Explore the Industry on Community Fridays
Interested in interviews with authors, publishers, editors, and others from the writing and publishing community? Every Friday I host a feature on my blog called Community Fridays in which I give you exactly what you want! Check out the names below, and follow the links to read the full interviews. Or, just glance through the list to find information on a bunch of great people!
Table of Contents
- Danielle Ackley-McPhail
- Great Stuff Written/Compiled by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
- Larry Hodges
- Christine Verstraete
- Great Stuff by Christine Verstraete
- Maryann Miller
- Great Stuff by Maryann Miller
- Andy Ross
- Elvira Woodruff
- Great Stuff by Elvira Woodruff
- Helen Ginger
- Great Stuff by Authors Helen Recommends
- Jayne Pupek
- Great Stuff by Jayne Pupek
- Katrina L.
- Great Stuff that Katrina Recommends
- Jane Kennedy Sutton
- Great Stuff by Jane Kennedy Sutton
- Laurie Paulsen
- Jason Sanford
- Magazines that have Featured Jason Sanford
- Karen Syed
- Great Stuff from Echelon Press
- Suggestions for Guests? Or Comments?
Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Friday, November 14, 2008
Get a load of this author and anthologist! She uses candy and swords to promote her books, writes books and compiles books of stories by various artists, and knows conventions inside and out. From the dealer room to the panels, she can let you know the inside details."You're about to release your newest novel, Tomorrow's Memories, sequel to Yesterday's Dreams, and you're an expert when it comes to creative marketing techniques. For example, at Capclave you distributed giant Pixie Stix® to promote a book about fairies. What ideas do you have for the book launch? (Unless they're secret, of course!)
"The biggest plan we have is the raffle prize, which in this case will be a full-sized replica claymore donated by Griffon's Claw Armoury. The reason for the prize is that in Celtic mythology there were four artifacts the Sidhe or the Tuatha de Danaan brought to Ireland from their home land: From the city Murias, the great Cauldron of the Dagda, or caldron of plenty. From Gorias, the Spear of Lugh, from Findias, the Sword of Nuada, which always struck true and fatally; and from Falias the Lia Fail or "Stone of Destiny." In the novel, the sword plays a key part in the climatic ending, so our prize is a sword."
Danielle Ackley McPhail talks about writing, promotions and marketing here.
Connect with Danielle
Danielle's Website
Danielle Recommends
Jonathan Maberry: Bram Stoker award-winning author.
Garden State Horror Writers: organization of horror writers in New Jersey.
EPIC: Electronically Published Internet Connection, the voice of electronic publishing.
Broad Universe: an international organization that promotes science fiction, fantasy and horror written by women.
Great Stuff Written/Compiled by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Tomorrow's Memories
Amazon Price: $15.95 (as of 07/12/2009) 
Yesterday's Dreams
Amazon Price: (as of 07/12/2009)
Bad-Ass Faeries
Amazon Price: $15.00 (as of 07/12/2009)
Bad-Ass Faeries 2: Just Plain Bad
Amazon Price: $18.00 (as of 07/12/2009)
HEAR THEM ROAR
Amazon Price: (as of 07/12/2009)
Larry Hodges
Friday, November 7, 2008
Science fiction writer, political afficiando, ex-table tennis coach. These are just a few of the ways to describe Larry Hodges, and he's got great information to share based on his widely varied experiences.
"One of the things that allowed you to take these workshops was leaving your day job behind. I imagine this took a lot of careful plotting and planning. How did you manage to do this? Would you encourage others who want a career in fiction writing to follow your lead? Do you have any advice for would-be job-quitters?"
