How long have you been writing?

45 years, seriously. I took journalism in HS and always dabbled. I sometimes begin a bio: “I began writing with three children under five to save my sanity.”

People smile. Nowadays, I smile too. But not at the time. You see, a year after my son was born, I still suffered from postpartum depression. Deemed physically healthy, I was referred to a psychologist of the school that promised quick results. He was a great guy, really! He and my GP keep urging me to write.

At first, I resisted. I could envision the guys arriving in white coats and dragging me off in a straitjacket. Even if they never showed up I was miserable. So I decided to give it a go. That first year I wrote my way free of my suppressed anger; and ever since have been convinced that basically depression is anger turned inward.

Back to the beginning of this saga: Within a week of my decision to write, I had a weekly column in the town weekly. But after a year or so of writing straight news, features and my column, I realized I wanted to write fiction.

So I talked hubby into sending my two and three year old kids off to nursery school twice a week and enrolled in WD’s correspondence course for fiction. They went for a half day, were fed a hot lunch and arrived back home in time for their naps. (The eldest child, now 6 was in 1st grade.)

Even so, it took me 2 years to complete the course. Transition from writing fiction as opposed to non-fiction wasn’t easy. When I free-lanced for the newspaper, every thing I wrote was accepted. My perk was unlimited newsprint to type upon.

Whereas my fiction efforts met with constant rejection. But I persisted, and my short stories began to be accepted and published. So I moved on to novels, where I wasn’t immediately embraced either. I’d written 9 books before my first novel was accepted by Walker and Company. (4 of the 9 were subsequently published)

How many books have you had published?

Short answer: 5 books, 1 novella. All are Traditional Regencies. Their respective track records may be of interest. All were published out of order as to when initially written.

SCANDAL’S DAUGHTER: published in 1990 by Walker and Company Mary Elizabeth Allen, was my editor, I still miss her keen eye and advice.

THE EARL’S COMEUPPANCE: published in 1991 by Walker and Company. The Earl’s Comeuppance was originally dubbed ‘Henrietta’ and went to contract with Harlequin in 1981. Terms of their contract specified that they publish it within 22 months. Their Hollywood office closed. My editor didn’t want to move to Toronto, so married for the 3rd time instead. Meaning my book was orphaned. Hell’s fire, the entire line was orphaned.

When Harlequin finally began to actually publish the line, my contract had expired–meaning they’d have had to pay me another advance. They elected to pass–a heartbreaker personally–but wise from a business standpoint. Especially as traditional regencies had burgeoned in 1980 and by 1982 had pretty much tanked, unless the author was firmly established.

In 1997, Comeuppance was a finalist for the Golden Heart (a completely rewritten version). And was finally published by Walker and Company in 1991, a decade after it sold to Harlequin. In 2005 Thorndike Press brought out a large print addition and in 2007, it will be reissued by Cerridwen/Cotillion. Ditto Scandal’s Daughter.

THE GOLDEN SWAN: published in 1994 by Kensington. Initially SWAN was contracted to Walker and Company. But the owner died and his son didn’t care for regencies. So they returned all rights to me and I got to keep the advance. (As I did with Harlequin when they elected not to publish COMEUPPANCE.) I then sold these rights to Kensington. And once reverted, sold them to Cerridwen/Cotillion. It’s scheduled to be released in 2007.

THE PERSISTENT SUITOR: Published in 1995 by Kensington. (This was actually, the first regency I wrote in the mid-80’s, completely rewritten a decade later of course.

BREACH OF HONOR: Published in 1995 by Kensington.

DELIGHTFUL DECEIVER: (Novella published by Kensington, appears in Flowers for the Bride Anthology, 1995, reissued in German in 1999).

What genre and/or sub-genre do you write in?

All my novels–novellas are traditional regencies. However, all my short fiction is contemporary. Why? No idea. Though I do love researching for my historicals.

When was your first book published? What was it about?

