Publishers Who are Gun-Shy of Agents

I just had an experience with a publisher that was a little unsettling. And disappointing. When you consider I lost a sale because of it, it might be termed a worse case scenario in the submission process. Without further ado, I'll post this publisher's email letter to me after I received their contract offer. I just mentioned in the thank you letter that my agent would be delighted to look over the terms and report back to the both of us. Yah-deh-da-deh-dah. You know how it goes. I changed the wording in the publishers reply so that it wouldn't be quite so traceable, but there was still no disclaimer in their email about revealing privy information. And it doesn't really make this publisher out to be a monster.

Hi, Chris;

I'm sorry but this is a little unorthodox for us. We like to deal directly with the writers who query us. Since there is now at this time an agent involved, this changes the dynamics a little.
 
I'm sorry but we have so many submissions at any given time that we like to stick with one contact person, the person who submitted to us. Presently we don't wish to bring an agent into the deal. If an agent queries us in the beginning, we are more than happy to work with them. However, since this was not the case with your submission, it looks more like it will confuse matters on our end.
Because of this we feel that (Publishing House) is probably not a good fit for you at this time.

We wish you and your agent tremendous luck in your future endeavors!

Have a wonderful day.

My Response:

 Well, I'm indeed sad that you feel that way. Truly. Just to clear the air a little, (Agent name) has been my agent for a couple years and aids me in migrating the legal-speak of contract issues. I didn't bring him/her in on the tail end of the deal just to leverage anything. He/She's not the type to go after a publisher with a knife in one hand and a money bag in the other. My relationship with he/she is almost symbiotic in that I'm allowed to solicit and sub to the best of the best small press houses, while he/she takes care of the larger NYC imprints and such. I'm only required to coordinate with he/she and give he/she a heads up if there's interest, and not make any subs that would cross his/her's list--I provide he/she with my own list. I'm also sorry that you missed my listing of him/her in my bio/credit section that I sent along with the first query and/or following submissions.
 
(My Book) sold four times before you expressed interest. My agent and I declined all of them, but we kept (This Publisher Name) on the top shelf. I understand your point about agent first contact, but I'm sure you know as a result of your own publishing experience that many agents are reluctant to submit to small press houses because they're not known to be especially lucrative. It's just a pure business thing. However, some agents don't mind signing such contracts when all avenues have been exhausted and the author could really use/benefit by the association.

I'm not sure that you have an agent since I don't see one in any acknowledgments in your books listed on Amazon. I can't describe to you what it's like having one in only a few sentences--I've had three in the past 26 years. But it might be a good idea if you include your preferences for-or-against agent involvement on your website--in the FAQs or Submission areas. If I glossed over it, that's my fault.

I sincerely hope you believe/understand that agents aren't the enemy and a faction to be avoided. They're much better at diplomacy than us, ofttimes, irrational, impatient and demanding authors.

Respectfully yours,

Chris

What else could I say? How would you have worded it? When this person used passive words in the vein of, "like, looks more like, feel, probably, wish to" and other such phrases, I tend to think that he/she's either very sorry and trying to let me down easy or that he/she's very aware that what's happening here is not quite the right thing to do. Maybe. I tend to think this publisher has never dealt with an agent before and I suspect that this person has never been represented by one. I can think of Jim Baen of Baen Books, who did not suffer agents well and he expressed this displeasure to all in sundry. In fact, his staff alerted me to this when I was very close to a full-read determination. But Jim Baen was a dinosaur, God rest his soul, and I think everyone rode his wave even if he told you how to surf it. Heavy hitters in the pub bizz get that respect.

It could have been that this publisher had no intention of budging from their token advance amount or their royalty allotment. Quite possibly, they'd never had agent contact before. And from all that we writers have been told about the positives of having an agent handle everything, you have to admit that this is bizarre and, I'll use his/her's term, "unorthodox."

I didn't want to burn any bridges. I wanted to inform with a plea of understanding and not come off like some pompous brute who knows-it-all. I hope I managed to do that without offense. But I will say this, if you come across a similar situation, turn mother's picture to the wall and get out. I think this publisher is living in the stone age and really doesn't understand the dynamics of publishing. They are new to the scene, about a year or more into their business, but I don't think that qualifies as a legitimate excuse. At the very worst, they're hiding something. Something stinks on the shoreline and it's best that you walk right on by without investigating or picking it up.

This is one case where having an agent nixed a sale instead of pulling one off. Crikey, wot?

 

 Captain Zachary Crowe and the crew of Planet Janitor Corporation are adept at handling environmental clean-ups and close system jumps to collect precious ores and space trash. The problem is they have yet to complete an assignment without a mishap to add to their not so stellar record. Scraping the bottom of the barrel, Orion Industries contracts Planet Janitor for a clandestine operation that no one else wants, offering them more money than they could spend in three lifetimes. The mission entails a 12 light-year trip to a newly found habitable planet in the Tau Ceti system. The crew will lose 26 years on Earth due to the cryo jump, but that is the least of their problems. What they find on Tau Ceti will rattle their wits, test their courage, and threaten their very survival.

Phase 2--Does Nudging Work?

Sorry if I haven't been around for weeks. Just got over an acute case of salmonella poisoning that lasted for three weeks, including hospitalization. I'm still not over this dastardly affliction--it tore me to shreds. My stomach, sides and lower back are still numb and I have no clue why. If it gets worse, I'm off to the white sheets and nurses again. On top of that I lost Internet for two weeks because my WiFi router shorted out. That required an upgrade--more expense.

On to the subject at hand...

I've never thought nudging worked and I've only used it sparingly over the past six years. My thinking has always been, why would they respond if they didn't respond in the first place? And how in the heck would I determine the proper or appropriate length of time to get that message off to them? Well, I've always known about ballpark figures, so I'd thought I'd refine those a bit. It goes something like this for me:

Query--nudge after three months
Chapters--nudge after four months
Fulls (requested or standard sub format)--nudge after five months.

As for submissions to agents, I think I would remove a month or 45 days from those numbers. That's up to you.

Now, I know that some publishing houses state that their response time might take six months and longer. But for me, that's just TOO damn long, especially if they did, indeed, lose my manuscript or never got it in the first place. What a hellacious circumstance! That could double the wait time and really leave you with a nasty taste in your mouth. Imagine getting bumped from an initial five month wait into another four or five months! Crikey, what are they trying to do to us?

I also DON'T bother with agents or publishing houses that state that a "No Response Means No."

Does it work? Well, it sure did this time. I went after the chapters and fulls for 12 publishers. I started getting results within days. The longest was nine days. Now, why? Had to be the subject line, even for the identical sub address: SUBMISSION INQUIRY STATUS. That seemed to work just fine, lighting a fire under some keesters. I can only think that interns or editors scan their emails every day and look for such subject line titling. The reasoning HAS to be that, for them, this will be a quick and easy answer.