"At the time I went to Odyssey in 2006, I was editor of USA Table Tennis Magazine (a near-fulltime job), and coaching full-time. To get time off, I did one issue of the bi-monthly magazine early, scheduled the next one late, and hired someone to do some work on it while I was gone. During my stay at Odyssey, I only had to spend a few nights on magazine work. As to my table tennis coaching, it was put on hold while I was away - so there are a lot of table tennis players out there who will never be as good as they could have been. :)
A workshop like Odyssey, if you are a serious writer, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you'll never forget. Talk to your boss (or husband/wife), bribe them, blackmail them, and try to get the time off. You won't regret it. (Though once there, you'll curse my name during those late-night working hours. I'll be laughing at you in spirit.)"
Don't miss the rest of Larry's interview.
Connect with Larry
Larry's Science Fiction page
Larry's Blog
Larry Recommends
Jeanne Cavelos: the force behind the Odyssey writer's workshop.
Walter Jon Williams: started up Tao's Toolbox, a two week workshop in New Mexico.
John Scalzi's Whatever Blog: regularly features "big idea" novels, novels with a unique central idea.
"One of the things that allowed you to take these workshops was leaving your day job behind. I imagine this took a lot of careful plotting and planning. How did you manage to do this? Would you encourage others who want a career in fiction writing to follow your lead? Do you have any advice for would-be job-quitters?"
"At the time I went to Odyssey in 2006, I was editor of USA Table Tennis Magazine (a near-fulltime job), and coaching full-time. To get time off, I did one issue of the bi-monthly magazine early, scheduled the next one late, and hired someone to do some work on it while I was gone. During my stay at Odyssey, I only had to spend a few nights on magazine work. As to my table tennis coaching, it was put on hold while I was away - so there are a lot of table tennis players out there who will never be as good as they could have been. :)
A workshop like Odyssey, if you are a serious writer, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you'll never forget. Talk to your boss (or husband/wife), bribe them, blackmail them, and try to get the time off. You won't regret it. (Though once there, you'll curse my name during those late-night working hours. I'll be laughing at you in spirit.)"
Don't miss the rest of Larry's interview.
Connect with Larry
Larry's Science Fiction page
Larry's Blog
Larry Recommends
Jeanne Cavelos: the force behind the Odyssey writer's workshop.
Walter Jon Williams: started up Tao's Toolbox, a two week workshop in New Mexico.
John Scalzi's Whatever Blog: regularly features "big idea" novels, novels with a unique central idea.
Christine Verstraete
Friday, October 31, 2008
Talk about creative! Chrisine Verstraete gets her characters in on the act when she talks about her books, stories, and what gets her creative juices flowing."What's your best writing advice?"
"Have fun with it. Sometimes you can get too serious, then you get bogged down in all the things you "should" do. You can always delete and tighten later. I have to remind myself to keep writing, even if something isn't working. I can go back to it. I outline, but I do let myself deviate from it. Sometimes, you get better ideas to add in if you let the ideas come to you as you're writing."
Christine's interview, along with interviews with some of the characters from Searching for a Starry Night, can be found here.
Connect with Christine
Christine's Website
Christine's Blog
Christine Recommends
The Witch Tree: a spooky Halloween story.
Great Stuff by Christine Verstraete
Searching for A Starry Night
Amazon Price: $10.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
Maryann Miller
Friday, October 24, 2008
Now here's a bunch of trades for you: scriptwriter, author, reviewer, and editorial consultant. Maryann does all of the above, and even finds time to rent out a little slice of Texan heaven to would-be writers (including editorial services!) Check out her interview for information about book tours (both in real life and in cyberspace), improving skills through editing, and more!"You write screenplays in addition to novels. Are these two things very different to write? Many people read novels, but fewer people read screenplays. How do you get into writing them? What is a "logline?" (I picked this up from reading the descriptions of screenplays on your website, never heard of it before!)"
"Screenplays and novels are very different in terms of structure and format, but they both do demand the ability to tell a good story. In one, you are just going to do it visually as opposed to having someone read your story. Screenplays are not generally marketed for casual reading as people would find the format very difficult to follow."
Read the rest of Maryann's interview here.
Connect with Maryann
Maryann's Website
Maryann's Blog
Maryann Recommends
The Blood-Red Pencil: a co-op blog with great advice from editors.
