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Preparing for an In-Person Pitch + Interview with Deborah Blake
The Knight Agency Newsletter: Write. Read. Repeat.

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Top Announcements

» Chloe Neil's MIDNIGHT MARKED and Gena Showalter's FIRSTLIFE both were Top Picks in Romantic Times.

» COLORADO WILDFIRE by Cassie Miles hit #24 on the Publishers Weekly bestseller list.

» DREAMING DEATH by J. Kathleen Cheney was in Kirkus Reviews as one of February's Speculative Fiction Books You Can't Miss. It also received a special feature in the upcoming March issue of Romantic Times.

 

In this Issue

» The Informer

» Agents of the Roundtable

» Sales Roundup

» Agency News

» Author Interview

» Author Tip of the Month

» New Releases


The Informer

The Fabulous Five with Elaine Spencer
Five things to remember the next time you’re preparing for an in-person pitch.

Every year around this time, our agents find their schedules ramping up with conference travel. February through May is a busy time for regional events, and we do a lot of presenting and pitch-taking during these months. This weekend I’m attending a “How to Get Published” workshop with fellow TKA agent Kristy Hunter. Yesterday we were talking about all the little things that writers often overlook during their pitch sessions. Below is a cheat sheet of five things to remember the next time you’re preparing for an in-person pitch. These are all small things that should only take a few minutes to do, but can make a big difference on the outcome of your 10-minute pitch.

1: Do your research ahead of time if possible

In this day and age, conferences are promoting all over with social media and through their websites. Take some time to read the bios of the staff that will be attending and taking pitches. Learn who has clients that write in the same genre as your work. Try to learn what you can about agents’ and editors’ interests and wish lists. Find someone to pitch to that is looking for a project much like your own. So often I find myself talking with authors who haven’t done their research and are pitching a project for a genre I don’t represent. In these instances, disappointment is sure to ensue.

2: Be on time (or better yet, early!)

In those minutes leading up to your pitch, it’s likely your nerves will be a little jittery. Arriving early will give you time to become familiar with the set-up and allow you a few moments to take some deep breaths to calm your nerves. Also, oftentimes editors and agents are ready ahead of schedule. Perhaps a previous appointment didn’t show or finished up early, so this is your chance to get in and get things moving!

3: Come prepared with a pen and something to write on

This one always surprises me. So frequently at the end of the appointment when we’re discussing the “next step” logistics, there is this moment of panic where the author realizes they have nothing to take notes on. Awareness dawns that they’re not going to remember a single detail within five minutes, and there isn’t a dang thing they can do about it. Don’t worry—the person you’re pitching usually has a pen you can borrow, but still, don’t waste precious minutes fumbling around trying to find that pen and paper. Instead, have those writing materials ready and in hand as you approach the table.

4: Make sure you clarify all of the important details that you need to address after you leave the pitch session

These should include how much material you should send, whether they want a synopsis, where specifically material should be sent, and in what format. For example, I always ask people to email me at my personal address, but without fail someone will send through the normal submission channels—which usually means it will take another week or two before their communication gets to me. Another question that I encourage people to ask is how long they should wait before following up. You should never send out your material without having some sort of idea when you can expect a response. How else are you supposed to know it was received in the first place?

5: Have a question or two prepared just in case you have a few minutes to chat after your pitch is wrapped up

I always encourage people to go light on the pitching and heavy on the networking during their sessions. I remember so few details of pitches when they’re sandwiched among dozens of others, but I like to talk to attendees and learn about their careers and writing styles and see if we could be a good match. If you’ve got a few minutes to talk business, be prepared to ask something about the industry or the agent or anything else business-related. This is your chance to have a publishing professional’s one-on-one attention and get a really customized answer to your specific needs, so be sure to take advantage of that opportunity!

Good luck, and we look forward to seeing you in person at a conference sometime soon!


                                                     
      


Agents of the Roundtable

What were some of the books you read before becoming an agent that made you want to have a career in the industry?

DEIDRE KNIGHT:  Early in my agenting career, agent Betsy Lerner's The Forest for the Trees gave me a deeper look at the profession. As for what led me to agenting, I've been an avid reader my whole life, so it's difficult to pinpoint particular books that influenced me in that direction. I would say it was the body of literature that I read as a whole that shaped me greatly. It shocks everyone when I admit I had never read romance as such before becoming an agent, yet books like Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, and War and Peace—all of which are regarded as precursors to modern-day romance—shaped my tastes greatly.

NEPHELE TEMPEST: There wasn’t any one book that made me want to go into the publishing industry, or become an agent. I just always loved to read. It was my preferred activity. Other kids went out bike-riding or to their friends’ houses, while I mostly spent my free time curled up with a book—or five. I knew that if there was a way to spend my adult life surrounded by books, I was going to find it.