Out of the 12, eight responded. I was asked to resubmit by six of them, and one, believe it or not, offered a contract. Two excuses dominated the replies: "We're sorry, but we have no record of your submission during that time frame" and "We must have lost your submission--please try us again." One publishers admitted that they had switched their email address, while another said that they'd gone to the form-type submission format. Anyway, I re-subbed and I'm currently waiting. Oh, the sale? I declined the offer after speaking with my agent. They were just too new and didn't have a good back list--their advance was a bit small too.

Here are some samples for three different books, and I've included some special circumstances in my wording. You'll get the idea. You can tailor it however you want.


Greetings,

Please consider this a polite inquiry in regard to the status of my full submission of Fusion, an adult thriller, to (Publisher) on (Date. Any information about its ongoing reading or rejection would be much appreciated.
Most kindly yours,
Chris Stevenson


Greetings,
Please consider this a polite inquiry in regard to the status of my full submission of The Girl They Sold to the Moon, a YA SF distopian to (Publisher) on (Date). This book has taken the first place grand prize in a YA novel writing contest, but I have forestalled any commitment and advance in favor of seeking out other interested publishing houses. Any information about its ongoing reading or rejection would be much appreciated. If you would prefer my agent resubmit the book, I can arrange it. My agent is:
The Sara Camilli Agency (Address and phone number)
 Most kindly yours,
 Chris Stevenson
 
Greetings,
Please consider this a polite inquiry in regard to the status of my chapter submission of Screamcatcher, a YA urban fantasy thriller (Publisher) on (Date). This book has received two offers but I have forestalled any commitment in favor of seeking out other interested publishing houses. Any information about its ongoing reading or rejection would be much appreciated. If you would prefer my agent resubmit the book, I can arrange it.
Most Kindly Yours,
Chris Stevenson 

As you can see, these are "sales nudges" in that I did obtain offers. So, I kind of held my own little mini-auction. For a normal, non-pressure nudge, the first example or something like it works just fine. They're short, sweet and to the point. In summary, I've found that publishers are not as infallible as I thought. Mistakes are made--a lot of them. What surprised me was the offer and, you know, that could happen again. 

Currently I'm keeping an eye on my submission spreadsheet, waiting for publishers to enter that "danger zone." Once they lag, I'm going to be on them like a tornado in a trailer park. No more "write them off and move ons." I bet it'll work for you too.

 Welcome to The War Gate, a paranormal romance/thriller with a time-travel twist.

“This was a solidly written tale with a trace of fantasy and complex thought used in defining the concept of leaping from one time gate to the next—excellent job of structuring.”
Terrie G, Bitten by Books, 4 out of 5.

“The War Gate is a captivating book. Mystery, magic and the paranormal blend together in a perfect mix. I would thoroughly recommend this book to fantasy enthusiasts who also like romance.
Orcid, Aurora Reviews, 5 out of 5.

Tag Line: Through a miraculous conception, Avalon Labrador must give birth to herself before she is executed, to solve her husband’s murder and her own wrongful conviction.

When the reincarnated Avy Labrador is kicked out of her stepfather’s house on her 18th birthday, she has no idea that the man who raised her framed her mother to cover his murder so he could acquire a major software empire. Now, years later, with the help of her magician boyfriend, Sebastian, Avy is about to discover that her birth was otherworldly and for a purpose. The ancient Roman God Janus was so appalled by the heinous murder of Tom Labrador by his brother Drake that he opened up a War Gate.

Avy has received half of her mother’s soul light and half of a God’s essence. Her mission is to put the real killer behind bars. The only catch: she must learn to “Gate-Walk”, that’s time traveling to the layman. She soon finds out that she is a drunk driver on the space/time continuum super highway.

Just when she believes she has too much on her plate to contend with, she learns that she’s pegged the wrong man as the killer…her boyfriend is not who he appears to be…and Janus, the so-called God of new beginnings, doorways and gates, just might be the biggest conman and liar she has ever met.

The War Gate has a heavy mystery structure, as well as paranormal/magic and romance elements.

War Gate Author's Note: The antagonist character, Wax Man, is not for the squeamish. I warn you ahead of time that he is the most disgusting, vile creature/human you're ever likely to read about. Not for younger readers under 13.

Do You Need an Agent?

You don't need an agent to be published. There are myriads of publishers out there that take un-agented subs and, quite surprisingly, dozens that offer token and higher advances plus distribution. For some reason, the larger, more prestigious small press houses refer to themselves as "Independent Publishers." Don't forget University presses that take fiction. Google up a list of those and read the guidelines.
 
One of the biggest reasons for rejection does not have anything to do with the quality of the submission. Keep in mind that an agent might only allow 2 to 5 new writers on board per year, and they receive thousands of submissions in that time frame. Some pretty tight odds, there. Many agencies are full up at the present but accept submissions because it gives them the appearance of being active and receptive. Writing clients die, fire their agent and move on, and this always leaves a few slots open for newcomers. Timing has more to do with getting hooked up with an agent than you would have thought.
 
Hint: if you have more than one book polished and ready to go, your chances are better of getting picked up. Especially if they are in the same genre (agent's specialty), or your halfway through a series, or have completed a sequel or a trilogy. State that fact in your query's bio/credit list. This gives you legs with the agency--they're interested in your future and commitment to putting out several books on down the road.  I had four books ready to go that I'd swarmed the small press with. I used all the comments from those editors (who rejected me) to rewrite and revise every book. Yes, I used them as beta readers. Then I went agent hunting and got scooped up by four agents. I settled on the A-lister, who loved all of the stories and intended on repping all of them. 
 

Here's a few small press and independents that pay token and small advances ranging from $100 to $2,500. I think Journalstone forked over $6,500 for their last acquisition (that's their claim, anyway). Many of these have real book store placement via legit distribution. A $200 advance seems to be a very popular threshold. Sorry for any errors--I wrote it fast:

Zharmae (really has some communications problems—failure to follow through)
Journalstone (excellent, exacting editor here)
Bell Bridge (probably one of the best small press pro staffs extant)
Soho (whopping reputation)
Sourcebooks (award winner and very popular)
LLDreamspell (one to watch)
Diamond Heart
Prometheus (the best advances and distribution)
Steward House
Scarlet Voyage
Pyr (top of the line—very well respected in SF and fantasy circles)
47th Street (?)
Snow Books (Long time popular press with many awards and celebrity authors)
Red Deer
Limitless
Shadowfall (Illness has forced a temporary shutdown here)
Random House (new digital imprint—Alibi, Flirt, etc,.)
Grand Central (Forever Yours Digital)
MP
Buzz Books (?)
Top Publications
Arthur A. Levine
Grand Mal Press
Variance
Seventh Street
Luna
Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry (agent, I think, but a huge trend-setter)
LLewellyn Worldwide
Permuted Press (really making some huge strides)

