Just after Christmas I sent Jimmy and Cinder off to Orca Press in BC to see if they were interested. Last week I received an email from the acquisitions editor saying she had enjoyed the book, especially the "delightful" Cinder. Unfortunately they didn't feel it fit with what they were looking for at the moment but she encouraged me to send it to other publishers as it may fit their current needs.
I forwarded the email to a freelance editor from Halifax who helps me and she called it a "lovely rejection", It certainly was more pleasing than the previous publisher I sent it to, who had actually asked for it, and I have never heard back from them again. I guess the fact that this editor actually sent me something personal is a very good sign that I'm on the right track.
Speaking of which, it just never hurts to speak to people in a book store. I was at Cover to Cover books in Riverview (my favorite store) a few weeks ago and there was an author doing a book signing. So I chatted with him for a bit, bought his book, and then had a nice discussion about writing with him, I mentioned I was trying to find a publisher for Jimmy and Cinder and he asked if I had tried a publisher here in Riverview. I told him I hadn't realized there was one. He gave me the name, I looked it up on-line and there it was: Chocolate River Publishing. I checked out their website and saw that they were fairly new, had four or five books under contract but none were even close to the fantasy genre I was writing in.
Rather than send a full query, I sent a short email saying what type a book I had and if they would be interested in seeing it. If so, I would send a proper query according to their guidelines. About two hours later, I get an email back from the publisher saying she was familiar with my previous two books and to send her the manuscript right away. Actually she told me to drop it off to her house.as I actually know her. My younger son, Fraser, was in her son's wedding party! Here, I didn't know this lady was a publisher! All this from speaking with another writer at a book store.
So I have dropped Jimmy and Cinder off to her and we will see what happens. If she isn't interested, I think I'll change tactics and look for an agent instead.
Showing posts with label Cover to Cover Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cover to Cover Books. Show all posts
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Book signing are always interesting
Last weekend my editor/illustrator and I had 3 book signing sessions; one at Coles in Saint John, another at Indigo in Saint John and one at the Chapters in Fredericton. Jenn brought her sketch book and spent the time having children "boss" her hands to make aliens, monsters and other things that they could take home and colour. I used this time to chat with parents and promote our books.
One thing we are realizing is that our distributor was right about the way sales work for a picture book versus a middle grade book. "Owen and the Dinosaur" is a picture book and many of the sales are for people buying gifts for preschoolers who need to be read to. They know that small children are just happy to sit on someone's knee and have a book read to them. They usually don't care what type of story it is as long as it's interesting.
However, "Emily Find's a Dragon" is a first chapter book for children in grades 3 to 5. Our customers are now often parents or grandparents with a child in tow. Now this little person has been reading for some time now and has definate ideas of what they like and don't like. So now, if said child isn't in tow, then people are less likely to take a chance on what book they might like or don't like.
We are always happy with the results of our book signings. We get a chance to speak with a lot of fans that have read our books and fans that haven't read our books yet. Okay, so that might be a stretch, but we do get some great comments and feedback and that helps keep us going. When a person tells you they love your work, and hope you have another book coming out soon it is an amazing feeling. It certainly makes up for a lot of time beating on the keyboard.
Jenn and I will be at Cover to Cover Books in Pinewood Plaza, Riverview, on Saturday, November 26th from 1pm to 3pm. I hope you will be able to bring your kids down and have Jenn draw a picture with them and maybe you can find a book too.
One thing we are realizing is that our distributor was right about the way sales work for a picture book versus a middle grade book. "Owen and the Dinosaur" is a picture book and many of the sales are for people buying gifts for preschoolers who need to be read to. They know that small children are just happy to sit on someone's knee and have a book read to them. They usually don't care what type of story it is as long as it's interesting.
However, "Emily Find's a Dragon" is a first chapter book for children in grades 3 to 5. Our customers are now often parents or grandparents with a child in tow. Now this little person has been reading for some time now and has definate ideas of what they like and don't like. So now, if said child isn't in tow, then people are less likely to take a chance on what book they might like or don't like.
We are always happy with the results of our book signings. We get a chance to speak with a lot of fans that have read our books and fans that haven't read our books yet. Okay, so that might be a stretch, but we do get some great comments and feedback and that helps keep us going. When a person tells you they love your work, and hope you have another book coming out soon it is an amazing feeling. It certainly makes up for a lot of time beating on the keyboard.
Jenn and I will be at Cover to Cover Books in Pinewood Plaza, Riverview, on Saturday, November 26th from 1pm to 3pm. I hope you will be able to bring your kids down and have Jenn draw a picture with them and maybe you can find a book too.
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