TEMPTING A PROPER LADY won the Holt Medallion Award of Merit. |
IN THE HEAT OF THE BITE by Lydia Dare will be Romantic Times' Top Pick of the month for July. The reviewed noted that the book was, “A remarkably delightful read that will hook you from the first page.” |
Patti O’Shea’s IN THE DARKEST NIGHT is a finalist for Best Paranormal in the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. |
The authors of THE OTHER SIDE: A TEEN'S GUIDE TO GHOST HUNTING AND THE PARANORMAL, Marley Gibson, Patrick Burns and Dave Schrader, will be featured in a new television series, Paranormal Challenge, on The Travel Channel. The series kicks off on Friday, June 17th at 9pm ET. Paranormal Challenge is the brainchild of of "Ghost Adventures" star, Zak Bagans, and co-stars Dave Schrader, who will sit on the panel of judges. Patrick Burns is slated to be one of the guest judges in the premiere episode, and in the third or fourth episode, Marley Gibson's poltergeist activity video of a moving ball will be spotlighted.
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TKA's Prism Finalists include:
Dark Paranormal/Urban Fantasy - ASSASSIN'S HEART by Monica Burns
Light Paranormal/Urban Fantasy - A HIGHLANDER'S HOMECOMING by Melissa Mayhue |
Gena Showalter's next two titles in her NYT bestselling ALIEN HUNTRESS series, again to Lauren McKenna at Pocket, in a major deal, by Deidre Knight at The Knight Agency (world). |
NYT bestselling author Gena Showalter's next four HQN novels, including books to continue her Lords of the Underworld series, as well as titles in a brand new series, to Margo Lipschultz at Harlequin, in a major deal, in a seven-figure deal, by Deidre Knight at The Knight Agency (world).
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Kristen Painter's OUT FOR BLOOD, again to Devi Pillai at Orbit, in a very nice deal, in a two-book deal, for publication in fall 2011, by Elaine Spencer at The Knight Agency (World). |
Deborah Blake's 50 RITUALS FOR THE EVERYDAY WITCH, a comprehensive guide to a year of magical practice for the modern witch, to Elysia Gallo at Llewellyn, in a nice deal, by Elaine Spencer at The Knight Agency. |
Timothy Woodward's PURPLE COW, a coming-of-age story about coming out in a small rural town and finding love and support in the most unexpected of places, to John Scognamiglio at Kensington, in a nice deal, by Deidre Knight by The Knight Agency. |
Stephanie Doyle's A HERO'S RETURN and THE KINGMAKER, to Wanda Ottewell at Harlequin Super Romance, by Melissa Jeglinski at The Knight Agency. |
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From the Desk of Melissa Jeglinski: Beginning with Chapter One
First chapters...I know them well. After twenty years in the publishing business, I’ve done my fair share of critiquing them for contests, evaluating them to see if I want to ask for more from a new writer, editing them for a client before we shop a project, and enjoying them from my favorite authors. And although every writer has a different style, and each genre lends itself to different tones, that first chapter is always the essential element that is going to draw me in and make me want to read on.
So just how does one create a compelling first chapter? In no particular order, here are some of my suggestions for putting together a memorable opening that will entice your reader, and, perhaps help you avoid some of the pitfalls that can lead to rejection.
Show, Don’t Tell: Many writers make the mistake of treating the opening like a synopsis. They want to tell the reader everything right from the start. And so their opening consists of multiple paragraphs, even pages, of details about where we are, what we’re seeing and why we should care. Instead, show the reader where
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they are by setting the scene through a character’s eyes. Let the reader know what’s at stake by having something happen to your character right at that moment. Tell us why we should care by giving us the character’s thoughts on the current situation. The first chapter needs to open the reader up to the world by enticing them into your world.
Know When to Start: I can’t tell you how many first chapters I’ve read that start with a character going somewhere. They are driving to a destination, walking up to a front door, about to board a plane. Instead of wasting time writing about how that characters is getting to that destination, start with them having already arrived and quite possibly already in the middle of the situation. It’s not difficult to add in the details about how they got there later on with just a few sentences of background information. If a reader comes in during the middle of the action they are immediately engaged by the situation and the why’s and how’s can come later.
