Monthly Archives: April 2015

Job at Poets & Writers Magazine

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Poets & Writers magazine is looking for an online editor. Here’s a brief description:
Online Editorial Assistant The online editorial assistant is an integral part of the team responsible for developing and maintaining Poets & Writers’ website (pw.org), which attracts over a million unique visitors per year and is the creative writer’s primary online source for information and advice. Responsibilities include maintaining a variety of databases, producing select web content, participating in the development of new online resources, and conducting related research. The position offers a fastidious, knowledgeable, and web-savvy person an opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of Poets & Writers’ fast-growing online service to creative writers. The online editorial assistant reports to the associate web editor. This is a fulltime position in our New York City office; it includes excellent benefits and potential for growth.
Click here for details.

Tor’s New Novellas

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Tor moved into publishing novellas. Here’s the press release listing brief descriptions of their first ten books:
New York, NY – Tuesday, February 3, 2015 Last summer Tor.com announced the formation of a new
publishing program, dedicated to publishing the best novellas and short novels from emerging
writers as well as established authors. Following an extensive period of reading and
commissioning, we are excited to announce our inaugural list.
All of the books published under the new program will be made available in ebook, print on
demand, and audio formats via online retailers. Your local brick-and-mortar store will also be
able to order these for you.
We will be publishing three to four books a month beginning in September 2015, and these
include:
The Last Witness
by K. J. Parker
When you need a memory to be wiped, he’s the one you call. Transferring unwanted memories to
his own mind is the only form of magic he’s ever been good at. But now, he’s holding so many
memories he’s not always sure which ones are actually his, any more. Some of them are
sensitive; all of them are private. And there are those who would kill to access the secrets
he’s trying to bury…
A classic Parker tale with a strong supporting cast of princes, courtiers, merchants,
academics, and generally unsavory people.
Every Heart a Doorway, Every Word a Prayer
by multiple Hugo winner Seanan McGuire
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under
a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging
somewhere… else. They have their adventures, live out their stories, and – if they’re lucky –
die before they reach the end. Because magical lands have little use for used-up miracle
children, and those who win find themselves spat back into a world that isn’t theirs anymore.
But what happens to the children in fantasy stories, when their tales inevitably end?
Sorcerer of the Wildeeps
by Kai Ashante Wilson (DEBUT)
The Sorcerer Demane bears the bloodline of the long-departed Gods, granting him the strength
and grace to pass through a troubled world. Still, he longs for more, for the love of his
Captain and the freedom to express it. Horrors stalk the road they travel in this dark—but
joyous—epic fantasy from an exciting new talent. Tor.com has been proud to publish Wilson’s
short fiction in the past, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to bring his work to a
commercial audience.
The Builders
by Daniel Polansky, author of the Low Town series
A missing eye.
A broken wing.
A stolen country.
The last job didn’t end well.
Years go by, and scars fade, but memories only fester. For the animals of the Captain’s
company, survival has meant keeping a low profile, building a new life, and trying to forget
the war they lost. But now the Captain’s whiskers are twitching at the idea of evening the
score.
Of Sorrow and Such
by Angela Slatter
Mistress Gideon is a witch. The locals of Edda’s Meadow, if they suspect it of her, say nary a
word—Gideon has been good to the community, and it’s always better to keep on her good side.
Just in case.
When a foolish young shapeshifter goes against the wishes of her pack, and gets herself very
publicly caught, the authorities find it impossible to deny the existence of the witches in
their midst; Gideon and her like are captured, and tortured, bound for a fiery end.
Should Gideon give up her sisters in return for a quick death? Or is there a way to turn the
situation to her advantage?
A tale of loyalty and betrayal, of hope and everlasting damnation from a World Fantasy Award
finalist.
The Drowning Eyes
by Emily Foster (DEBUT)
When the Dragon Ships began to tear through the trade lanes and ravage coastal towns, the hopes
of the archipelago turned to the Windspeakers on Tash. They could steal the breeze from the
dragons’ sails and save the islands from their wrath. But the Windspeakers are gone, leaving
only the young apprentice Shina to bring their magic back and save her people. The Drowning
Eyes is the debut release for Emily Foster, who we discovered during our open submissions
period.
With additional stories from:
Paul Cornell
Mary Robinette Kowal
Alter S. Reiss
Scott Harrison
Sylvia Spruck Wrigley
David Tallerman
Guy Haley
Michael R Underwood
Matt Wallace
and many more…
Senior Editor Lee Harris said, “We’ve been working hard to find some great novellas to launch
our line, and we’ve been delighted by the quality and breadth of the stories we received. We
can’t wait to share them with our readers.”
The Tor.com novella program is headed by Publisher Fritz Foy and Associate Publisher Irene
Gallo. The editorial team is led by Senior Editor Lee Harris, with Carl Engle-Laird, Editorial
Assistant, and support from a team of commissioning editors, which includes Jonathan Strahan
and Justin Landon.
About Tor.com
Tor.com publishes original fiction, art, and commentary on fantasy, science fiction, and
related subjects across all media by a wide range of writers from all corners of the field—
including professionals working in the genres as well as fans. The aim of the site is to
provoke, encourage, and enable interesting and rewarding conversations with and among our
readers. Tor.com debuted online July 20th, 2008 and currently reaches 1.5 million readers a
month.
Tor.com’s novella project acquires worldwide English rights in print, audio, and ebook formats.
All other rights are retained by the authors.
Note for Editors
Every Heart a Doorway, Every Word a Prayer by Seanan McGuire was acquired from Diana Fox of Fox
Literary, along with an as-yet unnamed second book.
The Shootout Solution by Michael R Underwood was acquired from Sara Megibow of KT Literary
Agency, along with a sequel, The Absconded Ambassador.