Blue Leaf
The Story Plant (the famed Lou Aronica and Peter Miller launch)
Mischief Books
Etopia (with stipulations--straight romance and erotica)
Oneworld Press (advance?--distribution)

Limitless (best covers in the industry—hands down)

Intrigue Press

Nightshade (agent sub, and they've had some financial trouble lately which forced a bankruptcy)

PLANET JANITOR CUSTODIAN OF THE STARS--Starship Troopers meets Robinson Crusoe on Mars. A must read for classic and Golden Age Fans!

 http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Janitor-Custodian-Illustrated-ebook/dp/B004IASH8K/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1330380990&sr=1-2

 

Captain Zachary Crowe and the crew of Planet Janitor Corporation are adept at handling environmental clean-ups and close system jumps to collect precious ores and space trash. The problem is they have yet to complete an assignment without a mishap to add to their not so stellar record. Scraping the bottom of the barrel, Orion Industries contracts Planet Janitor for a clandestine operation that no one else wants, offering them more money than they could spend in three lifetimes. The mission entails a 12 light-year trip to a newly found habitable planet in the Tau Ceti system. The crew will lose 26 years on Earth due to the cryo jump, but that is the least of their problems. What they find on Tau Ceti will rattle their wits, test their courage, and threaten their very survival.

Review

"Planet Janitor does deliver an interstellar romp that hearkens to the best of Robert Heinlein or Philip José Farmer... A rollicking plot-driven adventure... The dangers are intimidating, the wonders evocative and the thread that ties it all together is always just a little more tangled than it seems." --The Canadian Science Fiction Review, December 13, 2010

"An intriguing and exciting cross between Aliens and 10,000 Years B.C. - Stevenson shows us a future filled with proof that we should listen to Stephen Hawking's warnings about alien life forms and what they want to do to us." --Gini Koch, author of `Touched by an Alien' & `Alien Tango', December 1, 2010

"Stevenson's book considers the possibility of an elite industry of environmental cleanup specialists who take on all sorts of bizarre environmental jobs... Clearly, this is a timely topic that hits home in the wake of the Gulf oil spill." --SF-Fandom, September 21, 2010

From the Publisher

A great deal of care went into the quality of this book, with case laminate library binding, wrap around cover art, and 26 illustrations.

Lost Your Mojo?

There's been quite a few posts over at the Absolute Writers forum, one thread in particular that has quite a few writers complaining about lack of interest in their WIPs--lack of confidence--no validation--zero spark--out of ideas--stuck/blocked--discouraged, thinking about giving up and other negative statements that run the gamut. Many of them haven't been published or gone through the torturous submission ritual. This is a pretty common occurrence, given the fact that writing is a thankless pursuit that pays nothing upfront and requires endless hours at the keyboard. People wonder why they even began to punch plastic and spray pixels across the screen. Yet, they grudgingly admit that it's the Love of writing that spurs them on. So how did they lose the love? Well, seeing as how writing is considered a hobby or a part-time endeavor, it's easy to put the blame on it and cast it aside and then wallow in self-doubt. 

Bad breath, bad luck, the stars not in proper alignment, we'll offer up any excuse to explain our displeasure and all the pain that authoring a book can throw at us. But if we could turn back the clock and recapture that moment of euphoria when the idea struck and we hit the keys in a white-hot fever, we'd really realize that it wasn't the story that changed or suddenly felt flat or uninspired; it was our attitude that changed. Our confidence plummeted because we allowed it to happen. Self-doubts began to creep in and take over our mindset. Once we'd let a few doubts in it was like uncorking the flood gates. The flood came and we became awash in nothing but self-ridicule and negativity.

Stuck somewhere in the narrative jungle without a machete? 

Do this: back up a dozen or so pages on the manuscript and read through it up until the point you stopped or hang-fired. See if you can get back in the rhythm--find that pace. Try a chapter. Hell, go back to the very beginning if you need to and see if you can pick up that spark again. Recognize any of your writing that really had some punch? Good or great dialog? Excellent characterization, tone, mood or atmosphere? I'm sure you'll see it--you just have to look for it. How can this help? It shows you what you've done right--not wrong. These are the highlights of your prose--the parts of the story that kept you going.

Have some beta readers go over what you've written. Ask them if they see any strong points in your style/voice, or anything that pops in a good way. You don't need to know any of the rough spots at this point. What you need is a little validation, kind of a pat on the shoulder for a job well done. Take the positive comments to heart. Let it feed your ego a little, just enough to know that you don't suck and your story far from blows. There's probably nothing major wrong.

If you're convinced that your manuscript is dismal failure, try another idea and see how far you get. If you've got something else eating at you that feels better, try and get it out of your system. But I can tell you from experience what is just about ready to happen. You'll plow ahead on that new idea only to get hung up worse than you did with the first project. I can't tell you how many 50-page novels I have in my database. I've lost track. They got there because I went through fits of indecisiveness--bouts of procrastination. Inevitably, I ended up right back on that first story, determined to hammer through that brick wall. Know why? Because that damn new idea had less legs than the other story! 

Are you stuck in a scene that seems flat or static? No action? Why not leave a little hanger or red herring and transit out of that scene. How about making that chapter a short one? That way you can change your subject matter, swap POVs or start a new hook. There's always a way out of a tight spot without abandoning the project. It starts with a simple paragraph. And then you follow it up with another and another until you have a page. A page is progress.

Now, if it really seems hopeless and you're convinced that everything you write is steaming shit, put that story in the cornfield for now. For now. Write some short stories or poems and submit them until hell won't have it. Try flash fiction if you haven't before. Get published. Get that hash mark on your sleeve. The minute you realize that someone is willing to pay you for something is the day you'll wake up and understand that your efforts were not wasted. If that's the validation you need, then go after it in a white hot fever. Use it as ego ammo to blast those doubts out of your head. It can be the first credit in your resume and nothing can be more official than that! 

 

Click to open expanded view

Welcome to The War Gate, a paranormal romance/thriller with a time-travel twist.

“This was a solidly written tale with a trace of fantasy and complex thought used in defining the concept of leaping from one time gate to the next—excellent job of structuring.”
Terrie G, Bitten by Books, 4 out of 5.

“The War Gate is a captivating book. Mystery, magic and the paranormal blend together in a perfect mix. I would thoroughly recommend this book to fantasy enthusiasts who also like romance.
Orcid, Aurora Reviews, 5 out of 5.

Tag Line: Through a miraculous conception, Avalon Labrador must give birth to herself before she is executed, to solve her husband’s murder and her own wrongful conviction.

