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Welcome to our Message Board 4 Writers by Writers
Message Board for Writers. You're a writer? Have a book coming out? Like to tell us? Conferences? Workshops? All writers news welcome.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShalladeGuzman

Subject:

MARKET DEALS

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 16:15:13 05/24/05 Tue

With her second novel EVERYONE WORTH KNOWING set for September publication and Meryl Streep taking the lead in the film version of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, Lauren Weisberger's untitled, unwritten third novel, again to David Rosenthal at Simon & Schuster, in a major deal, for seven figures, by Deborah Schneider at Gelfman Schneider.

Toni McGee-Causey's BOBBIE FAYE'S VERY (very very very very) BAD DAY, the misadventures of one extremely pissed off trailer trash Cajun beauty queen who has to outwit former boyfriends, her "hostage" and organized crime in order to rescue her no-good pain-in-the-ass brother from kidnappers run amok in the Louisiana swamps, to Nichole Argyres at St. Martin's, in a good deal, for three books, in a pre-empt, by Lucienne Diver at Spectrum Literary Agency. Film rights are with Vince Gerardis of Created By.
lucienne@spectrumliteraryagency.com

Elise Lanier's TREADING LIGHTLY, a brassy story of coming to terms with changes in one's life, to Tara Gavin at Harlequin Next, by Jay Poynorat the Poynor Group (world).
jpoynor@fcc.net

Dan Simmons's epic horror thriller CARRION COMFORT, pitting a concentration camp survivor and a Southern sheriff against an
army of mind vampires, optioned to Michele Gavras at director Costa-Gavras's K. G. Production, by Relevant Entertainment's Michael Prevett, on behalf of Richard Curtis Associates.
rcurtis@curtisagency.com
mprevett@relevantent.com

Shannon McKelden's VENUS ENVY, about a goddess-turned-fairy godmother who isn't about to let any reluctant Cinderella get in her way, to Natasha Panza at Tor, for their new chick lit line, in a nice deal, by
Deidre Knight at The Knight Agency (world English).
Deidre.Knight@knightagency.net

Anne Mallory's PRIDE AND PATIENCE and ONE RECKLESS KNIGHT, two Regency-set romances featuring mystery, humor and romance, to Selina McLemore at Avon, in a nice deal, by Paige Wheeler at the Creative Media Agency.
paige@thecmagency.com

Author of A SECRET WORD Jennifer Paddock's second novel POINT CLEAR, about a woman vacationing at a grand old Southern
hotel just as Hurricane Ivan hits, who cloisters herself there instead of evacuating and becomes embroiled in the mysterious disappearance of a local man, a champion swimmer, to Amanda Patten at Touchstone Fireside, in a nice deal, by Michelle Tessler of Tessler Literary Agency (NA).
michelle@tessleragency.com
marcia.burch@simonandschuster.com

Marta Accosta's BITE ME a humorous, sexy contemporary novel about a Latina aspiring writer, who finds love and acceptance among a family of sophisticated vampires, to Maggie Crawford at Pocket, in a very nice deal, at auction, for two books, by Julie Castiglia at The Castiglia Agency.

get more at Publishers Lunch
http://www.publishersmarketplace.com

Subject:

Online Workshop: free The Art of the Short Story with Gotham Writers

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 10:28:41 05/22/05 Sun

Title: The Art of the Short Story with Gotham Writers` Workshop
Course Type: Online Instructor-led Course
Estimated Completion Time: 8 hour(s)
Session Length: 4 week(s)

Upcoming Sessions
April 4, 2005 - Closed
June 6, 2005 - OPEN

Prerequisites
All you need to enjoy this course is an interest in short fiction.

Description
The best short stories read quickly yet linger in the soul a long time. In this course, you will explore 12 unforgettable short stories (both classic and contemporary), examining their spellbinding effect and the techniques used by the authors to capture "life" in a mere handful of pages. A combination of lectures, assigned readings, group discussions, and optional writing activities will deepen your appreciation of the short story and shed light on how to write your own short fiction, if you are so inclined. In short, you will understand the unique art of the short story.

FREE At Barnes and Noble University
http://university.barnesandnoble.com/

Subject: Hits and niches Article

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 14:16:15 05/21/05 Sat

Hits and niches

Kerry Lengel
The Arizona Republic
May. 20, 2005 12:00 AM

With the next Harry Potter racking up sales months in advance of its July 16 release and The Da Vinci Code still dominating after two years on the shelves, this seems to be the age of the megabestseller.

You'd think publishers would be thrilled, but they're not, because book sales overall are in a slump at a time when more and more titles are available. The megaseller is triumphant, but the plain old bestseller may be an endangered species as authors and publishers fight for ever-smaller slices of the pie.

Welcome to the era of niche lit. advertisement

"Publishers are gravitating toward what I call microgenres," says Penny C. Sansevieri, founder of Author Marketing Experts in San Diego. "You used to have chick lit, but now you have mommy lit, hen lit, chick lit for African-American women. They're breaking this down to the point that it's becoming very myopic."

Romance, which accounts for nearly half of paperback fiction sales, has marketed subgenres - novels set in Regency England, for example - for decades. But in recent years, the niches have been "branching out like crazy," says Phoenix author Vijaya Schartz, who specializes in science-fiction and fantasy romances.

"Now they have gothic romances, horror romance, mystery romance, they have all kinds of different categories that didn't exist before," she says.

Book sales flat

The move toward narrowly defined audiences is a response to an increasingly competitive market.

After strong growth in the '90s, book sales have stalled. In fact, the number of books sold dropped by nearly 44 million in 2004 from the year before.

"Dollar sales have been persistently flat, while numbers of books being published rise, meaning dollars are generally spread out over more product," says Michael Cader, founder of PublishersMarketplace.com.

Scottsdale author Connie Flynn, who writes paranormal romances, among other niche genres, says the niches "make it easier for new writers to enter the marketplace."

"Because the bookstores put you with other writers of their kind, you're more likely to be discovered by the kind of audience you're looking for," she says. "The downside of that (is) things that don't fit easily into the genres just get overlooked and get impossible to sell."