Great Stuff by Maryann Miller
One Small Victory (Five Star Expressions)
Amazon Price: $25.95 (as of 07/12/2009)
Play It Again, Sam
Amazon Price: $9.64 (as of 07/12/2009)
Andy Ross
Friday, October 17, 2008
My agent interviewee (non-fiction) is Andy Ross. He has some great advice for authors looking to get published, including a list of 11 reasons that it's a good idea to have an agent (if you can find a good one!)"What catches your eye first when you're looking for a new author to represent?"
"I prefer writers who are experts in their field, who have superior reputations, or otherwise have impressive platforms. Platform is very important to publishers at the moment. Publishers are simply competing against too many alternatives for leisure time. They demand that the author be the primary conduit for promoting the book. That being said, my first sale was by an unknown author, 25 years old."
Read the rest of Andy Ross's interview here.
Connect with Andy
Andy's Website
Elvira Woodruff
Friday, October 10, 2008
Elvira Woodruff is an excellent storyteller. If you ever get a chance to go to a speech or presentation by her, take it! She is also a wonderful resource for emerging authors.
"Do you have any interesting projects or events coming up in the near future?"
"I'm working on a sequel to my very first historical fiction - George Washington's Socks. The working title is Ben Franklin's Boots. I have a thing for the American Revolution (and footwear)."
Elvira's complete interview is located here.
Connect with Elvira
Elvira's Website
Elvira Recommends
Scholastic, Inc.: a large publishing house
Random House: a large publishing house
Holiday House: a medium publishing house
Boyds Mills: a medium publishing house
SCBWI: Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
Sleeping Bear: a children's book publisher located in Michigan
"Do you have any interesting projects or events coming up in the near future?"
"I'm working on a sequel to my very first historical fiction - George Washington's Socks. The working title is Ben Franklin's Boots. I have a thing for the American Revolution (and footwear)."
Elvira's complete interview is located here.
Connect with Elvira
Elvira's Website
Elvira Recommends
Scholastic, Inc.: a large publishing house
Random House: a large publishing house
Holiday House: a medium publishing house
Boyds Mills: a medium publishing house
SCBWI: Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
Sleeping Bear: a children's book publisher located in Michigan
Great Stuff by Elvira Woodruff
The Ravenmaster's Secret
Amazon Price: $12.44 (as of 07/12/2009)
The Orphan Of Ellis Island (Time Travel Adventures)
Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
Fearless
Amazon Price: $11.55 (as of 07/12/2009)
Helen Ginger
Friday, October 3, 2008
Some intrepid people are writers and editors. Others are writers, editors, and teachers. A lucky few are writers, editors, teachers, and speakers. Today's guest, Helen Ginger, puts them to shame. She's a freelance editor, book consultant, writer, teacher, editor, speaker, and former mermaid (and everything in between!)
"One of the things that you teach is public speaking. I think many authors tend to be introverts. I still remember sweating through my speech for Civic Oration in the fifth grade! Do you think public speaking is something authors should be comfortable with? Any quick tips on how to do this?"
"... The days of the recluse author refusing to promote are long gone... My advice is start small. If there's a Toastmasters group near by, you can join that. If you go to a conference or a meeting, make yourself raise your hand, stand and ask a question. If there's a social time before the meeting, go around and introduce yourself and talk, not just listen."
Learn more about Helen here.
Connect with Helen
Helen's Blog
Helen's Website
Helen on Twitter
Helen's Newsletter, Doing It Write
Helen Recommends
Nathan Bransford: an agent with a flair for advising writers
Susan Wittig Albert: a multi-series mystery author
Diane Fanning: a true-crime author with two new mystery series
"One of the things that you teach is public speaking. I think many authors tend to be introverts. I still remember sweating through my speech for Civic Oration in the fifth grade! Do you think public speaking is something authors should be comfortable with? Any quick tips on how to do this?"