When the reincarnated Avy Labrador is kicked out of her stepfather’s house on her 18th birthday, she has no idea that the man who raised her framed her mother to cover his murder so he could acquire a major software empire. Now, years later, with the help of her magician boyfriend, Sebastian, Avy is about to discover that her birth was otherworldly and for a purpose. The ancient Roman God Janus was so appalled by the heinous murder of Tom Labrador by his brother Drake that he opened up a War Gate.

Avy has received half of her mother’s soul light and half of a God’s essence. Her mission is to put the real killer behind bars. The only catch: she must learn to “Gate-Walk”, that’s time traveling to the layman. She soon finds out that she is a drunk driver on the space/time continuum super highway.

Just when she believes she has too much on her plate to contend with, she learns that she’s pegged the wrong man as the killer…her boyfriend is not who he appears to be…and Janus, the so-called God of new beginnings, doorways and gates, just might be the biggest conman and liar she has ever met.

The War Gate has a heavy mystery structure, as well as paranormal/magic and romance elements.

War Gate Author's Note: The antagonist character, Wax Man, is not for the squeamish. I warn you ahead of time that he is the most disgusting, vile creature/human you're ever likely to read about. Not for younger readers under 13.

Are You Submitting to Ghosts?

I think one of my biggest pet peeves has got to be non-responsive publishers. Year after year it gets worse. I've already been on the agent hunt, and this produced 280 non-responders out of 440 submissions. The below listed publishers are at the six-month mark and much longer, and I'm calling them out. Granted, quite a few warn up front that they will not respond. I've also sent a few dozen nudges, and NONE of those were answered. I've got nine fulls out there and the rest are queries or synopsis' or chapters. What really irks me is the non-response to simple questions that involve submission instructions, genre preference, editor's names or other such questions. And, yes, there are specific info links on publisher's websites that are supposed to get you through to the right source/person for a simple inquiry. 

The problem here is that it's a huge time-waster--a sinkhole for both sides. Not only does the author have to look up the correct address, and possibly find the right editor (if no spreadsheet was maintained), and then send the message off, but the editor has to check their records (if they are a responder), which means searching the archives/database then drafting an apology letter or some other response. That's if they legitimately missed it somehow, which means it could have been caught in their spam trap or they erased it by accident.  

I think we all know the simple solution to this. An auto-paste. I don't care if they tell me to fugg off, never darken their stoop again or take flying leap into the netherworld. The point is, all mysteries and questions about whether your precious sub made it to destination or not is answered in one quick, painless blow. Then we can cross them off our list and forget about them popping up in our nightmares. We often blame ourselves, wondering if we followed procedure correctly or not--if we hit the right editor or failed to notice that they accept from agents only. 

I performed a little experiment. It took about 12 to 18 seconds to title a rejection letter and do an auto-paste. Not much time, considering they might receive a dozen or two subs a day. Done that way, their worries are over and it's a big finish for both sides. 

SO, PUBLISHERS, HOWZ ABOUT GETTING OFF YOUR ASS AND TERMINATING US THE RIGHT WAY. It's really a good habit to adapt. That way we won't be clogging up your mail box with panicky queries, or drafting semi-apologetic, frustrated letters of inquiry. 

BTW, if your records indicate otherwise with the below listed houses, drop me a line or comment. Or, you can compare the list to your records. Recognize anyone there? Then don't feel so bad. 
 


Anachronpren—D.I. Pages or Full—12-16-2011

Crescent Moon—Screamcatcher—Full--10-10-2011--Nudged 4-12

Dark Quest—Scream--Chapters or Full—9-11-2011

Elder Signs Press—Scream--Synop and 3 chapters--1-16-2012

Steward House—Shafer—Fusion--full--synop--3-18-2012

White Cat (Charles)--Fusion--3 chapters and synopsis—4-22-2012

Glasshouse Press (Judy)--Girl--Synopsis--4-25-2012

Sourcebooks--Girl--query-synopiss-full--4-27-2012

Diamond Heart Press—Query and bio—Girl--5-10-2012 (neg advance)

Bolinda—Girl--query only and question—6-4-2012

Lands Atlantic—Girl--Synopsis and 1 chapter—8-21-2012

Amulet Press—Girl--Query and five pages (Ms Metre)--9-3-2012

Albert Whitman and Co—Girl--Query and five pages (Whitman)--9-3-2012

Atom Press—Girl--synopsis--3 Chapters—9-3-2012

Diamond Heart Press—Girl--synopsis and three chapters (form)--9-3-2012

Sunbury Press—Girl--(Mr. Knorr)--synopsis--9-9-2012
Dark Quest—Girl--(ms. Morris)--query--9-9-2012

Ephemera Publishing--Girl--query--full--9-9-2012

Shaddowfall Press—Girl--online form--full--9-9-2012

White Cat Press—Girl--synopsis--3 Chapters—9-11-2012

Precious Gems Pub—Girl (Ms. Lignor)--query only—9-17-2012

Montag press—girl—full, copyright and synopsis—9-18-2012

Lerner Press (Carolrhoda books—Mr. Karre)--Girl--SENT FULL—9-20-2012

Coliloquy Press—Girl—Synopsis--(Ms. Rutherford)--9-20-2012

Haven Books—Girl—Synopsis--9-20-2012

47^th Street Publishing (Amazon), Girl—synopsis, marketing, full—10-3-2012

Zharmae—Screamcatcher--synopsis--3 chapters—10-11-2012

HOW DOES A WOMAN BECOME FIVE MONTHS PREGNANT JUST BEFORE HER EXECUTION, WHEN SHE'S BEEN IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT FOR 14 YEARS? THE INMATES SCREAM, "IT'S A GHOST LOVER!"

http://www.amazon.com/The-War-Gate-ebook/dp/B008SDVEQU/ref=sr_1_5?s...

When the reincarnated Avy Labrador is kicked out of her stepfather’s house on her 18^th birthday, she has no idea that the man who raised her framed her mother to cover his murder so he could acquire a major software empire. Now, years later, with the help of her magician boyfriend, Sebastian, Avy is about to discover that her birth was otherworldly and for a purpose. The ancient Roman God Janus was so appalled by the heinous murder of Tom Labrador by his brother Drake that he opened up a War Gate. Avy has received half of her mother’s soul light and half of a God’s essence. Her mission is to put the real killer behind bars. The only catch: she must learn to “Gate-Walk”, that’s time traveling to the layman. She soon finds out that she is a drunk driver on the space/time continuum super highway.

“This was a solidly written tale with a trace of fantasy and complex thought used in defining the concept of leaping from one time gate to the next—excellent job of structuring.”

Terrie G, Bitten by Books, 4 out of 5.