Reader profiling

There are many ways to slice the pie. Some of the variations on chick lit are based on age, for example. Sansevieri even advises her clients to write their novels with a specific readership in mind, such as the single mothers who read "mommy lit" because they see it as a reflection of their lives.

"I try to profile the reader of a book the same way you would flesh out a character in a novel," she says.

There are regional interests, such as Southwestern mysteries or Southern chick lit, and ethnic audiences are a big category, with Black women being a growth market in romance. Sales of religious books grew 50 percent in 2003 alone, with insiders predicting an annual growth rate of more than 6 percent into 2009.

Then there's the increasing cross-pollination of genre fiction. In addition to the new varietals in romance, whodunit fans have glommed onto such specialties as J.D. Robb's futuristic detective tales and Charlaine Harris' series of vampire-and-werewolf mysteries.

"I think a lot of what we're seeing is the development of specific niches within established categories," Ron Hogan, a literary blogger at www.bea trice.com, says by e-mail.

"The most interesting trend I've seen in recent months is the revival of the amateur sleuth mystery as chick lit, with sassy women trying to negotiate tricky love lives and solve murders. Red Dress Ink (a Harlequin imprint) has put a lot of these out lately, but Beth Saulnier has a similar book out from Warners, so the biggest houses are clearly taking interest in this minigenre.

"Any time a genre becomes successful, a need for constant innovation develops because the popularity of the first few books creates a demand for new novels which are close enough to the originals to feel familiar, but not so close that they feel repetitive."

Art of imitation

Of course, innovation is more easily aspired to than accomplished, and many niches are the result of good, old-fashioned imitation. The success of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, for example, has inspired a spate of thrillers based on historical research. Just this month Steve Berry released The Third Secret, which spins the real-life Fatima prophecies of 1917 into a tale of Vatican intrigue.

Gwendolyn Osborne, a Detroit journalist who reviews African-American women authors for theromancereader.com and themysteryreader.com, is all too familiar with the phenomenon.

"I am so tired right now of all the 'girlfriend' novels," she says. "It's become a pattern: Three or four or five friends get together and lament their lack of love lives, their lack of jobs, their nagging mothers. It's basically Waiting to Exhale redux. It's not a niche, but like a copycat killer almost.

"The White version of that is the coming-of-middle-age book, or boomer lit, as I'm coming to call it, like (Nancy Thayer's) The Hot Flash Club. It's variations on a theme, and they're doing it to death."

Market for microniches

How far can the nichification of literature go? Pretty far, says Chris Anderson, editor of Wired magazine, who is expanding a 2004 article about the growth of niche entertainment into a book called The Long Tail.

"A Barnes & Noble Superstore might have 130,000 books. That may seem like a lot, but Amazon carries 2 1/2 million books," Anderson says. "So what might count as a niche that sells in Barnes & Noble is still high up the curve of total books available. There are subniches and subsubniches and microniches and nanoniches, and the tail goes on forever and ever."

Anderson's "long tail" of niches applies to all forms of entertainment. The clearest example of the trend is the rise of cable television, which captured viewers from the big networks and distributed them among hundreds of specialty channels. The networks are still the hitmakers, but their overall ratings have dropped.

As with television, Anderson says, technology is driving the shift toward niches across the board, from digital music downloads to self-published "print-on-demand" books.

"Over the past decade, you've seen the emergence of businesses that have, in effect, infinite shelf space," he says. "We know them in examples such as Amazon and iTunes and Netflix and eBay, the e-commerce success stories of the last decade. What's interesting about them is not simply that they've shifted sales from offline to online, but that they've also shifted sales from hits to niches.

"This is something new and wasn't necessarily anticipated. It's a new phenomenon of massive increase in variety of products and availability of products, plus powerful tools to find stuff. . . . Those two things combined are revealing a previously unanticipated amount of demand for stuff that isn't hits."

Hitting the big time

Niche books, along with an explosion in print-on-demand, may be stealing readers from the bestsellers, but they also serve as a sort of farm team for the big leagues. For example, Amanda Brown's Legally Blonde started as print-on-demand, then got picked up by Plume Books, a Penguin imprint.

Barbara Peters, founder of mystery specialist Poisoned Pen Press in Scottsdale, says that despite declining sales, there is room in the market for both hits and niches. The top publishers, she says, don't look at Poisoned Pen as competition so much as a potential source for future bestsellers.

"Something like 50 percent of all books are sold at mass-market retailers like Costco, Target and Wal-Mart, instead of traditional bookstores. But the sort of book sold at Costco has to have brand recognition," she says. "As the mass market takes over, it's opening up opportunities for smaller presses with niche audiences and regional audiences. It makes it possible for both to exist without any real rivalry."

Subject:

Info Agent Nephele Tempest of The Knight Agency

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 13:50:41 05/21/05 Sat

Nephele Tempest joined the Knight Agency submissions department early
in 2004. In 2005, she came on board as an associate agent and head of
the new Los Angeles office. She brings the benefits of diverse
experience, with a background that includes work in publishing (for Simon and
Schuster), sales, and writing, both freelance and in a corporate
environment. Nephele is currently seeking vibrant women's fiction, romance, and
literary fiction

Subject: WHAT IS A HIGH CONCEPT?
Author: Anonymous [Edit]	Date Posted: 13:48:25 05/21/05 Sat WHAT IS A HIGH CONCEPT? When a studio or production company refers to a High Concept, they mean a story idea that has all three of these components: 1. It is unique. 2. It appeals to a wide audience. 3. It can be said in one sentence and...you instantly see the whole movie.

