Jill Myles - Archive - Blog – Publishing Stuff

Just the FAQs, ma’am

Hey everybody! It's Friday - WOOOO!

I think the majority of my blog tours are over for the moment - and I have to say that while it was fun, I'm glad to be able to give myself a little mental R&R for a few days! At least when it comes to blogging.

I did see a few of the same questions pop up repeatedly, so I thought I'd answer a few of them here so you don't have to fish for answers.

Q: When does book 2 come out?

A: It's out now! Honest! It's available on Amazon and at Borders and anywhere you can imagine! I've even heard it's at Kroger. Heck, I have SEEN it at Kroger. And it's a pretty, pretty cover.

Q: Who's on the cover of the first book? The 2nd?

A: Noah is on the cover of the first book - the hair's longer than I pictured for him, but the model is so pretty that I can't even be disappointed! Zane is on the second cover.

Q: This is a series, right?

A: Yes it is! Same characters, multiple books. Book 2 can be read without book 1, but it's a lot like watching a TV episode and missing the pilot. You'll catch on, but it might take a commercial break or two.

Q: When does book 3 come out?

A: Very very early 2011. I haven't heard the official month yet, but probably January 2011.

Q: Why so long?

A: Because my publisher releases two books a year for their authors and both of mine came out back to back! (btw, I <3 my publisher for the back to back)

Q: Why does your journal suck so much lately?

A: I know. Sadface! The thing is...I'm crazily busy. December was ridiculous, and January is turning out to not be much better. I have a day job and we've been at crunch-time and will be until March 1st. And that is also conveniently when book 3 is due to my editor.

Here's a peek into my writing process - I write the draft at night, after work. It comes out in a flurry of words that are usually crap words. Like, I don't give snippets a lot because they are WOAH BAD. I read a sentence aloud to my husband the other day to ask his opinion, and this is how the conversation went:

Me, reading sentence: Blah blah blah blah blah sentence stuff that I can't share because it is spoiler-iffic. So what do you think, honey?

Him: Erm.

Me: Erm?

Him: That's not...the finished sentence, is it?

Me: Well, it's staying in here for now. But this is a rough draft.

Him: But that's an awful sentence. Like, really bad.

Me: I KNOW BUT IT'S ROUGH DRAFT.

Him: You're going to rewrite it, right?

Me: I didn't ask your opinion about the sentence. I want to know about the PLOT.

Him: Is your whole book written like that?

Me: You know what? Nevermind.

Him: Do you need my help writing it?

Me: ... I'm done here.

Heh. So, first draft is badbadbad. But I never turn in a first draft! I go back through the book immediately after I finish it and begin to do a second draft of things I couldn't squeeze in to the first draft. Things like uh, plot points I forgot, personality for characters, etc. Then once that's done, I print the entire thing out and edit it again.

The book is due March 1. I am um....still not done with the rough draft. Normally the rough draft ends at about 80k, and after all clean ups, it ends at about 87k or so - a nice, sensible size for a book.

Book 3 (Which I am now calling THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SUCCUBI because I am weird like that) is currently 85k. And I still have at least 10k to go. Which I really need to write this weekend.

So - deadline crunch for Jill! The good news is that if you're waiting on book 3, it's going to be meaty and chock full of story, and longer than the last two books. The bad news is that my brilliant journal will probably be less brilliant for the next few weeks while I try to squeeze all the brilliancy into my book.

So...I hope I hit everything pressing! If you have something else you want me to answer, leave a comment and it'll give me fodder for additional posts.

faq

The Final Stop on the Blog Tour – Holly Root!

Posted by Jill Myles in Blog - Publishing Stuff | promo - (1 Comments)

(Late to post, but just a quick note that yesterday's blog tour stopped over at Market My Words by Shelli Johannes Wells - we discussed marketing and pseudonyms.)

Thank you to everyone that has followed along on my blog tour across the interwebz! It's been so much fun and I have loved seeing all the comments - even if I haven't had a chance to stop by and reply to all of them!

(Tiny confession - I thought I would have more free time than I have. Ulp! Mea culpa!)

We've tallied ALL of the comments that you've been leaving and the final tally was well over 400 comments! Awesome!

The winner of the Holly Root Query Critique contest is Laura Pauling.

