Kathleen Ortiz

Happy 2012!!

2012-01-11T15:14:00.000-05:00

Woohoo! New year, new projects, old projects, all FUN :)

In My Inbox

Queries: I am caught up on all queries sent through Tuesday, January 10 at 11:59 p.m; please remember that unless you received an email request from me to see pages, no reply means it wasn't quite right for me at this time.

Requested Partials: I am caught up on all requested partials through January 5; if you did NOT receive a reply of any kind, please check your spam filter and then reply to the email request I had originally sent.

Requested Fulls: I am caught up on all requested fulls through December 9; if you did NOT receive a reply of any kind, please check your spam filter and then reply to the email request I had originally sent.

**Don't forget, you can check the Query Update corner of my blog (upper, right-hand side)

What I would LOVE to see

***Please note that I do not represent the following: screenplays, adult thrillers, adult fantasy, adult sci-fi, memoirs or picture books.***

I'm currently looking for young adult, middle grade, adult romance, and selected non-fiction. While I enjoy a variety of genres, I'd especially love for one of the following to cross my desk:

Young adult:

I tend to skew toward darker/edgy YA. I'd love to see a YA romance from a male POV. I'm all about an authentic teen voice.
Still looking for an awesome thriller -- a true thriller with the countdown element and preferably high tech or at least of this world (aka no paranormal elements)
A story set within another culture, whether it be contemporary or historical, within the US or outside of it -- think a YA version of MEMOIR OF A GEISHA or ANNA AND THE KING or BLOOD DIAMOND.
A lovely YA historical with a strong commercial twist -- and by commercial I mean speculative (but not paranormal) or a very strong, suspenseful plot to keep me going.

Middle Grade

I'm interested in only older MG at this time.
Something like a cool, darker twist on LABYRINTH or NEVERENDING STORY (world building, not necessarily 'world in a book') would be fantastic.

Non-fiction (YA or adult):

Something different than what's already out there. Not really into "how to find the perfect guy" or "how to apply makeup" or "100 awesome things of being a teen."
Anything with technology, pop-culture, entertainment or women's issues is a bonus.
You must have a strong platform or be considered an expert in your field for me to consider a non-fiction project.*

Romance: contemporary, urban fantasy or paranormal, only

*Note that these are just items I'm really hoping cross my desk. I have a variety of tastes, so if you're unsure if it's something for me, feel free to query me anyway once I open back up to submissions.

News and Updates!

Client Dawn Rae Miller's debut YA fantasy LARKSTORM is now available in paperback and in ebook format at Barnes and Noble and Amazon!
Client Jaime Reed's debut YA paranormal LIVING VIOLET is now available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon and your local Indie Store!
Check out PM for a list of recent sales *Please note this is a list of recent sales we are currently at liberty to announce...let's just say January and February will be months of great news *^^*
Check out the Calendar tab for a list of this year's conferences, including SCBWI, BEA, Bologna International Children's Book Fair and more!

TCUHBIP

Finally, if you won one of the TCUHBIP prizes, stay tuned as I'll be contacting you this week. But the winner of the query critique from day 3 is..........Gwen Cole!! Congrats! Please email me for information on how to obtain your critique (blog.kortizzle@gmail.com)

That's all for now! Hope everyone is off to a great start in 2012!

~K

On the THIRD day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to ME...

2011-12-20T16:28:00.002-05:00

...a query critique from Sarah LaPolla from the Curtis Brown Literary Agency!

Sarah LaPolla is an associate agent at Curtis Brown, Ltd. She represents both adult and YA fiction. For adult books, she is looking for literary fiction, urban fantasy, magical realism, mystery, literary horror, and has a soft spot for short story collections. On the YA side, she welcomes contemporary/realistic fiction, sci-fi, urban fantasy, magical realism, mystery, and horror. No matter what age the intended audience, Sarah tends to be drawn to voice-driven narratives, strong female protagonists, and complex characters.

Sarah runs a literary blog called Glass Cases (http://bigglasscases.blogspot.com) and can be found on Twitter at @sarahlapolla.

How to enter:

Pitch your book in 140 characters or fewer!

Via the blog comments: Paste your 140-character pitch in the comments below. Be sure to include genre!

Via Twitter: If you Tweet your entry, you must Tweet the following:

"#TCUHBIP (insert pitch here)"

All entries MUST be in the genre/age group Sarah reps.

Open internationally.

This contest will be open until 11:59 pm on Wednesday December 21,

Good luck!!

Days 1 & 2 Winners! TCUHBIP

2011-12-20T16:19:00.001-05:00

Hey-o!

Things have been crazyyyyyyyyyyyy at the office with wrapping up end-of-the year details. But crazy GOOD.

I've decided to post a giveaway today and tomorrow (Wednesday) and then cut TCUHBIP short because of the holidays. But I have some awesome things in mind for 2012, so definitely keep an eye out!

And without further ado...here are last week's winners (courtesy of a number generator and flipping a coin for Twitter or the blog):

Winner of the three pack of YA Tor books:

@Sarah_Nicolas

Winner #1 of the 20 minute Skype Chat:
Lee (from the blog comments)

Winner #2 of the 20 minute Skype Chat:
@PatriciaERiley (from Twitter)
(from the blog comments)

Winners, please email me at blog.kortizzle@gmail.com for more information!

And on to posting TCUHBIP's 3rd giveaway....

~K

On the SECOND day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to ME...

2011-12-15T15:17:00.002-05:00

...a 20-minute Skype session with Agent Meredith Barnes and me!

20 minutes to ask ANYTHING you want about publishing!

There will be TWO winners!

Meredith Barnes is an associate agent at Lowenstein Associates as well as Digital Strategist and Subsidiary Rights Manager. She is particularly interested in building her nonfiction list, especially blog-to-book projects and projects dealing with alternative lifestyles (such as micro-farming) and social issues. She is also extremely interested in health, fitness, and spirituality nonfiction with a strong author platform, including an online presence.
Meredith is interested in a wide range of engaging fiction for all ages, including literary, women’s, thrillers, and crime fiction. She is open to science fiction and fantasy that has something new to offer the genres. She does not represent early readers or children’s picture books.
For both nonfiction and fiction, Meredith considers more than just the print possibilities. Projects that lend themselves to apps, enhanced ebooks, and other fresh ways to tell stories are especially appealing.

How to enter:

Via the blog comments: If you comment on the blog, just leave a comment telling what is the one question YOU want answered!

Via Twitter: If you Tweet your entry, you must Tweet the following:

"Hey @KOrtizzle! I want to Skype with you and @Mer_barnes, please! http://bit.ly/tingPB #TCUHBIP "

You may enter as many times as you like via Twitter.

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. CHECK BACK ON MONDAY FOR WINNERS!

Open to everyone around the world!

Good luck!

~KO

On the FIRST day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to ME...

2011-12-14T15:04:00.003-05:00

...a book pack giveaway from Laura FitzG!

a hardcover copy of ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD

a hardcover copy of THE FAERIE RING

a paperback copy of PERSONAL DEMONS

Winner will receive a pack with ALL THREE titles PLUS a bonus 2012 YA title!

Laura Fitzgerald has a fantastic blog on book marketing here. She is the Digital Marketing Coordinator at Tor Books and an alumni of the Pace University publishing program.

How to enter:

Via the blog comments: If you comment on the blog, just leave a comment telling me which title above you are DYING to read!

Via Twitter: If you Tweet your entry, you must Tweet the following:

"Hey @KOrtizzle! I want Laura's prize pack, please! http://bit.ly/u5cCAI #TCUHBIP "

You may enter as many times as you like via Twitter.

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. CHECK BACK ON MONDAY FOR WINNERS!

Unfortunately today's prize is not open to international contestants (I have some stuff that you CAN compete for later this week!)

Good luck!

~KO

Book Birthdays, Tweet Chats, Contests and MOREEEEE

2011-12-06T09:37:00.000-05:00

December's been insanely awesome and busy and it's only THE SIXTH!

Bullet-formatted for your reading pleasure with LINKS galore! (the clicky type. Not the sword-wielding, has-his-own-theme-song type).

- Jaime Reed is hosting a weekly ARC giveaway on GoodReads for her YA debut LIVING VIOLET through December 27!!

- Speaking of Jaime Reed, she and I will be guest Tweeting over at YALitChat this week! Catch us Wednesday, Dec 7 from 9-10 pm EST where we'll discuss how she signed with me, the editorial process, finding a publisher and more! I'll also be giving away LIVING VIOLET bookmarks and ARCs!

Commercial YA ghostwriter, Dawn Rae Miller, has her debut YA fantasy thriller LARKSTORM available on Amazon! (BN and iBooks to post later this week!) GREAT NEWS --> Also available in UK, Australia and New Zealand!!

- Thursday, Dec 8, I'll be teaching a webinar over at Writers Digest: How To Hook an Agent or Editor With Your Query. The workshop begins at 1 p.m. and is 90 minutes and everyone who registers gets a query critique!

- TCUHBIP (The Countdown Until the Holiday Break in Publishing) begins MONDAY, Dec 12. Lots of great prizes lined up! Check back Dec 12-16 and 19-20 for your chance to win!

A zillion more good news butttttt you'll have to wait till next week :) Can't give 'em all to you at once!

In the meantime, what are YOU looking forward to seeing as a prize for TCHUBIP?

~KO

I'm BACK

2011-11-09T16:33:00.000-05:00

Sort of...

Fall zooooooooomed by! Lots of exciting things in-house I can't announce yet, but I'm looking forward to spreading some GLEE. (happiness....not the TV show...I wish)

Anyway, some updates everyone wants:

QUERIES: I'm caught up through October 27, 2011. If you did not receive an email requesting more, then it was a pass.

CONFERENCE REQUESTS: making my way through them and will be fully caught up soon. Check back next week for an update if you don't hear from me.

QUERY REQUESTS: making my way through them as well and hope to have replies to everyone before Thanksgiving! :)

Other items of note:

- I will be hosting TCUHBIP again this year!

- I will be teaching a webinar in December on how to craft the best possible query AND synopsis. Free query critique included! Stay tuned for deets.

- Client Dawn Rae Miller debuted her cover for LARKSTORM. Gorgeoussssssssssss.

- Client Jaime Reed is giving away ARCs of her YA debut LIVING VIOLET on GoodReads!! You have until November 19 to enter!!!!!!!

What've YOU been up to?

Different Roads to Publication: Ghostwriting

2011-09-22T10:29:00.000-04:00

Fabulous interview with client Dawn Miller over at YA Highway today!

Here's a short snippet:

What are some pros and cons to ghostwriting in your opinion?

I love ghostwriting. Until my first job, I'd always written first person present tense and mostly fantasy or dystopians. Now, I have experience writing in different genres and tenses which makes my writing stronger.

I won't lie, ghostwriting is paid work. And getting paid is a very, very good thing.

As for cons, I think the toughest thing is tight deadlines. I'm a fast drafter, but having a publisher deadline that's three months out is insane. Doable, but insane. I've developed a nasty case of carpal tunnel pounding out drafts.

I've been asked if it bothers me no one will ever know the books I worked on. Honestly, no. Unlike writing for myself, I don't form an all-consuming attachment to these books. It's a lot like a nine-five job. I can turn it off-and-on, and don't spend all night wondering if I should do X,Y,Z. When the book is gone, out of my hands, that's that. I tend to think of myself as the nanny, bringing it up properly, and then returning it to its parents. I'm totally fine with that.

Hop on over and read\ the rest! YA Highway's "Different Roads to Publication" is a fantastic series of interviews which offer insights to alternative roads most don't think about! Good stuff.

~KO

Why I Agent...

2011-09-08T15:30:00.001-04:00

So I can take pics like this.

GO JAIME!

He's persuasive, charming, and way too mysterious. And for Samara Marshall, her co-worker is everything she wants most--and everything she most fears. . .

Samara Marshall is determined to make the summer before her senior year the best ever. Her plan: enjoy downtime with friends and work to save up cash for her dream car. Summer romance is not on her to-do list, but uncovering the truth about her flirtatious co-worker, Caleb Baker, is. From the peculiar glow to his eyes to the unfortunate events that befall the girls who pine after him, Samara is the only one to sense danger behind his smile.

But Caleb's secrets are drawing Samara into a world where the laws of attraction are a means of survival. And as a sinister power closes in on those she loves, Samara must take a risk that will change her life forever. . .or consume it.

LIVING VIOLET rocks!

"With a sassy, kick-ass heroine, Jaime Reed's Living Violet will keep readers turning pages late into the night." Eileen Cook author of Unraveling Isobel

"Jaime Reed breathes fresh life into paranormal romance. I loved it!" --Lee Nichols, author of the Haunting Emma series

Pre-order now! :-D

*saunters off to dance with ARCs*

How-to: Crafting a Query for FICTION (a.k.a. your first impression)

2011-08-15T13:53:00.010-04:00

So I've been open to submissions for about two weeks now (~200 and counting -- slow and steady FTW), and I thought it would be helpful to post about the very basics of a query.

I've already written two posts about query etiquette, which can be found here: Part I and Part II. But how about the actual construction of a query?

Before even starting your query, remember this: your query is the FIRST IMPRESSION an agent will have about you.

If you can keep that in your mind as you write your query, you should be good. But making a good first impression means being professional, informed and prepared.

Step 1: A Completed Manuscript = A Happy Agent
             Nothing (well ok, almost nothing) is more frustrating than reading a query, requesting pages, and then realizing the author had a case of the 'trigger finger' and queried prematurely. Always ensure your manuscript is complete, set aside for some time, edited, and repeated. If you query before finishing, then you may run the risk of having way too much backstory in the opening chapter, which is usually what an agent requests first. This leads to rejection, which both agent and author don't like. (Note that this also includes having a title picked out)

Step 2: Knowing Your Genre Shows That You Read (which is sort of required)
             I'd say at least 1/3 of queries I receive are pitched as the incorrect genre. Note: genre and age group are NOT the same thing (YA is not a genre. Sci-fi is.). If you're unsure which category your story falls under, check out agent Jennifer Laughran's Genre Glossary. If you pitch your story as "Paranormal Romance" and it's really "Cyberpunk", you might be risking a real opportunity to stand out in the slush pile. That being said, don't pitch it as something in hopes of standing out but then misrepresenting the work and ticking off the agent.

Step 3: Know Your Word Count
             Seems simple enough, but you'd be surprised how many people give the number of pages or just omit this part all together. Word count is really important, especially since it's difficult to sell a project if the word count is too high or too low. Unsure where you should be in the word count range? Colleen Lindsey has a fabulous post on Word Counts.

