On Rebuilding the Titanic

Rejection hurts. There is no kinder way to put it. There’s no way to change the truth. And when a person makes the choice to pursue a dream, especially one like writing, where the dreamer cannot exercise complete control … rejection is part of the process. It will happen. Whether a person chooses to pursue traditional publishing, self-publishing, or a variation on the theme, the writer’s work will be rejected, one way or another. Agents might not feel the passion they need to sell the work in this difficult market. Editors and publishers will pass. Readers will offer one-star reviews (and do not

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September SinC Up – with R. Franklin James

SISTERS IN CRIME BLOG TAG EVENT   by R. Franklin James What authors have inspired you? Wow, this is a tough one. I’m a voracious reader so I tend to be inspired by authors in who write in various genres and over the years my preferences have changed. My first love was F. Scott Fitzgerald. He was not a mystery writer, but I loved the way he could make words sing off the page. Ayn Rand was a favorite for her ability to fictionalize social issues without being boring. Today, I am inspired by Harlan Coben whose ability to write

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Understanding “Negotiability” – Cookies Come in Different Sizes

Many authors understand that publishing contracts are “negotiable,” but find the negotiating process confusing. In many cases, this stems from a lack of understanding about what “negotiability” really means in the publishing contract process. The fact that a contract is “negotiable” doesn’t mean every term and every provision is up for discussion or revision. In one sense, of course, every term of a contract is “negotiable” – because an author (or publisher) can always walk away instead of signing. In another sense, however, certain provisions are “deal breakers” – meaning one or both parties would rather walk away from the deal

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Sinc-ing Up With Sisters in Crime

This September, Sisters in Crime is running a blog hop to introduce authors, bloggers, and readers to one another. I was tagged by the lovely Linda Townsdin, whose  Spirit Lake Mystery series chronicles the adventures of Britt Johansson, a kickass photojournalist with a big heart and bad social skills. Thank you, Linda, for the shout-out! Here’s my take on some of the SinC-up questions: Which authors have inspired you? I’ve had to file this one under “too numerous to mention,” but if I have to narrow it down to one I’d have to say James Rollins. Not only are his Sigma Force novels among

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An Interview with Kim Rendfeld

Please welcome Kim Rendfeld, whose new historical novel THE ASHES OF HEAVEN’S PILLAR (Fireship Press) released this month. 772 AD: Charlemagne’s battles in Saxony have left Leova with nothing but her two children, Deorlaf and Sunwynn. Her beloved husband died in combat. Her faith lies shattered in the ashes of the Irminsul, the Pillar of Heaven. The relatives obligated to defend her and her family instead sell them into slavery.  In Francia, Leova is resolved to protect her son and daughter, even if it means sacrificing her own honor. Her determination only grows stronger as Sunwynn blossoms into a beautiful

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Behold: Flask of the Drunken Master!

Cover art means a lot to an author–and to many readers also. The lovely imagery on the cover both inspires the imagination and teases at the story within the pages. The old adage says you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but in the case of the cover art for my third Shinobi Mystery, FLASK OF THE DRUNKEN MASTER, the art is so lovely that I’m ok if you want to love it at first sight (I know I did).   FLASK will release from Minotaur Books in July, 2015. (Available for preorder now.)

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Contract Negotiation 101: Negotiating the Initial Offer

As we discussed last week, publishing contract negotiations normally begin with an offer — most commonly in email format, but sometimes sent in letter form. The initial offer usually contains the “big ticket” contract items, such as the advance amount and anticipated publishing format (for example, hardback, trade paperback, or ebook only). The offer may also contain other information, like estimated release dates (usually by year and quarter) and imprint (where an editor works for more than one). Publishers (and even editors) differ when it comes to offer format; some give more information, and others less. Generally, though, that initial offer

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Seahorse Date Night

Many people don’t realize that seahorses mate for life, or that mated pairs show affection toward one another. Ghillie and Ceti spend much of the day in separate parts of the tank. Ghillie is timid and likes to hide, while Ceti likes to explore and hunt for little crustaceans in the rocks. In the evenings, however, they often spend time together, “holding tails” or swimming side by side. They also come together at meal times, and not only because of the food. They seem to enjoy one another’s company–and Ghillie becomes less shy in Ceti’s presence, both because of his urge

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A Love That Will Break Your Heart – and Fill it Up

The publishing business will break your heart, if you let it. Prior to publication, many authors believe that everything becomes sparkling rainbows and gold-bridled unicorns after the author signs with an agent/signs a contract/has a debut release/has more releases or meets another major publishing goal. That isn’t true. Fear is an artist’s traveling companion, the black dog resting on your shoulder that never quite goes away. It takes a hiatus from time to time — most often when those major victories happen, but also in the quiet days when writing goes well or a reader’s compliment fills the author’s heart with joy. But

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Contract Negotiation 101

Welcome to the autumn 2014 series on contract negotiation! In the weeks to come, Wednesday posts will take a look at the process of negotiating a publishing contract, as well as which terms are negotiable (and which are not). Today, we’ll examine an overview of the contracts and negotiation process. Step 1: The Offer. Publishing contracts always start with an offer. In some cases, the “offer” is the contract, but more commonly, the offer begins with an editor sending a short term sheet to the author or author’s agent. A “term sheet” won’t contain all the terms that will show up in the contract. Instead,

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