On Submission: Hanging in “The In Between”

“You’ve reached a milestone,” my agent said.

“You’re going to give the nation chills with this book,” she said.

“I’ll send it out to editors on Monday,” she said.

 

And I was elated. High. Freaking out. Happy as anything. I’d made it to the “on submission” stage. Finally. After twelve years of writing for kids and young adults. Placing in contests. Going to conferences. Publishing in magazines and online journals. Networking. More writing. More writing. More writing. I’d done it.

Then the high wore off. And the waiting started. And I’m waiting. And waiting. And biting my nails to nothing. And distracting myself with more writing and with running and working out and with “Now what can I work on?” and with long walks with my husband where I ask repeatedly, “What if I don’t get picked up?”

What if?

 

Sara Zarr has called this place The In Between. Where you know you are good enough but others have to realize it. Where you know you just need one editor to say they love what you do. The In Between is a scary place. It’s a place of confidence chiseling and soul searching. It’s a place where I have to ask myself over and over, “Why do I do this whole writing thing?”

Everyone is motivated by something. I write because the voices of strange characters in odd places speak and I don’t have a choice but to get up at 3 a.m. and transpose -- like a vehicle for words, an intermediary between the enigmatic well of imagination and the world. So I can’t say I’d stop because a contract didn’t land in my lap. I can’t. Writers write. To watch their own manipulation of words create meanings and emotions and elicit responses. Whether I elicit those responses from my husband, my friends, the several hundred that subscribe to an online journal, or a nation, I’m still up at 3 a.m. because some sixteen-year-old, female character with a West Virginian twang is whispering to me that she is about to embark on a journey of a lifetime because she doesn’t want to disappoint her father. Never mind that I’ve never been to West Virginia. Never mind that her voice may never reach a nation. I’m still up, still writing. No choice.    

 

“Hold on,” I tell myself.

“Keep writing down what you hear,” I say.

“Give yourself chills with the words you create.”

 

 

Interview with Literary Agent Kathleen Rushall

Last fall, I received a phone call that changed my life. That call was from Kevan Lyon of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency and she offered me representation. A little over a month later, Kevan sold my first manuscript, PUSHING THE LIMITS, to Harlequin Teen in a two book deal. This past week, Kevan has continued to rock my world and she sold my third manuscript, CRASH INTO YOU - a continuation of The PUSHING THE LIMITS series, to Harlequin Teen in another two book deal.Today, I am honored to interview the newest member of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, Kathleen Rushall. Welcome Kathleen!

Katie: Can you tell us a little about yourself and what you are representing?

Kathleen: Sure! First of all, I can tell you that I’m so happy to be featured here on YA Fusion – thank you so much for this opportunity! I’m currently representing young adult fiction, middle grade fiction, picture books, and some adult nonfiction.

For young adult and middle grade fiction, my interests are across the board. I like historical fiction, science fiction, magical realism, fantasy, humor, multicultural stories, romance, revenge, power struggles, and strong voices with an unusual hook (who doesn’t, right?). Right now, I’m particularly interested in YA thrillers, reincarnation stories, the occult, Southern gothic novels, and fast-paced mysteries. For MG, I’ve noticed that I tend to err towards the humorous and adventurous with some fantasy element, and would love to find a “cozy scary” MG, while for YA I enjoy darker or edgy stories. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t consider lighter YA or darker MG though!

For picture books, I absolutely love quirk and humor, and am looking for something character driven, as opposed to board books or concept books. I recently read Michael Kaplan’s Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake and this is a great example of a picture book I would be thrilled to represent.

For adult nonfiction, I’m interested in parenting, cooking, crafts, business, alternative medicine, women’s interest, humor, pop-culture, and some how-to.

Katie: Why did you decide to become a literary agent?

Kathleen: I knew I wanted to work in publishing, to work with stories. When I discovered what it was like to work in an agency during an internship, it sealed my resolve to become an agent. I love the diversity of this job. Agents wear so many hats: editor, cheerleader, pep-talk giver, negotiator, bookseller, matchmaker… it will never get old!

And I still can’t think of anything more thrilling for me than placing a book I’m passionate about and an author I love with an enthusiastic editor who shares his or her vision. I also love working with people, and this job has a lot to do with relationships and communication, so I enjoy both the introspective and extroverted aspects of it.

Katie: What do you see as trending in the YA/MG markets and what do you see as declining?