Subject:

Latest Book Sales

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 15:21:44 05/19/05 Thu

Marta Accosta's BITE ME a humorous, sexy contemporary novel about a Latina aspiring writer, who finds love and acceptance among a family of sophisticated vampires, to Maggie Crawford at Pocket, in a very nice deal ($50,000 - $99,000), at auction, for two books, by Julie Castiglia at The Castiglia Agency. - Publisher's Lunch, 5/12/05

Karin Gillespie's EARTHLY PLEASURES, about a hospitality greeter in Heaven who crosses the dimensions to reunite with her lover on Earth, to Denise Roy at Simon & Schuster, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Jenny Bent at Trident Media Group (NA).
jbent@tridentmediagroup.com - Publisher's Lunch, 5/12/05

Candy Halliday's YOUR BED OR MINE?: The Housewives Fantasy Club Series, featuring sex in the burbs, to Karen Kosztolnyik at Warner, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), for two books, by Jenny Bent at Trident Media Group (NA).
jbent@tridentmediagroup.com - Publisher's Lunch, 5/12/05

Elaine Coffman's untitled contemporary romantic suspense, in which an anchorwoman's search for her twin sister, given away at birth by her single mother, reveals her twin has disappeared without a trace, to Maggie Crawford at Pocket, by Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary (world English).
hb@cornerstoneliterary.com - Publisher's Lunch, 5/10/05

Linda Frances Lee's THE DEVIL IN THE JUNIOR LEAGUE, to Jennifer Weis at St. Martin's, for six figures, for two books, by Amy Berkower of Writers House. - Publisher's Lunch, 5/9/05

Caprice Crane's FORGET ABOUT IT, a romantic comedy about a girl who fakes amnesia in order to reinvent herself and discovers it's the most empowering thing she's ever done, already in development as a film starring Scarlett Johansen (at New Line), to Amy Einhorn at Warner, by Jenny Bent at Trident Media Group (world).
jbent@tridentmediagroup.com - Publisher's Lunch, 5/8/05

Subject: MARKET NEWS --Gail Fortune has left Berkley

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 15:18:16 05/19/05 Thu

5/11/05 - Kate Seaver is leaving Dorchester Publishing to take Gail Fortune's place as Senior Editor at Berkley beginning May 20th. Leah Hultenschmidt at Dorchester will move into Kate's position.

4/4/05 - From Publisher's Lunch - Gail Fortune has left Berkley after 15 years there as an editor to join John Talbot of The John Talbot Agency in a new venture, The Talbot Fortune Agency. She intends to keep her list small with emphasis on romance and women's fiction. Authors Dorothea Benton Frank and Lynn Kurland, whom Fortune had edited, have taken her on as their agent.

Subject: SHALLA CHATS with author Marianne Mancusi

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 19:07:04 05/17/05 Tue

SHALLA CHATS with author Marianne Mancusi

� What Comes After the call?�

by Shalla de Guzman

First off, who�s Marianne?
Marianne Mancusi is a multiple Emmy Award winning TV news producer for WHDH-TV, the NBC station in Boston, Massachusetts. Her first novel, �A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur�s Court� is being released by Dorchester Publishing this May. She also has four Young Adult novels under contract with both Dorchester and Berkley.

Shalla: We�re all excited about getting the call. That seems like the end of our long journey to getting published. But is it?

Well, let�s ask someone who recently got pubbed about sending out the manuscript and finally getting a contract signed. Hi Marianne.

Marianne: Hi Shalla.

Shalla: So how did it happen?

Marianne: Well, I wrote the novel in summer 2003 and pitched the manuscript to agent Paige Wheeler at the NJ RWA conference.

She requested the manuscript and about a month later offered me representation. I was thrilled! After having me do some revisions, the manuscript was finally sent out to editors in February 2004. Then it took six agonizing months before my sale.

Shalla: Tell us how your agent submitted your manuscript? Multiple? Exclusive?

Marianne: She submitted the manuscript to seven different chick lit publishers. All the regulars: Pocket, Red Dress, Dorchester, Avon, etc.

Shalla: How does submitting a manuscript go? Was your query sent out? Or did you have to write a longer proposal? Or did your agent pitch it over the phone or in person?

Marianne: First my agent called each editor and asked if they�d be interested in reading the manuscript. Then she wrote up a pitch letter that was loosely based on my original query and sent that out with the manuscript and synopsis to each of the seven editors. Then I believe she followed up by another phone call some time later.

That�s one strange thing about having an agent. Suddenly, the submission process is completely out of your hands! While previously you got some satisfaction out of self-addressing envelopes and affixing stamps, now all you can do is sit back and wait.

For more:
http://www.geocities.com/shalladeguzman/ShallaChatsMarianneMancus.html

Subject: SHALLA CHATS with Literary Agent Scott Eagan

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 19:05:09 05/17/05 Tue

SHALLA CHATS with Literary Agent Scott Eagan

� Greyhaus Literary Agency Now Open for Business�

by Shalla de Guzman

First off, who�s Scott?

Scott Eagan opened Greyhaus Literary Agency in October of 2003 with the premise of providing representations exclusively for the writers of the romance industry. Scott holds degrees from the University of Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran University in Literature and Literacy. Scott has also been teaching English and writing since 1989 in the Puget Sound area.

Scott is also an active writer with two published books of poetry (and a third WIP). He is also a romance writer, devoting much of his time to YA. He is a PRO member, member of RWA-online.
Outside of this, Scott is a stay at home dad of two (and one on the way) and also happily married to a romance writer.

Shalla: Hi Scott, thanks so much for joining us.

Scott: Thanks Shalla, anything I can do to help!

Shalla: So, please tell us about your agency.

Scott: I opened the agency because I saw a real lacking in agencies that focus only on romance. I believe that many agencies have become just too big and I wanted to be a real hands-on agent.

I also keep the agency focused strictly on RWA recognized publishers. This way, the writers that I work with have direct contact with the publishing world through contests and the RWR but they also know exactly who the target audience is that we will pitch to.

Shalla: What attracted you to becoming an agent?

Scott: I have always loved my work both with writing and the study of literature. This was a great time in my life to make the shift to agency work since I was at home with the kids already. I also really saw that hole in the agency field.