Step 4: Write Jacket Copy
             Pretend you've been asked to write the copy that will appear on the back of your book. Try to mimic that and write no more than two paragraphs (~200 words). Go through and be sure you have The Protagonist; A Short Description of the Journey; A Short Description of the Conflict. That's it. If you want to add a short description of a sub plot or minor character, that's fine. But we don't need to know lots of details about them.

Step 5: Write Your Bio -- if it relates to your writing career
             Are you previously published and have sold more than 2,000 copies? Do you have royalty statements proving so? Include the title, publisher and copies sold in your bio. Do you have professional memberships with Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America or Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators? Include it. Did you meet the agent before? Include it. Did the agent previously request a partial or full? Include it.

What NOT to include: self-publishing credits without publisher info; awards not nationally recognized; your children's names; your degree (unless it's relevant to your work); how you see this being marketed; your dreams of a seven-figure deal; your thoughts on future book-to-movie adaptations.

Step 6: Put Steps 2-5 Together
            Now that you've written and edited steps 2-5, mush them together and tada! You have your query.

I asked client Sarah Fine if I could use hers as an example of a query I've received that caught my eye. There is a chunk missing because it's a spoiler alert (which I don't mind too much as long as you don't tell me the ending). My comments are in purple.

Dear Ms. Ortiz, (Kathleen or Ms. Ortiz is fine. Just show that you know my name. :) )

Eighteen-year-old Lela Santos scatters the ashes of her photos from a seaside cliff, hoping to end the nightmares she’s had since her best friend, Nadia, committed suicide. The farewell ritual works, sort of. But as she slips and plummets toward the rocks below, Lela realizes she probably shouldn’t have worn flip-flops. (Serious topic but with slight sarcasm at the end. In this instance, I totally got it and loved it. But be careful, because sometimes sarcasm doesn't translate well to people. I love this, though.)

She wakes up in a meadow, wondering why she isn’t pissed off about being dead. Then she recognizes the dark, walled city on the hill from her nightmares. Lela knows her friend is trapped there, stalked by armored guards and Mazikin, who’d love to hunt a cute ex-cheerleader like Nadia.

Lela decides to risk her afterlife and stage a rescue mission. Her plan: Sneak into the city. Steal a weapon. Find Nadia. Evade the guards (especially the hot one with wicked knife skills). Escape.

No problem … until she’s captured by the aforementioned hot guy. Malachi, the indentured human captain of the guard, has his own plan: get Lela out of the city whether she wants to go or not. It turns out she has an expiration date—if she doesn’t leave soon, she’ll die. Again. And the walled city isn’t the worst place she could end up. Just ask the Mazikin.

SUICIDE GATES, a YA urban fantasy/romance, is complete at 97,000 words. It can stand alone but is meant to be part of a trilogy. I am a clinical child psychologist and have some publications in scholarly journals and edited books. I am querying you because I read of your interest in dark, edgy YA. Thank you for your time and consideration.

A few notes:

It's clear she read my submission guidelines AND what I'm looking to represent. Because I love me some dark and creepy and anything with a romantic twist.
Title? Check. Word count? Check. Protagonist? Check. Important side character? Check. Journey? Check. Conflict? Check. Short description of work (~200 words)? Check.
She included her profession and scholarly publications, which in this instance DID work since she also had a fabulous idea for a unique blog where YA meets psychology.
Little nitpicky things like, "How does she KNOW her friend is in there?" and "What are Mazikin?" and "How can romance evolve in HELL?" are all questions I had, but questions that I wanted answered by reading the manuscript.

Sarah said she ran her query by a few friends, as well as received some assistance from writer message boards, which always helps. Nathan Bransford has a great board for queries, Query Shark is a must-stop-and-read part of the querying journey, and Absolute Write has some great boards where you can get query critiques.

So back to the first impression thing...if you don't take the time to put thought and time into your query, then there's no reason for me to do the same when I read it. Simply placing "TITLE -- GENRE" and then pasting sample pages isn't a way to catch my attention. Writing a query that takes up two whole pages, querying something I don't represent, stating this is the new NYT bestseller, are all ways to show me that you don't put care and time into a query -- so why would you put care and time into anything we work on together?

If you met me in person, would the first thing about your project be, "THIS IS A NYT BESTSELLER. It's fantastic. And it's going to get us NINE figures. It's 300,000 words and not quite done, but trust me, this thing is DOPE."

*cringe*

Query questions? Leave 'em below!

~KO

All examples used above are based on actual queries / pitches. Including the nine figure guarantee. It was in person.

OFFICIALLY OPEN FOR QUERIES! :D

2011-07-31T23:55:00.004-04:00

Hello! **waves arms wildly**

It's been a super fast, crazy, awesome summer! Lots of trips and selling awesome stuff.

I'm happy to say I am open to queries as of TODAY.

BUT

Before you query me...you might want to note what it is I'm looking to sign, as I've
narrowed my focus for the time being:

Children's
Young adult: I'd really love a cyberpunk, thriller, sci-fi, horror, romance, or historical fantasy; however, I'm open to all YA manuscripts, though I do tend to skew toward dark and edgy.

Middle grade: I'm only looking for stories for upper middle grade.

Adults
Romance: paranormal, urban fantasy, suspense, thriller, only.

Non-fiction: pop culture, women's issues, technology or lifestyles, only.

I am not looking for chapter books, picture books, screenplays, poetry (this includes novels in verse), erotica, regency romance, inspirational, adult thrillers, adult horror, or women's fiction.

How to submit your query:

Send a query to QUERY(at)nancycoffeyliterary.com
Make sure the word QUERY is in the subject line AND "Kathleen Ortiz" (if you do not put my name in the subject line, it won't get to me -- and I'll never see it).
Paste the query and the first five pages of the manuscript in the body of the email.
Do not attach anything.
You will receive an auto-response confirming receipt of your query.
The agency's policy is that if you do not hear from me within 2 weeks of submitting your query, check my blog query update counter (top, right hand corner of the blog page). If the date you sent your query has passed, then I regret to inform you that my decision is to pass.
If you do NOT receive an auto-response message within 24 hours of sending your query, please resend.

Looking forward to reading some GREAT stuff!!

~K

100,001 reasons to buy TORN...TODAY...

2011-06-28T12:50:00.003-04:00

KTeen

So there's this book...called TORN by Erica O'Rourke.

I kinda love it. (reason #1)

OK. Scratch that. No "kinda."

I LOVE IT. (revised reason #1)

Everyone has secrets.

Even best friends.

Mo Fitzgerald knows about secrets. But when she witnesses her best friend's murder, she discovers Verity was hiding things she never could have guessed. To find the answers she needs and the vengeance she craves, Mo--quiet, ordinary, unmagical Mo--will have to enter a world of raw magic and shifting alliances. And she'll have to choose between two very different, equally dangerous guys--protective, duty-bound Colin and brash, mysterious Luc. One wants to save her, one wants to claim her.
Which would you choose?

It was one of those books you start on the way home from work...and...just...keep...reading. (reason #2-10,000) you know it's 3 a.m. and you're texting your friend (Jo) to ask when you can have a moment to read book 2...for foreign sales purposes, of course.

If Jo was a cyborg, she'd
probably have a
cool leather jacket and
PeeWee at her side.
That's when said friend texts you back (because she's a cyborg agent who never sleeps, as is the rest of the collective here at NCLA) to say, "Uh huh. Loved it, eh? See attached."

That's when I do a giddy SQUEE dance and decide to go to bed first because, while a cyborg, I need rest, too. (I'm not a vampire).

HAWT does not EVEN BEGIN to describe Luc and Colin...and I don't want to reveal which 'team' I'm on...because I don't want to influence you (*COUGH*rhymes with Ballin'*COUGH*).

I read book 2, TANGLED, in a day.

And now I'm truly torn. Because I have to wait for Erica to finish writing book 3. *sobs*

But for now...I CAN tell you to buy it, read it, savor it, and then get yourself back here to let me know which team YOU are on. (reasons #10,001-99,999)

But most importantly...what you would do when placed in Mo's position at the end of TORN. (reason #100,000)

I know what I would have done. Do you? (reason #100,001)

~K

Author Web Sites: The Basics

2011-06-27T13:36:00.008-04:00

So I was in PA this weekend for an AWESOME conference with AWESOME people. I did a one-hour workshop on "Building An Online Author Platform," which is a workshop I love, love, LOVE giving. Always results in great discussions, questions, and a few laughs when I admit my story about "KOrtizzle" and the "TRex" brand that I've unintentionally given myself. *le sigh*

This has absolutely zero
relevance to the topic. But I said
"Titanic" and this popped up and I
had to find a way to include it.

What does blow is that it's SO DIFFICULT to compress an author platform in ONE HOUR. Seriously. I feel like I hit fast-forward on the movie TITANIC and was just able to say "Jack... Rose... boat... ICEBERG!... freezing... she let go even though she said she wouldn't... b*tch!... death... necklace ...fin."

Anyway, I always have requests for copies of the PowerPoint, which I don't give out because...well...then I wouldn't be asked to give said lectures, right? But there was one slide in particular they requested, and I've decided to post it here for all to see/refer to when needed.

Therefore, I'm happy to share with you my guidelines for the absolute basics you should have for your author web site:

Unpublished Authors

Home page

Clear, easy to find, organized menu buttons
Links (preferably widgets or buttons rather than "Find my Twitter here") to social media sites
Brief bio or welcome message

About Me page

Professional bio
Fun bio -- don't give TMI

Contact page

Email contact -- do not give phone number or address

Writing page

Genres you write
Do NOT post your query unless it's your absolute best version. If you have the slightest thought that you may update it in the future, don't post it. -- why? this is your first impression to someone who comes by your page. If you've updated your query and not updated it on your web site, you may be doing yourself a disservice.
Sample pages -- totally up to you. If you *must* do it, then no more than five. -- why? again, this is your first impression to someone who comes by your page. If you've updated your pages OR have opening pages that are not as stellar as later pages (often the case), you're doing yourself a disservice.

*Do not post a photo unless it's your professional author photo*

Published Authors

Home Page

Clear, easy to find, organized menu buttons
Links (preferably widgets or buttons rather than "Find my Twitter here") to social media sites
Latest book cover OR title (if unable to publicly show cover at the moment)
Brief welcome message

About Me Page

Professional bio (typically what you would put in the back of your book)
"Fun bio" -- again, be careful of TMI
FAQs -- these are Q&As of Qs you think you'll get a lot of -- when did you sign with your agent? What inspired you to write the book? Boxers or briefs? <-- for the love of Godiva (as Janet would say) I'm totally kidding. I don't want to know that...

Books Page

Jacket copy, only -- why? Because if you write your own synopsis and your publisher comes up with a better one, the overall message / connotation may change and then confuse your audience.
Covers (if approved)
Future pub dates (if in a series) so people know when to expect them.
Links to bookstores (directly to your book -- not the general page -- you'd be surprised how many people link to Amazon.com rather than their book's page). You should link to Barnes and Noble, Borders, Amazon and IndieBound.

Contact Page

Agency / publisher / publicist info -- super important. If there's a rights inquiry or permissions request (usually non-fiction), this will make it easier for someone to find the right contact.

*Do not post synopses of unwritten work. Wait for jacket copy.*
*DO post a short "What am I working on now?" to keep people interested and up-to-date on the fact you are still writing, but be vague. Age group (YA, MG, adult) + genre is best.

A few notes:

Update regularly: it's so frustrating to visit an author's site for information, just to see the (C)2006 at the bottom.
Clean pages: sometimes less is more. Don't clutter.
Do NOT have automatic music: if someone's at work or in a quiet house and forgot the sound is on, it will irritate them and send them packing, never to return!
Do NOT have flash animation: more than half of MY blog's and web site's visitors use Apple devices (iTouch, iPad, iPhone) and (as of now) cannot see Flash animation on their screen. It basically appears as the big finger. (Ok...a box with an X...same thing).
DO consult someone for color combinations/graphics. A pretty web site (or at least a non-ugly one) is a happy web site.
DO triple check all your links. Broken links makes everyone a sad panda.
DO update your information regularly.
Do NOT give too much personal information. I really do not want to know about your last gyno visit unless you're a health doctor...
DO use a web analytics program to see WHO your audience is, WHERE they come from, and HOW they access your information. I highly recommend Google Analytics or StatCounter.com. (There are dozens of others)
No ads: it really bothers me when someone has ads on their site. It makes the page messy and annoying. The lure of free money is pretty big, but I promise you the loyalty of return visitors is more important than the pennies you'll make from Google ads.
You do not need to hire a professional or spend $1,500 on your web site -- but do remember that you get what you pay for and sometimes it's best to consult a professional.

Not every method works for every author or every genre or every age group. This is meant to be a bare bones approach to your web site. Definitely look up some of your favorite authors as well as other authors in your genre. See what does / does not work and then get creative with your own web site.

Any questions? Thoughts? Has someone told you to put something on your site that I didn't list?

~K

**Edit: Your questions, answered:

Using your blog as your website, good or bad idea?
Good if the layout is good. Lots of authors do it. Just choose a good design/template so that it's clear it's your "main hub" for your information. It's what I'm in the 'process' of doing to this site...

What do you think we should have on our "books" page if jacket copy isn't available yet?
Your PM posting :) If the book hasn't sold yet, just say the genre / age group you write for. IMHO, don't say you're 'on submission with editors.' Because if it's been a while and an editor looks you up, they might question why you've been on sub for a while.

And for the agent/editor contact info-- is having a link to their websites ok?
Yup! Though a link to your agent's page rather than the agency web site might help (so that there are fewer barriers between reader and information)

Why do you say not to post a photo unless it's your professional author photo?
Because if it's just flat out a bad photo, then it may come across as unprofessional. It's cool to have pics of you as a mom, or having fun but if it's just flat out a BAD unprofessional photo, that will be someone's first impression of you.

do you have any favorite author websites? You know, authors who get everything right?
non-clients? Personally I'm a HUGE fan of Holly Black and Maureen Johnson's web sites. One is super simple and clean, the other more decorated yet easy to navigate. But most importantly you get an immediate feel for their personalities.

If you're not communicating online with your audience...

2011-06-13T14:20:00.001-04:00

...you should be.

Though if you're at this blog post...you're probably already online.

Why should you have an online presence?

The brilliant Erik Qualman tells you why:

I love it. I open my workshops with this, and I'm so glad this is a condensed version of last year's video (though 2010's had better music).

Questions? Leave 'em below.

~KO

WSJ

2011-06-06T18:09:00.002-04:00

Check out my post on the agency blog.

