News/Archive/July 2006

July 31, 2006: Blurbage

My editor, Sulay shot me an email late last week telling me we've gotten an extension on begging for blurbs. This was both good news and bad since she's been the one to do all the leg work. Compelled by guilt, I finally got around to emailing my two, TWO, contacts who might be able to get me one email address closer to a willing author or two. If it wasn’t for email, I'd never work up the nerve to ask otherwise. By the way, if you know someone who knows someone or are someone who would be good for a blurb send me an email at margo [at] margocandela.com. Thanks!

July 26, 2006: Cover News

I just received a whole stack of cover flats (literally the cover that goes around the book) and it's great to be one step closer to holding the actual book in my hands. My editor has been showing my cover around, most recently at the Harlem Book Fair, and said it keeps getting a great reaction. I still have my reservations about it, but I love the color and energy of it and am happy people are responding to it in a positive way. In other UIA news, my agent has begun shopping the manuscript around to movie production companies in earnest which could translate into some huge buzz for the book if a deal happens.

July 13, 2006: Third Novel, a Proposal

I've sent of my proposal* for my third novel to my agent to submit to my editor at Kensington. If she likes my idea for what I'm calling MISSED CONNECTIONS**, Kensington will make an offer to buy it and give me a reasonable amount of time to finish the thing. If they don't like it, I have to figure out why (though I'm sure my editor will be nice enough to tell me) and decide whether to scrape it or shop it around to other houses. If I don't like Kensington’s offer, I'm free to entertain others...if there is any outside interest. Selling on proposal is risky and since my first novel isn't even out, I don't have a track record*** to back up any demands for, say, more money or more control over the title and cover. For now my fingers are crossed that everything works out...in my favor, of course.

*59 pages, a pitch sheet, character sketches and (in lieu of an outline or detailed synopsis) the script) for my third novel.

**Logline: Evelyn doesn't know his name. Alexander doesn't know hers. But they do know they're meant for each other and that's just the problem.

***Other than I'm extremely prolific and always early on my deadlines.

July 12, 2006: Covers and ARCs

My editor has told me to expect a bunch of my book covers in the mail to do with as I please. I can paper my office with them, hand them out for coasters or save them for the Advanced Reader Copies that will be coming in August. (Basicaly this means I'll have a bound but not copy edited manuscript, with a blurb free cover.) I'll most likely will take her advice and save them to send out along with the manuscript to media contacts. Not that I have any but its nice that she thinks I do.

July 10, 2006: Underneath It All Copy Edits

You may not think this is a big deal, but it is. On Monday I received the fully marked up, noted sole copy of my manuscript. I have until July 20th to send it back to my editor and then it's off to production.

July 09, 2006: My New Site

I'm very pleased to announce the launch of my new site. Now its up to me to keep it up. Wish me luck.