Thursday, May 27, 2010

Luigi Bonomi on submitting to agents.

I found this interview with the winner of the London Book Award's 2010 Agent of the Year, Luigi Bonomi of LBA, and thought that it might be useful for anyone just starting out in their submission process.

http://www.saltpublishing.com/horizon/issues/01/text/bonomi_luigi.htm

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Why have one when you can have two?

Well, it's as if time is repeating itself almost. I have two major literary agencies asking to see the full manuscript of my novel 'Genesis'. One is already considering the work, whilst the second got in touch recently.

After last time, when two agencies had full manuscripts of mine and both turned them down, I'm a little less excited. Once bitten, twice shy and all that. None the less, it's very encouraging and at least I know that the story itself is strong enough to grab the attention of very capable ( and very busy ) agents. Once again, however, I'm wringing my hands over whether the rest of the novel lives up to the promise of the submission package.

I've been very fortunate in being in e-mail contact with a successful author represented by one of those agencies: Matt Hilton, author of the Joe Hunter series of thrillers and a top chap, who's been giving me a great deal of advice, inside-knowledge and encouragement on what may happen should things go my way. Having been writing alone for so long, it's great to hear from somebody who's already been through the mill, so to speak, and realise that once upon a time, they too were where I am now.

Two agents, one good novel.... Fingers, legs and eyes crossed that this time things go my way.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

It's been a looong time.....

But once again I am at the submission stage. After two full-manuscripts being read in 2007 by leading literary agents, both of which were ultimately turned down, I'm now once again chewing my nails and worrying about whether the tome that I've sent out is good enough.

A leading London literary agency is currently reading the full manuscript of my latest thriller, 'Genesis', and I'm alternating between feeling that my chances are good and feeling that I'm an imposter whose efforts can't possibly live up to said agent's existing clients.

It's been just over two months since my initial submission, and a week since the full manuscript went out. It's going to be a tricky wait as I agonise over each and every possible ( phantom ? )flaw with the story, characters, dialogue, pace and on and on and on.....

Fingers crossed I'll be smiling some time soon, but for now I'll just stew in my own desperate indecision. Either I'm on my way, or I'm on the way to disappointment!