Don’t Forget the Dialogue: Some of the best opening lines I’ve ever read have been lines of dialogue. A sentence from the main protagonist or a minor secondary character can immediately set the stage for the type of journey one is about to take. Dialogue creates interaction between characters. The words used by these characters can illicit feelings of nervousness, exultation or fear. And the reader is immediately engaged. Think about it like coming into the room during the middle of a conversation...don’t you love trying to figure out what’s going on and how the people talking have gotten to that point?
Avoid Dumping: Please don’t be afraid to leave unanswered questions in your first chapter. You don’t need to use it as a dumping ground for every fact about your main character and their conflict. You want to keep your story evenly paced so giving away everything in chapter one will not do you any favors. I’ve often found that first chapters can be tossed away and that the second, even third or fourth chapters, make for a better opening because they start at the right place and leave enough questions for me to want to read on.
Leave them Wanting More: The first chapter is an enticement into the book but of course you want the reader to continue on to chapter two. So that first chapter needs to end with a great hook. Avoid having the protagonist go to sleep at the end of chapter one—the reader will too. Rather, end with a moment of suspense or a great realization that leads to more questions. Think about how your favorite television show cuts to a commercial...they leave you wanting to fast forward and get back to the story ASAP. So go out on a high note or a dismal note or a fearful note...but a note that will bring them back for more.
Remember, your first chapter sets the stage for all that is to come. Present it with the right tone, give away just enough information and start with a compelling scene. And you will let the reader know they are in for a memorable read. |
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QUESTION: Is there a particular point of view that makes you cringe? What are some of the pitfalls newbie authors, especially, fall prey to by using this POV?
MELISSA JEGLINSKI: Third person present tense is my pet peeve. Now some folks just love it. But when not used correctly I find it can really distance the reader from the characters and action. The book reads like a screenplay: "Jane Doe moves across the room and looks in her diary." I feel like I'm reading stage directions instead of getting inside someone's head. So a writer who chooses this point of view will have to work hard to make the text flow realistically and not read choppy.
LUCIENNE DIVER: The omniscient point of view always makes me cringe. This is when the story |
isn’t told through the lens of a character, but through an external, uninterested point of view that seems to know and see all. It’s very distancing to me. I prefer to do a ride-along in a character’s head, whether in first or third person, so that I’m experiencing the emotions, excitement, slings and arrows of outrageous fortune through that character. I want to feel that I’m living the novel, not just reading it. Most authors are aware of the limitations of the omniscient POV and don’t try to use it throughout the novel, but I’m amazed at how many newer writers begin their work in this way, as though to give you a wide view before they focus the lens in. I’d rather care right from the get go, be grabbed by the collar and pulled along for the ride. |
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STORM KISSED
Jessica Andersen | Penguin
When sexy Nightkeeper Dez goes rogue, the bounty hunter enlisted to catch him is Reese, his former lover. The sexual energy between them is hotter than ever-but the life-and-death stakes attached to the chase may pull them apart for good.
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HER BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING
Abby Gaines | Harlequin
When did Sadie Beecham get those curves? She'd always been the geek next door, his baby sister Meg's brainy best friend. Smart, sure. But hot? He never would have imagined it…before. Now, Trey Kincaid's imagining all sorts of things. And none of them has to do with Sadie's gifted mind.
A mind, he discovers, she's clearly lost. Because she thinks she's in love with Meg's fiancé. And that's an obsession he's determined to put an end to—one way or the other..
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DEEP IN THE WOODS
Chris Marie Green | Penguin
Dawn Madison has captured the master of the London Underground, but now must face her followers-a vicious pack of undead teenage girls who put the vamps in Los Angeles to shame.
