Ask Lucienne Diver! Guest agent arriving week of January 15th

P.S. to response

P.S. It's probably clear, but just in case -- I didn't sell the Heinlein or Chandler, of course. Just love them both.

clara bow said:

Thanks for spending time here with us, Ms. Diver!

Any favorite lines or great turns of phrases that have stuck with you from books you've sold? In addition to learning about what type of plots/characters excite you, I'm interested in what style of writing (i.e., craft) excites you.

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Writing advice

All of that is good advice, but -- big BUT -- I don't read a manuscript counting how many –ly adverbs or exclamation points (overuse being one of my pet peeves) there are in a manuscript unless it's done to the point where I notice. Then it starts to bother me, throws me out of the narrative and the work gets rejected. As a rule of thumb, anything that throws a reader off-stride is bad. Head-hopping (switching points of view without section or chapter breaks), passive voice, etc. has all been done and by some of the greats. The question was did they do it well? Would you have noticed if no one had pointed it out? These things are best to avoid – anything that may cause the reader to put down your work and not pick it up again is to be avoided. However, no one follows all of the rules all of the time.

FloVoyager said:

I've read a few books and blogs lately on how to write better, and I keep seeing lists of don'ts, like "don't use -ly adverbs," and "don't tell, show," and "don't use the passive voice," etc. Then I pick up my favorite authors (household names), and even their early books break all these rules to some extent.

I'm inclined, therefore, to throw the writing manuals out the window and stick to my instincts.

When you get a submission that breaks these rules, do you automatically throw it in the "Not for us" pile, or do you read it to see if it works?

What about other agents? As far as you know, what do they do?

Thanks so much for your thoughts on this.

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1- There's a good article up at http://www.speculations.com/format.html on manuscript formatting. I pretty much agree except that there's a symbol for em-dashes that you can use instead of double dashes. Basically: unbound standard sized paper with one-inch margins, 12 point font unless you're talking Times New Roman, which is tiny, the title/your name and a page number on the top of each sheet.

2- Condensation of previous post: if the guidelines of the company you're submitting to allow this, I'm all for it.

3- A lot of what I do is cross-genre. The publisher I approach depends on the material and the editor. For a supernatural mystery, for example, I might approach mystery editors at one house and fantasy editors at another, depending on tastes, needs and the balance of fantasy vs. mystery elements.

awatkins said:

Welcome, Ms. Diver! Thank you for your time.

Here are a few questions:

1. Do you have established guidelines on manuscript format?

2. What are your thoughts about enclosing sample pages with query letters? Are you for or against the practice?

3. Are you open to cross-genre books within your field? If so, how do you go about choosing which publishers to approach?

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Hi Lucienne,

For a SF novel where new technology is important to the storyline, but the execution of the novel is not “hard” SF, how much explanation of the tech is expected in the synopsis? Thank you.

Hi Lucienne,

I have two similar questions.

If an agent rejects a SF premise because they don’t think something is possible, but otherwise like the writing (and characters, etc.), why wouldn’t they ask the writer to fix (or better explain) the perceived logic gap?

If an agent gives a writer a personal response, compliments the strong writing, and only has an issue with the premise of the novel, why wouldn't they ask, “Do you have anything else?”

Thank you.

Ms. Diver,

I have just finished my first query letter and I'm sending it out this month. While I don't want to be too optimistic, I want to be prepared for any responses I might get. So I have a few questions:

1. My novel has a prologue. If I am asked to send the first three chapters, do I send the prologue as well? If I send the prologue, should I send only the first two chapters? I suppose what I'm asking is does the prologue count as a chapter or a seperate entity?

2. Should I send mansucripts registered? I know that sending queries registered is not suggested.

3. Finally, what kind of turn-around time should I expect? I know that following up to queries is not a good idea, but is there a standard wait time that, if I hear no response, I can consider a query rejected? What about manuscripts; will the agent contact me personally if they see the manuscript and decide to reject it?

Thank you for your time.

Promotion budget

If you're able to get multiple bidders on a project, you've definitely got the clout to make promotional plans part of the negotiation, though probably not the contract unless maybe you've spent weeks in the #1 slot on the Times list. Basically, everyone wants to see books do well. Sometimes this means spending a lot of money, though more usually it means spending a limited budget wisely with targeted marketing, reaching the largest pool of the most likely audience for your books. There are some things that are relatively expensive (an ad in the New York Times Book Review Section, for example) that don’t make as much difference with many types of books as you'd think. Then there are some relatively inexpensive options, like web promotion, that may make a huge difference. The important thing isn't the money so much as how it's spent.

KCH said:

Hi Lucienne.

Can you give us an idea of the factors that you, or agents in general, leverage during negotiations to entice publishers to allocate larger budgets for promotion? Aside from an author expressing willingness to use existing platform and/or be proactive with the standard marketing stuff, are there things that might influence the disposition to be generous?

Thanks for taking the time to share your expertise.
KCH

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Ms Diver,
Thank you for coming to AW and welcome.
Right now my problem involves a memoir. Three agents have asked for it and another requested yesterday.
I want my proposal strong because one of the agents is letting me resubmit. Another is kindly waiting as I asked.
I can not find books out there and am having trouble with this part of the proposal, as my walk barefoot in the snow, go hungry memoir is history happening. In other words it's not been written. There are a few but none really relate or come close.
This is so important because I have to bring it to the table with comparatives... The rest of proposal is fine.
Any advice is appreciated.



hugs kimmi

Response to Genrewriter

Let's say an agent receives approximately 200 queries a month (which we do) – you're asking why we don't make more work for ourselves by asking for revisions? We expect an author to put his or her best foot forward when submitting; this is your shot. If we see something in it that we love but just don't think you're quite there yet and if we have the time, we =may= nurture a diamond in the rough. However, increasingly we don't have the time.