Thesis Wrap Up / NeoAgent / Contest Winner / etc

2011-06-02T17:58:00.000-04:00

Forget Marty....I need the car!

Where did May go?

Seriously.

One second I'm wrapping things up at the old agency for my move and then BAM! It's June.

So a lot of things have happened, and I wanted to give some updates and promised info:

Thesis: So as promised, I'll be blogging about my thesis. I turned it in yesterday (*meep*) and I'm awaiting feedback so I can polish and then submit the final at the end of the month.

I can tell you that its final title is "Agent 4.0: The Literary Agent in a Digital Industry" and that your poll feedback was absolutely wonderful! If I could give you all cupcakes I totally would. But since I can't...I'm going to just tease you instead (horrid, I know):

Gorgeous people enjoying gorgeous cupcakes. #Hate

Queries/Requested partials: Still closed to queries, UNLESS I requested your project at a conference. I've officially replied to all requested material as of 1 p.m. today, so if you sent something I requested and did not receive a reply, please email me at my blog email and I'll double check.

Yes I'm staying closed to queries until August 1. No, I'm not opening early. Yes you should check back here at the end of July for a detailed post on how to query, what I'm looking to sign, etc. :)

Contest winner: You guys crack me up. You all were hilarious and witty and creative but I have to say that the winner is Gina C. who gave Mango her VERY OWN CAPTION! LURVES!

Gina, please email me at blog(dot)kortizzle(at)gmail(dot)com and I'll send you your ARCs!

NeoAgent: This is the toughest part of this post. I'm going to keep it simple, because I don't have any details, and I don't want for this to be an official announcement on Liz's behalf.

Because Liz has chosen to move on to other endeavors, the NeoAgent podcast will be suspended until further notice. I can't continue it alone (listening me talk for 20 min? No thanks!) and at this time, I'm not comfortable enough to involve anyone else because of time commitments.

I assure you that had I known in advance about this decision, I would not have promised more episodes, especially during the Live QA. I hope you'll continue to visit the blog for answers to your questions and find me on #askagent every now and then.

What's everyone up to for the summer?

~K

hangs up BRB sign

2011-05-28T11:05:00.002-04:00

I just looked at my blog and realized it's been 3 weeks, and I totally owe a few posts regarding NeoAgent, poll round up and a BEA wrap up.

SO

I shall start posting after Memorial Day weekend. In the meantime, let's kick things off with a CONTEST (right? because I love those things).

I did an LOL catz roundup and found the SEVEN images I love most in the BRB category. Which one do YOU think fits me best in terms of what I've been up to (based on what you know about me online) and why?

Post as many times as you'd like. I'm going to choose the funniest one with the help of my FAVORITE cat, Mango:

hahahaha! Gina C gave Mango a caption: ""Halp! I don wan go down rabit hole with Alice!!"" #win

Let the games BEGIN!

Contest begins NOW and closes at 11:59 p.m. on WEDNESDAY.

Prize:

TWO YA or MG ARCs

I'll be back THURSDAY :-D

~KO

So, pretty sweet news....

2011-05-04T11:09:00.006-04:00

So I said a while back that 2011 has been an insane year so far -- graduating in less than three weeks (wootz), working on some pretty awesome projects with seriously the world's BEST clients (tell me otherwise -- dare ya, cause I do have the best), attending lots and lots of super awesome conferences, working on some podcast projects with the incredible Liz Jote, and....

....oh yea...I'm moving to Nancy Coffey Literary and Media!

The change is official this week.

New (updated) bio:

As subrights director, I handle foreign, audio and digital rights for the agency. I have an intimate list of clients, with Jaime Reed's debut YA paranormal romance, LIVING VIOLET, book one of the Cambion Chronicles, coming out by Kensington in January 2012.

I am currently closed to submissions (except conference requests) until August 1, 2011.

You can find me on Twitter or visit my blog for more information or updates on the publishing industry.

I'm sure you have a couple of questions, so let's see if I can't tackle them now:

WHY KATHLEEN? WHY are you LEAVING?

I've learned so much and had an amazing support team at Lowenstein Associates; however, as with anyone starting a new career, I've focused my areas of concentration and it was time to move on to a new adventure. NCLA has a fabulous group of YA and romance authors, whom I not only love immensely but also admire. I'm so excited to have the opportunity to not only learn from them and the agency itself, but also to work with a great team on their subrights and new ventures!

Um, KO....*points* Why are you CLOSED to submissions?!

Let's face it -- you like a quick query response, and so do I. The past few months of query delays was seriously weighing on me, and I don't want to get to that point again. Stuff happens -- it's called life. :) So I made the decision to close to queries during my transition and while I settle in (August 1, 2011).

I will certainly post to alert you of my reopening, and in the meantime, will absolutely accept conference submissions if I request them. If you saw me at a previous conference and I requested material, please do send to blog.kortizzle(at)gmail.com with the conference title in the subject line.

Ok, fine...but...what about my OLD query I sent you that I've still not heard back?

If you sent a query after April 7, 2011, it was deleted unread. If you've still not heard from me on a query, rest assured it will be read -- just not by me. Specifically queries from after March 12 will be read by LA's new assistant. (who is pretty fabulous, if I do say so myself)

Are you SURE? Cause I have something FABULOUS and if you could just take a peek....

Yes, I'm sure :) I'm a very firm believer that things happen for a reason. And there are projects I pass on every week that I'm certain will do well but they're just not right for me. There are projects I miss out on because they signed with someone else. And while I want to add more people to the already ah-may-zing list of clients I have, I have to do what's right for my clients, my new agency, and myself, which is take a couple of months to transition and get started. The last thing I want is to sign someone and not give them the attention and time they deserve.

Ok, fine *kicks chair* Where can I find you for these conferences?

Right here :)

Will you still be looking for the same things?

Somewhat. check out an updated "I'm looking for ___" list here: I'll be narrowing my focus to YA, women's fiction and romance.

Anywhere else I can find you?

Yes! Please do come by this week's #NeoAgent LIVE Q&A chat with Liz Jote from Objective Entertainment and me! We'll be answering your questions LIVE. Think of it as a radio show :)

This Thursday at 9 p.m. EST right here

All righty....let the questions begin! *points to comments*

~KO

(was gonna wait till later today but apparently it's up on Pub lunch, lol)

COUNTDOWN to the LIVE #NeoAgent Q&A

2011-05-03T13:29:00.004-04:00

This Thursday, May 5, and 9 p.m. EST, Liz Jote and I will be hosting the FIRST LIVE #NeoAgent Q n' A! We'll be here .

Prepare your questions! Looking forward to chatting!

Evil Thesis Pt 3: Final Poll

2011-04-27T11:14:00.003-04:00

Thanks to all who have participated so far! Your answers are very interesting (and have really shocked some industry professionals (and me), based on emails I've received).

As promised, here is the third and final poll. The next blog post will detail the findings and reveal what my thesis topic is and a brief summary.

So based on the last poll, personality was by far the biggest factor when choosing an agent, followed by professionalism while also having a personality. A close third place runner up was an editorial agent.

So, with the top three out of the way, I'd like you to answer the following based on the five runner ups from the previous poll:

Poll 3: Which TWO other qualities would you want in an agent?

Poll closes FRIDAY at 11:15 a.m.

Feel free to share the link with friends! If you're already published, just put what items made you choose the agent you're with.

You guys rock!

~K

LIVE Neo Agent Chat!

2011-04-25T13:19:00.002-04:00

Anyone else have this sense of "How is it almost May?!"

So many amazing things have happened this year, and 2011 can only get better!

To start, Liz Jote and I have taken your comments and suggestions and will be bringing #NeoAgent back on a regular basis with more podcasts on the topics YOU want to hear most.

To kick start this event, we're going to host a LIVE NeoAgent podcast.

"But, Kathleen," you may ask. "How can you do a LIVE podcast?"

Liz and I will be on an online location (TBA) on Thursday, May 5 at 9 p.m. EST. We will be taking YOUR questions LIVE and answering them. You'll be able to listen in LIVE (did I mention the LIVE part? :) ) and hear our replies.

I will try to keep the sarcasm and jokes to a minimum. Promise. *cough*

So get your questions ready and keep an eye on #NeoAgent on Twitter and on the blog for the announced online location! Spread the word, and let's make this one heck of a QA!

Here's a pre-written Tweet if you'd like to pass along: "Listen LIVE to the #NeoAgent QA May 5 at 9 p.m.: http://bit.ly/eOmUQz "

~KO

Evil Thesis Pt 2 -- Blogger Poll

2011-04-13T14:16:00.003-04:00

Thanks to all who participated in the 3K giveaway AND my thesis research. If you missed out on the call for input, check out the previous blog post.

I realize, from several comments and emails, that many people who did not participate were afraid to do so and then risk having an agent Google them and run across their answers. No problem!

Therefore, this poll is strictly anonymous :)

Poll 2:

Think of your dream agent,

what are the top five qualities you look for?
(Note, this is assuming your top two are "Do they represent my genre?" and "Are they a legitimate agency?")

VOTING HAS CLOSED. Results are below. Thanks to all who participated!

Don't forget, in the Three-part-poll wrap up, I'll share with you my thesis title and general argument. Which I hope will give you a new perspective on some things.

Feel free to share the link with friends! If you're already published, just put what items made you choose the agent you're with.

Thanks much.

~KO

Query Update: February '11 (...and a proud sister moment)

2011-04-11T20:51:00.002-04:00

Wootz for catching up! (Officially read all queries through before March 1)

As in previous posts, here are some current query numbers (note this is for both agents here at LA):

Total queries sent from February 1 - 28: 799
Queries sent with an unsolicited attachment (aka - automatic delete unread with no response): 27
Queries which led to requested materials: 16 (YAY! -- 13 for me and 3 for Barbara)

If you're curious what January's numbers were, click here.

I'm still closed to queries...but I'll still update as i read 'em.

In other news, today I attended the 2011 Matrix Awards. They're kind of a big deal. I was literally three inches from Rosie O'Donnell and pretty much had a ZOMFGKASJDALSJALSKDJ moment when I realized one of my FAVORITE actresses / broadway stars was there: the most amazing Idina Menzel (um, RENT, WICKED and GLEE, anyone?).

Anyway, I was there because my sister was the recipient of the 2011 Esperanza Scholarship. To be considered as a woman who will help shape the future of media in a field where other award winners include Betty White and Tina Fey is beyond an honor, and I'm SO incredibly proud of her! If you haven't gathered from my occasional Tweets, I'm very close to my family and for her to accomplish this at such a young age is beyond awesome. Congrats!

Ok. Enough mushy stuff. Back to reading ;-)

~KO

3K Giveaway Winner!

2011-04-11T09:40:00.001-04:00

What a weekend! Thank you Missouri Writers Guild for such an amazing time!!

In other news....Drumroll Baby is BACK to announce the 3K giveaway winner!

Congratulations............

..........Jess Macallan! (@JessMacallan)

Jess, please email me at blog.kortizzle(at)gmail.com and let me know if you prefer YA, MG or a mix!

Thanks to all who participated!

Stay tuned for #EvilThesis Part 2 Poll!

~KO

New Layout

2011-04-10T00:32:00.002-04:00

Hey guys,

So I'm going through the steps to (finally) blend my blog and web site together....just hang tight with some funky layout changes/navigation problems for a couple of days until I get it all settled.

Thanks!

~KO

Query Hiatus

2011-04-07T00:04:00.001-04:00

I know.

The words querying writers hate to see.

But it's true.

I'll be attending seven conferences between now and the end of June, and I know I'll be requesting materials. Why? Because I've yet to attend a conference where I don't request something -- the quality really is just that stellar.

I also have a few awesome things in the works that I can't quite share yet, but can't wait to do so :)

it's ok. i will open to queries again. promise!

Also, I'm not sure if you've noticed...but my web site is severely lacking. Partly because I'm in the process of transferring CSS coding and Dreamweaver-based pages into blogger format and partly because it just wasn't a priority until recently.

Oh, and I'm graduating. *throws confetti* and will be taking some time off to celebrate :)

Take into account all this, plus continuing forward with my day-to-day adventures in agenting and the fact I've only read queries up through February 25 (*wince* I know, I know), and I figure it's a good time to go on a query hiatus.

I'll be taking a query hiatus effective as of Thursday, April 7, 2011.

When do I plan to open back up? Sometime over the summer. Not sure when. I'll be announcing it here for sure, as well as a couple of other blogs to start things off with a bang!

If you're wondering, "but I sent a query recently!" -- no worries. I still plan on reading all queries sent through April 6 at 11:59 p.m. and will definitely get back to everyone no later than May 1.

If you're wondering, "but you have my partial!" -- no worries. I'll definitely be in touch soon.

If you're wondering, "damn you KOrtizzle! I wanted to query you!" -- I want you to query me, too. But at the end of the day, queries are at the end of the to-do list (clients, foreign rights, audio, etc come first) so it's the item that gets to go on hiatus.

If you're wondering, "but I'm sneaky. I'll slip a query in there." -- then it's just going to be deleted with no reply.

If you're wondering, "but seriously, KOrtizzle. I'm like legit sneaky. I'll query Barbara and hope she passes it on." -- then I'll just shake my head and hit delete. Cause let's face it, I'm a transparent person. Sneaky isn't cool. Especially dishonest sneaky.

However.

The blog will still be updated. I'll still be here for the occasional ask agent. And you shall be the FIRST to know when I open back up to queries!!

~KO

3K Giveaway!

2011-04-05T07:57:00.003-04:00

Twitter Ninja. No real reason to use this graphic here,
except for the fact that it is EPIC.

So as stated on Twitter, when I reach a new 1K-follower landmark, I'll be doing a book giveaway :)

How do you enter?

1. You have to be a follower on Twitter (sorry non-Twitter folks, but this is a Twitter contest)

2. All you have to do is Tweet "Wootz for the 3k giveaway, @KOrtizzle!"

That's it.

Yup.

You have until 11:59 p.m. tonight! I'll go through all the @ replies and use a random number generator to pick the winner. **CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING!**

**Hint: don't RT someone who said it. Much easier to just Tweet yourself so I actually see it and can count it as part of the contest.

Prize: Five books, two of which are guaranteed ARCs. Your choice of either YA, MG, romance, non-fiction or a mix.

Up tomorrow: Part 2 of the Thesis Poll

Up Thursday: announcement/update regarding queries and requested submissions

Thanks again for following!

~KO

Evil Thesis Pt. 1 -- Research

2011-03-30T16:51:00.004-04:00

So if anyone's read my bio, they know I'm in grad school.