"... The days of the recluse author refusing to promote are long gone... My advice is start small. If there's a Toastmasters group near by, you can join that. If you go to a conference or a meeting, make yourself raise your hand, stand and ask a question. If there's a social time before the meeting, go around and introduce yourself and talk, not just listen."
Learn more about Helen here.
Connect with Helen
Helen's Blog
Helen's Website
Helen on Twitter
Helen's Newsletter, Doing It Write
Helen Recommends
Nathan Bransford: an agent with a flair for advising writers
Susan Wittig Albert: a multi-series mystery author
Diane Fanning: a true-crime author with two new mystery series
Great Stuff by Authors Helen Recommends
Death at Bishop's Keep (Robin Paige Victorian Mysteries, No. 1)
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
The Tale of Hill Top Farm: The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter
Amazon Price: (as of 07/12/2009)
Thyme of Death (China Bayles 1)
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
The Trophy Exchange: A Lucinda Pierce Mystery
Amazon Price: $18.45 (as of 07/12/2009)
Out There: The In-Depth Story of the Astronaut Love Triangle Case that Shocked America
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
Jayne Pupek
Friday, September 26, 2008
Jayne Pupek doesn't mess around. She's had two books published just in the past year: a novel called Tomato Girl, and a book of poems called Forms of Intercession. In addition to being a poet and author, Jayne is also an excellent source of information for emerging authors!"In addition to your novel, Tomato Girl, you've also published a book of poems. Some say that it's harder to get poetry published than novels. Was it difficult to get a book of poems published? Do you have any suggestions for aspiring poets who would like to be published?"
"Poetry is much harder to publish than fiction, mostly because poetry doesn't sell. The poetry aisle in any book store is usually a lonely place. It's sometimes even harder for poets who are outside of academia, because we don't have a captive audience at our disposal. My advice to any writer, poet or otherwise, is to focus on the work itself and not the publishing. Getting published comes down to persistence and good luck, but first you must have a manuscript worth publishing. I don't think a person who is lukewarm can succeed as a writer. You have to really, really love the work of words and storytelling. If rejection letters make you quit, you probably don't love the work enough."
Read more of Jayne's interview here.
Connect with Jayne
Jayne's Blog
Jayne's Website
Jayne Recommends
Algonquin Books
Mayapple Press
Tupelo Press
Lydia Millet
Soft Skull Press
Another Sky Press
Kristopher Young
Jesse Reno
Great Stuff by Jayne Pupek
Tomato Girl
Amazon Price: $16.29 (as of 07/12/2009)
Forms of Intercession
Amazon Price: $15.95 (as of 07/12/2009)
Katrina L.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Katrina L. is an avid reader, and what better guest for Community Fridays than one who can tell us writers what she wants in a book?"Do you have any fond, early memories of reading books?"
"I have a memory of going to the library once and being so excited that they finally had in the last book in the Alanna series (Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce) because I was just dying to know how it turned out."
Want to know more? Read Katrina's complete interview here.
Katrina Recommends
Blue by Joyce Hostetter
Treasure Island by Robert Stevenson
The Secret Garden by Frances Burnett
Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Myst by various
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Taking by Dean Koontz
Great Stuff that Katrina Recommends
Lioness Rampant (The Song of the Lioness)
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
The Taking
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
Myst Reader, The
Amazon Price: $13.60 (as of 07/12/2009)
Blue
Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 07/12/2009)
The Chronicles of Narnia Boxed Set
Amazon Price: $29.70 (as of 07/12/2009)
Jane Kennedy Sutton
Friday, September 12, 2008
Our guest on this intallment of Community Fridays is Jane Kennedy Sutton. Jane has recently had the great good fortune to have her book The Ride published by ArcheBooks Publishing. And by "good fortune," I mean she's worked her butt off and all her efforts are finally starting to pay off.Which path would you suggest for an aspiring author?
Join writing groups, critique groups and attend conferences. I wish I had started all this earlier but I was really a closet writer. I didn't reveal my aspirations to my friends until the last few years.
