The Wednesday Wondering - 3rd July

[Julie Heslington]

Hi all

I haven't had a question from anyone so have taken the liberty of posing another:

What is the one published book that you wish you'd written and why (doesn't matter if it's a change of genre for you)? 

Hope to have as many responses as possible from the group and, as before, get some responses from our followers. We got a few last time which was great.

As before, answers to me only (juliebear...@yahoo.co.uk) so it's a nice surprise for everyone else to read the article.

Shout if you have any future questions.

Thanks

Julie

[lorraine hossington]

Hi julie,

I will think this over, and let you know by tomorrow. A great question. Last week we had a really good response, it really went great.

                                  Lorraine x

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[jowal...@yahoo.com]

Hi All

Just wondered if anyone knew Laura well enough to know whether she would mind me emailing her, off loop but via ROMNA, to ask a question about Choc Lit?

You may have seen that Laura just signed for their digital only imprint, after being turned down at her first attempt. I wanted to ask her, when she was turned down, whether she had to chase up her feedback of if they contact you pro actively, regardless of whether it is a yes or no.

To be fair, it is still earlyish days and I don't want an answer in some ways! They told me to expect a 3 to 5 months await and it will be 4 months this week. My friend who got a no heard at 13 weeks, 4 days after chasing. The friend who got a yes heard four months to the day after submitting. So I suppose I want to know if no news usually means bad news, or whether it is just no news and I'll hear as soon as they have the feedback from the panel - whether it's a yes or a no.

Does this writing lark make everyone a paranoid delusional... Or is it just me?!

Jo x

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

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From: lorraine hossington <lorraineh...@googlemail.com>

Sender: thewrite...@googlegroups.com

Date: Sun, 30 Jun 2013 09:32:31 +0100

To: Julie Heslington<juliebear...@yahoo.co.uk>

Cc: thewrite...@googlegroups.com<thewrite...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: The Wednesday Wondering - 3rd July

[lorraine hossington]

Hi Jo,

I know Laura, and I'm sure she wouldn't mind you asking her. She is a lovely person, I spoke to her via email a few days ago about pitching, and she was really helpful. I've met her once, when I went to the summer party in 2012. I went with the Romaiacs.

So I'm sure she wouldn't mind you asking her about choc lit.

She is off to Italy on Wednesday, as she is on the Sue Moorcroft writing course, lucky lady.

 I hope this helps, and you get the answer you are looking for.

                          Lorraine x

[Deirdre...@aol.com]

No it's not just you Jo!  Mind you I think I've moved past the paranoid delusional to just plain who-gives-a-f***!

(Sorry if my language offends anyone)

 

What I think now, after going many times down the route of trying to second guess what the hell is going on, is that this whole kit and caboodle is totally random.  Once we've submitted we are totally at the mercy of the agent or publisher's private agendas, whims and fancies and there's naff all we can do about it.  I expect all these people start out with good intentions of sticking to their promises of replies within a certain timeframe but stuff comes up and timetables thrown to the four winds and we will never know why.

 

I don't know Choc Lit of course Jo but I wouldn't read too much into what has happened to other people.  Laura may have some useful info but why not just contact Choc Lit themselves?  If they are as friendly as people say they'll be only too happy to field questions from their potential authors who, after all, are their bread and butter.

 

I suppose what I'm saying now is that my experience with a certain agent (who has not at all lived up to the hype put up by her clients in the RNA and I am not the only one saying that) has made me quite bolshy (sp?) and I never was before, honest!

 

I think we should do what we want to do, contact who we like, and cease worrying what anyone thinks of us.  Actually it shows gumption to ask the questions doesn't it?  We are the writers, not them, we are the professionals and some of them sure don't act like they are.  Oh dear, I didn't mean to turn this into a rant. It's just that I recognise your frustration Jo. 

 

By the way, I was interested in what you said about Laura being published digital only.  I don't quite understand that.  If a book is good enough for them, why is it not good enough to go to print?  Does this imply that Choc Lit consider ebooks to be inferior to print books?  in which case why would anyone accept a digital only contract off them, or anyone come to that.  You might as well self-publish.  But what do I know - I expect I'm missing some vital point here.  Wouldn't be the first time!