Graduating this May, actually. Super stoked. Why did I go back to school, again? *scratches head*

Anyway, the past six months has essentially looked like this:

That time has come, and I have to accept the fact that my thesis needs to be written if I ever want that piece of paper with the gold seal. (I swear I've been working on it....)

So.

I've decided to shake things up (and come up with my own Chicago Style Bibliography entry format for "Poll Taken on Blogspot" and "Twitter Poll" because I'm just crazy like that) and reach out for a three-part survey.

Any and all input is super appreciated. I'll leave the polls open for 48 hours each and then discuss the results after they close.

Poll 1:

When you're researching an agent,

what are the things you look for?
Polls open at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30 and close at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 1

Super broad, I know. But I'm trying to make a point, that I will happily share with you, at the end of the three-part poll.

and

in the Three-part-poll wrap up, I'll share with you my thesis title and general argument. Which I hope will give you a new perspective on some things.

Leave your answers below, and feel free to share the link with friends! If you're already published, just put what items made you choose the agent you're with.

Thanks much.

~KO

Goal is a group of at least 100 people, and I totally understand that not everyone will participate in all three polls. Trust me -- my prof will understand.

Write Hope 2011

2011-03-28T14:30:00.002-04:00

There's an auction going on for the next 72 hours for a 50 pg critique + 20 min phone call to discuss said critique (though I'll gladly go over 20 min, if needed) from me :)

Please check out what I'm looking to sign and if your MS falls in those categories, please consider bidding. Goes toward a great cause!

On March 11th a 9.0 Mw megathrust earthquake followed by a devastating tsumani shocked Japan. One of the five most powerful earthquakes since 1900, the Sendai earthquake shifted the earth's axis and shortened the length of day.

Three days later, it's still unclear how far the damage reaches. Entire villages have been erased and hundreds of thousands of people are homeless. It is estimated tens of thousands people have been killed.

We were devastated to hear of this recent disaster, and want to do our bit to help. To that end we have formed Write Hope, a group of Kidlit writers who plan to auction kidlit books, critiques, and other prizes for donation to Save the Children's emergency relief fund.

Thanks to Write Hope 2011 for reaching out!

~KO

Just. Wow.

2011-03-23T01:13:00.000-04:00

All right. Diverting from the publishing talk for a moment for something that is just simply made of 3,000,000,001 types of awesome.

Nick Pitera started his YouTube account a while back because he loves to sing and wanted to post videos. They went viral and he developed an audience -- for good reason. He works at Pixar in animation...dude should be a voice for sure.

If you have a few minutes, I promise these are worth the watch.

His rendition of I SEE THE LIGHT from Disney's TANGLED (note -- it's impressive, but it gets REALLY impressive around 2:00 min mark -- trust me)

My favorite -- the One Man Disney Movie -- is HILARIOUS and so well done! Just...wow. Totally worth it to watch all 8 minutes and all the different voices. Just wow.

Mr. Pitera. I applaud you. Because....WOW. Just wow. **saunters over to iTunes**

~KO

Just Another Manic Monday

2011-03-21T21:39:00.000-04:00

So Microsoft is Suing Barnes and Noble for "infringing on Microsoft patents in the production of the Nook and NookColor Android-based e-reader and tablet devices."

And

Apple is suing Amazon because "the online retailer is improperly using Apple's "App Store" trademark for a mobile software developer program."

And

Monday Keyboard Cat is still adorable.

How was your Monday?

~KO

Twitter Thoughts and Insanely Awesome New Technology

2011-03-11T11:41:00.003-05:00

I put out a call last night for suggestions for today's blog post. I got a lot that were LOL worthy and some that were thought provoking.

So, instead, I'm going to address all the topics in 140 characters or fewer....should be interesting:

@icountwords: "Opening pages?" -- Opening pgs have to be strong & grab attention. No explosions necessary but if you can get me to raise an eyebrow or LOL you've done well.

Where's Authoress?!

@authoressanon: "Your plans for the big party you're throwing when I come to NYC. :D #unabashedpartypromo" -- I imagine it will look something like this. I'll be too busy searching for you --->

@JE_Owen: "Your personal opinion on how writers can resist querying Too Soon. And how you know when it's as ready as it's going to be!" Did it go through several edits, betas and sit in a drawer? If not. Don't query.

@ShelleyWaters: "Re: Blog The process from signing with an agent to shelf. (Not querying agents)" Every agent is different. Lots of emails! Revisions. Waiting. Will def blog on this.
@brittneygirl: "Me": You are insane. And amazing. And Mango's crazy auntie. And a fan of this

@JE_Owen: " Nm this instead:Too early to try and get people interested in your novel if you don't have an agent? Say making a Platform, fans?" Never too early to start your platform. Full blog post to come soon.

@LeahRMiller: "how about what is trending in submissions." Lots of ghosts, witches and Greek-related mythology. Lots of chicks named "Ash." Not enough cyberpunk.

@DawnRaeMiller: "making a comeback? :D" *growls*

@Mer_Barnes: " Starbucks' new cake pops." Delicious. Too sweet, but still delicious.

One thing I WOULD like to focus on today is TEXT 2.0:

This requires watching a video. It's about 3 minutes long (gets jaw dropping around 2:05) Keep an eye out for the RED DOT in the text when it gets to the Little Prince:

Now, after watching that and knowing that A) Apple has a patent on this technology and B) iPad 2 just launched with a front-facing camera, what are your thoughts?

~KO

Query Update: January '11

2011-02-28T12:28:00.002-05:00

Last month was full of catch up and working on some new stuff at the agency. Interesting stats for sure!

As in previous posts, here are some current query numbers (note this is for both agents here at LA):

Total queries sent from January 1 - 31: 1,031 (Almost doubled from December o_O)
Queries sent with an unsolicited attachment (aka - automatic delete unread with no response): 41
Queries which led to requested materials: 13 (YAY! -- 9 for me and 4 for Barbara)
New clients: 1 (however, he did not query me -- I found him online and I've not yet announced who it is, as we are working on a project at the moment).

If you're curious what December's numbers were, click here.

Back to those requested partials *dives into slush happiness*

(BTW---> if you've not entered Mer-Bear's super awesome contest / blog debut, check it out.)

~KO

Project Alice

2011-02-25T10:15:00.001-05:00

If after reading that title you thought of this, then I'm SO happy you follow my blog (RE is a favorite of mine, though they should've stopped after #2):

However, the Project Alice I'm talking about involves BOOKS.

And can be found about 1/3 of the way into this video (it's 5 minutes -- if you let it buffer and skip to the 3:00 mark, it's the Alice portion).

The Future of the Book. from IDEO on Vimeo.

This video offers a sneak peek into IDEO's* vision of books of the future. I'm not entirely excited / impressed by Nelson (though I see it having a huge impact on non-fiction), Coupland is a fabulous concept that I can see as a Library-Bookstore hybrid (seems like an oxymoron, right? But watch the video and see what I mean), but for the children's realm specifically, Project Alice holds a LOT of promise (and, um, hello Cassie Clare shoutout!).

Next week I'll be touching base on how I think we should be looking at enhanced eBooks as more than just the book equivelent of a DVD with extra features.

Are you Team Nelson, Team Coupland, Team Alice, or Team I-Hate-eBooks-Why-Are-Things-Headed-In-This-Direction?!

~KO

*IDEO is a Design and Innovation Consulting firm -- what's that? It's a company that comes up with really cool ideas....for other companies (i.e. they don't execute said ideas themselves) to help them innovate and grow.

Twitter Challenge -- Best. Thing. Eva.

2011-02-12T20:23:00.001-05:00

Brittney asked for topics to write a song about.

YA erotica + Mango the cat + King Henry and his wives.

10 minutes to write it.

This is what came of it.

Ah-may-zing. Let's get this girl's video VIRAL.

I <3 her

(she also rocked Walkin' After Midnight. Legit amazing)

~KO

Lyrics, if you'd like to sing along:

Lyrics (because I know you want to sing along):
My name is Mango & I'm a precious pussy cat
One day I'll have 2 mommies and there's nothing wrong with that.

Until that day comes, I'll share my house
With my mom's crazy sister who reps dirty books about,

King Henry & his wives, but they're teen vampires in disguise

And I will purr and I'll support though her tiny T-Rex arms are short

She still feeds me all my noms,
So I can't have any qualms about her day job,
And I really miss Rob.

My name is Mango.

SMW Pt 2 -- Social Books

2011-02-11T13:25:00.001-05:00

So I went to a panel on Thursday entitled "Social Books: How Media is Changing the Writing, Reading and Promotion of Books."

(to get a range of Tweets, quotes and clips from the panel, look up #socialbooks on Twitter)

When I signed up for the panel, the description essentially indicated that the panelists would be discussing how using tweets, apps, videos, blogs, wikis, mash-ups and fanpages help an author reach far beyond the book's binding.

What actually happened:
Author 1: I have a heckuva lot of followers because of people saying FOLLOW HIM! And now when I Tweet, I lose like 100, because they aren't interested in my feed.
Author 2: I have a blog and many followers. But I turn off the comment section. My blog is a dictatorship, not a democracy.
Author 3: I read @ replies, but there's no point in replying to people.

Ok, so there was more conversation than that, but to be honest, I left about 25 minutes into the one-hour panel. It got to a point where the panelists were essentially saying that publishing is 'ever-changing' and there are 'no hard rules' and I just shook my head and jumped shipped.

The key point I think the panelists, and moderator, were really missing, is the importance of the social aspect of social media. Always remember this key factor:

Social > Media

The social aspect of Social Media is what makes it important and, more importantly, interactive. One of the panelists did have a good point: "All forms of reading, with the exception of books, are social: journalism (newspaper web sites allow readers to leave comments), blogs (comments), videos and movies (YouTube), etc."

And it's true -- at the moment, books themselves aren't social. eBooks are starting to lean in that direction, with the help of eReaders allowing comments and then sharing such comments with friends. But how do you make books social and help spread the word, outside of Twitter, blogs and Facebook?

Good question. That's why I went to the panel. That's not what I got out of it.

It's not the quantity. It's the quality.

What I did get out of it (though clearly not the point they intended to send) is that it doesn't matter how many followers you have (one author has 1.4 million followers), it doesn't mean you automatically know how to reach your audience efficiently nor does it mean you give them exactly what they're seeking as a follower (note, same author is the one who said "Now when I Tweet, I lose like 100 at a time because they don't care about my feed.")

This sort of links back to what I was talking about earlier this week, and what my main point is when I give my social media talks at conference: Social Media isn't about 10 million followers. It's about generating a following who are going to come together as a community because of you or your product. It's about people coming together because of a common interest and then knowing they can always return to this community for updates, discussions or, the best part, bonus material, relating to said product/person. (bonus material can include sneak peeks, fan art, video clips and more).

I also think it's the point the panelists completely missed, since they bragged about numbers and pointed out the face they would even bar people from commenting, the number of people unfollowing them, and so forth.

Look at your Twitter feed. Do you see anyone you tend to sort of graze over and never really focus on their Tweets? If so, why are you following them?

Look at your blog feed. Do you see any you haven't read since 10 posts ago? Why do you subscribe to them?

(in other news, check out MerBear's post on Social Revolution)

FAQs Answered

2011-02-09T12:55:00.001-05:00

I've seen several questions flying around and thought I'd take a moment to answer them:

Where are you with Queries? Did you read my partial?
I try to keep my web site up to date with where I am with queries and partials. As of this exact moment, all queries sent before January 4, 2011 have been read and replied to, which is listed on the site. I need to update the partials section, because I'm actually caught up through December 29, with the exception of one from December 1 (which i'm in the process of reading).

Do you read stuff in order?
Depends on the situation. I try to read in the order received, but if something especially catches my eye, I'll jump on it. If I hear that it's been given an offer of representation and I have until X date to reply, then I'll move it to the front of the stack. If I request something from a conference, that gets priority, as well.

Where are you with hard copy submissions?
There's really no way for me to keep a hard tally on this, because we receive so many and if it's not for us, we send a form rejection and recycle the materials. I can say that I know for a fact we're caught up on all hard copy submissions from before February 1, 2011.

Do you read your queries?
This is the question I see the most of around the Internet. Answer: yes and no.

We have an intern, who has been nicknamed #PirateIntern by my clients (yes, he has his own hash tag! Former intern Becky was dubbed #EvilIntern though she was hardly evil). Said #PirateIntern reads all hard copy submissions -- I don't read the hard copy slush, because we get so much of it and for the reason to follow.

#PirateIntern does read electronic queries. However, I read a good deal of them also. Why? Because literally about 75% of the slush pile are queries that either A) I don't rep or B) nowhere near my tastes. So #PirateIntern's job is to sort through them and if there's any hint that I might like a query, he'll flag it for me to read.

I know a lot of people say "but I'm querying you not the intern!" I totally agree. On the other hand, if I had to read every single query, I'd have zero time for my clients, foreign rights and audio -- which is the main focus of my job here at the agency.

When we seek interns, it's not just 'apply', 'you're interested?', 'you're hired!'. I do a great deal of research in their reading tastes, their sense of humor (I can't have an intern who just doesn't get my humor -- one of us would end up in tears and it probably wouldn't be me), their sense of efficiency, etc. When we take on an intern, best be guaranteed that they know what I'm looking for, what I like to read and know it well enough to find it in the slush pile.

Example: My most recent client is thanks to #EvilIntern. She dug it out of the slush pile and *knew* it was for me. Guess what? She was totally right.

Do you read all partials and fulls?
Yes. Absolutely.

But all the form rejections say "assistant"....
Right. Because it's a form rejection. If I took the time to put my name on every single one that I read, people would then be even more inclined to ask that question of "Why did you reject it?" On the flip side, I'm not going to put just my name on it because sometimes it's the intern who reads it, if it's for my boss then she'll read it and sometimes I read it. So we just have a general "Assistant" signature.

Example: I recently rejected something and said author emailed me back asking me to point out why I rejected it for the reason I did. I ignored it (my form rejection says that due to the volume of queries and requested materials, I can't give specific reasons on rejection) and he emailed me back -- the next day. Asking again to show him. Still ignoring it and he's now blocked by my email system.

How long does it take you to get back to a person who queries? Partial? Full?Totally depends. I really strive for 4 weeks on queries and 4-6 weeks on partials, but stuff happens and dates get shifted. I try to be courteous and email a form update if the partial's been in the inbox for more than 8 weeks, apologizing for the delay but I've not forgotten about them.