For more:
http://www.geocities.com/shalladeguzman/ShallaChatsWithScottEagan.html

Subject: THE "BUSINESS" OF SCREENWRITING: ScriptShark and Writers Bootcamp

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 10:48:25 05/17/05 Tue

LAST CALL ! SEATS FILLING FAST!

THE "BUSINESS" OF SCREENWRITING:
Los Angeles- May 21, 2005 - 6pm-9pm
*F*R*E*E*
ScriptShark and Writers Bootcamp Present:
A fun discussion on the business tools necessary for survival in
Hollywood.

http://www.scriptshark.com/beyondthewords/info.html

JUST ADDED: ENTERTAINMENT ATTORNEY FRANK LUNN
He will join the seminar to answer legal questions and provide some
deal-making insight.

WHEN: Sunday - May 21, 2005
CITY: Los Angeles
LOCATION: Writers Boot Camp - L.A. Headquarters
Bergamot Station Arts Center
2525 Michigan Ave., Bldg. I
Santa Monica, CA 90404
800.800.1733 - Get a Map

---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------

ONLY TWO MONTHS LEFT!
Win a session of Writers Bootcamp

IMMERSION PROGRAM

THE ULTIMATE SCREENWRITING COURSE!

Writers Boot Camp's Immersion Program is designed to help writers
turn an idea into a fully developed first draft in one month's
time. Beginning with a six-day intensive of instruction and
creative support, Immersion provides practical, hands-on tools for
solidifying a strong conceptual foundation on which to build a draft
over the remainder of the program. An Industry Panel featuring
Agents & Managers, Producers & Executives, and Feature & TV Writers
complements the daytime program. The combination of potent
development tools, feedback and creative support, and the access and
insight offered by the Panel makes Immersion a course like no other.
The next session of Immersion in Los Angeles starts June 5, 2005.
ScriptShark newsletter subscribers receive $100 off the regular
course fee of $1295.
To enter the Immersion Giveaway Contest, click on the following link:
www.writersbootcamp.com/company_info/im mersioncontest.asp

---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------

THE SCRIPTSHARK INSIDER
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
www.scriptsharkinsider.com

Baseline / ScriptShark
520 Broadway, Suite 230
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Want off this list? Reply with REMOVE in subject line.
www.scriptjournal.com
www.scriptshark.com

Subject: 2005 "EMERALD CITY OPENER" CONTEST

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 10:46:18 05/17/05 Tue

2005 "EMERALD CITY OPENER" CONTEST

Does your first scene compel editors to ask for more?

WHY �OPENER�?: Your opener is the hook that attracts an editor or makes a potential reader decide to purchase your book. Polish the first seven pages of your manuscript and send them to the EMERALD CITY OPENER CONTEST. You�ll receive feedback in the form of detailed score sheets. Your judges (published or major contest finalists and winners) are encouraged to write comments on your entry.

AWARDS: First, second, and third place winners in each category will receive an award certificate and ribbon, plus an individual editor or agent appointment at the Emerald City Conference (Oct. 7-9th, 2005). In addition, the first place winner in each category will receive a $25 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble Bookstore.

JUDGING: Preliminary round - three judges (we�ll try to have a minimum of two published authors); judges will be encouraged to make written comments directly on the manuscript as time permits and at the discretion of the individual judges. Judging is done on a point basis using score sheets.
Final round judging will be done by editors or agents attending the Emerald City Conference.
CONTEST RULES:
1) Open to current published or unpublished members of RWA (uncontracted manuscripts only). Previous finalists of this contest may not re-enter finalist entries, even in an edited format.

2) Each entry must include:
Signed entry form and contest agreement.
Four (4) copies of the first seven (7) pages of your manuscript.
One (1) check or money order for $12.00 (GSRWA members) or $14.00 US funds (others) made payable to Greater Seattle Chapter, RWA; Entry fees are non-refundable.
One 9x12 or larger SASE with sufficient postage for return of entries and score sheets.

3) Entry Requirements:
Follow editor-submission format: typed, double-spaced with one-inch margins, 25-27 lines/page, 12-point font (we suggest Courier, New Courier or Times New Roman). No script fonts.
Fasten your entry with jumbo or regular paperclips or rubber bands.
Print entry on letter quality printers.
Include the title of the entry and sequential page number in the manuscript header. DO NOT put your name on manuscript pages.
Failure to comply with these requirements will result in disqualification.
4) Limit two (2) entries per person. Each entry must be submitted separately, (separate entry form/SASE/check).

5) DEADLINE: Entries must be received by June 1st, 2005. If sending overnight mail/FedEx, please check "no signature required" box. (Note that FedEx and UPS do not deliver directly to US Post Office boxes.) GSRWA is not responsible for making arrangements for delivery of an entry if contestant uses FedEx, UPS, or USPS services that require a signature. If verification of receipt is required, please paper clip a self-addressed stamped postcard to the front of your entry.

6) Print out and sign the �Contest Entry Form and Contest Agreement� and include this with your entry. A SIGNED ENTRY FORM MUST BE INCLUDED WITH EACH ENTRY.

Send entries to contest coordinator:
Joanne Otness,
P.O. Box 1704,
Edmonds, WA 98020

7) Finalists will be notified in late September. Award winners will be announced at the Emerald City Conference, posted on GSRWA web site and in RWA. Entries and score sheets will be returned after the conference, along with names of contest winners.

Subject: Fall 2005 Book Release
Author: Anonymous [Edit]	Date Posted: 08:57:00 05/17/05 Tue Watch for TURNAROUND by Jimmy Hurd, being released October 1, 2005 by Strebor Books International and Simon & Schuster. A young Cajun girl, a Superior Court Judge, and a deranged killer become involved in story of murder, lust, and suspense. Please visit www.jimmyhurd.com

Subject: On hot bodyguard...one determined heiress...one century-old curse. The sparks fly!
Author: Anonymous [Edit]	Date Posted: 17:47:39 05/16/05 Mon Coming July 2005, "In the Heat of the Night," by Calista Fox. On hot bodyguard...one determined heiress...one century-old curse. The sparks fly! Find it in Secrets Vol. 13 (pre-orders available on Amazon.com). Excerpt and more info (including a contest for an autographed copy of Vol. 13) at www.calistafox.com. Calista

Subject: HUMOR BLOG WELCOMES COMMENTS AND LINKS TO YOUR SITE

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 06:00:34 05/16/05 Mon

Shithouse rat is a new humor blog by a bipolar, sometimes pschotic NYC writer with extensive newspaper creds under her belt. It features (mostly) humorous essays on (sometimes) serious topics. Readers are encouraged to comment, as a way to "incite" continuing dialogue about a given topic. Those with web or blogsites who comment on a particlular topic can post their links, and others can add a URL for a favorite site relevant to the topic at hand.

