The Best Bread Pudding Ever*

* baked at my house…. This Thanksgiving, we’re sharing our home and our holiday with a trio of South Korean exchange students (college friends of my son). In honor of that, and in the spirit of tradition, my menu includes a lot of special dishes. When asked, my son requested bread pudding — a dish I don’t usually make, but which I made on at least one previous occasion (probably only one). I don’t remember the holiday, but my son not only remembers, he wishes I’d made it far more often. Apparently, I get an F in “communicating about the favorite dishes.” In the

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After the Offer: Publishing 101

This week, we’re continuing the series on Publishing 101 with a look at what happens after the author (and agent, if any) accept the publisher’s offer to publish a work. Most authors think the step after “accepting the offer” is “sign the contract.” In one sense, that’s true, but other things often happen first. We’ll look at those intervening events this week, and take a look at the contract itself when this series returns two weeks from now. The publisher’s offer doesn’t usually involve a finalized contract. The offer usually looks more like a set of “deal points” which include things like

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Pitch Wars … Susan’s Mentor Wish List!

Once again, Brenda Drake is hosting the Pitch Wars competition for authors with finished manuscripts who are ready to seek representation by agents! And once again, I’m joining in the fun as a pitch wars mentor. This morning, all of the fabulous mentors (you can find the full list, with photos, below) are posting “wish lists” to let author-entrants know what kind of manuscripts we’ll be looking for in the early rounds. (Note: if you’re here looking for Publishing law, come back tomorrow – I’ve delayed by a day this week because of the mentor wish list announcement.) In addition, we’re

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Fluffy the Super-Worm, Redux*

Another Tuesday means another Tank-Day post. Unfortunately, I’m in the weeds where work is concerned, which mean a gratuitous tank photo and a little story to go with it, and the promise of a more thorough post as soon as I can see over the weeds. This is Fluffy. Fluffy is a coco worm, and the long white tube is his home, which he built himself. The reason for his name should be obvious, though it wasn’t always, wherein lies a tale. We brought Fluffy home on Christmas Even, 2010, along with another red coco worm we called “Ed” and

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Surviving the Offer – and Letting the Agent Deal

After your agent sends your work on submission, you’ll spend several weeks – or, more likely, months- learning to “manage your expectations.” “Managing expectations” while on submission means learning to wait patiently AND working on your next book. For most authors, the submission process contains at least one rejection (and often more) before an offer comes in. Some agents share the rejections with the author, some do not. (File this under “things to ask before you sign with the agent.”) Some editors’ rejections look a lot like the form rejections agents send to authors: “Thanks, but not for me.” Other editors,

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Happy Veterans’ Day

To my father in law, my uncles, my friends, and everyone else who has ever served this country as a member of the United States armed forces, thank you for your service, your courage, and your willingness to risk yourself to protect my life and the lives of so many others. I am honored to know you. HAPPY VETERANS’ DAY U.S. Flag image (Credit Peter Griffin) via PublicDomainImages.net

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A Heiry Writing Problem

Attention, fans of publishing legal information – and anyone else trying to figure out an author estate plan: I’m at Writers in the Storm today, discussing how to choose the right people to inherit your copyrights and creative works. It’s an interesting topic, and closes out my recent author estate planning series at Writers in the Storm. Hop over and take a look: http://writersinthestorm.wordpress.com/2013/11/08/a-heiry-and-sometimes-relative-writing-problem/ Also, if you’re in the Sacramento area and interested in mystery novels, I hope you’ll join me next Tuesday night at 6pm at the Fair Oaks Public Library (in Fair Oaks, California, on the corner of

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The Game’s Afoot! Writing the Mystery Novel

Writing mysteries makes me happier than almost any other activity. Helping other people learn to write comes pretty close, however, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to do just that next Tuesday at the Fair Oaks Public Library in Fair Oaks, California. I hope you’ll join me Tuesday, November 12, from 6-7:30 pm for a special program, THE GAME’S AFOOT: WRITING THE MYSTERY NOVEL: ADULT FAIR OAKS LIBRARY THE GAME’S AFOOT! WRITING THE MYSTERY NOVEL @ FAIR OAKS Tuesday, November 12, 2013 6:00 PM This special program, taught by published mystery author, Susan Spann (“Claws of the Cat: A

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After the “Yes” …. Working With an Agent to Prepare a Work for Submission

Many pre-published authors think that once an author signs with an agent, publication follows immediately (or so close as to be immediately) thereafter. Today, we’ll look at what really happens after an author signs with an agent but before the work goes on submission to publishers. “On Submission” is the usual term for a manuscript that an agent has sent to publishers for review (and consideration for possible publication). Some authors shorten this to “on sub” – so if you see that terminology used, it doesn’t mean we’re sitting on sandwiches. After the author signs the agent’s contract (you should

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In Honor of A Flappy Life

This post originally ran a couple of years ago, but I’m running it again today in honor of Flappy’s recent death. R.I.P., little Mandarin. You will be missed, but not forgotten. Meet Flappy. Flappy is a green-spotted mandarin (Synchiropus picturatus, aka “psychedelic” or “picturesque” mandarin). He is also touched in the head. Flappy spends his days fluttering over the reef, looking for food. He looks around corals. He looks behind rocks. He even looks on the bodies of other fish. (Not all of whom appreciate his diligence.) Food consumes about 90% of Flappy’s existence. Every once in a while, however,

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