Questions? Leave 'em below and I'll add to this. Please don't ask any questions that can already be found on my blog or KathleenOrtiz.com (hearing "what are you looking for" is a little old when I have it listed on the web site).... :)

~KO

SMW Pt. 1 - Beyond Blogging

2011-02-07T15:49:00.000-05:00

So I went to a panel today at lunch titled, "Beyond Blogspot: New Venues and Opportunities for Authors to Get the Word Out"

What I had hoped to learn:

What can authors do to make their book and themselves stand out among a saturation of 1 billion + blogs
Does it make a difference if an author uses Blogspot, WordPress or Tumblr?
What should authors blog about?

What I learned:

A blog is ___.
Twitter is ___.
We can haz book trailers!
kld;lk3333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333

That last bullet point was courtesy of my falling asleep during the panel.*

Seriously, though, I think it's a completely reasonable and intriguing question:

What the heck should an author blog about to make themselves stand out?

Should writers blog about writing?
Should you blog about books you read? Give reviews?
Should you blog about your personal life?
Should you blog about topics relating only to your genre?

That's entirely up to you.

If all you want to do is generate a following of fellow writers, and not necessarily readers, then blog about writing.

If you just want people to come to you as a source for book reviews, then review books.

If you just want people who are nosy and want a peek into your life on a daily basis, then make a Facebook page and make it public -- with pictures.

Your blog should be comprised of information that will define your platform. One of the panelists stated, "If you can't think of anything to blog about, just talk about other authors and books." Great idea. Until you start doing that on a regular basis. Then guess what? Like *almost* any other topic, there are thousands of other blogs that do that and, no offense, probably do it better.

Give your audience a reason to follow you and read your posts.

Then, the most important part, analyze your audience's involvement. If you have 1,000 blog followers but you average maybe three comments per post, then you're not doing your job as a blogger to engage your audience. I think if you average at least 10% of your followers worth of comments per post (i.e. 400 followers and 40 comments), you're doing above and beyond what the average blogger does for their audience -- at least try to aim for 5%.

Three of my favorite bloggers:
Maureen Johnson -- YA author -- her blog has a little bit of everything and 110% of her personality
Ink in All Forms -- by Laura Fitzgerald -- Publishing from a marketing perspective
Strangest Situation -- by Sarah Fine -- Where Psychology and YA Literature Collide

I follow about 20 different blogs, but these are definitely in my top three. Are there other good examples? Absolutely -- but these definitely strike me as unique yet informative and totally for their audience.

Take a look at the blogs you've subscribed to-- do you read them all? Do you find yourself skipping over a bunch of them in your blog roll? Why? What do the blogs YOU read do to keep you engaged?

~KO

*Ok, not really. But you get the point.
**This is the second post in my SOCIAL MEDIA WEEK blog series. If you've not yet taken my ereader poll, please do so here.

Embrace Change -- Don't Fight the eBook Pt. 1

2011-02-04T00:48:00.002-05:00

In honor of Digital Book World, which just occurred in January, and the upcoming Social Media Week, which starts Monday, I'm going to dedicate the next few posts to technology in the publishing industry --- but more importantly, it's about embracing change itself. I'm signed up for a few sessions and will be keeping an eye on what other professionals are saying works for them and what they think is to come for us in the future.

For now, I'm just going to touch on "don't fight the ebook", as it's something that I've noticed a lot of -- specifically this week.

(Note: I'm NOT going to discuss royalties or backlists or anything else -- I'm 110% discussing it from a consumer standpoint. The other part will come next week.)

RIP Laser Disc

Regardless of whether you pick up a physical book or buy a digital one, it's up to you. Different folks different strokes. I, personally, am starting to buy books if I'd buy them in hardcover and then get the ebook if it's a paperback I'd buy. I still love physical books, and I certainly buy more physical than digital; however, I'm starting to note a definite trend on my preference for which subjects I tend to purchase as physical vs digital.

As long as you read, and you obtain the text legally, I'm happy. However, if you're sitting back and scoffing at ebooks and thinking it's a trend, all I can say is watch this video and remember -- the ebook is not like the laser disc.

From the Scroll to the Book

I hear a lot of comments like "but I can't physically turn the page!" or "I can't flip back to something I was reading before!" I agree, it's not the same -- but like life itself, you too will evolve and adapt to change.

It's funny because for someone who's so "YEA! TECHNOLOGY!" I'm never one to buy the shiny new product first. I think I bought my first CD player in like 1999 (I was really, REALLY attached to my Walkman (remember -- those things that played tapes)). And my BFF bought my iPod for me 3 yrs ago along with a note that said "welcome to the 21st century."

It was really REALLY tough for me to be all, "wait...but I like my CD covers...and having them displayed on my shelf...and looking all cool when I flip my visor down with my CDs lined up..." but then after a while it was "oh! I LOVE NOT HAVING A CD THAT SKIPS!" and "I can carry 1000000000000000 songs with me EVERYWHERE! HUZZAH!" and "Pshhhh I don't have to worry about sun damage to my CDs in my car!"

I really think it will be the same way with books. Any type of major change -- especially when it involves new technology -- is going to be bumpy at first. But in the long run, if you just keep an eye on what's available, what's working, what's not working, and don't jump TOO quickly on something without reading consumer reports, then why not embrace it and possibly try it?

Until they do something like this...then...well...driving + this app = should be illegal.

What I'd LOVE to know are the answers to this survey and your thoughts below in the comments.

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

**Note that I'm closing this quiz on FRIDAY FEBRUARY 11, so I can post the results**

Also would love to know what YOU want to know about my findings at Social Media Week 2011.

~KO

How to Pitch a Manuscript, CORRECTLY

2011-01-27T12:01:00.002-05:00

There's a great blog post about pitching. But in light of recent blog posts, I must say that this real-life occurrence sums it up quite nicely.

First, you must get to know Brooks. He's a former minion for Janet Reid and is currently Assistant to the Executive Managing Editor at Henry Holt and Company.

He also runs an "independent satirical web site dedicated to fighting THE ONION's unethical monopoly on reporting the fake news" called THE GARLIC PRESS.

So yesterday....literally two minutes after I post my blog on what I'd like to see in the slush pile, I see a Google IM pop up. This is copied/pasted from the convo:

Brooks: "I have a cyberpunk thriller romance that is set in an anachronistic technologically advanced 1950s NYC, entitled ROBOTO & JULIET. It's a strong first-person narration by Roboto, a 17-year-old cyborg."

Me: **dies laughing at my desk. scrambles for the keyboard.** "DONE! SEND IT!"

Brooks: "In the end, the apocalypse happens. I have one sentence. Would you like to see it?"

Me: **now thinks I should probably stop trying to drink orange juice for fear of dying by choking on liquid** "NOW"

Brooks: "Kathleen was the bossest Betty around. Even for a fullskin. All the other borgboys agreed. But, since she wasn't interested, I set my cybernetic eyes on Juliet instead."

Me: **officially can't breathe...add on to the fact that I can't breath out of my nose because I'm sick and alas...my clients are now agentless because my dead body is just lying there next to my desk.**

Brooks: "I want six figures for this, with a promise to publish my second book, a collection of erotic poems for toddlers."

For the record...I'm holding him to this concept....I want this book. Like...NOW.

**presses the inbox refresh button repeatedly**

This is also, by far, one of the BEST examples of a pitch I've EVER seen!

Short. To the point. I know what the story is about. Only thing missing is a word count (and the fact that the manuscript isn't complete).

Seriously, though, this is exactly what a pitch should be like when you pitch to an agent at a conference. It's NOT a query. Bravo, Brooks. BRAVO!

(Michelle Hodkin also blogged about this.)

~KO

Updated: What I'd Love to See in the Inbox

2011-01-26T16:28:00.001-05:00

I just finished going through several partials and queries and thought I'd take a moment to sort of revamp my list of what I'm looking to sign.

A lot of what I'm seeing is basically a story that's already been written, plopped in a different setting with different character names.

Please note that I'm open to all YA, MG, chapter books, adult romance and non-fiction; however, this is a list of what I REALLY want to see:
Young Adult
- Still looking for that YA romance from a male POV; dual POVs is fine, but the male POV has to be super realistic. Genre doesn't matter -- contemporary, sci-fi, fantasy, you name it. Male POV romance.

- Some type of cyberpunk-ish book. Something beyond TERMINATOR or MATRIX -- something that's tech-heavy yet still awesome and suspenseful.

- Thriller -- but something that's just beyond a heist or kidnapping (seeing lots of those). In order (imho) for a thriller to really work, it needs to be complex with several layers yet still with a strong vein of MC plot.

- a historical romance -- I know, you're probably like, "huh?" But I do think a YA historical romance with a strong commercial hook could do quite well. Think outside the box on this one -- I want scenery that's a little familiar yet not overdone. Think outside WWI, WWII, knights of the round table, etc.

- Apocalyptic -- not pre- or post- but actual apocalypse. The scenery is the world itself coming to an end -- something beyond a bunch of meteors falling. And definitely not 2012.

Middle Grade
- an adventure story, whether it's in our world or a fantasy one

- something with travel--new places/scenery

- a strong boy book, but something beyond 'best friends'. I'm seeing a lot of that in the slush.

- something with a technology slant -- not that it has to be written in Facebook speak...

- a steampunk middle grade

Adult romance
As long as it's unique with a strong, female heroine, I'm open to all paranormal, urban fantasy (darker, the better) and contemporary romance novels.

Women's fiction
As long as it's unique, I'm open to all contemporary women's fiction.

Non-fiction
- You must have a strong platform / be an expert in your field for me to consider your non-fiction proposal

- Something with a technology slant for teens/young adults

- Something dating related, but beyond "20 Ways to Find a Guy." If it would make for a good magazine article, it's not something I'm looking for, as I need something that works as a book.

- Something with women's issues

You might be wondering, "Hey KO, why so specific with YA, MG and NF but not with women's fiction and romance?"

Because I already have/work with clients who write YA, MG, and NF, and I'm starting to narrow what I"m currently looking for in those specific areas; however, I'm still quite open to romance and women's fiction, as I'd love to sign some authors there.

***Please note that this is just what I'm looking for as an agent. This has nothing to do with my projection on where the market is going or what the next 'big thing' might be. (though if it is and I called it, then huzzah, right? :) )

Questions? Leave 'em below!

~KO

WD Conference 2011

2011-01-26T12:41:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd post some interesting pics I found from here.

First -- it's kind of weird to see myself being Tweeted in pics by people I don't know....I now know how monkeys feel at the zoo.

I don't know the exact count, but someone said there were 500 and someone else said there were 650. I think there were just short of 60 agents there. This is the pitch slam room before they let the writers in:


That's me in the striped shirt talking with the AH-MAY-ZING Meredith Barnes That's also my Starbucks cup (Hey, a girl's gotta come prepared)

Then this is the 'after' photo from when they let everyone in the room:

That's Becky in the blue top to the left. Also known as #EvilIntern

So basically tables lined the whole room (note in bottom left corner)
Two agents per table and people just lined up to speak with them.

This is the first conference I've ever been to where they had this type of pitching system: writers line up in front of the agent they want to speak with; they have 3 minutes to pitch; and when the bell goes off, they switch. Sorta like speed dating (I assume). Typically conferences will have authors make appointments with agents; however, this was something new and different that I was happy to try.

I forget the tally (I was making check marks in a notebook), but I think I listened to about 92 pitches total in the 3 hours. I requested seven manuscripts. Not a bad ratio; however, it might have been different had I read the opening pages.

BUT

I'm very optomistic and looking forward to receiving them. *grins*

What's your best conference experience? What would YOU want most from a conference?

~KO

What Would YOU Want to Hear Me Talk About?

2011-01-24T13:17:00.000-05:00

So I'm in the process of finalizing some plans for a few conferences, and one in particular would like me to do a 50-minute intensive session on a topic for writers.

I usually have a whole list of topics; however, they've already been taken. I have a few other ideas, but it's all information that can be found on the web via blogs, Twitter and chat sessions.

So I turn to you, dear blog followers. If you got to sit in a room for 50 min with me, what would YOU want ME to talk about?

~K

Please note that topics regarding my ancestry just don't work, as I'm a tad sensitive to that whole "meteors came to Earth and wiped out everyone except for Barney, the chickens and me." (I mean really, Mother Nature? You HAD to leave Barney and the chickens? The two greatest fears in my life? Thanks.)

Topics already taken
-How to write a YA novel
-Pacing
-Self-Publishing through ebooks
-Platform building
-How to Blog
-How to Tweet
-Market Trends

Query Update: December '10

2011-01-07T13:26:00.000-05:00

As in previous posts, here are some current query numbers (note this is for both agents here at LA):

Total queries sent from December 1 - 31: 582 (down a little from November)
Queries sent with an unsolicited attachment (aka - automatic delete unread with no response):24
Queries which led to requested materials: 24 (Whoa!)

Several of you asked me to keep track of genres, trends, etc -- I can't. Way too time consuming. But what I can do is give you an eyeballed guess of what seemed to be the most popular:

YA: vampires made a comeback
MG: time travel
adult: sci-fi, specifically doctors gone mad
Several MSS seemed to be on either side of the extreme in regard to word count: i.e. 190,000 words for a YA or 3,000 words for an MG
Queries received on Christmas day: 7

If you're curious what November's numbers were, click here.

If you missed the 2010 recap, click here.

January already looks like it has more queries...it's only the 7th and just a quick glance shows just over 200 queries.

Can't wait to find something great! :-D

~KO

Vote for Cordelia Fine's "Neurosexism"!

2011-01-05T10:19:00.003-05:00

We need your vote!

Cordelia Fine coined the term 'neurosexism' and it has been chosen as a candidate for "Word of the Year 2010" by Macquarie Dictionary.

If you think that “neurosexism” is a better word than “biocentrism” (yawn) or “active ageing” (actually two words, which seems like cheating to me), then vote for it at the link below, in the Psychology section.

Note: There are MANY words here. If all you want to do is vote for this one, hit CTRL+F, type "neurosexism," click the button next to it to select, scroll down, enter your email and hit 'submit'! That's it!

Vote now by clicking here.

The esteemed Cordelia Fine, academic psychologist and writer, has been described as "that rare academic who's also an excellent writer" (Library Journal), a "cognitive neuroscientist with a sharp sense of humour and an intelligent sense of reality" (The Times), "a brilliant feminist critic of the neurosciences" (Times HES) and "a science writer to watch"(Metro).

Cordelia's latest book, Delusions of Gender: How our minds, society, and neurosexism create difference was short-listed for the prestigious John Llewellyn Rhys Prize 2010. and was named one of the best non-fiction books of 2010 by The Washington Post. She has been praised by USA Today, The New York Times, The Guardian, The London Times and more.