Kathleen: Well, here’s how I think people should think about trends: authors should be conscious of, but never cater to, trends. A book that started a trend was not catering to one. I think the best thing an author can do is to write a book he or she is passionate about, and hope others resonate with it as the author did.

That being said, I know people are weary not just of the vampire/ werewolf trend, but paranormal creatures in general seem tough right now (mermaids, zombies, angels, etc.). I think the dystopian trend is quickly passing us by, but it may be replaced with something else equally dark, like murder stories, or mysteries, or psychological thrillers. I also see science fiction getting its spot in the sun, but I’m not sure it will be a full-blown trend.

It’s really hard and often fruitless to try to speculate on what could be next, though, and there are exceptions to every rule. I mean, by the time consumers know about a trend and see it on shelves, it’s most likely already been in the works for a couple years. So, what I’m trying to say is: do not ever write for a trend, only be conscious of trends so you know where your book can fit in the marketplace.

Katie: Do you attend conferences and, if so, which ones do you plan on attending this coming year? Do you take pitch appointments?

Kathleen: Yes! I do attend conferences. I’ll be at the SCBWI conference in LA this August, and I hope to attend the Orange County SCBWI chapter’s Editors Day in October. I am also attending the Southern California Writers’ Conference in February (in San Diego), as well as the Central California Writers’ Conference in April (in Yosemite). I do take pitch appointments, although it varies with the schedule of each conference.

Katie: If you could wave a magic wand and your dream manuscript would appear, what would that dream manuscript include?

Kathleen: Hmm, my dream manuscript would include a strong voice and characters that leap off the page. When I was little I would sometimes finish a book feeling disappointed that the characters weren’t real and that the book was all I would know about them. I still love that feeling – for me, every story is really about the characters. That’s why I love so many different genres. It doesn’t matter what world it’s set in, or what powers or magic someone does or doesn’t have. I get into it for the people, so you have to make me care about them.

I also particularly love complex relationships and how they can affect plot. For example, this is partly why I’m on the lookout for a story that incorporates reincarnation. Can you imagine how complex a current relationship that also existed in a past life could be? I also really enjoy the unexpected and being scared a little. One of my favorite authors is George R. Martin (Game of Thrones series) and it’s partly because none of his characters are ever safe – not only do you care for them, but you fear for them. Other elements I would be happy to see in a manuscript include humor (some of the best dark stories still have some snippets of humor in them), magical realism, a bromance, ghosts, witches, a LGBT theme, twins interest me, multicultural elements, and boy POV.

Katie: In your bio on the Marsal Lyon Literary website, you said you have a soft spot for edgy YA. What do you define as edgy?

Kathleen: I think of edgy as anything that pushes the envelope of the expected or safe. I think of ‘edgy’ as a book that delves deep and goes dark – it involves tough subjects to tackle or sticks its characters in truly frightening or difficult situations. That situation may be internal or external, a gut-wrenching decision a character must make, or a terrifying place or situation they’re put in. I think edgy can be anything that keeps you up at night. I prefer the more thrilling or supernatural edgy over contemporary issue-book edgy, but I think both can fit this definition.

Katie: What are your favorite YA and MG books?

Kathleen: Ah! The dreaded question because it’s so difficult to choose. Here is a smattering of favorites that have stayed with me throughout the years:

YA

The China Garden by Liz Berry

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman

Harry Potter series (this is a given though, right?) J.K. Rowling

Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

Anything by Tamora Pierce, especially the Song of the Lioness and the Immortals series

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman

Clarity by Kim Harrington

MG

Juniper by Monica Furlong

Wise Child by Monica Furlong

Quest for a Maid by Frances Mary Hendry

The Moorchild by Eloise McGraw

The Druid’s Tune by Orla Melling

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Secret of the Ruby Ring by Yvonne MacGrory & Terry Myler

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth G. Speare

Katie: What do you think of book trailers?

Kathleen: I think they’re fun and an interesting way to promote a book. I don’t know if every book needs one, but they certainly can’t hurt!

Katie: Because I'm an Apocalypsies (a YA author debuting in 2012), one of my favorite questions to ask people is what 5 music albums would you take with you into the bunker in case of the apocalypse?

Kathleen: Any Tegan & Sara album

Lily Allen/ It’s Not Me, It’s You

Adele/ 21 (pretty much on constant replay in my office)

Metric/ Fantasies

The Kooks/ Inside In, Inside Out

Bonus nerd track: I love the soundtrack from the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie by Dario Marianelli

Thanks for spending time with us Kathleen! Okay guys, Kathleen told us what music she would take with her if she had to go to a bunker, continuing with the theme of music from last week, what music would you take with you?

