Agent Interview: Jordy Albert of The Booker Albert Literary Agency

With us today on Monday Meet and Greet is literary agent and co-founder of The Booker Albert Literary Agency, Jordy Albert .  She was gracious enough to answer some questions for us on writing and the type of books that hook her. 

My followers would like to get to know you better for stalking purposes. Tell us a little about yourself and what made you want to be an agent.

I’ve always loved to read, and I was interested in the publishing industry from an early age. 

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

Keep writing! It might not happen with your first dozen projects, but I think practice does make perfect and eventually it will happen. Also, READ. A LOT. Especially in the genre you write. Join writing groups, get a Beta reader/critique partner (group), enter pitch contests, and attend conferences. 

What elements are MUST HAVES in a story you’d ask to see more of?

Characters that draw me in right away. 

Besides basic grammatical errors and writers sending stories in genres you don’t represent, what are most common problems with the submissions you receive?

Many submissions just don’t follow guidelines. For instance, we ask that you don’t send attachments unless requested, or the author will just send sample pages with no query. I also receive submissions that have no name or contact information, and sometimes the author will just send a link to a website. 

What’s on your wish list?  

I am such a sucker for historical romance (especially Regency). I’d also like to see more realistic MG/YA…Oh! And contemporary, and sci-fi YA. 

Okay, now for some fun questions to get to know you.

All time favorite villain – Voldemort. 

Last book that made you cry – The Fault in Our Stars. 

Guilty pleasure – French fries and chocolate shake, and binge watching Doctor Who/Sherlock when I have time. 

Book you feel everyone must read that’s not from one of your clients? To Kill A Mockingbird. 

Hobbies – Reading lol …knitting, trying to learn more French and Japanese. 

Favorite place you’ve ever visited – Japan.


Thanks, Jordy, for being with us today.

To learn more about Jordy Albert, follow her on Twitter or visit The Booker Albert Agency. 

-- Cherie Colyer, author of  the Embrace Series and Challenging Destiny

 

A chat with agent Jeff Ourvan of the Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency!

A chat with agent Jeff Ourvan of the Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency...hosted by Kat Ross

 INTERVIEW 

1. What made you want to be an agent?

I'm an attorney with a background in creative writing, magazine editing and communications, so it brought together my strengths and everything I love to do.

 2. What advice would you give aspiring authors? OR What elements are MUST HAVES in a story you’d ask to see more of? What makes you go the next step to wanting to acquire?

It depends on the genre, but in fiction I look for plot-driven tension and suspense, plausible motivation, complex and imperfect characters and at least one truly sparkling sentence on each page. For nonfiction I'm looking for the same elements -- together with excellent research and a compelling issue or story to explore. Aspiring writers most need to be courageous. Not just in their writing but in living their lives.

 3. Besides basic grammatical errors and writers sending stories in genres you don’t represent, what are most common problems with the submissions you receive?

There isn't a strong market for a lot of what people seem to want to write.

 4. What’s on your wish list? AND/OR What have you seen too much of?

I'm mostly looking for narrative nonfiction, as well as sports and science books. Also I'm always on the lookout for clever young adult fiction. I'm seeing way too many YA fantasy narratives that all look too familiar.

AND NOW FOR SOME DARKLY DELICIOUS QUESTIONS....

 1. All time favorite villain?

A tie between Kurtz, Edmund (King Lear) and O'Brien from 1984.

 2. Last book that made you cry / laugh hysterically?

I just read an unpublished ms called "Napoleon's Hairdresser" that sends up the historical romance genre and had me rolling on the floor.

 3. Guilty pleasure?

Sports blogs.

 4. Top three books you’ve read in the past year that were not from one of your clients?

The Sleepwalkers, by Christopher Clark; The Death of Bees, by Lisa O'Donnell; The Elements of Style (an annual read).

 5. Meal/Dessert/ Drink of choice?

The ceviche at Cafecito, on Avenue C in Manhattan.

 6. Favorite Place You’ve Ever Visited

 Kalgin Island, Alaska. 

Thanks for joining us today!  

Jeff is currently accepting submissions, the guidelines can be found here.

 

The Dark Deliciousness of WORKING WITH AGENTS AND EDITORS by JOSHUA BELLIN

I’m a complete and total pantser.

No notes. No outlines. No character sketches. No computer programs to help me organize my thoughts and drafts. I just sit down and write.

I make lots of great discoveries this way. But I also produce really messy first drafts.

Now, before seeking publication, I whip my drafts into shape. I revise rigorously. I try to plug all the plot holes, resolve the inconsistencies, deepen the character relationships, all that good stuff. To a certain extent, I like to believe I succeed.