Cordelia's first book, A Mind of Its Own: How your brain distorts and deceives, was one of twelve books long-listed for the UK Royal Society Science prize 2007. Cordelia writes regularly for the press, and wrote the introduction for the Britannica Guide to the Brain.

Thanks to all who do vote!

~KO

2010 Roundup

2011-01-04T16:40:00.001-05:00

I know everyone did their roundups before the end of the year, but I was working with some pretty awesome people on some pretty awesome manuscripts over the holiday break...and I figured everyone would want TCUHBIP winners posted before a roundup... :)

Ergo, I present to you....

KO's 2010 roundup

(Note this is only for January 1 - November 30, 2010)

Queries

- Received: 12,819 electronic queries (note that this is for both Barbara and I -- I'll keep track of queries to me in 2011)
*While we read and reply to all paper queries, we don't keep track of how many we receive. If I were to give a rough estimate, it would be about 50 a week which comes out to about 2,600 roughly.

- Of those queries, 356 had an attachment, so they were deleted with no reply / without being read

- Requested partials: 478 (this includes manuscripts I requested for Barbara; total, about 3.7% request rate)
*Note that this does not include requested materials from the conferences I attended. But the number was low on that one -- less than 30, I'm sure. I didn't keep a tally of those.

Partials/Fulls

- Partials that turned into a full request: 87

- Partials I asked for revise/resubmit: 23

- Fulls I asked for revise/resubmit: 6

- Fulls that turned into offers of representation: 7 (5 for me; 2 for Barbara)

- Offers of rep accepted and now a client: 5 (*dances*) (3 for me; 2 for Barbara)

Sales Stats

We only recently started putting sales up on PM -- like around October.

Figures below are for KO, only.

- My first client sale: a three-book deal to Kensington

- A three-book audio deal and two stand alone title audio sales

- 62 permission sales

- 78 foreign sales

I'll still be doing the monthly roundup, and hope to have December ready by the end of this month.

Were there any other statistics you'd like to see in the future? Or on a monthly basis?

~KO

TCUHBIP Winners!

2011-01-03T19:41:00.000-05:00

CONGRATS!

Day 1: Tony Horton book: Meradeth

Day 1: Zumba book: AL Sonnichsen

Day 2: Query Critique from Mandy Hubbard: TinaLynn_

Day 3: Intern Swag Pack: Nicole Zoltack

Day 4: Ten page Critique from Victoria Marini: Liz S.

Day 5: Skype Chat on Social Media/Online Platform w/ KO and Meredith Barnes: @TabbyCatt (Abby Stevens)

Day 6: Romance Prize Pack from Nancy Coffey: Monica Vavra

Day 7: Tor Prize Pack: Jim Hill

Day 8: Skype With Liz Jote and KO: Michael G-G (random number generator chose him, I go to his blog, and he wrote SONG about the contest, LOL NICE)

Day 9: Evaluation of Online Platform: Cory Jackson

Day 10: A copy of BALANCING ACTS: Heather (click to see which one b/c I couldn't find a last name)

Day 11: Signed copy of THE DUFF: Ashelynn Sanford

Day 12: Mystery Box:

ok, so the mystery box was the only one that wasn't chosen based on a number generator. I chose the answer that was the most creative, and I must say, I couldn't breathe because I was laughing so hard after reading Jon Athmann's entry:

‘Twas the twelfth day of TCUHBIP, and behold, a box of surprise!
For her last day of gifts, KOrtizzle made us guess what’s inside.
The writers frumped and grumped, while rocking unsteady.
“JUST TELL US WHAT IT IS SO WE CAN TWEET IT ALREADY!”
But no-no-no, Miss T-Rex proclaimed.
“If you want what’s inside you will have to entertain.”
So the writers took up their quills and rolled out their sheets,
Trying to come up with a charming idea for the treats.
They floundered and pondered-up ideas for the loot.
“She keeps talking about Mango, so maybe it’s fruit?”
“I hope it’s cash for rent,” one writer said in defense.
“But a box full of meat would make so much more sense.”
The group stared and shunned him with a sigh and a snore.
“What?” he said shyly. “I honestly thought this chick was a dinosaur.”
“I got it!” One screamed as he fought for his turn.
“I bet she packed up and shipped out her #evilintern.”
“That can’t be right.” Someone huffed to exasperate.
“Plus, I heard #evilintern knows how to aparate.”
“What’s the use,” another said with a mouthful of worry.
“She’ll reject my idea just like she did for my query.”
“This is so tiring.” He grumbled through toffee cake.
“Anyone up for a 5-minute coffee break?”
Soon they all came back with caffeine and a jitter.
“Where were we?” “One second, I need to update my Twitter.”
Then they changed their status and twitted like a tweeter.
“Is anyone else sick of tweens trending about Bieber?”
“Of course!” They agreed as they got back on task.
“I bet the surprise is a portrait of Hiccup and a Toothless mask!”
“No-no-no!” They argued profusely.
“We all know it’s an autographed portrait of Gary Busey.”
They were all tired of arguing, and now feeling the aches.
“Can’t we all just agree it’s a box full of cupcakes?”
“YES!” They rejoiced and gave out a cheer.
“Merry Query to all! And to better luck next year!

Winners: Please email me at blog.kortizzle(at)gmail.com with your prize in the subject line and your contact info (address for book winners; email for critique winners). I'll forward your info to the correct person for prize redemption.

Congrats to all! Prizes will be sent out next week if you won a book; if you won a chat, I'll set up a date/time for you; and if you won a critique, please allow the agent through February 1 to get back to you.

Thanks for following and participating! This was great fun!

:)

~KO

**Winners were chosen by adding up Tweets (tracked via bit.ly) and comments and using a random number generator.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2011-01-03T19:09:00.002-05:00

Setting: Florida
Characters: My sister, EMO and the family.
Time: Just before dinner.

EMO: "Hey KO, I have your birthday present!"

KO: "Huzzah!"

EMO: *sets up laptop*

KO: *eyebrow raised*

EMO: *presses button*

KO: *jaw drops*

30 seconds later....

KO: *sniffles*

Five seconds later...

KO: *bursts into tears*

halfway through....

KO: "I'm gonna &%*^ you up, EMO!"

End of video...

KO: "Ok. I won't &%*^ you up. Because that was the nicest thing anyone's ever done."

EMO: Will you post it?!?!??!!

KO: *sighs* *ponders really embarrassing part* *sighs* Yes.

(in the event the video doesn't work, click here)

Thank you to my fabulous clients, Jaime, Dawn, Jenn and Sarah, as well as my ah-may-zing sister EMO!

This was really the best way to round out 2010.

~KO

Find Me Online

2011-01-01T14:44:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Contests / Chats

TBA

Online Sightings

Points of Claire-ification (Agent Interview)
November 2010

YA Highway -- NeoAgent Interview
November 2010

Women on Writing
Summer Flash Fiction Contest 2010

Agent Spotlight
May 2010

Secret Agent
May 2010

Do the Write Thing for Nashville
May 2010

YA Highway Interview
March 2010

Query Blunders
March 2010

Publishing Tips: The Movie
YA Highway - March 2010

Literary Agents Open Up on Twitter
LA Times - January 2010

Wish List

2011-01-01T14:43:00.003-05:00

I tend to skew toward darker/edgy YA. I'd love to see a YA romance from a male POV. I'm all about an authentic teen voice.
Still looking for an awesome thriller -- a true thriller with the countdown element and preferably high tech or at least of this world (aka no paranormal elements)
A story set within another culture, whether it be contemporary or historical, within the US or outside of it -- think a YA version of MEMOIR OF A GEISHA or ANNA AND THE KING or BLOOD DIAMOND.
A lovely YA historical with a strong commercial twist -- and by commercial I mean speculative (but not paranormal) or a very strong, suspenseful plot to keep me going.

Middle Grade

I'm interested in only older MG at this time.
Something like a cool, darker twist on LABYRINTH or NEVERENDING STORY (world building, not necessarily 'world in a book') would be fantastic.

Non-fiction (YA or adult):

Something different than what's already out there. Not really into "how to find the perfect guy" or "how to apply makeup" or "100 awesome things of being a teen."
Anything with technology, pop-culture, entertainment or women's issues is a bonus.
You must have a strong platform or be considered an expert in your field for me to consider a non-fiction project.*

Clients

2011-01-01T14:42:00.002-05:00

I have a fabulous list of clients, and I'm looking to sign some more! Check out their blogs/Twitter accounts to see what they're up to:

Jaime Reed -- @Jaime_Reed
Dawn Rae Miller -- @DawnRaeMiller
Sarah Fine -- @FineSarah
Dan Haring -- @DanHaring
Bree Hester -- @BakedBree
Sarah Marino (illustrator) -- @SarahMarino
Patricia Rushford

Agenting

2011-01-01T14:40:00.002-05:00

As a former online editor and interactive designer, I use my experience in online marketing to help authors build their communities and promote themselves and their books. I look past the pages of a story and think of ways to help authors reach more readers so they can interact with the characters and their world.

As subrights director, I handle foreign, audio and digital rights for the agency. I have an intimate list of clients, with Jaime Reed's debut YA paranormal romance, LIVING VIOLET, book one of the Cambion Chronicles, coming out by Kensington in January 2012.

I am currently closed to submissions (except conference requests) until August 1, 2011.

Conferences (to be updated regularly)

2011-01-01T14:20:00.009-05:00

Find Me in 2012

Bologna Children's Bookfair
March 19-22 Bologna, Italy

Houston SCBWI
March 30 - April 1

LDS Storymakers Conference
May 3-5 Provo, Utah

Book Expo America
June 5-7 NYC

Continue to check back for updates. If you'd like me to speak / sit on a panel at a conference, click the contact me link on the left.

Past Conferences

Jubilee Jambalaya Writers' Conference
Houma,LA

CT RWA Fiction Fest
Meriden, CT

Spring Backspace Writers' Conference
New York City

Write On Con
FREE online writers' conference

Rutger's University Council on Children's Literature
Piscataway, NJ

Winter Backspace Writers' Conference
New York City

Writers Digest Writers Conference
NYC

Missouri Writers' Guild Conference
St. Louis, MO

Writers League of Texas: YA A-Z Conference

Austin, TX

Northeast Texas Writers Conference
Lake Bob Sandlin, TX

Penn Writers Conference

Pittsburgh, PA

Book Expo America
NYC

Backspace Writers Conference
NYC

Wisconsin RWA Write TouchConference
Brookfield, WI

Writers League of Texas Conference

Austin, TX

In Your Write Mind Writers Conference
Seton Hill, PA

RWA National Conference
NYC

Midwest Writers Workshop
Muncie, IN

Killer Nashville Conference
Nashville, TN

Surrey International Writers Conference
Surrey, BC

NCTE Annual Convention
Chicago, IL

About Me

2011-01-01T13:58:00.000-05:00

As a former online editor and interactive designer, I use my experience in online marketing to help authors build their communities and promote themselves and their books. I look past the pages of a story and think of ways to help authors reach more readers so they can interact with the characters and their world.

As subrights director, I handle foreign, audio and digital rights for the agency. I have an intimate list of clients, with Jaime Reed's debut YA paranormal romance, LIVING VIOLET, book one of the Cambion Chronicles, coming out by Kensington in January 2012.

I am currently closed to submissions (except conference requests) until August 1, 2011.

On the TWELFTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

2010-12-22T10:09:00.002-05:00

....a MYSTERY BOX to you from me!

I know, I know. Could I be any more vague?

But seriously...it's a box...with awesome stuff.

How do I know it's awesome?

Because I said so, that's why ;-)

Items that could (but are not guaranteed to be) in the mystery box:

Certificate for a query critique
Books
Certificate for a Skype session to ask me anything
Books
Certificate for a partial critique
Books
~~Janet Reid~~ More books
Play-Doh
~~Mango the Cat~~ More books
Coal
More books (do you see a trend?)
Certificate for an ARC of your choice (if I have it on hand)
Nothing
~~Beck, The Intern~~ More books

Ok. I can guarantee you won't get an empty box, at least, lol. But I will say there will be at least four different items, all of which I'm sure you'll enjoy.

If you're already agented, then I'll tailor the box around that (i.e. it won't have a query critique if I was planning on putting one in there). If you hate to read, ~~I won't put any books in there~~ then you shouldn't be entering.

How to Enter
Tweet or leave a comment w/ your guess as to what's in the MYSTERY BOX. The catch? It has to be funny. Because I like to laugh and others like to laugh.
The craziest/funniest entry wins! (the other contests have been decided based on a random number generator)

1."It's a (Item here) ! http://bit.ly/ffOHiF #TCUHBIP" You MUST have the hash tag so i can find your entry! (or my @name -- but you can omit the @ name if you have the hash tag)

or
2. Leave a comment below with your craziest/funniest guess.
This contest is open to both domestic and international participants.

Contest will run from 10 a.m. - 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday December 22

GOOD LUCK!!! Thanks to all who have participated over the past week and a half!

I'll be blogging an end-of-the-year post tomorrow with winners, stats and more.

Happy holidays!

~KO

On the ELEVENTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

2010-12-21T11:19:00.004-05:00

...a SIGNED copy of THE DUFF from Kody!

There's a little backstory involved here.....

See, I made a bet with Kody about BEA (if you don't remember, click here to see photos of me...in pink).

And she was supposed to sing RAINBOW BRITE on YouTube.

So she was here this summer, and we met up. I recorded her singing (three times, because my MacBook kept messing up), and she was AH-MAY-ZING.

But then my MacBook decided to give me the finger around October. I ran out of space. So I transferred files to my portable hard drive, and after much searching, cannot find said video.

Trust me -- NOTHING in this world would make me happier than to post a video of Kody singing RAINBOW BRITE (I wore pink, for crying out loud). But alas, it's not going to happen today. *hangs head*

SO

My intention was to debut the video with this giveaway, but that's obviously not going to happen *wails*

But I STILL LOVE KODY and want to do this giveaway, since she was kind enough to sign a few copies of THE DUFF for me the last time she was in town.

Poppy '10

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Kody Keplinger

     Kody was born and raised in rural western Kentucky, where she attended high school and began writing her first long pieces of fiction. She wrote THE DUFF during her senior year at McLean County High.
     Kody is now nineteen and attending Ithaca College in New York where she's majoring in writing and finishing her second novel to be published by Poppy in Fall 2011.
    She loves books, converse tennis shoes, New York City, and popular TV teen dramas. When she isn't writing, she's spending time with her friends and, most likely, doing piles and piles of homework she has neglected.
     Kody is a contributor to the writing blog YA Highway and a member of the contemporary, realistic YA fiction group The Contemps.
     You can also follow Kody on Twitter.

ANDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

That's not where it ends! Kody's latest sale was just announced this month!

Nineteen-year-old Duff author Kody Keplinger's LUSTSTRUCK, a contemporary reimagining of the Greek play "Lysistrata," that explores the issues of teen sexuality as high school senior Lissa decides it's time to end her school's ridiculous sports rivalry once and for all with a hook-up strike, to Kate Sullivan at Poppy, for publication in Fall 2011, by Joanna Volpe at Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation (World).

Huzzah for Kody!

If you need ANY other type of convincing as to whether or not you want a copy of THE DUFF (because my telling you isn't enough? come on!), check out Jaime Reed's hilarious review here.

The Prize

A signed hardcover copy of THE DUFF and some DUFF bookmarks!

How to Enter

1. Your must follow me and Kody on Twitter and Tweet "Hey @Kody_Keplinger! Tell @KOrtizzle to give me THE DUFF! http://bit.ly/efpHjI #TCUHBIP"

or

2. Leave a comment below stating why YOU'RE a DUFF.

This contest is open to both domestic participants, only

Contest will run from 10 a.m. - 11:59 p.m. EST on Tuesday December 21

GOOD LUCK!!!

~KO

On the TENTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

2010-12-20T08:45:00.003-05:00

....a copy of BALANCING ACTS by Zoe Fishman!

(I've given up on the rhyming....)

Zoe grew up in Mobile, Alabama. As a wee one, she would walk home from school and talk to herself as she verbally mapped out Barbie and Ken’s upcoming altercation(s) with Skipper. She loved homework and cleaning. She was wild!

Later, she attended Boston University, where she spent her time destroying her teeth with Swedish Fish and explaining to her peers that people actually did wear shoes in Alabama.

After college, she arrived in New York with nary a clue and an inflated sense of self-importance. Her first apartment was dubbed ‘Wild Kingdom’ because of her mouse, roach and pigeon roommates. She took a job in book publishing and, despite a brief foray into the world of web writing - touting luxury goods out of a beige office with bad carpeting in Chelsea and writing horoscopes based on planet formations from Iceland (best job ever, by the way) – never looked back.

Today, Zoe is the Foreign Rights Director and an agent for The Nancy Yost Literary Agency. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, whom she met on the subway after four plus years of trying to get up the nerve to say hello to him.Balancing Acts is her first novel.

For these four friends, yoga is just the beginning...

Fans of The Friday Night Knitting Cluband Girls in Trucks will welcome this charming and moving novel about four women—10 years after their college graduation and in the midst of life crises—who help each other balance their former dreams with their present lives through the power of yoga and friendship.

Charlie seemed to have it all—beauty, brains and a high-paying Wall Street job far away from her simple Midwest upbringing. Then, in the middle of her “quarter life crisis,” she decides that the banker’s life isn’t what she wanted after all, quits her job and opens her own yoga studio in Brooklyn. But like any new business, finding customers is an uphill battle. When she hears about her college’s alumni night, she straps on her best salesman smile and invades midtown -determined to drum up some business.

Unexpectedly, she reconnects with three college classmates—women who, like Charlie, haven’t ended u quite where they wanted to in life. Sabine, a romance book editor, still longs to write the novel brewing inside of her. Naomi, a child of the Upper East Side, was an up-and-coming photographer and social darling, but now is a single mom who hasn’t picked up her camera in years. Bess, a California girl trying to make it in New York dreams of being the next Christiane Amanpour, but instead finds herself writing snarky captions for a gossip mag, which is neither satisfying nor rewarding. When Charlie, who has her own past to contend with, signs them up for a weekly beginner’s yoga class, they become all too aware of the lack of balance in their lives. Each has to dig deep and fight their inner demons to reconnect with what they truly want out of life.

With wit and sensitivity, debut author Zoe Fishman perfectly captures the poignancy, humor, and promise in these four women's lives. Balancing Acts is a sincere look at what happens when you’re ten years out of college but feel 100 years from who you once were.

How to Enter

1. Your must follow me on Twitter and Tweet "I want the copy of BALANCING ACTS, @KOrtizzle! http://bit.ly/dUiRwK #TCUHBIP"

or

2. Leave a comment below stating you'd like the copy of BALANCING ACTS

This contest is open to both domestic participants, only

Contest will run from 10 a.m. - 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday December 20

GOOD LUCK!!!

~KO

(Last week's winners will be posted later this PM)

On the NINTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

2010-12-17T10:16:00.004-05:00

...an evaluation of your online platform (for free).

So today's prize is (in my opinion) much, MUCH more suited for agented authors or published authors; however, it's open to everyone.

Basically I'll ask the winner to send me their web site and/or all links of their social media outlets. I'll evaluate it from a professional standpoint and essentially give you a report that an online marketing firm would give you if you were to request this service (and most firms charge anywhere from $500-$1,000 for this service). I'll tell you what I think should be changed and how to fix it / improve it.

In addition to my bio on my web site, I've also worked with improving the online presence of a handful of local magazines in Florida to improve their online presence, as well as a few indie bands, a couple of private high schools and several of our agency's authors. I work regularly with marketing firms whom have been contracted by our authors, so I know exactly what they put in these reports and am happy to help the winning author improve their online presence.

How to Enter

1. Your must follow me on Twitter and Tweet "Please evaluate my online presence, @KOrtizzle! http://bit.ly/fVj1Vw #TCUHBIP"

or
2. You must write a blog post about this contest on your own blog and then leave the link in the comments so I can find it (or if you don't have a blog, leave it in a form that won't boot you for leaving links).

This contest is open to both domestic and international participants
Contest will run from 10 a.m. - 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday December 17

GOOD LUCK!!!
~KO

On the EIGHTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

2010-12-16T08:43:00.003-05:00

...a 20-minute Skype chat with agents Kathleen Ortiz and Liz Jote!

Liz!

Elizabeth Jote began her publishing career at Carol Mann Agency before joining Objective Entertainment. She has helped shape the manuscripts of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and developed concepts for bestselling authors while cultivating her own list of cutting-edge clients. She is most interested in commercial fiction (women's fiction, thrillers, mysteries, young adult and multicultural books), narrative non-fiction and graphic novels. When she isn't obsessively studying and pontificating about what's going on in the zeitgeist, she can be found sipping unfortunate amounts of coffee while reading your manuscript and saving stray kittens.

Tired of my face pic...

Kathleen Ortiz began her publishing career as an intern with Fine Print Literary, Nancy Coffey Literary and Media Representation and the Caren Johnson Literary Agency. She then moved on to Lowenstein Associates as an assistant and is now Foreign Rights and Audio manager as well as an Associate Agent. She is most interested in children's books (specifically chapter books, middle grade and young adult), contemporary women's fiction, romance (paranormal or urban fantasy) and non-fiction (specifically entertainment, women's issues and technology). When she isn't reading your manuscript, she can be found tackling her last semester in graduate school, drinking (what should be) illegal amounts of red eyed chais and teaching her sister's cat, Mango, how to sit (true story -- we've moved on to 'lay down'. Not quite sure 'shake' will ever happen.). Contrary to popular belief, she does not have green skin.

Both Liz and Kathleen host NeoAgent, a publishing podcast series which can be found on iTunes.

(I owe you guys a post, which I hope to put up on Friday -- it's been a busy month!)

The Prize

A 20-minute Skype chat with both of us! Ask us anything you'd like relating to publishing, and you'll get two agents' perspectives on it. (This will be scheduled for after the New Year)

How to Enter

1. Your must follow @GloriousPaper on Twitter and Tweet "I wanna SKYPE with agents @GloriousPaper and @KOrtizzle! http://bit.ly/hvLvcl #TCUHBIP"

2. You must write a blog post about this contest on your own blog and then leave the link in the comments so I can find it.

This contest is open to both domestic and international participants

Contest will run from 8:45 a.m. - 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday December 16

GOOD LUCK!!!

~KO

On the SEVENTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

2010-12-15T10:42:00.003-05:00

...a Tor prize pack for you from me!
(ok, rhyming is getting more difficult)

Today's prize pack includes three recent Tor releases!


Tor - Aug. '10

Tor - Aug '10

Oct '10

How to Enter

1. Your must follow @TorBooks on Twitter and Tweet "Hey @KOrtizzle! Gimmee the @TorBooks prize pack, PULEASE! http://bit.ly/hUmUJZ #TCUHBIP"

2. Leave a comment below telling me what YOUR favorite Tor book is and why! (adult or YA, either will work) and link this to your own blog.

This contest is open only to participants in the U.S.

Contest will run from 10:00 a.m. - 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday December 15

GOOD LUCK!!!

~KO

On the SIXTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

2010-12-14T09:13:00.003-05:00

...a romance prize pack from "The Godmother of Historical Romance" Nancy Coffey!

Nancy Coffey has been called the "Godmother of Historical Romance," as the editor who started it all with a little novel called THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER by Kathleen Woodiwiss -- which in its first six years in print sold more than 4.5 million copies (in the 70s!) and is still in print 40 years later.

Since then, Nancy's worked with bestselling authors such as Rosemary Rogers, Beatrice Small, Lavyrle Spencer, and Colleen McCullogh to name a few. She continues to cultivate new talent in the genre to this day with authors like Christine Blevins and Kaki Warner.

Today's prize pack includes five amazing romance novels, including the legendary THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER!

How to Enter

1. Your must follow (via RSS feed or blogger or other way) Coffey, Tea and Literary, Nancy's agency's blog.

2a. Tweet "Hey @KOrtizzle! I'd love the romance prize pack from NCLA! http://bit.ly/espnDZ #TCUHBIP"

2b. Leave a comment below.

This contest is open only to participants in the U.S.

Contest will run from 10:00 a.m. - 11:59 p.m. EST on Tuesday December 14

GOOD LUCK!!!

~KO

This contest is now CLOSED.

TCUHBIP Days 1-4 Winners!

2010-12-13T17:00:00.002-05:00

CONGRATS!

Day 1: Tony Horton book: Meradeth

Day 1: Zumba book: AL Sonnichsen

Day 2: Query Critique from Mandy Hubbard: TinaLynn_

Day 3: Intern Swag Pack: Nicole Zoltack

Day 4: Ten page Critique from Victoria Marini: Liz S.

Congrats to all! Days 5-8 winners will be posted this Friday by 5 p.m.

Keep on entering! Much, much more to give away!!

:)

~KO

**Winners were chosen by adding up Tweets (tracked via bit.ly) and comments and using a random number generator.

On the FIFTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

2010-12-13T09:02:00.003-05:00

.... a 20-minute Skype chat with Meredith Barnes and Kathleen Ortiz on your Social Media platform and online marketing!
(Ask any Qs you'd like)

(Great for all writers, whether you're unagented, agented, published or not yet published!)

(that was the best I could do in terms of rhyming)

So the amazing Mer-bear is pretty awesome when it comes to knowledge of the online universe, apps and such. She offered up this prize, which I think is a fantastic idea and am so thrilled to partner up with her!

Meredith and "The Feather"

Who IS the Mer-bear?

Meredith Barnes came to FinePrint in the 2010 intern class and was quickly snagged by Janet Reid to be her familiar. At present, she is learning to drink scotch without ice cubes and stalk Jack Reacher.

We frequently sword fight over books
(I just found out this pic was posted on the
Bloomsbury Facebook page. Oy)

How to Enter

You must follow Meredith (@Mer_Barnes) on Twitter and Tweet "I wanna Skype with @KOrtizzle and @Mer_Barnes http://bit.ly/ibfH2k #TCUHBIP #SocialMediaFTW"

or

Leave a comment below describing why YOU think you should get the opportunity to Skype with us.

This contest is open to both domestic and international participants! :)

Contest will run from 9:00 a.m. - 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday December 13

***This contest is now closed***

On the FOURTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

2010-12-10T09:19:00.005-05:00

...a ten-page manuscript critique from agent

Victoria Marini!

The Lovely Tori!

I’m from rural Pennsylvania originally and moved to New York in 2003. I started as an Agency Assistant with Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents Inc. in 2008 and I’m working on building a diverse and talented client list. I’m looking for Young Adult, commercial adult fiction, mysteries, creative nonfiction, memoir, pop culture and humor. I have a thing for myth, high school, paranormal, supernatural, ghosts, gothic, noir, and general mayhem. Above all, I’m looking for anything with an engaging voice, compelling narrative and authentic characters… and a commercial hook always helps

How to Enter

1. Your manuscript MUST be in one of the following genres: Young Adult, commercial adult fiction, mysteries, creative nonfiction, memoir, pop culture and humor.

2a. You must follow Tori (@tor_intheory) on Twitter and Tweet "Hey @KOrtizzle! I'd love the 10 pg crit from @tor_intheory! http://bit.ly/h0yCZA #TCUHBIP"

or
2b. Leave a comment below stating the CRAZIEST holiday experience you've ever had and the genre of the MS You want critiqued.

This contest is open to both domestic and international participants! :)

Contest will run from 10:00 a.m. - 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday December 10

GOOD LUCK!!! :)
~KO

***Contest is now CLOSED. Winners will be announced Monday morning.***

Query Update: November

2010-12-09T16:22:00.000-05:00

As in previous posts, here are some current query numbers (note this is for both agents here at LA):

Total queries sent from November 1 - 30: 881 (down a little from Oct; probably because of NaNoWriMo)
Queries sent with an unsolicited attachment (aka - automatic delete unread with no response): 11
Queries which led to requested materials: 22 (Whoa!)
****Queries which led to requested materials which led to an offer of representation: 1 (YAY!)

I won't be posting December's results until around mid to late January. I'll do a Jan-Nov recap at some point this month, though.

If you're curious what October's numbers were, click here.

Anyone want to take a guess at December's numbers? I haven't looked yet.....though I'm hoping to at least get through all queries through December 20 before I leave for the holidays. After that, you'll have to wait until after the New Year.

~KO

On the THIRD day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

2010-12-09T10:24:00.004-05:00

...a Comic-Con swag pack from our intern Becky!

So our super-amazing intern of awesome, Becky, knew about this contest and VOLUNTEERED to give some swag from comic-con!!!

She's kind of amazing (and I dub her the #evilintern on Twitter for picking on me at times -- hehe -- so if you follow that hash tag, you may see some amusing Tweets).

You should follow her on Twitter. She's pretty hilarious and super sweet and just this package of amazingness and intelligent.

Anyway...

The prizes:

On the SECOND day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to ME...

2010-12-08T08:53:00.006-05:00

a critique from Mandy Hubbard for your Query!