My Writing Process in 20 Simple Steps

It’s probably fitting that I like roller coasters, because otherwise the time leading up to publication would be jarring enough to give me whiplash. Not that it’s bad. It's actually awesome. Just an intense, nail-biting kind of awesome. The highs are oh so high, and the lows are…well, you get the point. So, in case you’re a writer who likes roller coasters too, jump on board, and try these 20 easy-to-follow steps for a peaceful, productive writing experience:

Step 1: Type, type, type. Feel brilliant and creative. Walk to kitchen for a healthy snack when brain gets tired. Race back to laptop mid-snack when spontaneous idea strikes. Check clock when husband says, “So are we eating tonight, or…???” and realize several hours have passed. Gush at dinner about thoroughly productive day.

Step 2: Struggle to focus on tasks at hand. Drive around town without remembering where or why. Carry notebook and pen everywhere so not to miss any flashing moments of genius. Refuse to complete any other activities until ideas have been purged into laptop.

Step 3: Uh oh. Hit snag. Tear apart last few chapters. Force a new scene to fit where it clearly doesn’t. Pace through house. Snack on potato chips. Work out. Feel better. Start again with fresh mind. Ahh. Everything is Zen.

Step 4: Race to finish. Too much caffeine. Ideas keep coming. Chocolate? Yes, please. Can’t stop typing. But wait, were those the last words? Am I happy? Shouldn’t I be happy? Why am I not happy?? Is first draft euphoria…over?

Step 5: Work out. Sweat butter and chocolate. Swear to eat better this week. Catch up on three weeks of laundry. Write a shopping list that includes vegetables and other such foods that don’t identify high-fructose corn syrup and red dye #7 as main ingredients.

Step 6: Miss the characters. Miss the plot. Miss the process.

Step 7: Read through entire manuscript with a bottomless mug of caffeinated tea.

Step 8: Realize idiocy. Nothing makes sense! Nothing flows! What was I thinking?! Several more pots of tea required. Goodbye vegetables. Hello Reese’s.

Step 9: It’s okay, it’s okay. No one knows I messed up. I can fix this before anyone sees. Swear off caffeine. Switch to health foods. Do yoga. Tweak manuscript until it makes sense. Feel accomplished. I am not just creative; I am attentive and detail-oriented.

Step 10: Call agent, but minimize brilliance just in case she hates it. Email manuscript. Freak out that she really will hate it. Work out. Work out. Work out.

Step 11: Resist calling/emailing agent 10 times a day to see if she hates it. Refresh inbox every 30-45 seconds. Fantasize about snuggling with chocolate cupcakes. Cry reading books written by authors who are clearly a gazillion times more talented.

Step 12: Agent calls. Too anxious to process anything she says. Later recall feeling good about phone call, but with no memory of why. Receive 8 page editorial letter. Seriously consider moving to Alaska and living off the land.

Step 13: Reality sets in. Manuscript sucks. I suck. Every suggestion from agent makes sense. There are crater-sized holes in the plot. Character inconsistencies. Lack of follow through. No other author in the world is this bad. I am the queen of Craptown. Someone kill me now.

Step 14: Finally call agent. Sound pitiful and pathetic. Allow agent to cheerlead using words like “capable” and “talented.” Half believe her.

Step 15: Allow one week to pass. Then two. With week three comes panic. Still no ideas. I have let agent down. I have let family down. I am not good enough to be published. Who ate the last piece of chocolate cake? THAT WAS MY PIECE OF CHOCOLATE CAKE! Pace around house carrying baseball bat (to stimulate thinking). Husband and dog stay clear.

Step 16: Wait.
Was that an idea?
It’s been so long I hardly remember what one feels like.

Step 17: Open manuscript. Read through pieces. Remember. Apologize to characters for self-indulgent absence.

Step 18: One idea leads to two. Tear apart pages. Copy and paste text. Agonize over two lines for six hours; return the next day and delete them anyway. Snap at people for no reason. Gesture rudely in traffic. Apologize to husband for the twentieth time for glaring at him unintentionally, then attack him mercilessly for forgetting to recap the toothpaste. Piece by piece things come together.

Step 19: Return manuscript to agent. Feel nauseous and exhausted.