LUCIENNE DIVER: All of them. No, really, all. See, I grew up severely asthmatic and with extreme allergies. It seemed like the outdoors was trying to kill me. I couldn't run off and have adventures like the rest of the kids, so I did my adventuring from the comfort of my own home. When I was stuck in the hospital in the fourth grade, I discovered The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett. I felt like I was discovering the garden alongside Mary, the main character, and I fell in love with her friend Dickon. My mother had cleverly brought the book to read to me and then left it behind when she went home. Of course, I couldn't wait for her to return to find out what happened, so I finished it off. I think I read at least a book a day from then on. I was hooked. To this day, books are magic for me. They take me to worlds outside my own and expose me to wonder, magic, love, and epic adventure on a regular basis. Being part of making books happen... that's an absolute dream come true.

MELISSA JEGLINSKI: I read so many contemporary romances in college. Harlequin, Silhouette, Loveswept.... I binge-read authors’ miniseries back then like we binge-watch Netflix TV series now. Nora Roberts. Diana Palmer. Kay Hooper. Marilyn Pappano. And I also devoured historical romances, most especially books by Lisa Kleypas. I’m so pleased that I now get to work with so many wonderful romance clients as an agent.

KRISTY HUNTER: I always loved reading as a child. When I was eight years old, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was published, and that was a huge game- changer. I don’t think I ever loved anything so much. I read it over and over, and because I was so young when the first title was released, I felt like I actually grew up with the characters. I quickly realized that if I could find a job that would allow me to read all day, and be part of the process that puts amazing stories like these into readers’ hands, that would be the job for me! And while I don’t necessarily get to read ALL day, I do get to read quite a bit. I feel very lucky to work with so many incredible authors and read submissions from up-and-coming talent.

TRAVIS PENNINGTON: I grew up without television, so books were everything. As a teen in a Christian school, we did book reports on The Cross and the Switchblade and The Lord of the Rings trilogy (which held an esteemed place right next to the Bible). While other kids would sneak out to smoke cigarettes or chase girls, I'd sneak out to the library to read "evil" books like Firestarter. I fell in love with words and paragraphs and stories. And the love affair is still going strong.


Sales Roundup

» Journalist David Amerland's THE SNIPER MENTALITY, to Marc Resnick at St. Martin's, at auction by Pamela Harty

» Jeanne Stein's ANNA AND THE VAMPIRE PRINCE, an Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles novella, to Audible, in a nice deal by Lucienne Diver

» Italian rights to Nalini Singh's ROCK ADDICTION, to Mondadori, in a nice deal by Aurora Peccarisi at Piergiorgio Nicolazzini Literary Agency on behalf of Elaine Spencer

» Shirlee McCoy's contribution to the latest installment of the K-9 Unit continuity series, to Tina James at Love Inspired Romantic Suspense, in a nice deal by Melissa Jeglinski

» German rights to the next three installments in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series and the next two installments in the Guild Hunter series, to Lyx, in a good deal by Julia Aumuller of Thomas Schlueck Agency on behalf of Elaine Spencer

» German rights to one of Nalini Singh's Rock Kiss novels, to Lyx by Julia Aumuller of Thomas Schlueck Agency on behalf of Elaine Spencer

» Turkish rights to Nalini Singh's ARCHANGEL'S CONSORT, to Yabanci by Fusun Kayi at Kayi Literary Agency on behalf of Elaine Spencer

» Bulgarian rights to Nalini Singh's ANGEL'S BLOOD and ARCHANGEL'S KISS, to Egmont Bulgaria by Whitney Lee at The Fielding Agency on behalf of Elaine Spencer


News

» Chloe Neil's MIDNIGHT MARKED and Gena Showalter's FIRSTLIFE both were Top Picks in Romantic Times.

» THE FIFTH SEASON by NK Jemisin was a Nebula Award Finalist for Best Novel.

» DREAMING DEATH by J. Kathleen Cheney was in Kirkus Reviews as one of February's Speculative Fiction Books You Can't Miss. It also received a special feature in the upcoming March issue of Romantic Times.

» NK Jemisin's Broken Earth series and Rachel Caine's The Great Library series were listed in Bustle's “18 Fantasy series to read after Victoria Aveyard's Glass Sword.”

» SFR Galaxy Award winner J.C. Daniels, author of FINAL PROTOCOL, answered a question in USA Today about the future of sci-fi romance.

» COLORADO WILDFIRE by Cassie Miles hit #24 on the Publishers Weekly bestseller list.

» Library Journal did a special interview with Faith Hunter about her Jane Yellowrock Collection, BLOOD IN HER VEINS.

 

Author Interview

Deborah Blake is the author of the paranormal romance Baba Yaga series from Berkley Publishing, as well as several other books on modern witchcraft from Llewellyn Worldwide. She lives in beautiful upstate New York in a 120-year-old farmhouse with five cats.

TKA: Your Baba Yaga series is rooted in Russian folklore. What attracted you to this?