Laura left this comment on 1/02/10 at Dorothy Windsor's journal:

laurapauling.wordpress.com
2010-01-02 04:04 am UTC (link) It's so encouraging to hear that others have gone through the waiting process. I'm so glad you made it to the other side! Enjoy your blog tour. It's cool.

Congrats, Laura Pauling! Send your query letter to my email address at jillmyles AT gmail.com and I will send it along to Holly on your behalf. For everyone that didn't win, I'm sorry! But here is a small interview with the fabulous Holly Root to tide you over.

Holly Root

1) If I had to pick a factor as to what sort of client is 'right' for the 'Holly Root Client List', I'd say Voice is the #1 thing. Am I right? And if so, what really makes a voice stand out for you? Anything in particular?

You are correct! I am very much a voice agent, which doesn't always mean super-chatty and conversational. While I do tend to like first person-when done well, I love that close perspective-I definitely have third person and even prescriptive nonfiction clients that I would describe as every bit as voice-driven. For me it's about an indelible point of view, that sense of a character whose vision of the world is real and absolutely authentic to them, as well as a confidence to the storytelling. That confidence is the
real "know it when I see it" element-it's a sense of being in good hands as a reader.

2) What's the best part about being an agent? Worst part? (Is there a worst part?)

Best part is watching an author's hard work pay off in the form of a published book, and watching that book connect with readers the way it did with me. Worst part is definitely the books that don't work the way everyone hoped they would, the ones that don't find their audience.

3) Is there one thing in particular you are tired of seeing? Vampires? Portals to another world? Vampires with portals to another world?

I'm tired of seeing everything pitched as "Buffy meets whatever", from romance to YA to nonfiction. I completely get the urge to have a strong, take-charge heroine (though I personally am very tough on these characters because they're easy to make stereotypical) but the Buffy comp is way overused.

4) How do you go over projects with your client list? Do you like to work on it with them from inception, or do you prefer to just have a completed manuscript handed in?
It's different with every client. Some people need and want my input on what to work on next; others just go away and cook stuff up and then share. Ultimately, I can tell you what idea sounds big or marketable to me right then, but the intersection of art meets commerce means that sometimes that "big concept" just won't be the book you can write right now for any of a million reasons, and if you try to do it in spite of that it'll just sound off. So final call is always down to the person doing the creating.

5) Is it true that you make every client rewrite the end of his/her book?

Pretty much, yes. I'm a pretty editorial agent; the competition is so stiff these days that I can't imagine not being that way. There's definitely a point where you just have to put it out and let the market speak but if I see a way to make a ms that much tighter, why wouldn't I jump on it? As for why it's always the ending-I have a slew of authors whose initial phone calls with me went "I love it, it's amazing, I know just where to sell it, now go redo the back third."

When you're working with people who are exceptional storytellers the middles tend to be pretty tight, but getting in and out is where an outside eye can help. And honestly, when it's the beginning it's often tougher to get into the ms enough to get to the point where I'd offer representation, even with the request for revision. Tough fact but true, not just for me but for editors too.

6) Barbara Poelle - rumor has it that you're friends with her. Is there some sort of blackmail involved?
No blackmail required! Our agencies used to share office space; our husbands are both working actors; our only choices were to become inseparable or go West Side Story on one another. Fun though a dance-off would've been, we took the high road.

This is a good point, though. Most agents have lots of agent friends; some of them are simply more social acquaintances but with others, I have a stronger sense of their taste and lists. Every now and then something will come across our desk that seems right for one of those friends and I'll refer it along; if you get one of these, it's the realest of real referrals and is very much a Good Thing.

7) Name something we don't know about Holly Root (but should!)

I tried and tried to think of something dishy or exciting but I am just deeply devoid of mystique, I guess! Sorry.

(Aww, I forgive her.)

Thanks, Holly! And thank you to everyone that has stopped and commented along the way. Special thanks go out to my Blog Tour peeps and especially Gretchen McNeil, who kept the entire motley mess organized. Gretchen = awesome.

holly root

Unofficially Official Agent Day — Ode to Holly Root

Posted by Jill Myles in Blog - Publishing Stuff - (3 Comments)

I heard through the grapevine that today, Friday December 11th is 'Unofficially Official Agent Day', where writers are encouraged to 'give back' a little to their agents on this day.