First Book Published: Scandal’s Daughter in 1990. Backstory: The Earl of Sandwich had a mistress named Martha Raye, whom he lived with openly. He introduced her as his protégé with a gorgeous soprano voice. Didn’t sing in public, but did privately at musicals in their home. They had 3 kids, all reputed to have turned out well despite the scandal
that ensued when Martha’s lover shoots her in front of the opera house. She dies; lover is hanged; Earl grieves. The heroine is my take on what happened to their daughter; purely fiction, of course.

Do you have an agent? If so, did your agent sell your first book to a publisher, or did you do that on your own?

Not at present. Actually I’ve never had any trouble getting an agent. I’ve had 7, 5 before being published. I’ve even had what is termed a ‘top’ agent. What I’ve learned is that any agent, even one considered at the top of the heap, is worst than none unless said agent simply adores every word you write. Well maybe not every word, but most of them. So I look but, so far, haven’t found a good match.

How did you contact your agent/publisher? Did you query them, pitch to them at a conference or final in a contest?

Scorecard: I meet all agents and/or editors at various functions. However, I’d already been offered a contract when I settled on an agent (the so-called ‘top’ one). Thus, I never learned what either he or his female assistant thought of my work. I got on well with both, but hope never to become dead-ended again. I actually did sell my first book myself and all the others as well.

As for the publishers: For Walker I met Alice Orr at a conference, and after many months, the new editor called me with an offer.

At Kensington: Jennifer Sawyer (Fischer) was a brand new editor at Kensington when she visited our Chapter. I was the prez. She sat beside me. I told her my sad tale: Long-time writing buddy, Jeanne Savery, had recently become contracted to Kensington. She’d written for Walker but, like me, and 20+ authors became homeless with Walker’s decision to no longer publish traditional regencies. I told Jennifer how hard it was for me to congratulate Jeanne and mean it. (Kensington has now cancelled their line, but one of Jeanne’s books was a 2005 Rita Finalist. Didn’t win though. Had she won, it would’ve been a nice consolation prize.) To pick up the thread of this tale, Jennifer flew back to NYC, located my manuscript and bought it–as well as two more and a novella.

And this year, of course, Raelene Gorlinsky, visited us in January. As a result I’m now contracted for 3 books with Cerridwen/Cotillion.

What were you doing when you got “The Call”?

The most amusing account I suppose, is the first time this happened. Initially, I submitted Comeuppance to Harlequin. Grippo liked the book but was over-budget. Might be willing to purchase later. So I said in that case I planned to submit elsewhere. Her reply? “I can’t in good conscience forbid it.”

I then submitted it to Ellen Edwards at Dell. She returned the ms. It arrived on my doorstep (literally because it wouldn’t fit through the letter slot in the door) on my birthday. Very annoyed. I knew is a good book. Her letter stated she loved it, but wanted me to add 50 pages. No problem–since a reread revealed I’d left out the ‘black moment’. (More careful now–I swear it!) Added 50 pages; shipped it off to Dell.

Four months later, on April 2, 1981, I got the ‘call’ from Grippo. “Would’ve called you yesterday, but thought you might think it a joke.” Offers me a decent advance and royalties. I’m on cloud nine.

On April 3, Edwards calls. She wants Comeuppance too; offers a larger advance, higher royalties. I told her about the Harlequin offer. Tells me to call her back in a week with my final decision. Won’t send contract until she hears from me.

I think about it a bit then call Grippo and tell her about Dell’s offer. But I’m not smart enough to shut my mouth and let her speak. I accept her offer for two reasons. 1. Their Hollywood office, were I can meet my editor in person; 2. Harlequin publishes worldwide. I figure I’ll make more money with them than I would with Dell.

The painful truth: If there were ever a time when I could’ve used a savvy agent it was at this crucial point. Said agent would have raised the ante. Had I done that, Harlequin might well have decided they had too much invested already not to publish me in 1981, meaning I wouldn’t have been sidelined when regencies tanked shortly thereafter.