Another Job at Quarto #authorlife #author #editing

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Do you have a creative touch? Have you always wanted to be part of the book publishing world? Quarto Publishing Group is expanding and has an immediate opening for a Project Editor in our New York City office. This position serves as the conduit between the author(s) and the publisher, and amongst internal departments. The PE gathers and organizes author submissions and manages the day-to-day editorial responsibilities of book projects on the production schedule, working with freelancers and in-house editors/designers to ensure that the book conforms to contracted specifications and meets the publisher’s expectations when it is ready for final signoff by the group managing editor.
Click here for info.

How Indie Authors Can Break into Libraries

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No, I don’t mean breaking in like a thief to steal lovely ancient copies of books that are bound in leather and smell of old paper. I mean getting your books placed on the shelves of public libraries nationwide!
Library Journal is the leading publication for libraries in the US. Soon they will launch SELF-e, a discovery platform that allows libraries to find independent books. WIth 16,000 public libraries across the US, this is a significant new market.
To get started, go over to Library Journal’s website. You’ll have to submit your book; only ones that meet quality standards will be accepted. Once you’re in, you’ll be able to reach new readers.
Note that the distribution is royalty free. This means that you will not be paid for borrows or inclusion in any collection. But if you have several books and one of them is championed by librarians, you have a great new way to direct readers to your other books and make sales.

Book Review: Mr. Ruins, Book 1 of the Ruins Sonata by Michael John Grist #review #novel