 

Deirdre xx

[jackie]

Hi All
Interesting points about Choc Lit and their digital books. I wonder too
if they are accepting alot more books digitally because it doesn't cost
them as much to print, and I know you have to do an awful lot of your
own PR anyway. As Deirdre says it might be better value to self
publish, or join a conglomerate of published writers who are now self-
publishing. So many of Choc Lit authors have gone on to publish books
they'd written earlier and had no success with, including their shining
star Sue Moorcroft. I know Henri had tried so many places with her
Elephant Girl story and Sue was thinking about giving up completely
before Choc Lit took her on, and then they published about four stories
she'd written before that she'd had no luck with- and they sell really
well. So it goes to show that it is luck, randomness and Sod's Law in
this world and who the bloody hell knows how it works.
I was rejected by Choc Lit after about three and a bit months but I
don't think they had as many submissions to get through as they do now.
They said the focus wasn't on the two people enough but I think if it
was good enough they would have suggested revisions and said to
re-submit. Sue Moorcroft said that if it takes as long as three months
it means you are in with a chance because it has passed the first round
of readers. I also know that, like anything in life, sometimes it's who
you know, not what you know and they will spend more time nurturing
one writer than another if your face fits, or you know someones in the
know! Does that sound mean of me - oh well, it's true!
I also think Choc Lit will eventually go down the route of a lot of
publishers and
only publish in book form if it sells really well in e form, as e books
are selling hundreds more than the same published books. ( though not
sure where I read that!) Why would you pay six
quid for a book when you can pay two quid for the same book unless it
was for aesthetic reasons?I know I've read many, many more books since
I got a kindle ( tho I tend to read on my iPad more!) cos 'one click'
makes it so easy to purchase a book you'd never have tracked down at a
book shop!!
Jo I'll keep my fingers crossed for you as I do think Choc Lit are a
good judge of books on the whole, so you will know if you have got what
it takes with that particular book. I was rejected by Thornberry
Publications a while ago with the same novel as I submitted to Choc Lit
although they said they would like to see anything else I've written.
It makes me think that my novel isn't good enough and I have put it
away for a year but I haven't given up on it as it's 'my baby'
I'm with Deirdre too on the stand of do what you want to get your novel
published. Publishers and Agents have had us over a barrel for too long
and I think the tide is turning.
HURRAH! ( ooh I do go on don't I?) Actually I could do a blog on Agents
and Publishers versus self publishing, couldn't I?!)
Jaxx

From: lorraine hossington
&lt;lorraineh...@googlemail.com&gt;

Sender: thewrite...@googlegroups.com
Date: Sun, 30 Jun 2013 09:32:31 +0100

To: Julie Heslington&lt;juliebear...@yahoo.co.uk&gt;
Cc:
thewrite...@googlegroups.com&lt;thewrite...@googlegroups.com&

gt;

[Deirdre...@aol.com]

This is all very interesting Jaxx.  I'm tempted to submit to Choc Lit just to see what they make of mine, but I suspect I would get a response like yours, ie, not enough focus on the two people, because the book is firstly about something else and the romance almost secondary.  I might still do it just to see how my experience compares with others though.

 

I admit now I have a problem with Choc Lit in that there is a certain author of theirs whose writing I think is atrocious and would be laughed out of court in any of the major publishing houses.  Obviously I'm naming no names as I may well be talking about someone's friend here.  It's all subjective of course, but it makes me wonder at the credentials of the folk on their so-called tasting panel.

 

But their books sell, including the author I have no wish to emulate, so I may just have to get down off the high horse!  There's quite a nice view from up here though - real books lined up in Smith's, all with tasteful covers, no pink and no hearts in sight, and definitely no chocolate ones!

 

Oh dear I'm really not cut out for this romance lark am I?  There again I do enjoy reading a decent love story, and writing them too as long as it's not the only feature of the plot. I'll stop now before I'm drummed out of the Brownies for rebelling!

 

Do agree with you Jaxx though that times are a-changing publishing-wise and I do feel we're being left in the dark not knowing which way to go. 

Dxx

[jowal...@yahoo.com]

Hi Deirdre, Jaxx and everyone


Really interesting reading in both of your messages and perhaps a meet up for the Write Romantics Southern chapter could or should be on the cards - what do you reckon? Got to be worth it, I would happily drive to Brighton just to hear Deirdre name names! I know it won't be my friend you are talking about, as her book is not out until next month :-)


Since Deirdre's post, I have thought a lot more about self publishing, so that may yet be something I try, but I would need to get an Editor to check for mistakes. Must have read my first chapter 200 times but, after a break from it, I still found a mistake when sorting it out for Mira, in the SECOND paragraph - would you believe! I would love to see Jaxx's post on agents/publishers vs self publishing, too though.


As for going digital only, I would with this book if I was offered it, I have to admit. As for why do that rather than self publish... It would be some validation (to me, at least) that my book isn't total carp and for the reasons outlined above. In addition, the book is no longer 'my baby' but, as I have said to Julie, it's more of a stroppy toddler that I am happy to send off to school if someone will give it a place! I have a 'newborn' book now and I'm afraid this 'mother' does have a favourite - for the moment at least.


Let's not forget that this is all subjective, as any 'art' is. I live near to the Turrner gallery in Kent and, every time I go there, I look at ninety per cent of the art and think "I could do that". I probably couldn't, of course, but I say it just because I don't think it's that good! However, there are others that clearly love it. There are also plenty of people who love books with the love interests on every page and with the kinds of stories and covers that make others run for the hills. I wouldn't knock either preference - although, perhaps typically, that's because I'm sitting on the fence somewhere near the middle!