Good deal. I love talking about my agent, because she is awesome. It's hard to know what an agent relationship is going to be like until you're in one. People can tell you how amazing their agent is all day long, but the truth of the matter is that the relationship is different from agent to agent. I've had three agents so far. Neither Agent #1 nor Agent #2 were ideal relationships -- either on their part or on mine, because it's a two way street. They both have clients that adore them and continue to sell books. The fact that I parted ways with both does not make them bad agents -- just not the right agent for me.

Anyhow. After Agent #2 and I parted ways, I was a little...gun shy. I'd had two relationships I wasn't happy with, and I wasn't super thrilled to get into a third. However, I was willing to give agents another shot - if relationship #3 didn't work, I could safely say that *I* was the problem and go about this thing on my own. So when I started querying for agent #3, my query count was really, really small. I think I sent out six total queries, all to agents that had spotless reputations. Agents that had clients gushing over them and had big name lists. Oh, and I sent out to one agent that used to be a big name agent's assistant. She'd changed agencies and had built her own list, but she wasn't a household name. However, I remembered her because back in 2005, I'd queried big name agent, and her assistant -- Holly Root -- had been amazingly friendly, gracious, and prompt. It couldn't hurt, right? So I queried Holly Root at her new agency, not quite sure what to expect. Holly asked for the full, and I sent it.

A month later, I got an excited little email from her - she loved my book! Could we talk? Oh boy! Okay, I admit, as much as I wanted to be all zen about it, I did a happy jig in my chair. She liked it! So we talked and...I pretty much developed a crush. Holly was funny, she was smart, personable, knew her contracts, knew paranormal romance, and answered everything I pushed her way. I tossed a few jokes in there to test the waters. She joked back.

I was in agent love.

So when she said "I'm throwing it out there. You interested?" I wanted to say "YESSSSSS" but I forced myself to be a good little author, and contacted the other agents reading. And when the week was up, I went back to Holly, nervous but excited. I had an agent again!

It was difficult to sit on my hands when we first got together -- I was afraid to contact her and bug her. She assured me I could contact her at any time. I still sat on things and bit my nails, trying to be what I envisioned was a 'good' client. Silent. Hardworking. Silent. Did I mention silent? But then stuff would come up, and I'd send her a tentative email, usually apologizing for contacting her.

Holly would respond within hours -- always the same day -- and fixed my problems. Just like that. And she usually poked at me for apologizing too much. Within a few weeks, she had me organized and straightened out, and I was beginning to feel more comfortable about emailing her. I warned her that I might be a bit high maintenance after two previous agent experiences, and she assured me that I was fine.

From there, it has spiraled out into a relationship that I can only term as: awesomesauce. I know everyone says that you can't be 'friends' with your agent, but I think you have to define 'friends'. I talk with Holly about anything and everything in my writing career. Totally open. We are friendly and casual, but the business angle is still there. I lob ideas at her. She shuts me down if I'm heading down the wrong path, or encourages me to work on something she particularly likes. No problem is too small, no email too needy. I've had weeks where I haven't contacted Holly at all, and days where we've emailed five or six times. She has never, never made me feel like a douchebag.

And did I mention this was all before she got paid? We sold our first contract together late this summer.

As time passes, I can't imagine what I did before Holly. I throw wild ideas at her and she runs with them. I tell her my anxieties and she talks me off of the authorbeast ledge. She is ALWAYS available to talk if I need her. She contacts me with "Hey, what if we did this?" type ideas. And if I have to rewrite a manuscript, let's say, five or six times, Holly is right there reading it, even on round six. She wants to make sure we get it right. She's in, elbows-deep, on the niggly, nitpicky things of my first contract (the one she doesn't get paid on).

I love that. I love working with Holly. I hope she never changes jobs, because the agenting world will be a little less bright without her in it. /sappy

Succubi Like It Hot – Cover and Release Date!

Posted by Jill Myles in Blog - Publishing Stuff | Blog - Succubus Diaries - (10 Comments)

Ignore the um, lack of Nano updates at the moment! I'm still doing it, just regrouping for a new attack plan.

BUT! I have cover art to share! Pretty, pretty cover art. Wanna see?

So sweaty under that jacket. So yummy.

For those of you playing along at home, the first book features Noah, my fallen angel. This book features Zane, my dark n' sexy vampire. Love it. I can't decide which one I like more!

And if you're wanting to pick up book two, the release date has been moved up a week. Woot! So look for it on January 19th instead of January 26th. Exciting, isn't it?

cover art, slih, succubi like it hot

Look at me! I got reviewed in Publishers Weekly!