But I still swear by agents and editors to help me polish and—so far as possible—perfect my work.

In the case of my debut, Survival Colony 9, my agent and editor have played very different but equally vital roles. My agent, Liza Fleissig, acted more as a lay reader: she told me what didn’t make sense, what sounded bad, what she liked and didn’t like. That was invaluable to me, as it enabled me to get a feeling for how readers would respond to the story I was trying to tell.

My editor, Karen Wojtyla of Margaret K. McElderry Books, served as more of a critical reader: she spotted logical flaws in the world-building, pinpointed structural problems in the plot, challenged me to rethink the story’s climax. She helped me to draw out deeper thematic resonances that must have been in my mind but that I needed a professional’s eyes to see clearly.

Many writers swear by beta readers and critique groups. For whatever reason, I’m much more comfortable working one-on-one with an agent and editor. They get me, and I get them.

Ultimately, I don’t think it matters where a writer seeks her/his feedback—as long as s/he seeks it. Writing may be solitary, but publishing is anything but.

Even pantsers need partners.



Joshua David Bellin

Survival Colony Nine, Margaret K. McElderry Books, September 2014

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Bio:
I've been writing novels since I was eight years old (though admittedly, the first few were very, very short). I taught college for twenty years, wrote a bunch of books for college students, then decided to return to writing fiction. SURVIVAL COLONY NINE is my first novel, but the sequel's already in the works!  I love to read (mostly YA fantasy and science fiction), watch movies (again, mostly fantasy and sci-fi), and spend time in Nature (mostly catching frogs and toads). I'm the world's worst singer, but I play a pretty mean air guitar.  Oh, yeah, and I like monsters. Really scary monsters.

The Dark Deliciousness of WORKING WITH EDITORS By Kate Evangelista

            In high school, I wrote without any thought to editing. Using my father’s electric typewriter (and I’m totally showing my age here), I wrote whatever popped into my head. Well, let me clarify. I start with a story in mind then write what comes naturally to me in connection to the story. Afterwards, horrible spelling and wrong grammar notwithstanding, I’d bind my stories and bring them to school for my classmates to read. No editing necessary.

            Starting my writing career this way helped and hindered me. It helped because today I’m able to construct my novels a chapter at a time based on an overarching storyline. I have a beginning and I have the end then I fill in the blanks in the middle. This assures a tighter plotline. For me, anyway. It hindered because I had no concept of editing whatsoever. This messes with the ego because I automatically thought my work didn’t need changing. It’s not perfect, but that’s how I intended to create it. Budding writers out there don’t start out this way. *wags finger*

            This terrible mindset followed me well into my early twenties. I stood by my work and hardly listened to anyone’s feedback. Maybe this is also because the critique groups I did participate in would nitpick rather than give actual constructive criticism. Oh, they thought they were being constructive. Hell, I thought so too. It’s only now after working with a variety of editors that I can distinguish between what is considered constructive (i.e. what will help improve the story) versus your run of the mill nitpicking (i.e. the negative stuff).

            For some of you who might not know yet, I’m currently published by three different publishers. This is no accident. I intentionally submitted to different publishers because I wanted to learn more about my craft. Working with as many editors as possible certainly helps.

            Many writers abhor the editing process for many different. I’ve seen many cry over it. I understand it can be intimidating and that comments can be seen as criticism of one’s work. I’ve come to believe that editing is the best part of the process. It can be taxing, for sure. But it is also the most rewarding because you already have something to work with.

            Let me elaborate.

            When writing, you’re forced to fill a blank page with words. Basically, you need to translate what’s in your head onto paper. With editing, you already have everything on paper, which takes the edge off. Now your job becomes improving on what you already have. And the best thing about it is you have an editor who helps guide you in the right direction.

            For my debut novel, Taste, the comments of my editor for the first two pages alone were longer than the actual two pages. In fact, every sentence had multiple comments attached to them. Here’s a picture of what I mean:

            Looking at this picture today doesn’t fail to bring out a cold sweat in me. How I survived that initial editing process is beyond my reasoning skills. But I can honestly say that my editor really helped make my writing better. Many readers don’t get a glimpse of what goes on during the editing of a novel. The final product you have in your hands is leaps and bounds beyond how it all started.

            Now, let me show you a picture of the first two pages of Savor, one of my latest novels, during the editing stage:

            Here you no longer see any comments, just some tweaks by my editor on some of the sentences. Taste is my debut and Savor is my sixth novel (fifth to be published). The difference in editing is vastly obvious because each of the editors I’ve worked with since my debut helped me hone my craft. If you want to see the progression of the improvement in my writing based on editing, this is how you should read my novels: start with Taste then move on to Reaping MeSoftly then to Til Death followed by Romancing the Bookworm before Unreap My Heart and end with Savor. The dates of publishing vary, with Til Death being the most recent release. But like what I mentioned above, Savor is my latest in terms of what I’ve written and edited (it shows the most improvement).