The blog is a little over two weeks old and has garnered over 200 hits (visitors) so far, and counting. The blog is now listed on page 1 of Yahoo Search (or at least sometimes; it varies day to day).

Because topics are varied and somtimes controversial--or at least thought provoking--I have been targeting different audiences for each piece, i.e.: those struggling with mental illness (This Bipolar Life); people with AA/anti AA issues (AA: Threat or Menace?); conflicted pot smokers (My Reefer Madness); urban dwellers and those who love to pity them (the Crackhead Next Door); folks who've had nighmarish experiences in e-groups and forums (Support Group? Feh!); unwanted pregnancies and reproductive rights (Always Wear Your Party Hat); emerging artists' woes ("Alternative" Gallery Hell); and contentious relationships (Tough Love).

Comments to the site so far have been modestly substantial. Several sites are also in the process of adding this site to their recommended links page. New stories are posted on an average of every one or two days.

I welcome all writers and non-writers to visit the blog, add their two cents, and post their site's URL or hyperlink. All comments, whether nice, nasty, or neutral, are encouraged. Nasty comments are lambasted by the author with cynical, wicked humor--adding additional entertainment value and controversy to the site. Commenters can also opt to post anonymously.

I welcome one and all to pay a visit to Shithouse rat at:

http://elvirablack.blogspot.com

Best,
Elvira Black

Subject: 2005 RWA PRO RETREAT

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 04:54:14 05/16/05 Mon

**Permission to forward is granted.**

A few notes:
*The Retreat is open to all RWA PRO members attending the conference.
*There is no entrance fee.
*There is no preregistration.

2005 RWA PRO RETREAT
The Reno Ballroom
Reno Hilton Hotel

Thursday, July 28 2005

8:00am-12:00 pm

*Barbara Samuel
Multiple Rita Award Winner
& Keynote Speaker

*Agent Panel
Steven Axelrod: Axelrod Rowland Agency
Elaine English: Graybill & English LLC
Evan Fogelman: Fogelman Agency
Robin Rue: Writers House

**Jayne Ann Krentz
New York Times Best-selling Author
"Reinventing Yourself"

*Editor Panel
Kate Duffy, Editorial Director, Kensington
Ellen Edwards, Executive Editor, NAL
Beth de Guzman, Editorial Director, Warner Books
Abby Zidle, Editor, HQN

And the PRO Mentor of the Year Award Winner

See you there!

The PRO Steering Committee
Jennifer Crump, Donna Grant, Wenda Dottridge, TL Gray, Kerry Swift,
Theresa Stevens, Jenny Crusie & Barbara Samuel

* Note: Editor and Agent panels will include both a Q & A session and
comments from the participants on submissions from RWA PRO members.
**Note: Ms. Krentz will be speaking and taking questions from the
floor.

Subject: MARKET NEWS --Kate Seaver Moving to Berkley
Author: Anonymous [Edit]	Date Posted: 04:53:06 05/16/05 Mon Kate Seaver is leaving Dorch to take a job as Senior Editor at Berkley, eff. May 20. Leah Hultenschmidt will be taking Kate's job at Dorch. Leah is a lovely person. alesia

Subject: April 2005 Book Sales

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 17:03:42 05/15/05 Sun

Author of SIREN, Cheryl Sawyer's next epic historical CODE OF LOVE, in which a noble French woman and staunch Bonapartist must forge an odd alliance with an English spy to uncover Napoleon's unbreakable Grand Code before their enemies do, plus another book, again to Anne Bohner at NAL, by Kristin Nelson at Nelson Literary Agency (NA).
knelson@nelsonagency.com
Translation rights: wlee@fieldingagency.com - Publisher's Lunch, 4/27/05

Debut chick lit author Becky Motew's COUPON GIRL, about a thirty-something woman who strives to win her company's sales contest and find love by getting "close to business," and auditions for the unusual local production of The Sound of Music, to Kate Seaver for Dorchester, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Kristin Nelson at Nelson Literary Agency (NA).
knelson@nelsonagency.com
Translation rights: wlee@fieldingagency.com - Publisher's Lunch, 4/27/05

Rosanne Keller's AEGEAN ILLUMINATIONS, called "an Under the Tuscan Sun set in Greece," about a 44-year-old widow who embarks on a solo holiday to contemplate the second act of her life and is astonished at what life still has in store for her, to Ellen Edwards for NAL's Accent, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), at auction, by Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary (NA).
hb@cornerstoneliterary.com - Publisher's Lunch, 4/27/05

Jane May's debut novel DOGGY STYLE, a very New York love story told from the point of view of a dog (who also gets a love story of his own), and an untitled novel, to John Scognamiglio at Kensington, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Evan Marshall at the Evan Marshall Agency (world).
evanmarshall@TheNovelist.com - Publisher's Lunch, 4/27/05

Risa Green's TALES FROM THE CRIB, to Anne Bohner at NAL, in a very nice deal ($50,000 - $99,000), by Barbara Zitwer at Barbara Zitwer Agency (NA). Rights have been sold in Germany and Italy.
bjzitwerag@aol.com - Publisher's Lunch, 4/27/05

Mary Castillo's SWITCHCRAFT, about two best friends - one with the perfect marriage and the perfect child and the other with the perfect swinging single, size four life - who unintentionally trade bodies at a retreat and realize as they live each other's lives that perfection is all about perspective, to Selena McLemore, Avon, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Jenny Bent at Trident Media Group (world English; Spanish).
jbent@tridentmediagroup.com - Publisher's Lunch, 4/25/05