I think it is frustrating when you see what you think is utter rubbish get published in any genre, romance or literary, and there are just as many of those with major publishing houses as with small presses. Like any industry there's a large dose of nepotism out there. I like the idea of a reading panel and Choc Lit themselves, because they offer some potential of a way round that.


I'm probably a publishing slut right now, anyway, who would go with just about anyone if truth be told! However, if they all turn me down, I'm definitely up for saddling up my high horse too and checking out the view ;-) When that day comes, I'll be heading down Brighton way so that we can put the (publishing) world to rights, over a glass or five of vino :-)


Jo xx

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

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From: Deirdre...@aol.com

Sender: thewrite...@googlegroups.com

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2013 03:14:57 -0400 (EDT)

To: <jackie...@aol.com>; <jowal...@yahoo.com>; <thewrite...@googlegroups.com>

[lynne pardoe]

I'm the same, I don't do romance in the same vein as boy meets girl and the sort of books I read often have love in them but its not the main focus of the story, so I do wonder about my RNA membership next year. I like Jodi Picoult, Diane Chamberlain & tracey chevalier. Do they count as romance? I'm not sure. I might ask on roman when conference is finished. ooopppss, silly Hotmail wouldn't let me write the name of the email list, it keeps changing to roman! You know what I mean though.
 
I don't know about choc lit cos they don't sound right for my type of stuff & I haven't got as far as looking at publishing much yet but I agree about ebooks, I just click and can't resist, my bank account suffers for it!
 
have a lovely time at conference!
 
lynne x
 

---

From: Deirdre...@aol.com

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2013 03:14:57 -0400

Subject: Re: Laura James, from the Romaniacs

To: jackie...@aol.com; jowal...@yahoo.com; thewrite...@googlegroups.com

[Deirdre...@aol.com]

Mm, perhaps the naming of names is not such a good idea, even post-vino!  I may have to swallow that one.  Of course as Jo says it's all subjective and tastes differ widely.  Apols if I gave the impression I was dissing the romance genre.  I wasn't, I was just having a 'moment'! Truth is I would probably do a very swift turnaround if some fool offered me a publishing deal and would proudly stand there among the hearts and ribbons if that's what it took!  I could no more write an HMB than fly to the moon and I have every admiration for those who can. 

 

TTFN

D x

 

 

 

 

 

In a message dated 02/07/2013 09:30:18 GMT Daylight Time, jowal...@yahoo.com writes:

Hi Deirdre, Jaxx and everyone


Really interesting reading in both of your messages and perhaps a meet up for the Write Romantics Southern chapter could or should be on the cards - what do you reckon? Got to be worth it, I would happily drive to Brighton just to hear Deirdre name names! I know it won't be my friend you are talking about, as her book is not out until next month :-)


Since Deirdre's post, I have thought a lot more about self publishing, so that may yet be something I try, but I would need to get an Editor to check for mistakes. Must have read my first chapter 200 times but, after a break from it, I still found a mistake when sorting it out for Mira, in the SECOND paragraph - would you believe! I would love to see Jaxx's post on agents/publishers vs self publishing, too though.


As for going digital only, I would with this book if I was offered it, I have to admit. As for why do that rather than self publish... It would be some validation (to me, at least) that my book isn't total carp and for the reasons outlined above. In addition, the book is no longer 'my baby' but, as I have said to Julie, it's more of a stroppy toddler that I am happy to send off to school if someone will give it a place! I have a 'newborn' book now and I'm afraid this 'mother' does have a favourite - for the moment at least.


Let's not forget that this is all subjective, as any 'art' is. I live near to the Turrner gallery in Kent and, every time I go there, I look at ninety per cent of the art and think "I could do that". I probably couldn't, of course, but I say it just because I don't think it's that good! However, there are others that clearly love it. There are also plenty of people who love books with the love interests on every page and with the kinds of stories and covers that make others run for the hills. I wouldn't knock either preference - although, perhaps typically, that's because I'm sitting on the fence somewhere near the middle!

I think it is frustrating when you see what you think is utter rubbish get published in any genre, romance or literary, and there are just as many of those with major publishing houses as with small presses. Like any industry there's a large dose of nepotism out there. I like the idea of a reading panel and Choc Lit themselves, because they offer some potential of a way round that.


I'm probably a publishing slut right now, anyway, who would go with just about anyone if truth be told! However, if they all turn me down, I'm definitely up for saddling up my high horse too and checking out the view ;-) When that day comes, I'll be heading down Brighton way so that we can put the (publishing) world to rights, over a glass or five of vino :-)


Jo xx

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

---

From: Deirdre...@aol.com

Sender: thewrite...@googlegroups.com

Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2013 03:14:57 -0400 (EDT)

To: <jackie...@aol.com>; <jowal...@yahoo.com>; <thewrite...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: Laura James, from the Romaniacs