“The War Gate is a captivating book. Mystery, magic and the paranormal blend together in a perfect mix. I would thoroughly recommend this book to fantasy enthusiasts who also like romance."

Orcid, Aurora Reviews, 5 out of 5.

War Gate Author's Note: The antagonist character, Wax Man, is not for the squeamish. I warn you ahead of time that he is the most disgusting, vile creature/human you're ever likely to read about.

KDP Select Freebies Not Dead?

 Looks like I'll have to salt the brim of my fedora and eat the damn thing. Or cram some crow pie down my neck. KDP Select freebies are not quite ready for the grave yard. I'd thought they'd seen their day. 

I just came off a two-day free trial period on the 18th and 19th, for my paranormal romance thriller The War Gate. Now, in the past two free trial periods (months ago), one two-day and one three-day event, I pulled 479 and 580 free downloads respectively. I didn't get a real great sales jump form either, probably about two books per event. 

This last time I stacked up 3,300 free downloads and ended up #3 in paranormal category. I couldn't believe it. I was gobsmacked. Then I had, and am still having, a sales rush right now. It even kick-started two other titles that carry different genres. Now that's never happened before. Those aren't really spectacular numbers, but for ME it IS. Any change like that points to something that I did right this time or differently. And I've been busting my brain to figure out what it was.

I announced the free trial period two weeks in advance in about eight of the typical free trial listing sites, including the one on the Kindle boards. I blogged about it--but it was very late on the last day. I hit up book blogs and pasted in there, as well as FB, Twitter and my major writing sites--about four of those. But I announced the freebies on FB and Twitter three times each per day--one morning, one afternoon and one evening for the two days running. I don't think I did that before, having done it only once each for each day.

This wasn't too different from the previous events. Then what was it?

I went to the Kindle Boards and scrounged around every relative thread that I could find that might have an explanation. I discovered that authors that had the most downloads had the most sales when they went live. That didn't make sense but then I kept reading examples of it. It made me a believer. Only because my last freebie period had the highest downloads. They also said that with the increased free downloads, if you had enough of them, then word-of-mouth would kick in. That's never happened either. Because word-of-mouth creates a small feeding frenzy which usually snowballs. Now, I'm hoping that's what I have here--a tiny little snowball. They say, normally, after going active from a free trial period you do begin to drop and things level out. Other cases say it never stops and you fly to a loftier position and pretty much stay there.

But one thing made the most sense of all and it hadn't occurred to me. My past events happened over the weekends. Both of them. The three-day event began on Friday and ended Sunday. Now, I know from being on the internet for the past eight years that my email traffic is 50% less than the weekdays. This last free trial period was on a Monday and Tuesday. Viola! That made perfect sense. For some reason, I had the most reader traffic on Amazon on Monday and Tuesday.  Is that when people returned home from work and settled down in front of the laptop/computer? It had to be.

If any of this helps you with your next free trial period, have at it.  I particularly recommend trying Monday or Tuesday and comparing your past results. 

HAPPY DAY!

It's Me and My Titles!

 CHECK OUT THE WAR GATE ON AMAZON--IT'S FREE TODAY AND TOMORROW--2-18 TO 2-19!!!

I haven't done the shameless self-plug in awhile so I thought I throw out everything that's available. This happens when sales start slipping and those ranks start rising (in a bad way). Everything is affordable, and the shorts are marked down to $.99. If you're not in the mood to buy, I could use the likes.

HAPPY HUNTING:

THE WAR GATE, A PARANORMAL ROMANTIC THRILLER, NOW SLASHED TO $2.99! Full-length, 332 pages of thrills, romance and chills. MEET ROMULUS ONE OF THE MOST HORRIFIC CREATURES TO APPEAR SINCE THE GINGERSNAP'S MONSTER. Available on Amazon Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/The-War-Gate-ebook/dp/B008SDVEQU/ref=sr_1_5?s...

Tag Line: Through a miraculous conception, Avalon Labrador must give birth to herself before she is executed, to solve her husband’s murder and her own wrongful conviction.

When the reincarnated Avy Labrador is kicked out of her stepfather’s house on her 18^th birthday, she has no idea that the man who raised her framed her mother to cover his murder so he could acquire a major software empire. Now, years later, with the help of her magician boyfriend, Sebastian, Avy is about to discover that her birth was otherworldly and for a purpose. The ancient Roman God Janus was so appalled by the heinous murder of Tom Labrador by his brother Drake that he opened up a War Gate. Avy has received half of her mother’s soul light and half of a God’s essence. Her mission is to put the real killer behind bars. The only catch: she must learn to “Gate-Walk”, that’s time traveling to the layman. She soon finds out that she is a drunk driver on the space/time continuum super highway.

“This was a solidly written tale with a trace of fantasy and complex thought used in defining the concept of leaping from one time gate to the next—excellent job of structuring.”

Terrie G, Bitten by Books, 4 out of 5.

“The War Gate is a captivating book. Mystery, magic and the paranormal blend together in a perfect mix. I would thoroughly recommend this book to fantasy enthusiasts who also like romance.

Orcid, Aurora Reviews, 5 out of 5.

War Gate Author's Note: The antagonist character, Wax Man, is not for the squeamish. I warn you ahead of time that he is the most disgusting, vile creature/human you're ever likely to read about. Not for younger readers under 13.

Welcome to THE WOLFEN STRAIN. Half Jurassic Park, half Wolfen. A Beauty and the Beast tale flipped and ripped on its ear, with A CREATURE THAT MAKES THE GINGERSNAPS BEAST LOOK LIKE A STUFFED TOY IN A NURSERY. Still reduced to 4.49!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Wolfen-Strain-ebook/dp/B008G0PE2U/ref=sr_...
 

Product Description

In a remote compound in Wyoming a geneticist created the first female human-wolf hybrid and adopted her as his daughter. When Melina Salinger discovers who and what she really is she escapes her father's domain and sets out into the wilderness—any other life would be better than the one that was forced upon her.
Seth Anson, a ranger stationed at the Wheeler Ridge watchtower, is trying to get over a bitter divorce—working in the majestic Shoshone forest is the only way he knows how to get on with his life. Consequently, he is unprepared for the strange and mysterious woman he accidentally shoots and then must nurse back to health. As Seth and Melina form a close bond that leads to something deeper—they have no idea that the geneticist’s other creation—the result of a DNA cloning experiment gone horribly wrong—is bent on finding Melina and committing a monstrous act

PLANET JANITOR CUSTODIAN OF THE STARS--Starship Troopers meets Robinson Crusoe on Mars. A must read for classic and Golden Age Fans!
 