Step 20: Say nothing when agent calls to gush about revisions. Skepticism turns to shock. Shock turns to joy. Not a fluke; I am brilliant! But now I must submit to editor.

(Repeat Steps 10-20 substituting “editor” for “agent.”)

What’s YOUR process like?

NO VACANCY! How looking for an agent is like finding an apartment in an overcrowded city.

When I was in graduate school, I did a teaching assistant exchange at a university in Strasbourg, France. Due to strikes and paperwork delays, I didn’t arrive in France until the week before school started. Another American was in the same boat, so the two of us shared a rundown hotel room as we began a panicked search for an apartment in an overcrowded city.

The first thing we tried was the most obvious: the want ads. Finding phone numbers to call was the easy part. Writing down the addresses and directions we were given in French – somewhat nerve wracking! When searching for an agent, start with the obvious: a database of agents and what they are looking for. My favorite is querytracker.net. They offer a free membership that you can use to find agents that represent what you write. They tell you what each agent wants in a query (just a query letter, a letter and the first page, three chapters, synopsis, etc.). You can even track your submissions and find out about agent response times. And the best part is the cute yellow smiley man with sunglasses that appears when you get an offer!

Lots of apartments that we were interested in were already taken by the time we called. When you’re querying, there will be agents who already have their plates pretty full. Along with well-established agents, you might want to consider querying a newer agent at a well-established agency or an agent with experience that has recently opened his/her own agency. Some of these agents may be more actively seeking to expand their lists.

Other apartments that we saw were horrific places that you would only recommend to the kid who tripped you in the cafeteria in seventh grade. To help make sure you don’t end up with an unqualified agent, always do additional research on an agent you are considering querying, such as checking him/her out on the Preditors and Editors website: http://pred-ed.com/pubagent.htm

The second thing we tried while searching for an apartment was paying a small fee to an agency that gave us leads and set up appointments for us. NEVER PAY A “READING FEE” TO AN AGENCY TO READ YOUR WORK. However, you might consider getting a paid critique by an agent or editor when you attend a reputable writing conference such as one sponsored by SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). Although the agent/editor may not ask to see more of your project, you can get valuable feedback that will help improve your work for when it is requested by an agent. Another opportunity which involves a fee would be entering a contest sponsored by a reputable organization, such as those sponsored by regional RWA chapters (Romance Writers of America). Many of the RWA contests provide written critiques from the judges and the finalists are often judged by agents and/or editors.

When I showed up for an appointment to see one particular apartment, I was shocked to discover that eight other young women had also been scheduled for the same time; the eight of us had to try to convince a girl seeking a roommate that we were the best candidate. I see this as the writing equivalent to pitch sessions – many will pitch, few will be chosen!

And then there was a small handwritten note posted on a random wall at the university. Student seeking roommate. I copied down the phone number, doubtful that it would amount to anything. But I called anyhow, set up an appointment, and visited the apartment. The moment I walked in, I was sold! The place was modern, clean, and bright. The roommate, a perfect match for me. We chose each other and we remain friends to this day. In the agent search, I would liken this to some of the less obvious places to look for agents – in the acknowledgments of books similar to yours, a deal you read about on the free PW (Publishers Weekly) daily or PW Children’s Bookshelf e-mail, a blog you happen to read, a hint from a list-serve you’re a member of, a tweet on Twitter, or in my case, a talk given by an agent at a monthly meeting of my local chapter of RWA.

You might be wondering about my friend, the other American who was also looking for an apartment. She ended up renting a “chambre”, one room in the attic level of an apartment building, usually reserved for a family’s au pair (nanny). It was in a beautiful neighborhood yet inexpensive because of its size. It wouldn’t have been the right place for me, but she loved it! It was perfect for her. The same is true of agents. What seems perfect for one person may not be the best match for another.

When I compare my apartment search in France to my search for an agent, one thing was completely different. The timing. In France, I had one week to find an apartment. In contrast, my search for an agent took months, which is how it happens for many people. In the end, however, I found my perfect match in both cases.

There was also one thing about my apartment and agent searches that was exactly the same. In both situations, I tried lots of different things, never knowing which one would lead to my ultimate goal. If you’re currently in search of an agent (a web designer, a publicist, book trailer designer, or an apartment in France for that matter!), I encourage you to do the same – try lots of different approaches – and enjoy the journey!

What about you? What are some of the ways you have searched for an agent (or other writing-related goal)? And if you’ve gotten to the end, which path ended up being the magic one for you? Please share!