            With each novel I write, I try my best not to make the same mistakes that my editors have pointed out in previous novels. Of course, there’s no such thing as a novel that doesn’t need editing. From experience, the process gets easier because when you know better you do better (ßMaya Angelou quote).

            So, working with editors is actually awesome. They are there to support you as a writer and help you improve your craft and nourish your talent. They are also there to push your limits, demand better of you, and show you avenues into the story you didn’t think possible during the writing process.

            In short, I’m an editing junkie. I want more. No. Need more.     

Kate Evangelista

Taste, Crescent Moon Press, April 2012
Reaping Me Softly, Omnific Publishing, October 2012
Unreap My Heart, Omnific Publsihing, September 2013
Til Death, Entangled Teen, March 2014

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Bio:
When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she lives in the Philippines and writes full-time.

If you want to know more about this quirky writer who loves romance and fantasy and everything in between, click here.

Behind the Scenes: Working with Agents & Editors by Kym Brunner

  

Many (but granted, not all) writers would like to land a book deal with a fabulous editor of one of the well-known publishing houses so their book can get the attention it deserves and can be delivered into the hands of more readers. Traditionally, the only way that’s going to happen is with a literary agent (yes, there are always exceptions). But what’s it like to work with an agent? An editor?

For me, it's a lot like a day spent fishing––it can be exhausting, emotional, and exhilarating.

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/big-fish-eat-little-fish-photo-p246686

EXHAUSTING:  Trying to land an agent is a lot like trying to land a big fish. It takes patience and persistence, as well as being willing to experiment with the perfect bait to make them bite your hook. Same goes for waiting for an editor to read your book and make a decision. Of course it’s going to take a long time. After all, editors are some of the busiest people on earth. Many houses need approval from several departments before acquiring your book.

EMOTIONAL:  Getting rejections from agents and editors, as well as receiving some of those promising “nibbles” at the end of your line is a stormy sea of ups and downs. Sad one week, excited the next, disappointed in the end. One day you're sure your work is being used as a placemat on some editor's desk, and the next, you're imagining an editor poring over your book on the subway ride home, accidentally missing their stop. (For the record, I prefer the second mind movie).

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

EXHILARATING:  The first time an agent asks for your full, you leap around your living room yelling, “Yes!” Then when that same agent sends an email asking for your phone number so you could "discuss" your book, you know things might be even more promising. And finally, when said agent says, “I read your book and it hooked me so much, I’d like to offer to represent you,” you squeal with happiness. (After you hang up of course) And trust me when I say that, when I found out  that Jacquelyn Mitchard at Merit Press offered to acquire WANTED: DEAD OR IN LOVE, I cried. Literally. Streams of happy tears and mascara running down my face (like the girl on my cover). At work. In front of hundreds of my students. What a day that was.

Who would have known that four months after that, I got another offer from an editor–-this time at Omnific Press––for my YA humorous romance, ONE SMART COOKIE? Was it still as exhilarating? You bet! Truth be told, I've convinced myself that, before my books hit the stores this summer, someone from one of these publishers is going to call me up and say, “Whoops, sorry! We thought you were someone else.” (You see what I mean about emotional?)

Overall, my relationships with agents, various editors, and publishing team have been almost all positive. Nearly everyone in the children's book business is supportive, informative, and hard-working. In return, I do my best to be polite, friendly, and meet my deadlines. There’s no better feeling than to know that these professionals have your back and all have the same purpose as I do:  TO SELL A KICKASS BOOK THAT READERS LOVE––one they bring to the taxidermist so they can mount on their wall. 

Now all that's left to do is wait for the reviews and pray that readers think my books are KEEPERS. I hope you get a chance to reel one of mine in sometime soon. Until then, hopefully I can see you around at the Facebook or Twitter ponds.

Kym Brunner

WANTED:  DEAD OR IN LOVE, Merit Press / June, 2014 (available for pre-order at Amazon / Barnes & Noble)

ONE SMART COOKIE, Omnific Publishing / Summer 2014

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Bio:
Kym Brunner's method of creating a manuscript: write, procrastinate, sleep, repeat. She's addicted to Tazo chai tea, going to the movies, and reality TV. When she's not reading or writing, Kym teaches 7th grade full time. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her family and two trusty writing companions, a pair of Shih Tzus named Sophie and Kahlua. She's repped by Eric Myers of The Spieler Agency.