All posts in Eds and Pubs

"Closing Doors"

By Kelly On 10/04/2007 In Blog Talk, Eds and Pubs With 10 Comments Permanent Link to "Closing Doors"Permalink

Totally swamped this week. Life, book stuff, it’s all there, Folks.

I read on Pubrants that Harlequin’s NEXT line and Everlasting are closing their doors. I felt bad for the writers just reading the announcement. Having the line close that you are writing for is sort of like getting fired from your job. Sucks all around.

For the writers, and the faithful readers.

I’ve heard on other loops that with lines closing and shifting, some of authors’ books that were aimed for a particular line don’t find a home. They just sit in Limbo Book Land for who knows how long.

Good stories going unread.

Of course, novels could be rewritten, but it’s easier said than done. There is always the next book to be written, and the next deadline to meet. I’m finding that it’s a lot easier just to start from the beginning and fresh, instead of going back over old work.

Anyway, I hope the authors who are losing their line find another one.

On another note, if you have a moment, check out my myspace redesign. Pretty cool, once again from artist, Urban Envy.

"We’ll See…"

By Kelly On 05/18/2007 In Blog Talk, Eds and Pubs With 8 Comments Permanent Link to "We’ll See…"Permalink

Today I was going to babel about the book signing this weekend, but there are pressing matters, such as the notification that my publisher is altering their boilerplate contract in a way that is not in an author’s best interest.

The Author Guild’s announcement flew through cyberspace. I read it on myspace bulletins, blogs, and forums. It traveled like lightening.

Simon & Schuster has changed its standard contract language in an attempt to retain exclusive control of books even after they have gone out of print. Until now, Simon & Schuster, like all other major trade publishers, has followed the traditional practice in which rights to a work revert to the author if the book falls out of print or if its sales are low.

The publisher is signaling that it will no longer include minimum sales requirements for a work to be considered in print. Simon & Schuster is apparently seeking nothing less than an exclusive grant of rights in perpetuity. Effectively, the publisher would co-own your copyright.
The new contract would allow Simon & Schuster to consider a book in print, and under its exclusive control, so long as it’s available in any form, including through its own in-house database — even if no copies are available to be ordered by traditional bookstores.
Other major trade publishers are not seeking a similar perpetual grant of rights.

And then I got a phone call from my agent telling me she was looking into the matter since I have a new contract coming.

So I will hope for the best until I get the details.

Have a good weekend. I’ll let you know how the signing goes. :)

GCC: 3Qs with Joshilyn Jackson
GCC: 3Qs with Lara M. Zeises
GCC: Musical Theater Interview with E. Lockhart
GCC: Interview with Julie Kenner

"YA Cyber Buzz"

By Kelly On 03/09/2007 In Eds and Pubs, Genre Buzz, YA Lit With 6 Comments Permanent Link to "YA Cyber Buzz"Permalink

ya books

This is Kelly Parra reporting on the recent Cyber Buzz…

Straight from the Galleycat: Teens Buying Books More Than Ever

Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s Celia Goodnow checks in on one of the happier publishing trends, where teens are buying books in numbers not seen in decades. “Kids are buying books in quantities we’ve never seen before,” said Booklist magazine critic Michael Cart, a leading authority on young adult literature. “And publishers are courting young adults in ways we haven’t seen since the 1940s.” Credit a bulging teen population, a surge of global talent and perhaps a bit of Harry Potter afterglow as the preteen Muggles of yesteryear carry an ingrained reading habit into later adolescence.

Fantasy and graphic novels are especially hot, Goodnow discovers, and adventure, romance, humor and gritty coming-of-age tales remain perennial favorites. In addition, racy series such as GOSSIP GIRL — often likened to a teen “Sex and the City” — have created a buzz. More notably, though, there’s a new strain of sophistication and literary heft as publishers cater to the older end of the spectrum with books that straddle teen and adult markets. Teens’ increased disposable income is a big factor, too, leading to more sales, more choice and better quality. In other words, for those who might overlook YA fiction because it’s ostensibly written for kids, you’d be doing a serious disservice – there’s lots of good stuff out there, just waiting to be found.

It’s all there, YA fic fans…

Fantasy, graphic novels, adventure, romance, humor, gritty coming-of-age, racy, literary, books that are for teens and adults.

It’s not news the YA Fiction industry is growing. Teens are reading more and more. Authors are reaching out to young readers with the Internet. The days of authors being aloof or some mysterious person behind the words like I remember growing up, are history. And best of all readers are sharing what they love best. This is a great thing, and not because I write YA fic. I love reading YA. I love that teens are digging in. And I’m just thrilled word is spreading. :)

Also a quick tidbit from Shelf Awareness:

Effective last month, Orange Avenue and its new teen imprint, Zest Books, are being distributed by Independent Publishers Group. The company was previously distributed by Publishers Group West.

In a statement, Hallie Warshaw, publisher of Orange Avenue, which has headquarters in San Francisco, Calif., said, “We think there is a strong market out there for fun, gifty, humorous, nonfiction teen books that are highly visual and address topics that are important to this age group. Our books–which are smart, well written and hip–offer something new and different.”

Spring titles include Decoding Mom and Where’s My Stuff? The Ultimate Teen Organizing Guide. Fall titles include 97 Things to Do Before You Finish High School and Uncool–A Girl’s Guide to Misfitting In.

Yes, YA non-fic is on the rise too. Very cool. :)

Switching from YA fic to Paranormal editor news…

Anna Genoese is leaving Tor. Read her announcement on her blog. I’m bummed that she’s leaving publishing. I met her once and she left quite a good impression on me, but she’s looking for a new career and I wish her well!

"News Scoops"

By Kelly On 09/05/2005 In Eds and Pubs, On Agents With 4 Comments Permanent Link to "News Scoops"Permalink

Just a quick note to spread the news that Nadia Cornier, previously of Creative Media Agency, has decided to open her own agency, Firebrand Literary.

Ms. Cornier states, “Firebrand will represent approximately 70/fiction, 30/nf (popculture and narrative). In fiction, I’m going to focus a large bit on young adult & children’s literature (primarily from 12-21) and I’m also going to be looking for adult fiction — while I don’t plan on acquiring any more Sf/F at the moment (I’m happy with my list in that respect), I’d love to see more romance and mainstream fiction.”

Check out the specifics and how to query here!

UPDATE:

From Marjorie M. Liu’s blog, a link to an interview with Dorchestor editor, Chris Keeslar @ Romance Divas.