Captain Zachary Crowe and the crew of Planet Janitor Corporation are adept at handling environmental clean-ups and close system jumps to collect precious ores and space trash. The problem is they have yet to complete an assignment without a mishap to add to their not so stellar record. Scraping the bottom of the barrel, Orion Industries contracts Planet Janitor for a clandestine operation that no one else wants, offering them more money than they could spend in three lifetimes. The mission entails a 12 light-year trip to a newly found habitable planet in the Tau Ceti system. The crew will lose 26 years on Earth due to the cryo jump, but that is the least of their problems. What they find on Tau Ceti will rattle their wits, test their courage, and threaten their very survival.

Review

"Planet Janitor does deliver an interstellar romp that hearkens to the best of Robert Heinlein or Philip José Farmer... A rollicking plot-driven adventure... The dangers are intimidating, the wonders evocative and the thread that ties it all together is always just a little more tangled than it seems." --The Canadian Science Fiction Review, December 13, 2010

"An intriguing and exciting cross between Aliens and 10,000 Years B.C. - Stevenson shows us a future filled with proof that we should listen to Stephen Hawking's warnings about alien life forms and what they want to do to us." --Gini Koch, author of `Touched by an Alien' & `Alien Tango', December 1, 2010

"Stevenson's book considers the possibility of an elite industry of environmental cleanup specialists who take on all sorts of bizarre environmental jobs... Clearly, this is a timely topic that hits home in the wake of the Gulf oil spill." --SF-Fandom, September 21, 2010

From the Publisher

A great deal of care went into the quality of this book, with case laminate library binding, wrap around cover art, and 26 illustrations.


Dive into THE MOON IS NOT ENOUGH, from the PLANET JANITOR SERIES:
http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Janitor-Science-Fiction-ebook/dp/B0077...
 

The Crew of Planet Janitor are contracted to survey the damage to a lunar mining facility caused by a meteor shower. When a second job proposition proves too sweet to turn down, Captain Zachary Crowe must enter the devastated base. But will the reward be enough to outweigh the consequences of taking on such a risky mission.


Check out JOURNEY INTERRUPTED from the PLANET JANITOR series--
http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Janitor-Journey-Interrupted-ebook/dp/B...
 

The crew of Planet Janitor Corporation are on the tail end of a salvage mission in the asteroid belt when they encounter a ghost ship. Faced with a volatile substance on board, the crew race against the clock to commandeer the vessel before it reaches the Exon Refueling Station. What they find on the ship will stress their abilities to the limit, and put their lives in imminent danger.

Rejecting Publishers

Rejecting publishers? You would think it's always been the other way around. Yet maybe you don't realize that you do have that option and can enforce it any time you like. I'm not talking about random dismissals or motives sparked by revenge or anger. I'm referring to instances where the publisher seems, not only not right for you, but something else is amiss. Something's not kosher and you can't quite put your finger on it. Although you're desirous of seeing your book in digital form or print, and nothing would boost your ego more or delight your family members than having that happen, you'd better slam on the brakes and start thinking with your gray matter instead of listening to your heart. 

A BOOK THAT IS BADLY PUBLISHED IS WORSE THAN ONE NOT PUBLISHED AT ALL.

Remember that. Because if you don't heed that warning you're likely to end up with a very bad publishing decision that could hamper or even ruin your writing career. I've been through this more than once, so allow me to throw you a life preserver if you feel lost, alone and confused in a potentially hazardous environment. There are also subtle warning signs as well as the obvious ones, and I'd like to point out some these traps and snares that could land you a very bad contract and end product. 

The Obvious--do some research. Visit sites like Predators and Editors, AbsoluteWrite (writing group) and Piers Anthony's e-book publishing forum. Type the name of the publisher into the search bar and bring up the dirt, if there is any. You'll find comments or articles from past authors or site managers who've accumulated reports and testimonials about the publisher. Look for "not recommended" declarations, poor performance, late or no royalty payments, low royalty percentages on "net", non-communication or response, unimpressive back-list numbers, lack of distribution to even the online retailers, back-end fees, irregular publishing schedules, requests for family and friends email links, any charge upfront contingent upon editing, the printing process or distribution and anything else that might immediately warn you off. 

What if everything looks good, even great on the surface and you find no negative reports? These are the ones that can slip by you, suck you in and sink you. You'll find these red flags in the contract, but before you even get that far, read their website from stem to stern--open up every link and peruse all of their files. The mission statement is where you'll start, followed by the submission guidelines, then the "About Us" page. After 25 years I've seen it all. In just the past 2.4 years I've rejected 14 publishers, putting two of them in the dugout.

Here are some not so obvious and obvious warning signs that you're headed for trouble:

When the publisher asks you for an itemized email list of your associates, group members, family relatives and friends, co-workers or any other contact source. This will be for a mass, spam e-mailing campaign, targeting potential customers. Nothing could irk your friends and associates more than this unexpected ad slam.

When a publisher mentions or stipulates that an author's duty is to self-promote and market the book, including examples on on how to do so--sell at conventions or street corners, solicit major radio, newspaper and television media, hold bookstore signing events where you purchase bulk copies of your books without the financial aid/assistance of the publisher, recommendations to purchase banner or page ads, entering fee-charging contests, and so on, you're headed for trouble. This type of information/participation doesn't have to be mentioned--it's already implied--most writers dig in and promote anyway, but if it's emphasized, especially more than once on the website or contract, you know this publishers is going to do little or nothing to get your name and your book out there. If you fall for this one, congratulations. You've just hired yourself on as an unpaid sales and publicity person. 

When the publisher suggests or has an agreement that you purchase a specific number of copies for resale, and you are provided a special discount price to do so. In this case, the reader is not the customer--the writer is.  Vanity.

When the publisher states that you must reach a certain e-book sales threshold before you are allowed to go to print. This one is becoming more prevalent, but it also indicates a lack of financial solvency. They don't have the basic start-up print funds. Avoid.

When you find in the contract that the publisher will not provide any free author copies. Look for this one.  This one's very subtle and it might not mean much to you. But take heed; it means the publisher is a shoe-stringer and the only alternative you have is to purchase your own books for posterity and/or for giveaways or reviews. This is mirroring a vanity operation with the mirror being held very far a way.

When the royalty amount is based on net. Net can mean postage, editing, cover art, retail discounts, returns and just about anything connected with the book's production and distribution. You'll need it spelled out in the contract in regard to what constitutes their interpretation of net royalty. 

When the publisher sells exclusively on their website, with maybe one other retail source. Here's a list of a few retailers where you'd like to see your book available for sale.

Amazon Kindle
Amazon Create Space
All Romance
Bookstrand
iTunes (iBookstore)
Sony
Kobo
Copia
Barnes & Noble Nook
Overdrive Content Reserve (distributes to libraries and various retailers)
Lightning Source (an Ingram Company

When a publisher will not provide even a token advance. They have NO financial backing, regardless of their excuse that their high royalty rates more than makes up for it. The entire sales of the book and risk is on you. Not them. They have no incentive to make their money back, only the production costs, and that's likely after YOU have sold a sufficient number of copies to recoup the expense. 