Deborah: I wanted to write an updated fairy tale, but didn’t want to use one of the tales that had been done and redone already (like Beauty and the Beast, or Cinderella). I was familiar with the Baba Yaga tales both because I was an avid reader of all fairy tales as a kid, and because of my family’s background as Russian Jews. Since no one else had used her as a heroic protagonist, she was the perfect fit. Then, when I did more research, there was so much fun stuff in her stories (“sisters” who were also known as Baba Yaga, a dragon named Chudo-Yudo, three mysterious helpers known as the Black Rider, the Red Rider, and the White Rider!), I just couldn’t resist.

TKA: You’ve also written nonfiction, including EVERYDAY WITCHCRAFT and WITCHCRAFT ON A SHOESTRING. How do you balance your writing between fiction and nonfiction?
 
Deborah: I’m doing more and more fiction these days, but since my nonfiction readers still seem to want more, it is hard to say no. In fact, I swore my sixth book for Llewellyn was my Last One, and I’m about ready to start on the 10th. The nonfiction is a nice break from the fiction, which I find much more challenging to write. And hey, they’re all about witches. Plus, I have a tarot deck coming out next January, which was just a blast to work on.

TKA: Besides the common stereotypes many have about witches, what are some other misconceptions about practicing witchcraft?

Deborah: People seem to think that it is mostly about waving a magic wand (I don’t even own one, although I do have a very nice broom). In fact, modern witchcraft is a nature-based religion/spiritual practice, usually featuring the worship of both a goddess and a god (as opposed to just a god), and is all about free will and personal responsibility. So sadly, I’m not allowed to turn anyone into a toad. Even if they write a bad review of my books. Also, there is this idea of a “wicked witch” that mostly doesn’t exist outside of Hollywood and books. I’ve been practicing for many years and I’ve never met a truly wicked witch, although I have met one or two who were kind of cranky…

TKA: What fiction or nonfiction has most influenced you as a writer?

Deborah: That’s a tough one! In my early years, authors like Andre Norton and Isaac Asimov were huge inspirations, and I loved Madeleine L’Engle. I read a lot of fantasy and SF as a kid and teen. These days I am inspired by a wide range of writers, from Maria V. Snyder and Carol Berg (fantasy) to Lois McMaster Bujold (SF) to Jim Butcher (anything he wants) to Jennifer Crusie (humorous romance). In fact, one of the best and most unexpected perks of being a published author is that I sometimes get to meet and even become friends with some of my most-admired authors. (Not Jim Butcher. Yet. I’m working on it.) I am fascinated by the way my favorite authors build worlds, create well-rounded characters, and use words to paint pictures.

TKA: Do you have a writing process that works best for you? How do the words get on the page?

Deborah: With great difficulty. No, really. GREAT difficulty. My process, for the most part, is to write just about 365 days a year (with occasional breaks to attend conventions). I have a day job running an artist’s cooperative shop, so I usually write in the evenings after dinner for 3-4 hours. Sometimes on weekends I’ll do a stint in the morning too. I’m a plotter, so I like to start with an outline, but even before that I often write a version of the back-cover blurb that would sum up the book, so I know the basics of the story. Before I get to the outline stage, I usually do character studies, world-building, and some general plot points, so I have SOME idea of where I’m heading before I ever start to write. Once I have a chunk of the book written, I usually send it out to First Readers so they can tell me which parts suck and I can fix them.

TKA: Can you tell us anything about the next Baba Yaga novel you’re working on, DANGEROUSLY CHARMING? Any others in the works?

Deborah: DANGEROUSLY CHARMING is the start of a new trilogy, although it is still a continuation of the Baba Yaga novels. It is the first of the Riders books, which focus on the Baba Yaga’s companions who the readers met in the first three novels. DANGEROUSLY CHARMING is Mikhail Day’s story. He and the other Riders had a pretty rough time in WICKEDLY POWERFUL (sorry, guys) and these books are the story of what happens to them afterward. The next one up is tentatively named DANGEROUSLY MYSTICAL, and it is Gregori Sun’s book. I’m starting work on that one right now.

After that, who knows? Maybe I should go and look in my crystal ball. Let me do that and get back to you…

Visit Deborah's official website, follow her on Twitter, and become her friend on Facebook.


Author Tip of the Month

J. Kathleen Cheney is the author of DREAMING DEATH, the first in her new Palace of Dreams series.

Kathleen's tip: If you've got a manuscript that you're considering sending out, you need to think of your agent and publisher much like they're readers. You wouldn't give a reader an incomplete book. You wouldn't give them one with terrible grammar, bad formatting, and incoherent scenes. If that's the case, why send something like that to an agent or editor? Get your manuscript as ready as it can be.

On the other hand, don't wait for it to be perfect, because it never will be. There will be a bunch of editorial suggestions down the road, and you'll be making changes along the way. So try to strike a balance between the two. Reasonably perfect. 

To learn more about Kathleen, visit her official website.


New Releases

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