Eileen Connell's debut novel FIRST COMES MARRIAGE, the story of a young Iranian woman who emigrates to the US and must find a husband - a successful, devoted Iranian-American husband - before her visa expires or face returning to an arranged marriage in her homeland, to Wendy McCurdy and Erica Orden at Bantam Dell, at auction, by Stephanie Kip Rostan at Levine Greenberg Literary Agency (NA).
srostan@levinegreenberg.com - Publisher's Lunch, 4/25/05

Author of "A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court" Marianne Mancusi's A HOBOKEN HIPSTER IN SHERWOOD FOREST, a time travel sequel, and an untitled historical chick lit novel about a flapper set in the 1920s, to Kate Seaver at Dorchester, by Paige Wheeler at Creative Media Agency. - Publisher's Lunch, 4/25/05

Lisa Beth Kovetz's novel, about four women - a rich debutante; a scandalous but insightful, young secretary; a lonely and pregnant wife; and a brilliant, friendless lawyer - who meet on their lunch breaks to read erotic stories they have written, to Hillel Black of Sourcebooks, at auction, by Adam Chromy at Artists and Artisans. - Publisher's Lunch, 4/25/05

Marie Donovan's first novel HER BODY OF WORK, n which a rising star in the Chicago art world hires a darkly handsome, but oddly shy, male nude model, to Brenda Chin for Harlequin/Blaze, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Pam Strickler (world).
query@pamstrickler.com - Publisher's Lunch, 4/24/05

LEAVE IT TO CLEAVAGE Wendy Wax's two new romantic comedies, about a group of Atlanta women, again to Wendy McCurdy at Bantam Dell, in a very nice deal ($50,000 - $99,000), by Pam Strickler (world).
query@pamstrickler.com - Publisher's Lunch, 4/24/05

Pam Jenoff's THE KOMMANDANT'S GIRL, a tale of love, courage, and hope in the face of overwhelming odds set in World War II Poland and told in the voice of a young Jewish woman who poses as a gentile in order to aid the resistance effort, to Susan Pezzack of Mira, in a two-book deal, by Scott Hoffman of PMA Literary & Film Management (world).
scott@pmalitfilm.com - Publisher's Lunch, 4/21/05

Yale grad Diana Peterfreund's CONFESSIONS OF A (SECRET) SOCIETY GIRL, following the irreverent and intrigue-filled adventures of an average college student who just happens to be a member of one of the most notorious secret societies in the world, to Kerri Buckley at Bantam Dell, in a significant deal ($251,000 - $499,000), at auction, by Deidre Knight of The Knight Agency (NA). Film rights are with Matthew Snyder at CAA.
MSnyder@caa.com,
Deidre.Knight@knightagency.net - Publisher's Lunch, 4/21/05

Marcia King-Gamble's MEET PHOENIX, in which an art conservator is hired to restore a priceless Buddha in Tibet but discovers the monks guarding it may not be as benevolent as they appear, to Mavis Allen at Harlequin's Bombshell, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary (world).
hb@cornerstoneliterary.com - Publisher's Lunch, 4/21/05

Marcia King-Gamble's FLAMINGO PLACE, in which an advice columnist gives a mother tips on how to get her commitment-phobic son to marry, realizing too late the son is her attractive neighbor, a popular radio DJ who retaliates by ridiculing the columnist and her advice on his show, to Mavis Allen at Harlequin's new African-American imprint, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary (world).
hb@cornerstoneliterary.com - Publisher's Lunch, 4/21/05

Carolyn Jewel's A DARKER CRIMSON, the fourth in the paranormal romance Crimson City series, to Chris Keeslar at Dorchester, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Lisa VanAuken at Creative Media Agency.
faeparsons@yahoo.com - Publisher's Lunch, 4/21/05

Author of THE FROG PRINCE Jane Porter's book about a newly-single mom -- the first of her married friends to get divorced -- who reluctantly goes to Hawaii to celebrate her 40th birthday only to fall for a much younger man, to which her married friends disapprove, again to Karen Kosztolnyik at Warner, for the 5 Spot imprint, from Karen Solem of Spencerhill Associates (world). - Publisher's Lunch, 4/21/05

Julie Cannon's THE ROMANCE READERS BOOK CLUB, in which a 15-year-old girl escapes her rigidly pious Southern upbringing by starting a romance readers book club -- opening her eyes to a whole new world, to Trena Keating at Plume, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Jenny Bent at Trident Media Group (world English).
jbent@tridentmediagroup.com - Publisher's Lunch, 4/19/05

Gena Showalter's THE MISADVENTURES OF WONDER GIRL, where a formula is placed in a woman's morning latte causing her to develop unexpected super powers; A WOMAN'S PLEASURE where the king of the nymphs is the most darkly seductive creature every formed, and yet one stubborn woman continues to resist him; and CATCH A MATE, where a wager between two unlikely people becomes an irresistible seduction neither can resist, again to Tracy Farrell at HQN, in a good deal ($100,000 - $250,000), by Deidre Knight of The Knight Agency (world).
Deidre.Knight@knightagency.net -- Publisher's Lunch, 4/15/05

Laura Anne Gilman's next novel in her urban fantasy series featuring Retriever Wren Valere and her partner Sergei Didier, to Mary-Theresa Hussey at Harlequin Luna, in a very nice deal ($50,000 - $99,000), by Jennifer Jackson, in a three-book deal, at the Donald Maass Literary Agency (world).
jjackson@maassagency.com -- Publisher's Lunch, 4/14/05

Five novels by bestselling author Fern Michaels, all of works contemporary women's fiction, three for hard/soft and two as paperback originals, to Steven Zacharius at Kensington, with Audrey LaFehr editing, with the first hardcover under the contract for publication in 2007 (after Michaels' continuing commitment to Pocket/Atria is fulfilled), by Martin Friedman of McLaughlin & Stern (world). -- Publisher's Lunch, 4/13/05