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EVERDARK
Elle Jasper | Penguin
When Savannah tattoo artists Riley Poe is ambushed by an undead enemy, she inherits some of the traits of her attackers-and a telepathic link with a rampaging vampire. Now, she's experiencing murder after murder through the victims' eyes. And her new powers will not be enough to stop the horror-or the unending slaughter...
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CHICKS KICK BUTT
Susan Krinard, Rachel Caine, P.N. Elrod, et al. | Doherty
Chicks are awesome--and never more so than when they are kicking some serious vampire/werewolf/demon/monster butt.
Chicks Kick Butt is an anthology that features one of the best things about the urban fantasy genre: strong, independent, and intelligent heroines who are quite capable of solving their own problems and slaying their own dragons (or demons, as the case may be).
Edited by Kerrie Hughes and Rachel Caine, Chicks Kick Butt features original stories from thirteen authors, eleven of whom are New York Times bestsellers:
- Rachel Caine (with a story from her bestselling Weather Wardens universe)
- L.A. Banks - Rachel Vincent - Karen Chance - Lilith Saintcrow
- Cheyenne McCray - Susan Krinard - Jeanne Stein - Jenna Black - Jeanne Stein
- Jenna Black - Elizabeth Vaughan - Carole Nelson Douglas
- P.N. Elrod - Nancy Holder |
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THE WILD ROAD
Marjorie M. Liu | HarperCollins
Those who look upon Lannes Hannelore see only an exceptionally handsome man. But his beauty is a prison, locking the dark truth inside his tormented soul. For Lannes is one of a dying race of remarkable creatures, hiding in plain sight among earth's human masters. His existence is solitary and sad—until the night he encounters a young woman on a deserted street, desperate, frightened, with no memory . . . and covered in blood.
She has no recollection of who she is or what she's done—and now she must trust a mysterious stranger whose imposing presence masks a gentle heart. Her need draws Lannes into a mystery that will cause him to confront his worst fears and question everything he believes—and compel him to risk his secrets for the one woman who might well be the love of his life . . . or the destruction of it.
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KISS OF SNOW
Nalini Singh | Penguin
Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.
Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would've been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.
Then Sienna changes the rules-and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other's secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight...
A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna's darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home-and the alpha who is its heartbeat.
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To TKA Clients: The Knight Agency makes every effort to keep updated records regarding client releases and include all titles during their publication month whenever possible. Our methods utilize agent input, online retailer sites, and most importantly client updates to maintain this section. As is the nature of the business, pub dates can quickly change. To ensure that your release is included in the newsletter, please keep us apprised of your upcoming releases and any subsequent changes in dates by emailing Jia.Gayles(AT)KnightAgency.net. |
The agent also pinpoints Carrie Harris’s review of the book as an apt description of her own feelings about what makes TEXAS GOTHIC unique. “This book is so DIFFERENT from what's on the YA shelves now,” says Harris. “I'm not sure what made Rosemary say, ‘I think I'm going to mash together ranching and ghosts and forensic anthropology.’ But it's just plain brilliant. The result is a fast-paced, witty, exciting read that feels really distinct….” Kirkus also concurred with Harris’s and Diver’s love of the book, awarding it a highly coveted starred review.
Those already buzzing about TEXAS GOTHIC and clamoring for more from the Goodnight family should have no fear. Clement-Moore promises there are more books coming down the pike. “I’m weird and superstitions about saying things,” she says reluctantly. “But I’m working on more Goodnight books. The market is really conditioned to sequels and series. You get a whole lot of emails when you write a stand-alone book.”
Most authors sit on pins and needles as their reviews come in, and the emails from fans start flooding their inbox. Clement-Moore is no different, humorously relating an experience on her blog about how a bad review sent her on a mint chocolate chip ice cream binge. But whatever the reviewers say, it’s opinion of the readers that the she values the most. “My books connect with girls who are readers or even writers as well,” she says. “I love it when I get an email saying ‘I want to be a writer like you’ or ‘I feel like Maggie Quinn and I could be best friends, it made me feel less alone.’” She advises those girls to stay in school and work hard to pursue their dreams. Perhaps she should also remind them never to throw anything away. |
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