So if I’ve been a bit harsh on agents in general, let me add that a good, competent agent with your best interests at heart at crucial points in your career can be worth their weight in gold.

Have you won any awards?

I have no major awards. However The Earl’s Comeuppance was a 1987 Golden Heart Finalist; Scandal’s Daughter a 1989 Maggie Finalist: The Persistent Suitor a 1996 Virginia Holt Medallion Finalist.

Tell us about your latest book. What’s the title and when will it be released?

I’m hard at work on Virtue and Vice which I hope shall be my 6th published regency and which Cerridwen/Cotillion has expressed an interest. V&V finaled in both The Royal Ascot & 2006 Great Beginnings.

Anything else: I also write award-winning short fiction and non-fiction articles published widely in the USA and Canada.

Nadia Cornier formed Firebrand Literary in September 2005 after leaving the Creative Media Agency. Firebrand represents an eclectic mixture of romance, young adult, mainstream and non-fiction projects. Though she is not open for submissions at the moment, she will be accepting them again soon. Check her blog for updates. Prior to working as an agent, she began Cornier & Associates, LLC, a small marketing firm specializing in author services that still runs in conjunction with her agency. Her experience with marketing has led her to develop “campaigns” to market her authors’ projects to publishers and beyond instead of simply selling them. Nadia is also the co-author of How to Write and Sell the Young Adult Novel, to be released by Writer’s Digest in December 2006.

What do you see as the market for Science Fiction? All things being equal (the novels equally as well written), do you have an easier time selling a Fantasy novel or a Science Fiction novel? How about cross-genre novels (for instance, Science Fiction and Mystery)? Do you see this trend changing in the near future?

Because the majority of the books I represent are young adult works, I’m going to answer in terms of those (and hopefully that’s ok). The YA/Children’s market seems to hold a wider appeal for fantasy authors - perhaps because of the recent success of books like Harry Potter or Eragon, or perhaps (more telling) the number of young female editors who claim not to enjoy science fiction. I find this odd, personally, because many of the same editors will agree that they enjoyed movies like the Matrix or I, Robot (well, who wouldn’t like a Will Smith flick?) - these movies _are_ science fiction! I think many people just say they don’t enjoy science fiction because of what science fiction used to be… it has become more and more appealing to the wider market of readers who aren’t into hard-science fiction. There are more sub-genres (and cross-genres!) within the SF market that now allow readers who would never have thought themselves SF readers to become fans of the market. But, just like people who automatically answer “I like all kinds of music except Rap and Country” there are still people who will respond, “I like all kinds of books except SF and Fantasy!” when really that just might mean then don’t really know what they are reading. I think the more “mainstream” and accessible to the every day reader this genre gets the more the SF fan base will grow.

In today’s market, is it better to get an agent to represent me as opposed to submitting directly to publishers? Why? What can an agent do for me that I can’t do for myself?

If we’re talking about the adult SF market, it’s easier to get an agent once you have a book deal. Well, it’s always easier to get an agent once you have a book deal… but, in this case there is a limited number of publishers and editors that you can send your project to and perhaps because of this, it makes more sense to “go it alone” if you must. That said, working with an agent at any point in your career (pre- or post- sale) is helpful. An agent might be able to get you a better deal than initially offered, your agent will negotiate your contracts, help you with any conflict resolution and work towards building and guiding your career. That said, there is nothing an agent can do for you that you can’t do for yourself with enough time, energy and resources — but wouldn’t you rather be writing?

What do you think of authors who have self-published? Is it a career breaker or does it depend on the number of books they’ve sold? How about any who’ve been e-published?

Unfortunately, unless an author has sold 5,000 copies or more of their self-published novel - I simply don’t count it. It doesn’t count against you or for you, it simply doesn’t count. Why? Well, I have no idea what the author’s objectives were when deciding to self-publish - but I do know that without a professional editor, copy-editor, marketing department, art department, sales department, publicity… you get the idea - with out all these people a book simply won’t be the best it can be. The publishing process can take up to two years (more if you count the time the author needs to write the book) to get to the shelves… self-publishing and e-books skip a lot of these steps and you have to be careful regarding which ones they are skipping and the end results. That said, there are quite a few very respectable e-publisher and small presses that do put out great projects that just don’t fit into the lines that the corporate presses have. But, do your research and never pay to have anyone read or publish your project!