Joanna Goodman's YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU, about three sisters living in Los Angeles, New York, and Toronto who face life-altering decisions about love, work, ambition and family, to Ellen Edwards at NAL for Accent, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Beverley Slopen (US; Canadian rights to Penguin Canada's Susan Folkins).
beverley@slopenagency.ca -- Publisher's Lunch, 4/12/05

Jane Blackwood's WHAT A RIDE, about an elitist, jet-setting British author suffering from writer's block and cash drought who has taken refuge at a friend's home in Martha's Vineyard in order to write a book for the masses, but must enlist a local woman to help him figure out a plot that will appeal to WalMart shoppers, to Kate Duffy at Kensington, by Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary (world English).
hb@cornerstoneliterary.com -- Publisher's Lunch, 4/12/05

Ellyn Bache's OVER-FIFTY SINGLES NIGHT and an untitled novel, again to Melissa Jeglinski at Silhouette for the Next line, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Evan Marshall at the Evan Marshall Agency (world).
evanmarshall@TheNovelist.com -- Publisher's Lunch, 4/8/05

Annie Sanders' GOODBYE, JIMMY CHOO, about a bohemian and a Gucci-clad, BMW-driving socialite who form an unlikely friendship in the English countryside when they're forced to move there for their husbands' careers, to Amy Einhorn at Warner, with Kristen Weber editing, by Susan Howe at Orion (US).
james.schiff@twbg.com -- Publisher's Lunch, 4/8/05

Shelley Bradley's first two eroticas, one about a personal security specialist who lures his enemy's sister into a trap he's set for revenge -- only to find that his trap is a two-way street, and the second about the sexual lessons an idealistic ingenue seeks to learn at the hands of a brash ex-Special Forces soldier, to Louisa Edwards at Berkley, by Deidre Knight at The Knight Agency (NA). Deidre.Knight@knightagency.net -- Publisher's Lunch, 4/8/05

Carole Mattews and Sarah Mlynowski's anthology GIRLS' NIGHT OUT, a collection of women's fiction, from authors including Cecelia Ahern, Elizabeth
Buchan, Meg Cabot, Emily Giffin, Kristin Gore, Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, Jennifer Weiner and Lolly Winston, to Andrea Crozier at Penguin Canada,
with all author royalties going to international relief agency, War Child Canada, by Laura Dail at Laura Dail Literary Agency.
Andrea.Crozier@ca.PenguinGroup.com
ldail@ldlainc.com -- Publisher's Lunch, 4/7/05

Catherine Gilbert Murdock's debut DAIRY QUEEN, about the summer that a fifteen-year-old girl running her family's dairy farm in Wisconsin, simultaneously decides she wants to play on the high-school football team and falls for the rival team's quarterback, who she happens to be training, to Margaret Raymo at Houghton Mifflin Children's, in a significant deal ($251,000 - $499,000), for two books, by Jill Grinberg at Anderson Grinberg Literary Management (NA).
karen_walsh@hmco.com -- Publisher's Lunch, 4/5/05

Yasmine Galenorn's Sisters of the Moon series, combining action, magic, and mayhem, when three sexy, half-human sisters attempt to save two worlds, one monster at a time, to Christine Zika of Berkley by Meredith Bernstein at the Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency. -- Publisher's Lunch, 4/4/05

Christina Hopkinson's debut novel IZOBEL BRANNIGAN.COM, about a woman who Googles herself only to discover that someone has created a website about her that depicts her as leading a fabulous, extraordinary life, to Karen Kosztolnyik at Warner for the 5 Spot imprint, by Arabella Stein with Abner Stein (US). -- Publisher's Lunch, 4/4/05

Lauren Nichols' THE ROGAN NAME, to Harlequin, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by the Cherry Weiner Literary Agency. -- Publisher's Lunch, 4/1/05

Subject: Free workshop: Q&A with top Agents Michael Larsen and Elizabeth Pomada

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 17:01:34 05/15/05 Sun

Subject: Recent Book Sales

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 16:55:46 05/15/05 Sun

Candy Halliday's YOUR BED OR MINE?: The Housewives Fantasy Club Series, featuring sex in the burbs, to Karen Kosztolnyik at Warner, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), for two books, by Jenny Bent at Trident Media Group (NA).
jbent@tridentmediagroup.com - Publisher's Lunch, 5/12/05

Elaine Coffman's untitled contemporary romantic suspense, in which an anchorwoman's search for her twin sister, given away at birth by her single mother, reveals her twin has disappeared without a trace, to Maggie Crawford at Pocket, by Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary (world English).
hb@cornerstoneliterary.com - Publisher's Lunch, 5/10/05

Linda Frances Lee's THE DEVIL IN THE JUNIOR LEAGUE, to Jennifer Weis at St. Martin's, for six figures, for two books, by Amy Berkower of Writers House. - Publisher's Lunch, 5/9/05

Caprice Crane's FORGET ABOUT IT, a romantic comedy about a girl who fakes amnesia in order to reinvent herself and discovers it's the most empowering thing she's ever done, already in development as a film starring Scarlett Johansen (at New Line), to Amy Einhorn at Warner, by Jenny Bent at Trident Media Group (world).
jbent@tridentmediagroup.com - Publisher's Lunch, 5/8/05

C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp's TOUCH OF EVIL, the first in a new vampire/shapeshifter world, plus two more in their award-winning Sazi ($50,000 - $99.000) shapeshifter series, again to Anna Genoese at Tor Romance, in a very nice three book deal, by Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House. Mheifetz@WritersHouse.com - Publisher's Lunch, 5/6/05

Lani Diane Rich's WHAT ARE THE CHANCES?, a chick lit novel that includes a psychic quiltmaker, a karaoke machine and two sisters who want the same guy, moving to Kara Cesare at NAL, in a two-book deal, by Stephanie Kip Rostan at Levine Greenberg Literary Agency (world).
srostan@levinegreenberg.com - Publisher's Lunch, 5/6/05