Also, believe in yourself, don't be shy about sharing your dreams, and most of all, don't give up.
Interested? Read Jane's complete interview here.
Connect with Jane
Jane's Blog
Jane's Website
Jane Recommends
Sandy Lender
Great Stuff by Jane Kennedy Sutton
The Ride
Amazon Price: $26.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
Laurie Paulsen
Friday, September 5, 2008
Today we have none other than Laurie Paulsen as a guest on Community Fridays. Haven't heard of her yet? Don't worry, you will. She's already had two stories published in Espresso Fiction this year. She has remarkable determination and industry experience to boot!"You have worked at a bookstore in the past. What can you say about how bookstores choose what books they are going to sell? Can authors have any effect on this?"
"I've worked for a major chain bookstore for several years, and decisions about inventory are made almost exclusively at our corporate office... I can say that large publishers carry sway, as a rule. The trend the last several years has been to flatten inventory selection and stock higher numbers of fewer titles-the blockbusters. I've been disheartened watching this unfold."
Want to read more? Check out the rest of the interview here.
Connect with Laurie
Laurie's Blog
Laurie's Portfolio
Laurie Recommends
Forward Motion for Writers
Jason Sanford
Friday, August 29, 2008
The hot seat belongs to Jason Sanford over at Community Fridays today. Jason is the recipient of a boatload of awards and honors for his work (he writes fiction, essays, poetry, and more). He's a great guy who's not too busy to help new writers on their path. Here's a short sample from his interview:
"I think many aspiring authors worry that their writing isn't 'good enough' to be published. From an editor's point of view, what are a couple of things that make a good writer? Is it possible to become a better writer over time?"
"There's a famous anecdote about the famous science fiction editor John Campbell meeting a fan of his magazine. When the fan mentioned that he'd written some stories, Campbell remarked that he didn't recall seeing any submissions under this fan's name. 'Oh, no,' the fan remarked. 'I haven't submitted them to you because they're nowhere near good enough for that.' That's when Campbell exploded and said, 'How dare you reject stories for my magazine! You submit the stories to me and I'll decide whether they're good or not.'"
Interested? Read Jason's complete interview here.
Connect with Jason
Jason's Website
Jason Recommends
Sheila Williams of Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
Gordon Van Gelder of Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine
Edmund R. Schubert of Orson Scott Cards' Intergalactic Medicine Show Magazine
Andy Cox of TTA Press, publisher of Interzone, Black Static, and more.
"I think many aspiring authors worry that their writing isn't 'good enough' to be published. From an editor's point of view, what are a couple of things that make a good writer? Is it possible to become a better writer over time?"
"There's a famous anecdote about the famous science fiction editor John Campbell meeting a fan of his magazine. When the fan mentioned that he'd written some stories, Campbell remarked that he didn't recall seeing any submissions under this fan's name. 'Oh, no,' the fan remarked. 'I haven't submitted them to you because they're nowhere near good enough for that.' That's when Campbell exploded and said, 'How dare you reject stories for my magazine! You submit the stories to me and I'll decide whether they're good or not.'"
Interested? Read Jason's complete interview here.
Connect with Jason
Jason's Website
Jason Recommends
Sheila Williams of Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
Gordon Van Gelder of Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine
Edmund R. Schubert of Orson Scott Cards' Intergalactic Medicine Show Magazine
Andy Cox of TTA Press, publisher of Interzone, Black Static, and more.
Magazines that have Featured Jason Sanford
Interzone
Amazon Price: $42.00 (as of 07/12/2009)
Analog Science Fiction & Fact
Amazon Price: $32.97 (as of 07/12/2009)
Karen Syed
Friday, August 22, 2008
Welcome to the very fist edition of Community Fridays!