When a publisher has an extravagant termination clause--$500 plus, ranging into the thousands.

When a publisher who does POD and e-book charges you a set-up fee for a print addition. Again, this means their pockets are empty.

When a publisher refers you to an in-house or associate editing service before the contract is signed.  Does conflict of interest ring a bell?

When a publisher keeps delaying or pushing your print schedule ahead. This is more often a sign that they are experiencing some type of difficulty, probably financial, dealing with the set-up and print fee. This is after all the work (cover art and editing) has been completed.

When a publisher places very high prices on their e-book or print books. Either their overhead is unnaturally high or they've got Mr. Greed whispering in their ear.

When a publisher has a very small back-list or none at all. This shows they're new to the game, perhaps too new to have established an adequate reader fan base. Two years in the business is enough time to determine if they're in this for the long haul and have a decent roster of authors and books.

When a publisher does not send out ARCs (author's review copies) or galleys to the major or even minor media review sources. Reason--high cost of books and postage for print editions. For e-books? Plain laziness. 

When a publisher switches editors (or several) on you midstream. Something's up. Like a disgruntled commission-paid employee has jumped ship, the editor is sick (multiple times), or some other snafu is interrupting the process. Generally, one or two-person publishing operations are very limited in what they can do so when an emergency arises it has them scrambling for back-up help that they never had to begin with.

When a publisher suffers not, agents. Any publisher who refuses to deal with agents is one you don't want. Something is amiss with their business practices and they don't wish to reveal, haggle over it or amend their contract. 

Listen and feel for your Spidy sense, people. If something seems off, investigate it more thoroughly. Don't settle. You don't have to.  

Publishing Then and Now

My apologies to my regular readers; I've been hammering out "money-writing", my commitment to my magazines, content studios and clients. If I don't, I can't pay the bills and keep my Internet going. I'm sure you know the feeling and apprehension. I'm currently waiting on AutoZone and BrakeMasters to get back to me with some massive projects, so I have some time to slide in here.

Publishing Then and Now. What a difference. I'm one of the dinosaurs from the old school. That means I started out with an IBM Selectric and suffered hard copy submissions in the very beginning. Shorty after I graduated to a basic X-T computer that had the Q & A word-processing program. If we were lucky we were allowed to send 5.5-inch floppy disks to the editors, but it mostly remained hard mail subs via the information gleaned in the Writers Yearbook, the writer's bible of the day. It was very expensive to send a full manuscript with enough postage for return. Short stories weren't too bad, although the cost added up if you knocked them out pretty regularly. We wrote for copies back then, submitting to the small press who took a shine to newbie writers. That's how I started anyway. I fondly remember Ourborous, Space and Time, Doppelganger, Pandora, Alpha Adventures, Twilight Zone, Amazing Stories and so many others that are gone now, lingering only in my memory. We probably had the Big 60 back then, not the Big 6, or is it the Big 4 or 5 now?

Back in the day, oh, about 25 years ago, I started almost the same year that James D. McDonald did, and Ann Crispin was a rising star. The good things I remember: there was such a thing as a small publisher for fiction and nonfiction that paid advances in the thousands. There were even mid-sized publishers like Crown and Zebra that paid handsomely. They had actual publicity departments back then, and if you wrote popular non-fiction titles you were assured to land on dozens of radio programs and even major TV network news and variety programs. It was very common to have medium to large print runs in the thousands and you most assuredly landed in every library and bookstore in the country--I did. Waldens and B. Dalton were two of the heavy-weight hitters in the retail sector. Trade format was called Quality Trade Paperback, and of course, we had mass-market paperback distribution. There was no digital--you were print--take it or leave it. I think narrated books were manufactured on tape cassette, if you had that in your contract. Chances are you sold through too, earning some nice royalty checks, at least high triple digit figures. And if you were good enough you landed in your favorite organization--mine was the Science Fiction Writers of America, before they took on the fantasy crowd.

That was then. What's happened now?

I didn't write or publish from about 1992 to 2005. A very long hiatus. I entered the Internet age with high expectations, in awe of the wonderful writing/editing programs, ease of email submissions, ease of research and instant communication. I had no idea what print-on-demand was but found out the hard way that just about anybody could set up a publishing house and use POD tech to print writer's material. I won't go into the gory details of what happened to me, but after three years I felt I was no longer in the real publishing industry. POD, it seemed to me other than being useful for reprinting back-list and out-of-print titles, was a terrible bane on the industry. I still feel that way today--it ruined it. There were no more advances, precise editing, publicity departments and all the other long-gone amenities, except within the very large NYC houses.

I saw the e-book digital revolution in its rise and monumental climb in the retail market. In 2009 I saw the first mass exodus to self-publishing via Amazon and the rush of thousands of writers who preferred or had no other option than to self-publish. Since then hundreds of thousands of self-published books have brought a suffocating glut to the market. I saw lines drawn in the sand between traditional and self-published authors and heard cries of foul, shouts of independence and victory, mumblings about gatekeepers, declarations of rotten writing and published slush, and insistence that the printed book was here to stay. I witnessed Borders and hundreds of independent bookstores tank--the mortar softening and crumbling the bricks that showcased the greatest writers in the world. 

I can't really express how I think of the industry today other than to say I long for the old days, the dinosaur days when things were not as complicated and tainted by so much chicanery, pomp, greed and deceit. Oh, there's still great writing and publishing opportunities out there, if you consider selling 75 to 150 books and pulling meager royalties for it an accomplishment. Or you could beat the odds and land a large commercial deal. Landing that big commercial deal today seems dependent upon what kind of genre and writing you're into--for me, it's not the Twilight or 50 shades tomes that have risen from obscurity. I guess I've never felt so out of touch in my writing life as I do today. I'm not a real good romance writer/reader and I'm not likely to read or write a book that features six-pack abs on the cover, although they have done that to me. But the readers rule, you know, and I can't change that.

Is the publishing industry broken? It's never really been broken, only suffered the normal growing pains that any other industry has sustained over its long past. It's changed. Dramatically. Anyone in the world can publish now and this is what will eventually impede or destroy the careers of many serious writers. Publishers who make it through this transition will survive and even prosper. Readers will never, ever have it any better as far as selection and low prices. But we writers will be lost in an ocean of books that will sink to unfathomable depths, and that's only because the market will be so polluted, diluted and vast, that no one will be able to find us. We can't even be found on the most popular social media sites since the glut there is just as crowded, misused and insensitive to our pleas. 