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This novel is one of the most unique concepts I’ve encountered. Many authors and film writers have worked with plots that take characters into the minds of others. Many of these works have explored new territory but, because there isn’t much depth, the concept wears thin after a few stories. Mr. Ruins takes this concept much deeper, and does so in a way that is compelling and creative in its execution.
Mr. Ruins is written in alternating chapters that flip between Ritry Goligh’s activities in the material world and his spelunking inside a mind intend on destroying him and his team. Although Ritry is exceptionally good at his job as a greysmith, his success hasn’t given him much in life. In fact, it has kept him away from the one woman he truly loves, and he has banished himself to live on the fringes of a world inundated with tsunamis.
The precarious floating world, strung together from the debris of old, flooded cities and floating ships that didn’t survive the epic initial storms, mirrors Ritry’s internal environment. As the chapters unfold, readers learn about the tortured past that created a person who, although able to dive into anyone’s mind, can’t form the connections that make us human and buoy us atop the waves. Before he can make any progress, he needs to find himself…and that process just might kill him.
Very well written with only one ding: the use of the word BOOM (yes, always in upper case letters) to convey explosions and other loud sounds. The prose is really a cut above most hard science fiction novels, so to have the author fall back on such a weak way to describe the chaos—especially with such frequency—was disappointing. However, that’s a very minor ding and won’t prevent readers from enjoying what is truly an engaging work.
I also disagree with the decision of the author to warn about violence and graphic language on sales platforms. There’s nothing here that is so objectionable readers need to be warned. Don’t let that turn you aside, and don’t prevent your precocious teens from picking up this work, either.
The author photographs ruins and often finds inspiration amidst the wreckage of humanity’s past.
The novel comes with a glossary that defines in-world words for those who enjoy or need that but the prose integrates the terms so well you won’t need to refer to the glossary while you read.
5 stars!

Job at Quarto #authorlife #author #editing

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Fair Winds Press (a division of Quarto Publishing Group US, Inc.), a leading publisher of illustrated reference in the areas of health, cooking, beauty, fitness and new age, is seeking an Editorial Director to drive acquisitions strategy and editorial direction. Responsibilities include P&L management, editorial team management, contract negotiations, market and trend analysis, and collaboration with design, production, marketing and sales for coordinating the lives of Fair Winds books through all stages of production, publication, and beyond. Successful candidates will be entrepreneurial, creative, energetic, and able to think strategically about building a program through strong acquisitions, concept development and product execution. Excellent management skills, and a strong knowledge of competition and the global book market are required.
Click here for more info.

Agency Pricing: Good for Indie Publishers and Heritage Authors

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The Bookseller and Publisher’s Lunch reported recently that HarperCollins is returning to agency pricing on ebooks.
Agency pricing means that the publisher has the right to set the price for its ebooks. This means no deep discounts on Amazon…or anywhere else. It’s likely that ebook prices will remain high generally, with publishers experimenting with sales and promotions either through their own channels (the direct-to-buyers channels they’ve been opening up over the past year or so) and through third-party distributors.
This is good for them because it allows them to experiment with different release windows, different pricing structures, and even bundling to find out what works best. That’s great news for heritage-published authors. The stronger publishers grow, the more likely it is that advances will rise.
The same approach means that indie authors can continue to reach readers directly through pricing that is lower than the average price point of the big publishers. And because it’s expected that traditional publishers will keep prices high (at or above $9.99), this means that indie authors will be able to boost their own prices to as much as $8.99 and still be viewed as a bargain.
So, hurray for agency pricing!

Job at Rowman & Littlefield #author #authorlife #editing

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Rowman & Littlefield is looking for an associate marketing manager to join the dynamic and sophisticated marketing team of 30+ professionals (including those working in publicity, creative services, convention services, analytics, rights & permissions, and sales & advertising capacities). This position offers significant growth opportunity. This position will report to the Vice President of Marketing.
Click here for more info.

Book Review: Under the Dome #review #novel

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By Stephen King.
I picked this up because a friend was reading it and was enjoying the multiple points of views. Right away I remembered why I stopped reading King so many years ago.
The characters are too folksy-jokey for me, the plot points often seem to be included only for laughs, and while the level of writing is common for genre works, the lack of any other driver made me put it down. I really wanted to read this book because I thought that as a writer who works with multiple viewpoints, it might have something to offer. But I just couldn’t get through more than 30 pages. Pure torture all the way.
One star.