If an agent rejects my submission, is it okay to submit to a different agent at the same agency? Under the same situation, is it okay to submit to a different editor at the same publishing house?

Iffy - but I’d err on the safe side with no. To both questions. Why? If I read a project that I think is great, but not right for me - I’ll pass it along. Most agents will. If an agent passed on the project, it probably meant it wasn’t right for the agent and the agent didn’t feel it was right to pass along. I feel the same way about editors. I can’t resubmit a client’s project to another editor if one passes… It just doesn’t work if there wasn’t a mega-amount of editing done to the manuscript. But once the editor leaves, feel free to resubmit to that house.

How important is formatting when submitting to an agent or an editor? Following quidelines? What formatting errors would cause you to reject a manuscript?

Proper formatting is a sign of respect. Respect that you are showing your own project and respect for the editor and agent’s time. No one will reject your project (well…most won’t) based purely on a lapse in formatting, but if you don’t show them respect by following the proper guidelines for submissions, they will respond in kind by not showing you the same respect in considering your submission.

I’ve been offered a contract with a particular agent. What are the five most important questions I should ask?

Does this project need to be edited before submitting/Do you do editing with your clients? Do you do career planning with your clients? Can I see a copy of your contract? What type of support do you offer your clients after a deal is done? What do I need to know about you, your agency and your working style?

How important is it for an agent to be located in New York?

These days? It’s a toss up. A good agent is no longer judged solely on his/her location - but his/her connections. If your prospective agent isn’t in NYC (or even if he is) check out what kinds of deals he has done, who he has worked with, what he did prior to becoming an agent. These details are more important than what city he calls your editor from.

I’ve heard that having a bad agent is worse than having no agent at all, so what distinguishes a bad agent from a good agent and how do you tell the difference? How do you tell if an agent has experience? What kind of experience is the most valuable?

The second deal I ever did was for a client who left a really huge agency to work with me - she took a huge risk but it was a calculated risk that turned out to be a great choice (yay!). — A new agent isn’t necessarily a bad agent - so let’s cross that off the list of distinguishing features of a bad agent. A bad agent (aside from the handle bar moustache and the greased back hair) may ask you for a fee to read your manuscript, may not have worked with any respected agencies prior to starting his/her own, may not have any sales, may make “unfair demands” upon your representation-rights in his agency contract. But - worst of all? - a bad agent doesn’t care. Has no great love for your project, no passion. This is the person you must run away from…nothing will kill your project faster than someone who doesn’t care about it.

Does an author sign with the agent or the agency? Does an agent represent the writer or the ms?

Check the contract. You sign with the agency - and the agent of record is the one who signs you… the contract will detail whether or not the agent represents all works by the writer or a particular project. Check this carefully!

What are your five biggest turnoffs when it comes to reading query letters? What distinguishes a good query letter from a bad one?

Turnoffs: Calling me “sir” or “editor”; cutting & pasting a writing sample when I expressly ask authors not to do so; telling me that their mother/daughter/neighborhood children love their book (unless your mother/daughter/neighborhood children are editors at a NY Publishing House - I don’t care); Forgetting to tell me their name, the title, the word count - or simply not telling me anything about the book at all; people who insult their own book, their own genre, or one of my clients. A good query is professional, succinct, and tells me everything I need to know about the project.

Melinda Curtis says of herself, “I’ve always been an avid reader of just about anything – romance, mystery, suspense, fantasy, biographies – and always loved to write. My first romance was written for my friends in the seventh grade, featuring their heartthrobs, including, I believe, Leif Garrett. I don’t know what ever happened to Leif, but I know he didn’t marry one of my girl friends. She did, however, end up with her own hero, a man who makes her tremendously happy.