I have never in my accumulative 12 years in the business seen a sales stoppage of all my titles that lasted for six months. I'm seeing that now. I'm seeing woefully few print sales for just about all of my writing peers, including myself. Caveat: I'm small press--even good small press. Without distribution you're shot. And the only houses that can furnish distribution are those brand name publishers, most of them out of NYC. 

My campaign strategy over the past few years has been to decline every single contract that I've been offered that didn't meet with my expectations. The total is now 14 publishers. I won't settle anymore. I'm not in this for the ego boost. I'm not in this to hold a book in my hand--I've held lots of them already. If you don't have distribution and offer an advance, you're history. My agent knows this too, and she's agog trying to sell four of my completed books and we're not even getting a wink. On top of this, I foresee (which is already happening) the top name brand publishers going on the hunt for the most popular, best-selling self-published books. Their slush piles, even from agents, are not the place to find the next big thing as they might have been. They have only to target and contract the self-published superstars and let their marketing and publicity departments take vacations. There will be exceptions, of course. Hell, I can't blame them--this is a money-making business. The publishers and readers will win. I'm sorry, but I see us writers languishing more and more as time flitters by. Unless something is done.

Not venting. Sadly reflecting. Hoping and wishing.

Is there a bright spot in all of this? Yep, I think I see one. Although we might not transit back to the old dinosaur days, we're going to recover and see a resurgence in the quality of the written word--a time when the gatekeepers are called back from their divots under the rocks, to really examine and analyse the dregs that have washed up on the shore as a result of this self-publishing tsunami. The readers will be the ones who start the new wave and their calls will be heard loud and clear: "Will somebody please do something about this crap that's awash in the market? Where in the hell are the editors? Where's the quality control?" These questions are being raised in earnest right now. We'll have an answer or two but I'm not sure what form it will take.

How will this revolutionary wave start? It's already started. You can sell millions of self-published books for a few dollars and get away with it for a few years before the readers get wise and find that they're missing the bulls eye as far as quality more than they're discovering it. Instead of saving money on what appears to be great bargains they're spending more to find a diamond in the coal pile. Spend $10 on 10 books to find two or three winners, and you're still losing. The odds have got to be better. A publisher's name MUST stand behind their product. It's either that, or the present or next generation of readers are going to become so disenchanted that the last recreational resource they'll turn to is reading a book. Then the game industry will laugh even louder on their way to the bank.

I made this prediction many moons ago. The self-publishing bubble is going to burst. I give a year to 18 months. Then will come a point of stagnation. That's when the real publishers will have to be ready to strike with a hot iron and revamp the industry and take over their lost rank and file. They're already starting to introduce digital-only imprints. Now, if they'll just get their fuckin' prices down they'll win back the lion's share. It's that simple.

Am I slamming self-publishing? No. It's not their fault. Besides, I'd have to slam myself.     



   

Nudging Brick Walls

Ever have the feeling you're about to attempt the impossible and nudge a publishing brick wall? Have your given that publisher more than enough time to respond to a simple query, synopsis, outline/proposal, chapters or full manuscript? I'll bet you let them slide for extra days or weeks, just hoping that you were temporarily lost in the sea of slush. I've gone so far as to allow a couple of months over a standard response time and still heard nothing but crickets. I can understand those houses that don't respond if they're not interested and state those facts in the submission guidelines. That's bad enough and we all have to live with those. Problem is, we never rightly know if our material made it to destination, which leaves us with an empty spot in our gut, a vacuum that can't be filled. Compound this with "And it's the perfect story--exactly what they're looking for."
 
 I was looking at my submission spreadsheet tonight and feeling pretty depressed by the amount of non-responders showing up. My submissions dates for small press and some of the larger independents are dating back to the 11th month of 2011. I have about 47 submissions dating from that time up until just yesterday. When I receive a rejection I black bold the publisher's title/name so it stands out. Needless to say, I've never seen so much white space in all my life.  My three agents over the past 24 years have complained of the same thing--"They won't answer my queries or submissions." Or "I can't believe how long this is taking." Or "I'm sorry this is taking so much time."

And yes, I know about Tor and Baen and the others that can take up to a year or more.

Then those feelings surface and I wonder if I'll have the strength to go through the ritual again. Why do I keep telling myself I should have to? It's a needless, almost torturous experience. You instantly fear that a nudge is going to speed things along all right, but in the negative. You feel like you're putting a gun to their head. Then they pull on the emergency brake and stop the train just for you, digging you out of the pile, scanning the files looking for your story title and your name or pen name. I hope you supplied then with a submission date so they know how far back to look. If not, you've just taken up more of their time and they're apt to give you the heave-ho after failing to find you in their system. Nothing can be more awkward than that. Except one thing:

Calling them on the phone.

Don't even do this. Unless they state that a quick, polite call is allowed, bury those feelings in your backyard about 10 feet under.  If they suggest that you can nudge after a six to eight-week wait, then do so but give them another two or three weeks margin. They might have had an open call or a conference attendance that's driven their email traffic up, creating a back-slog of material. I generally nudge about the four-month mark after a query, synopsis or 3 chapters. If sending in a full manuscript is standard, I let it go about six or seven months--no kidding, that long. For a requested full, about five to six months is adequate. I really wouldn't carve into their time much sooner than that, but you can try and hope you get away with it. 

When should you give up? If they don't reply to my nudge in three months I sign them off and make a note (spreadsheet) of their unwillingness to contact me. By the way, this has been happening more and more in the past three years. You can nudge twice but what's the reason for it if they haven't responded by your second letter. You should also check the writing and warning boards and publisher listings--you might be beating a dead horse--a folded publisher. If they respond to your nudge and tell you they're reading it right now or it's next on their list, I would not nudge them again. Ever. If it's good news it'll come. You've said enough.

How should you do it? In the subject line, I put "Submission Status Question." That's real safe and it gets their attention. Especially anything with "Question" in it. Works every time, if they're organizing their emails carefully. Try to find the proper contact email for a question or report. It's usually called the "support" link or url. You can email the regular submission email, and surprisingly, they do fish those out pretty quick. Very fast, in fact, like instantly or the next day. 

How about the wording? How about something like this or a variation of it:

"Hello or Dear, (Agent or Editor)
Good tidings for the New Year! (seasonal suck-up salutation). Please consider this a polite inquiry in regard to the status of my full submission of Fusion, an adult thriller, to Wonderful House Publications on 3-18-2012. Any information about its ongoing reading or rejection would be much appreciated.
Yours most kindly,
Chris Stevenson"

Make it swift and painless. Don't go into any complicated or emotional spiels, threaten, bribe or beg. You were just la, la,la wondering what happened to little old/young you, seemingly lost in their magnificent database, and would they be kind enough to well...GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE OR OFFER SOME GRACE AND SALVATION, FOR GAWD'S SAKE!