What Children’s Books Can Teach Adult Fiction Authors

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The AWP held their annual conference earlier this month. Among their other great offerings was a panel focused on children’s publishing.
One author stated that characters are paramount in children’s and YA stories. The plot comes from the characters. Who each person is in the story creates the story. Each is presented with challenges or obstacles they must overcome. From that comes the different plot points and thus the entire story.
Another point was that there are no pointless characters. If one shows up but never plays an important role, that character should be struck.
A different author noted that “rumination” is part of the story. That is, the characters have to have backstories, histories that detail where they come from and why they’re motivated to act certain ways.
Finally, in response to a question about how to write for the market, one author said to write what inspires you. From there, you can determine how best to pitch and place the work in the existing market.
All of these points apply equally to adult fiction. Characters do create the plot and impact the story. They should have backstories. No character should ever be pointless, and the author should always write what interests them rather than what they think will sell.
The only difference is that in children’s and YA publishing, the author utilizes different language, changes sentence layouts, uses less complex storytelling structures, and of course mostly will write shorter manuscripts.
Everything else is just quality fiction.

Job at Chronicle Books #authorlife #author #editing

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Chronicle Books seeks an Account Manager to join our Domestic Sales team. Successful candidates are highly motivated self-starters with resilient entrepreneurial spirits and proven sales experience. A proven track record of strategically growing business in established accounts as well as seeking new business opportunities is essential. Excellent analytical, communication and presentation skills are a must!
Click here for more.

Why “Editor of New York Times Bestseller” Doesn’t Mean What You Think #editing #amwriting #indieauthor

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So often I see ads from book editors that proclaim “Editor of (fill in a number) New York Times bestsellers!” Here’s why most of the time, that’s just hype.
Book editors at publishing houses are mostly in acquisitions. That means they acquire books by finding stuff in the slush pile then bringing it forward for consideration among other acquisitions editors, the marketing department, etc. etc. They’re good at finding quality.
Note that: finding quality. Not making quality.
If a project is too rough or just isn’t to their taste, they pass. And they pass a lot.
What they do select out of the submissions pile tend to be already fairly strong. The editing they might do usually is pretty nominal…tweak a personality trait here, change the order of events there.
They don’t do a lot because they don’t have time to do a lot. It’s fairly rare these days for publisher’s editors, who are skilled in acquisition, to do much actual editing.
There are exceptions, of course, but that also isn’t common.
So, “editor of X NYT bestsellers” might mean they said, “Hey, author, chapter one drags too much. Please rewrite it.”
Or, “Hey, author, so-and-so’s dialogue is stilted. Please adjust.”
Or, “Hey, author, I’m (or more likely, my freelance copyeditor is) going to do a little polishing on your project to make everything pretty.”
So beware too much of that NYT bestseller hype. Most of the time, it doesn’t mean what you think it means.

Job at HarperCollins #author #authorlife #editing

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HarperCollins needs a Sales Support Associate to provide support to the Children’s Sales Division, specifically focusing on assisting the Barnes and Noble National Accounts rep as well as working with the field sales team and the Independent channel.
Click here for more.

Book Review: Quiet Chaos #review #novel

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By Sandro Veronesi
I abandoned this one after about 100 pages. That’s pretty unusual; normally if I get past page 30 or so, I like something about the work enough to read the entire thing. But here, the narrative was too annoying. The author was replicating the chaos and emotional turmoil through the craft on the page. After a time, it was simply wearing. It kept me too distanced from the characters, oddly enough, because it was meant to take me deeper into that world.
Two stars.

How to Net More Than $0.35 on Your Promo Ebooks #epubchat #ebooks #epub #indieauthor

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Look, let’s be honest. Earning $0.35 per unit sold through Amazon’s restrictive royalty rate sucks. You should be earning closer to the full $0.99. Your book is worth it, and you need to make some money to offset advertising costs.
You could sign up as an Amazon affiliate and earn 4% more on each sale…but you have to refer those sales yourself, which means you can’t net that additional amount on advertisers’ promos. And 4% is pennies, still, so why bother?
Gumroad.com has the answer. They’re a sales site that allows authors, artist and others to sell their digital prices easily and for very little costs per unit. You’re looking at about $0.35 plus a percentage (under 3%) cost per unit sold. That means you net $0.61 per sale. That’s nearly twice as much!
Sell 100 copies on Amazon, net $35.
Sell 100 copies on Gumroad, net $61.
Sell 1,000 copies on Amazon, net $3,500.
Sell 1,000 copies on Gumroad, net $6,100.
Now you’re talking!