Stephanie Feagan's RUN FOR THE MONEY, the third in the Pink Pearl series, wherein Pink is arrested for embezzlement and murder and must travel to China to find who set her up, to Natashya Wilson at Silhouette Bombshell, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Karen Solem at Spencerhill Associates.
feagan55@prodigy.net - Publisher's Lunch, 5/5/05

Jenna Mills' PROPHECY, for the Madonna Key Series, for Wanda Ottewell at Silhouette Bombshell, in a very nice deal ($50,000 - $99,000), by Roberta Brown of the Brown Literary Agency.
broagent@aol.com - Publisher's Lunch, 5/3/05

Carol Stephenson's RETRIBUTION, the fourth in the Madonna Key Series at Silhouette Bombshell, in a nice deal ($1 - $49,000), by Roberta Brown of the Brown Literary Agency. broagent@aol.com - Publisher's Lunch, 5/2/05

Mindy L. Klasky's GIRL'S GUIDE TO WITCHCRAFT AND SORCERY, in which a librarian discovers a hidden chamber filled with ancient spellbooks and realizes she possesses powers to do just about everything except land Mr. Right, to Mary-Theresa Hussey for Red Dress Ink, in a two-book deal, by Richard Curtis of Richard Curtis Associates.
rcurtis@curtisagency.com - Publisher's Lunch, 5/1/05

Subject: SHALLA Q&A with Editors from Linden Bay Romance

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 16:51:39 05/15/05 Sun

Permission to forward is granted and requested:
***********************************************************

The ShalladeGuzman Writers Group, a non-profit, completely-free writer�s group, is pleased to announce our online Q&A with new E-Publishers, Linden Bay Romance on June 8, 2005.

WORKSHOP: Online Q&A (Ask your questions and get answers)

Moderator: Shalla de Guzman
www.shalladeguzman.com

SHALLA Q&A Description: Ask our featured Editors from Linden Bay Romance and get answers. Can�t go to RWA Nationals? Meet Editors online.

Info on Linden Bay Romance:

We at Linden Bay are therefore looking for top quality, artistically beautiful pieces that deserve a chance to be appreciated. Though we know that we're running a business, we hope to be a place where new authors can find a supportive and nurturing environment to work with others who are enthused and energetic about written _expression, respectful and appreciative of the artistic aspects of great writing, and are in it for more than just the monetary profits.

Having said that, here is our official answer to your questions about who we are and specifically what we are looking for. Feel free to use anything in this email to best get the word out to your audience about us, whatever you feel is most important for them to know:

Who are Linden Bay Romance and kind of stories will we be offering?

Our tag-line is Escape With Us, and here at Linden Bay Romance that's
exactly what we want you to do. We're a new e-publisher and we'll be
opening for business on 1 June 2005 with five novels by new authors.
We are also planning shorter romances which will be released in sets of
three in our Trilogies line.

Our stories will have a strongly defined hero and heroine who the
reader will really care about and remember long after they've
finished the book. We want readers to root for our heroines and fall
in love with our heroes.

The developing relationship will be the central focus of the book
with the story tightly centered on that. Secondary characters might
appear, but they won't distract from the main romance.

Sexual content will range from mildly erotic to very erotic with sex
scenes that contribute to both plot and character development. Sex
will be between consenting adults only. There will be no sex with> minors, and any other
controversial sexual content, if it appears,
will be relevant to the plot and sensitively handled.

We believe that an escapist romance needs a happy, or in the very
least, a hopeful ending. We want to pull the reader in, keep them> reading, make them breathless with anticipation, then leave them
smiling. The journey may be dramatic, with laughter and tears along
the way, but the couple will always find a way to overcome obstacles in the
end.

And, of course, we want the reader to come back for more!

Linen Bay Romance is now open for submissions in the following
genres: Paranormal/Fantasy, Adventure, Contemporary, Historical and
Suspense/Drama. Submissions guidelines can be found at
www.lindenbayromance.com

Cost of each SHALLA Q&A is: FREE

JOIN US: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShalladeGuzman

Yours truly,

Cynthia Alvarez
SHALLA Q&A Assistant
ca93335@yahoo.com

Subject: SYNOPSIS A WORKSHOP FOR FRIGHTENED FELINES

Author:
Anonymous
[Edit]

Date Posted: 16:50:23 05/15/05 Sun

DATE: 6-10, 2005
TITLE: SYNOPSIS A WORKSHOP FOR FRIGHTENED FELINES
INSTRUCTOR: DONNA WRIGHT
COST: $10 Outreach Members/Others $20
Deadline to receive registration and payment: May 31, 2005

Course description:
Which of the following is more fun?

A. Writing a Synopsis

B. Changing the litter box

C. Crawling naked over broken glass.

If you answered A, have we got a workshop for you! <>Donna Wright
can show you how to do a painless synopsis without threats of
suicide! Once you have your basics, you'll look forward to telling
your story to that editor or agent ready to buy. Bring your
synopsis and don't be shy. It's a time to work out this part of the
crazy writing business you've chosen!

BIO

Award winning author Donna Wright is a charter member and 2004
President of the Smoky Mountain Romance Writers. Avalon Books Editor
Erin Cartwright-Niumata took note of her skills in a contest. She
not only named her the winner, but after finaling in several
contests, her dream came true�her book was requested. The same book
once entitled, THIS LITTLE PIGGY WENT TO COURT. Is now,
Inadmissible: Love. You can visit Donna at
www.Donnawrightsromance.com

Find out more:

http://www.oirw.org

Subject: Twilight Times Books opens to submissions June 15th to July 5th
Author: Anonymous [Edit]	Date Posted: 16:48:38 05/15/05 Sun Twilight Times Books opens to submissions June 15th to July 5th. Especially interested in professionally written SF/F, literary and mainstream novels as well as literate non-fiction: http://twilighttimesbooks.com/subs.html

Check out The ShalladeGuzman Writers Group and get tons of news for writers http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShalladeGuzman [ Contact Forum Admin ]

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