Today's interviewee is Karen Syed. Karen is the president and CEO of the publishing company Echelon Press LLC., and a published author in her own right (under the pen name Alexis Hart). Her wit and humor, along with her unflagging determination and take-no-prisoners attitude have made her a favorite in the wrtiting and publishing community. Here's a short sample from her interview:
"I think many aspiring authors worry that they'll put a lot of effort into trying to get published, and then not be able to make a living out of it. What are your thoughts on this?"
"You get what you put into it... If you sign a contract and then sit back waiting for the readers to buy and the royalty checks to roll in, you better stock up on Bon Bons, Baby, 'cause you have a long wait."
Interested? Read Karen's complete interview here.
Connect with Karen
Karen's Website
Life of a Publisher Blog
Karen's Organizations
EPIC: Electronically Published Internet Connection. An organization dedicated to promoting electronic publishing.
SinC: Sisters in Crime. Women mystery writers across the world join forces through this online community.
MWA: Maryland Writers' Association. Hosts yearly conferences and monthly meetings with presenters and speakers.
ITW: International Thriller Writers. A community for professional thriller writers and those interested in their work.
Karen Recommends
MySpace: Social networking site excellent for connecting to readers and promoting books.
Twitter: Connect with friends and fans using short, up to date newsposts about your work and life.
Amazon Associates: Allows authors to make referral fees in addition to their royalties by selling books online.
Quickest Blog Book Tour Ever: An article by Hotbutton Press, a.k.a Dani G., about how to take your book on tour without ever leaving your house. Also check out the BlogBookTours Yahoo! Group.
Today's interviewee is Karen Syed. Karen is the president and CEO of the publishing company Echelon Press LLC., and a published author in her own right (under the pen name Alexis Hart). Her wit and humor, along with her unflagging determination and take-no-prisoners attitude have made her a favorite in the wrtiting and publishing community. Here's a short sample from her interview:
"I think many aspiring authors worry that they'll put a lot of effort into trying to get published, and then not be able to make a living out of it. What are your thoughts on this?"
"You get what you put into it... If you sign a contract and then sit back waiting for the readers to buy and the royalty checks to roll in, you better stock up on Bon Bons, Baby, 'cause you have a long wait."
Interested? Read Karen's complete interview here.
Connect with Karen
Karen's Website
Life of a Publisher Blog
Karen's Organizations
EPIC: Electronically Published Internet Connection. An organization dedicated to promoting electronic publishing.
SinC: Sisters in Crime. Women mystery writers across the world join forces through this online community.
MWA: Maryland Writers' Association. Hosts yearly conferences and monthly meetings with presenters and speakers.
ITW: International Thriller Writers. A community for professional thriller writers and those interested in their work.
Karen Recommends
MySpace: Social networking site excellent for connecting to readers and promoting books.
Twitter: Connect with friends and fans using short, up to date newsposts about your work and life.
Amazon Associates: Allows authors to make referral fees in addition to their royalties by selling books online.
Quickest Blog Book Tour Ever: An article by Hotbutton Press, a.k.a Dani G., about how to take your book on tour without ever leaving your house. Also check out the BlogBookTours Yahoo! Group.
Great Stuff from Echelon Press
Bitter Pill (A Rennie Harlow Mystery) (Rennie Harlow Mystery)
Amazon Price: $11.47 (as of 07/12/2009)
A Hotel In Paris
Amazon Price: $11.04 (as of 07/12/2009)
The Heat of the Moment
Amazon Price: $11.69 (as of 07/12/2009)
Searching for A Starry Night
Amazon Price: $10.99 (as of 07/12/2009)
Suggestions for Guests? Or Comments?
qlcoach wrote...
This is another wonderful lens. How are you doing with getting your own work published? Thanks again for your interaction at our publishing club. I also placed a comment on your blog. Sincerely: Gary Eby, author and therapist.
Posted August 29, 2008
by emmalarkins
I'm an emerging author on the path to publication. Join me on my journey! See my blog for more info.
My first short story, titled Midsummer Disc Dr... (more)
My first short story, titled Midsummer Disc Dr... (more)