That’s what I like about romances. There’s always happiness at the end of that journey the characters are taking. It may be a comedy, suspense, mystery or drama, hot and steamy or sweetly romantic, but you’re still guaranteed the happily-ever-after. So, I’ll keep writing them. Besides, what better reason than “research for my book” do I have to make my husband stop on those long road trips?”

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing since I was a kid, but in 1998 I found RWA through an author I loved - Susan Crosby. I sold my first book to Superromance in 2002. How many books have you had published? At the end of this year I’ll have six books published with two more out in 2007. I feel like I learn something with each book so I still feel like a rookie, even after writing 8!

What genre and/or sub-genre do you write in?

I write long contemporary for Harlequin Superromance, but I’m one of their “lighter” writers. And since I prefer to write fast paced action, I suppose that separates me, too.

When was your first book published? What was it about?

My first book was Michael’s Father, published in January 2003. You know how you’re always told to write what you know? I used to work for a winery, so I wrote a book set in a winery only to discover how little I knew about the nuts and bolts of winery work (lucky for me I had plenty of people to take to lunch and ask questions). I’m proud of the book, but I learned a lot about myself from writing it.

Do you have an agent? If so, did your agent sell your first book to a publisher, or did you do that on your own?

I have an agent now, but I sold my first three books by myself. I got an agent because of the continued restructuring of the line I write for meant I had no one who loved my work (an orphaned author). I thought I knew a lot about the business when I got an agent, but to this day she can still surprise me with her knowledge and savvy. How did you contact your agent/publisher?

Did you query them, pitch to them at a conference or final in a contest?

I finaled and won a couple of contests, then called the agent I wanted. We talked on the phone about the kind of representation I was looking for, then she asked me to send in a book, which I did along with a letter summarizing my goals and accomplishments.

What were you doing when you got “The Call”?

I was at a smaller romance conference, sitting in a bar drinking champagne with the editor who’d just bought my book. I’d been stalking her at smaller conferences and writing on spec for her for about 18 months before I finally wore her down. LOL!

Have you won any awards?

Yes, the Holt Medallion.

Tell us about your latest book. What’s the title and when will it be released?

My latest release comes out in November 2007 - Once Upon a Christmas. It’s a collection of three Christmas stories written by three authors - Brenda Novak, Anna Adams and myself. Our original premise was to update Dicken’s A Christmas Carol with our characters. It’s set in Virginia City, Nevada. My next book is a continuity with four other Superromance authors due in May 2007 - The Best-Kept Secret. So I’ve learned how to work with other authors (and I think I can play pretty well in their sandbox).

Anything special happening with your new book you’d like to tell us about?

When I was writing the Christmas novella, I tried to write under the premise of “oh, you think Scrooge had it bad?” It was a lot of fun making a self-made man rediscover his heart and the true meaning of Christmas.

Susan Crosby has always been a believer, which led her to being a reader of romance novels long before she began to write them. The dance of courtship between a man and a woman, sometimes slow and bluesy, sometimes wild and uninhibited, is sheer bliss to her. And the best part about writing is creating these two dancers who find their perfect partners out of all the other people on the planet.

With more than sixteen published novels, most for Silouette Desire, her latest books include: Rules of Attraction (April 2005), Heart of the Raven (May 2005) and Secrets of Paternity (June 2005) all part of the Behind Closed Doors series and her recently released book, THE MERRY WIDOW’S DIARY.How long have you been writing?
 I started writing in 1992 and made my first sale in 1993.
 

I now have several interviews lined up in my queue, including ones with romance authors Christine Rimmer, Melinda Curtis & Susan Crosby.  Also coming up soon are interviews with Roc Editor Liz Scheier & Agent Nadia Cornier with Firebrand Literary Agency.

If you’re an author, an editor or an agent and you’d like to be interviewed, please contact me.

Thank you.