Posted by Jill Myles in Blog - Publishing Stuff | Blog - Succubus Diaries - (2 Comments)

Woot! It's a big deal for any author to be reviewed in Publisher's Weekly, and they liked my book...mostly!

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6704403.html?industryid=47141

They said:

The cosmology of this battle between good and evil approaches Saturday morning cartoon levels of unsophistication; the mystery could be solved by Scooby-Doo; and the big-breasted bombshells and hunky men are cookie-cutter romance standard, but Myles's debut somehow sustains an extraordinary, confectionery appeal. After suffering a vampire bite and enjoying passionate sex with a fallen angel, mousy museum curator Jackie Brighton is transformed into a gorgeous, sexually ravenous succubus. Guided by porn star succubus Remy Summore, Jackie is drawn into the search for a magical halo and a love triangle with fallen angel Noah and vampire bouncer Zane. Myles manages to be cleverly hilarious while making all her jokes work for the plot. These particular characters may not be deep enough to hold up through the planned sequel, but Myles's sexy, wacky humor is definitely something to watch. (Jan.)

Emphasis is mine. I'm pretty darn thrilled.

gps, pw, review

Cover Art! And a sample chapter!

Posted by Jill Myles in Blog - Publishing Stuff | Blog - Succubus Diaries - (5 Comments)

YAY! Finally I can show the cover for GENTLEMEN PREFER SUCCUBI:

CoverResize1

I absolutely freaking love it. So sexy! What do you think?

Want a bit more?

Here's Chapter 1.

cover art, gps

More Books to Pocket

Posted by Jill Myles in Blog - Midnight Liaisons | Blog - Publishing Stuff | Blog - Succubus Diaries - (5 Comments)

So this popped up on PM late yesterday:

Author of GENTLEMEN PREFER SUCCUBI Jill Myles's next book in the Succubus Diaries series, as well as the first book in a new paranormal romance series set at a paranormal dating agency, to Micki Nuding at Pocket, by Holly Root at Waxman Literary Agency (world).

Pause. HOORAY!!!!!!! Pause.

I am so terribly excited to be doing two more books with Pocket! I love my publisher and my editor is fabulous, so I’ve been pretty much on cloud nine since RWA, when we discussed the new books.

What this deal contains:

Book 3 of the Succubus Diaries, which I am calling MY FAIR SUCCUBI. It picks up where book 2 left off, in the ongoing series of my characters that starred in both book 1 and book 2. Things will be wrapped up. Other things will be called into question. Sex will be had. It will be glorious. And fun.

(For those of you that have asked me if the books are a typical romance…yes and no. YES in that the relationships drive the entire story. NO in that it’s not all wrapped up in a bow and happily ever after at the end of Book 1. I’ve compared it to the Katie Macalister Aisling Grey series – which are totally hilarious, btw – multiple books about the same romantic couple. They’ll get their happily ever after, naturally, but we’re going to play with the relationship for a bit longer. In evil, evil ways. Fun ways, but mostly evil. I do have a definite end in mind, though.)

MY FAIR SUCCUBI (title subject to change) comes out in February 2011. Kind of a ways away – a full year out from book 2. But I’ll be posting short stories set in the same world and teasers to my website along the way, so hopefully it will not feel so long.

The book deal ALSO includes a new book, which is tentatively called HEAT. This book *is* a more traditional romance. It’s a very loose series that will be based on different sets of characters that work for – or interact with – a dating agency that caters exclusively to paranormal clients. At the agency, clients don’t like to date vampires because they’re not into corpses. Werewolves don’t date outside their kind. Were-cougars and were-foxes might mix it up with a were-bear, but never a were-deer. And pretty much no one wants to date the harpy. Naturally, this makes matchmaking a little bit tricky.

The first book stars Bathsheba Ward, the office manager of Midnight Liaisons (the dating agency). Humans are forbidden to date members of the Paranormal Alliance, but she’s been blackmailed into going out with a male were-cougar who is in desperate need of a date (even a yucky human one).

I’m really excited about this one, because it was a ton of fun to write and I can’t wait to see what everyone else thinks about it. I’m noodling with a loose sequel, and I can’t wait to tell more stories in this setting. This one is scheduled for August 2011.

I’ll be updating my webpage with more info on the new series soon enough. But right now, I’m just super excited to have more books with Pocket Books.

Hooray!

book deal, pocket, sale