(I'm trying to stick with the rhyming, give me a break)

Mandy Hubbard is a literary agent for D4EO Literary, where she represents authors of middle grade and teen fiction. She is also the author of Prada & Prejudice (Penguin 2009), You Wish (Penguin 2010), and four other to-be-published novels for teens.

This is an excellent opportunity to not only get your query critiqued, but also to have a chance to show Mandy how awesome your story is -- I'm sure if she likes the pitch, she'll pounce on it and ask to read!

How to Enter

1. Mandy is only open to Young Adult or Middle Grade manuscripts at this time. Please ensure your query is for one of these age groups, only.

2. You must be a follower of either Mandy's Twitter or blog.

3. Leave a comment below (only ONE blog comment entry per person) OR Tweet "Hey @KOrtizzle! I have a (MG or YA <---choose ONE, only) for @MandyHubbard. http://bit.ly/dRsm3c #TCUHBIP " (as many Tweets as you like).

This contest is open to both domestic and international writers!

Contest runs from Wednesday December 8 at 9 a.m. to Wednesday December 8 at 11:59 p.m. EST

Good luck everyone!

~KO

***Contest is now CLOSED. Winners will be announced Monday morning.***

On the FIRST day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to ME...

2010-12-07T08:58:00.003-05:00

...a health pack so I can stay healthy!

According to Cigna.com, nearly 70% of Americans

resolve to lose weight at New Year's. So I thought, why

not have a prize pack that will help you reach your goal?

Prize: Two lucky people will win their choice of either:

ZUMBA: Ditch the Workout! Join the Party!

by Beto Perez, creator of Zumba, an exercise program that incorporates Latin music and dance! As of October 2010, there are 90,000 locations across more than 110 countries which offer Zumba classes.

BRING IT!: The Revolutionary Fitness Plan for All Levels That

Burns Fat, Builds Muscle, and Shreds Inches

by Tony Horton, creator of the P90X and Ten-Minute Trainer, which have been designed to guarantee you'll never plateau during your weight loss regiments!

Both winners will receive one copy of the book they chose, as well as a nifty NYC water bottle and gym towel! :)

How to enter:

Via the blog comments: If you comment on the blog, just tell me which prize pack you want (only one!). You may enter only once on the blog.

Via Twitter: If you Tweet your entry, you must Tweet the following:

"Hey @KOrtizzle! I want the (@zumba OR @Tony_Horton <-- choose ONE, only please) prize pack, please! http://bit.ly/euZy0i #TCUHBIP "

You may enter as many times as you like via Twitter.

Contest runs from 9 a.m., Tuesday December 7 to 11:59 p.m. EST, Tuesday December 7.

Unfortunately today's prize is not open to international contestants (I have some stuff that you CAN compete for later this week!)

Good luck!

~KO

***Contest is now CLOSED. Winners will be announced Wednesday afternoon.***

November Genres

2010-12-02T13:10:00.005-05:00

So remember that blog post where I asked which genre you thought was the most queried in November? Your options were historical, urban fantasy, sci-fi or contemporary.

Well...it's somewhat split. I didn't keep exact numbers, but from just looking at everything and remembering what sticks out most, it's a definite win for the historicals with sci-fi and urban fantasy coming up in a close second and third.

I actually do enjoy historicals very much; however, if you're going to pitch a project in that genre, make sure it has a really great commercial hook. What do I mean? Well especially in YA and MG, you have to have a plot or character that the teen or child can relate with. Let's say you have a book set in the 1800s about a family who journeys out west. Great. I love that sort of thing (Um, hello awesomeness known as Oregon Trail). But unless you have some type of mystery element or really strong romance or even a touch of fantasy, it's not going to appeal to that age group.

Think about it -- when you played Oregon Trail as a
kid (or if your kids played it as a kid), what was your favorite part? do you seriously recollect the enjoyment from learning dates and names and facts? Probably not. You either loved killing off some animals or making sure your family survived. (If you actually enjoyed having to ford the river, then...sorry. I dunno what to say to that.) The video game's purpose was to educate; however, had it not had those awesome interactive/entertaining aspects (die buffalo die*) then it probably would not have been anywhere NEAR as entertaining for kids.

Same thing with books. I do genuinely believe a good YA historical can work. You just have to find that commercial hook. The one thing that's going to keep that kid/teen engaged and turning the pages.

Was it what you thought it would be?

*I swear I love animals...but it's Oregon Trail...c'mon....
**Still working through November queries, so if you haven't heard from me, don't worry! :)

Holiday of AWESOME Giveaway! - TCUHBIP! (Say what? Bless you?)

2010-12-01T17:53:00.005-05:00

So, I'm not sure if anyone has spilled the secret yet, but I'm a huge fan of the

holidays


Christmas at my parents' house - 2009 (there were about 25 of us and yes there are gifts stuffed under and behind the tree #SuperCrazyChoas)

So regardless of which December holiday YOU celebrate, there is something here for you!

Are you a writer? I have a prize for you.

Are you just a book fan? Prize for you, too.

Nosy blog reader who hates books? Ehh....*walks away slowly*

Seriously, though, regardless of whether you're a published or unpublished author, still working on that manuscript, OR just a fan of reading with no desire of writing, there is a prize for you.

Just shut up, Kathleen, and get to the part where

we figure out the deets.

So I'm officially dubbing this the *ahem* "The Countdown Until Holiday Break in Publishing," which shall be shortened to TCUHBIP (pronounced -- 'teh-kuh-bip').

I'll be counting down the 12 (work) days until publishing closes for the holidays (at least for our office), beginning Tuesday December 7 and ending Wednesday December 22.

Every single day at 9 a.m. there will be a different prize*, some for writers, some for non-writers, some for everyone. Totally depends on which ones I decide to post! Contest for each day closes at 11:59 p.m. EST that same day. Winners are announced by the end of each week.

Yup -- there are not one, not two, not ten,

but TWELVE prize packs!!

For the most part, every prize will have the same guidelines that will require commenting on the blog or Tweeting -- no worries, not both.

So why am I telling you a week in advance? Because these prizes are so made of AWESOME that you should stay tuned each day to see if it's something YOU really want! You can enter in as many of the contests as you'd like! Just watch for contest entry guidelines each day.

Why am I doing this? Because I like trying out new things and pushing boundaries, and this seems to be something awesome that can benefit everyone involved. So why not give it a whirl, right? :)

Leave your questions in the comments, and if it applies to the contest, I'll add edits here as I see them.

~KO

*Prizes include (though not a full list because I need SOME surprises): Skype chats, critiques, free (lots of) free free FREE books (all genres / age groups), random presents, and more!

**Edit: I'll try to post which prizes are open for international participants. Unfortunately I can't mail ARCs and certain books overseas :-( But there WILL be other prizes which allow me to do so! :)

Queries / Partials Update

2010-11-18T18:20:00.002-05:00

I have replied to all queries sent before November 2. If you did not receive a request or rejection, please check to see if it's in your spam folder or check to see if you followed submission guidelines (i.e. if you sent an unsolicited attachment, etc, then it was deleted without being opened).

If you followed sub guidelines and did not receive a response, please resubmit using the submission guidelines on LowensteinAssociates.com.

I have replied to all partials requested before September 4. If you did not receive a request for a full or a rejection, please check to see if it's in your spam folder. If you still don't see a response, please follow up and I'll be happy to see where your response went :)

Off to read some more, but let's do a little blog interaction:

Which YA genre do you think seems to be my most submitted for the month of November? I know I'm only on November 2, but it looks like I can already tell what it is.

Hint: it's not paranormal.

A) Urban Fantasy

My baby girl, Morgan! :-) She's the cutest.

B) Sci-fi
C) Contemporary
D) Historical

Leave your answers below, and I'll let you know which one it is when I post my stats in December!

And since I like an image in most blog posts, I'll leave one that will (~~hopefully~~ definitely) bring a smile to your face.

~KO

NeoAgent YAHighway Interview

2010-11-18T08:51:00.000-05:00

Look at that. One day after posting that I'd be back after Thanksgiving, I post again. Oy.

:)

But it's to direct you to Liz and my first NeoAgent interview. Check it out here and a huge thanks to the lovely ladies at YAHighway!

Have YOU searched for NeoAgent on iTunes yet? What do YOU want to hear from US?

~KO

I'm thankful for...

2010-11-17T15:16:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

...my family, who are always there and make me giggle -- and also remind me of where I come from and encourage me with where I'm going.

...my friends, who are always there to encourage me and make me chuckle -- and also remind me that no matter how hard I try, my tiny green TRex arms will never reach the keyboard. (Go team YAYA)

...my mentors, who believed in me enough to give me my start in the industry --- and also encourage me and cheer me on on a day-by-day basis.

...my clients, who are beyond amazing people and incredible authors -- and who are the reason I wake up
every morning excited and ready to go to the office.

...the intern, who always comes into the office with a smile on her face and cracks me up. :-)

...YOU. For following the blog and Twitter and bringing smiles to my face for your awesome comments and wit.

Thanksgiving 2011

And on a very serious note, I'd just like to say that this tshirt is AWESOME and I fully intend to purchase it for next year's festivities.

*grins*

Happy Thanksgiving! What are YOU thankful for this year?

~KO

P.S. I know I'm a week early, but I (most likely) won't be posting again until December 1, soooooooo figured I'd wish everyone a happy holidays now :-D

Query Update: October

2010-11-14T22:39:00.002-05:00

As in previous posts, here are some current query numbers (note this is for both agents here at LA):

Total queries sent from October 1 - 31: 962
Queries sent with an unsolicited attachment (aka - automatic delete unread with no response): 8 (this is a HUGE drop from the 53 from last month! *dances*)
Queries which led to requested materials: 12 (down by half -- but we received fewer queries, and as like last month -- I felt that there was a lot of the same story. Time travel seemed to be October's theme -- I'm not against it, but I didn't find the right story for me. Would love to see one, though!)

I'm hoping to post again with the November's numbers (I'm at November 1 right now).

If you're curious what September's numbers were, click here.

I'm expecting November's numbers to be much lower since so many people are NaNoWriMo-ing it up this month; however, I could be wrong. What do you think?

~KO

NaNoWriMo

2010-11-10T16:09:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy NANOWRIMO! I know you guys are furiously typing away, and I look forward to reading some FANTASTIC manuscripts in FEB and MARCH (because of course you're going to put it aside, enjoy the holidays, come back to beta /edit, put it aside again and then query me, right?)

:)

What's your NANOWRIMO schedule like? Do you write every day? Once a week? On weekends?

~KO

NeoAgent Podcast Series

2010-11-09T12:05:00.000-05:00

So Liz Jote and I have been working on this AWESOME new series for everyone.

We figured there are blogs and vlogs --- and while they're informative, there's not really something you can listen to on the go.

So...I'm thrilled to introduce the new NeoAgent podcast, which may be found both at this link or on iTunes (just search for NeoAgent in the iTunes store -- it's free!)

Check it out, and let us know what you think!

~KO

Which TWO other qualities would you want most in an agnet?
	They have to have knowledge in eBooks
	They have to have knowledge in online marketing
	They have to have a positive / good online presence
	They have to accept email queries
	They have to have a huge track record of sales

pollcode.com free polls


Read more here. (This is a really AWESOME prize for ANY ERAGON fan)


Super awesome Intern is also a super awesome talented artist. She's offered up to make THREE bookplates with ANY character and a personalized name. It won't be done in time for the holidays, but it's still a cute gift. Bonus points if you know these characters :)


Learn to draw the comic version of Buffy!

Kathleen Ortiz

Happy 2012!!

On the THIRD day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to ME...

Days 1 & 2 Winners! TCUHBIP

@Sarah_Nicolas

Lee (from the blog comments)

@PatriciaERiley (from Twitter) (from the blog comments)

@PatriciaERiley (from Twitter)

(from the blog comments)

On the SECOND day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to ME...

On the FIRST day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to ME...

Book Birthdays, Tweet Chats, Contests and MOREEEEE

I'm BACK

Different Roads to Publication: Ghostwriting

Why I Agent...

How-to: Crafting a Query for FICTION (a.k.a. your first impression)

OFFICIALLY OPEN FOR QUERIES! :D

100,001 reasons to buy TORN...TODAY...

Author Web Sites: The Basics

If you're not communicating online with your audience...

WSJ

Thesis Wrap Up / NeoAgent / Contest Winner / etc

*hangs up BRB sign*

So, pretty sweet news....

COUNTDOWN to the LIVE #NeoAgent Q&A

Evil Thesis Pt 3: Final Poll

*LIVE* Neo Agent Chat!

Evil Thesis Pt 2 -- Blogger Poll

Query Update: February '11 (...and a proud sister moment)

3K Giveaway Winner!

New Layout

**Query Hiatus**

3K Giveaway!

Evil Thesis Pt. 1 -- Research

Write Hope 2011

Just. Wow.

Just Another Manic Monday

Twitter Thoughts and Insanely Awesome New Technology

Query Update: January '11

Project Alice

Twitter Challenge -- Best. Thing. Eva.

SMW Pt 2 -- Social Books

FAQs Answered

SMW Pt. 1 - Beyond Blogging

Embrace Change -- Don't Fight the eBook Pt. 1

How to Pitch a Manuscript, CORRECTLY

Updated: What I'd Love to See in the Inbox

WD Conference 2011

What Would YOU Want to Hear Me Talk About?

Query Update: December '10

Vote for Cordelia Fine's "Neurosexism"!

2010 Roundup

TCUHBIP Winners!

CONGRATS!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Find Me Online

Upcoming Contests / Chats

Online Sightings

Wish List

Clients

Agenting

Conferences (to be updated regularly)

Find Me in 2012

Bologna Children's Bookfair March 19-22 Bologna, Italy

Houston SCBWIMarch 30 - April 1

LDS Storymakers ConferenceMay 3-5 Provo, Utah

Book Expo AmericaJune 5-7 NYC

Past Conferences

About Me

On the TWELFTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

On the ELEVENTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

On the TENTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

On the NINTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

On the EIGHTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

On the SEVENTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

On the SIXTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

TCUHBIP Days 1-4 Winners!

On the FIFTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

On the FOURTH day of TCUHBIP, KOrtizzle gave to me......

Query Update: November

@PatriciaERiley (from Twitter)
(from the blog comments)

hangs up BRB sign

LIVE Neo Agent Chat!

Query Hiatus

Bologna Children's Bookfair
March 19-22 Bologna, Italy

Houston SCBWI
March 30 - April 1

LDS Storymakers Conference
May 3-5 Provo, Utah

Book Expo America
June 5-7 NYC