The Next Circle of Hell

Welcome Wally and Washingtonienne!!!!!

Howdy, Wally! Definitely tell me more!--I'm the "literary suspense/thriller" author referenced above. I think you could also put an author like Graham Greene in there as well. I think the difference between that and er, "non-literary" is probably a less traditional structure, more attention to language, character, stuff like that. I mean, I think I'm pretty much genre but as one of the publishing euphemism tweets said = "literary thriller" = "J@mes Patters0n fans, stay away!"

(no offense to any Patterson fans out there)

As for my second book, most of you haven't read it cause it hasn't been published yet. It comes out May 1 (linkie at bottom). So, yeah, I'm getting to that point in the process! Here comes the Emo-Coaster!

And, howdy Washingtonienne! Another one of those genre-straddlers, eh? I ended up at S0h0, but their general, "literary" line as opposed to the crime line. It really was a close call and I think the book I'm working on now, I mean, I wouldn't really call it "literary." I think there's so much gray in crime fiction and so many sub genres. One of the reasons I love being in it!

But I think you could say that about any "genre," right? The classifications are only really useful in that they tell booksellers where to shelf the work.

Thanks everyone for the welcome. And OL, thanks for the thoughts on the genre issue. I had some concerns when my agent told me her strategy but I completely trust her judgment and your points make me think it makes a lot of sense. Congrats on the upcoming release!! So exciting.

Hello OL,
Thanks much for your response. I took a peek at your website. Your book looks awesome! I have the most hard working agent (April Eberhardt) you can ask for. She swears by my book and she did some very carefully strategic submissions to editors she was SO SURE would fall hook line and sinker. My ms got raves but nobody want to risk it. So we are exploring another option. It is pretty groundbreaking. Here is a recent interview. Please let me know what you think. Many thanks!

Jonaki, this whole self-pubbed/agented hybrid model is really interesting. Dawn Schafer, who hangs out here and in Purgatory has experience with it and it's worked well for her.

@Washingtonienne, crime fiction is a great place to be if you're straddling that line. It really is. Even though I officially fall on the lit side of it, I still get to go to the conventions and the crime-oriented book stores, and I've gotten a really great reception there. There are so many great, talented writers working in the genre that as I said above, the distinctions between lit and genre are really blurry and IMO don't really mean that much. Again, I think you could say that about any genre -- horror comes to mind as well -- but it's really especially so in crime fiction, I think because you are dealing with recognizable human situations and emotions, but within a framework where you have some real resolution and narrative drive.

I know genre lines are blurry now. Another writer friend of mine had a very hard time categorizing her novel. Mine is Litfic straight up - multicultural like say The Kite Runner. So I have no prob with classification. Now how does one find Dawn Schafer? *Yooohoooo DAWN! DAWN!* (shouting). Need to figure out how to do a member search on this forum. I wanna pick her brains about this hybrid publishing platform.

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=231739&highlight=larkstorm

Here is Dawn's thread talking all about it!

My agent is reading my MS this weekend. EEP! This is the first individual project of mine that she's reading. The one out on sub is co-written with my writing partner. *flails*

Oooh good luck Snappy!!

Best of luck, Snappy! I hope it's wonderful news on Monday!

Snappy said:

My agent is reading my MS this weekend. EEP! This is the first individual project of mine that she's reading. The one out on sub is co-written with my writing partner. *flails*

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So is mine, but it's a re-write, not the first time she's seen it.

Three months of edits, massive improvements in the depth of the main character, an entirely new sub-plot that drives the story forward through some of the sections that were weaker before, greater focus on theme and atmosphere. I think overall it was a really huge improvement over the previous version.

Now I just hope my agent and the editors she sends it to agree.

Lots of luck, Drachen!

Good luck, Snappy and Drachen!

I'm working on a new story (one of those new stories I've been thinking about for a year and a half), but distracted because I've probably got edits incoming soon on the Messenger sequel. And there's another item dangling in negotiation that has me refreshing my email every few sec- min- hours.

Good luck to both of you guys! It's amazing how freaked out you can get waiting for your own agent's approval.

washingtonienne said:

Good luck to both of you guys! It's amazing how freaked out you can get waiting for your own agent's approval.

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Thanks. Oh yes, I had no idea I was this neurotic! Discovering new crazy things about myself. LOL.

Snappy said:

Lots of luck, Drachen!

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You too snapster.

best of times, etc.

Lots of luck out there to my fellow Hellions!

Okay, so I got a positive response...from an epublisher first company.

Am I wrong to feel disappointed? Does it smack of snobbery? I can't help it, I want my baby in my arms not floating through cyberspace.

Anyone else in this boat?

st22 said:

Lots of luck out there to my fellow Hellions!

Okay, so I got a positive response...from an epublisher first company.

Am I wrong to feel disappointed? Does it smack of snobbery? I can't help it, I want my baby in my arms not floating through cyberspace.

Anyone else in this boat?

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Congrats on the offer, st22!

There are material as well as intangible differences in digital and digital/paper publishing, so it's understandable that you might feel this way. Though I have to ask, why did you submit to an e-first pub if you'd rather publish traditionally?

YAwriter72 said:

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=231739&highlight=larkstorm

Here is Dawn's thread talking all about it!

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YAwriter72 and Callalily - you ROCK. Sending you both two fat kisses on your heads.

Snappy said:

My agent is reading my MS this weekend. EEP! This is the first individual project of mine that she's reading. The one out on sub is co-written with my writing partner. *flails*

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Good luck Snappy - sending big shower of good energy!!

Good luck, Snappy and Drachen!

Hillary,
When my agent sent me the sub list I didn't realize it was an epublisher. She said that a lot of debut authors are being offered epublishing until they make some sales. I guess that makes sense, yes?

Hey Everyone!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday. Fingers crossed for all of us in hell.