My writers come first. I have around forty. Last year I sold sixty books. Because I'm a hands-on agent, I do critique their work, which also means that I read at least the partials that I'm submitting more than once – before and after their revisions. I just don't have the time to do this for authors to whom I'm not already committed, not without shorting those I represent. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the same applies for other agents and editors as well. If an agent compliments your work as strong but not for him/her, take the compliment, but look elsewhere. If he or she gives you something you can use to make the work better for your next reader, that's a bonus. The Bridges of Madison County wouldn't have been my bag, but a lot of other people loved it – enough to make it a bestseller – so if an agent tells you that the business is subjective, she's not just blowing smoke.

As for "Do you have anything else?" – there's no reason you can't query the agent with something else you think might be a better fit. But remember, you're probably going to want an agent who's enthusiastic about the whole gamut of your work, so it might make sense to wait and see if someone snaps up that first book you were querying.

genrewriter said:

Hi Lucienne,

I have two similar questions.

If an agent rejects a SF premise because they don’t think something is possible, but otherwise like the writing (and characters, etc.), why wouldn’t they ask the writer to fix (or better explain) the perceived logic gap?

If an agent gives a writer a personal response, compliments the strong writing, and only has an issue with the premise of the novel, why wouldn't they ask, “Do you have anything else?”

Thank you.

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I don't actually represent non-fiction, so I may not be the best person to answer your question, but my feeling has always been that when you contact an agent, what you're doing is hiring an expert in your field to represent your work. If the agents you're contacting don't know about the market comparisons, they're probably not right for you. In other words, I'm not sure you have to knock yourself out coming up with them or making them exact. Write a kick-butt memoir and once you've gotten yourself an agent, he or she should be able to help you with this. Kristin Nelson, who has a great blog at http://pubrants.blogspot.com/ would probably be able to address this better than I would, since I believe she represents memoirs.
http://pubrants.blogspot.com/

kimmi 57 said:

Ms Diver,
Thank you for coming to AW and welcome.
Right now my problem involves a memoir. Three agents have asked for it and another requested yesterday.
I want my proposal strong because one of the agents is letting me resubmit. Another is kindly waiting as I asked.
I can not find books out there and am having trouble with this part of the proposal, as my walk barefoot in the snow, go hungry memoir is history happening. In other words it's not been written. There are a few but none really relate or come close.
This is so important because I have to bring it to the table with comparatives... The rest of proposal is fine.
Any advice is appreciated.



hugs kimmi

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Hi Ms. Diver,

I have a couple of questions:

1. When you agree to represent a writer, do you usually have a conversation with them about their goals as a writer, and where they would like to go with their writing career.

2. What would you say is the appropriate length of time to stay with an agent before you let them go? Say for example an agent has an author's book for over a year and has been unable to get a publishing house for it. Is it wise for the writer to let this agent go and search for another or wait another year?

Thanks in advance for your response.

Welcome Lucienne. Do you wear glasses when you read?

Glasses?

Sometimes. Usually contacts, though.

JIMBOS said:

Welcome Lucienne. Do you wear glasses when you read?

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Hi Ms. Diver,

Thanks for answering my other question!

How do you feel about writers who like to work in more than one genre/subgenre? Do you advise against it, or do you see it as a bonus?

Thanks for your questions. Opinions may vary on this, but, personally, if I know that the person querying me is a teenager, I may go the extra mile to give helpful feedback and encourage young talent. It doesn't bother me at all.

As to your second question: whether I want to hear again from someone I've rejected, the answer is that it depends. There are some people I've thought were really close to wonderful (which I'll generally say in my letter) who I see on the bookshelves later on and just hate that I never had a second chance at their work. It may be that the next agent they queried took them on or that they went out with a new work I never got to see. Also, writing is a craft and it may be that the person has refined his or her work. On the flipside, I've had a few stalker/queriers, including one who found my home number, who I wouldn't mind never hearing from again.

maddythemad said:

Thanks Ms. Diver for answering our questions!

First, I was wondering if someone is a teenager, does it bother you endlessly if they mention it in their query?

And second, if you've rejected someone on a previous manuscript (not me, actually! I'm asking hypothetically)-- do you never want to see anything by that author again? If they query you again for a second novel, would you like them to mention that they'd queried you before?

Sorry if either of these questions is a repeat. Thanks again for your time.

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Wonderful writing, great characters and a fantastic storyline, the same things I look for in all queries, regardless of credentials. Credits might help you get read sooner or with more attention, but it's the work that has to speak for itself every time.

writerterri said:

Hello Lucienne!

I don't have anything to put in my credentials. What else do you look for in an unpublished house wife of three, when it comes to querying?

Thanks in advance,

Terri (writes in children's genre)

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The Secret Life of Agents

Why are agents necessary? If y'all don't mind a long post, I've reproduced a speech I did on The Secret Life of Agents below. The short answer is: get your work read at a lot of houses that no longer accept unagented submissions, help get your work into the best possible shape for submission in a competitive market, offer instant credibility and enthusiasm because a professional shows such faith in your work, nag editors and shorten response times, negotiate better terms, help you exploit subrights like translation, film and television, audio.... The list goes on.

Promotion is generally up to the publisher and the author, though the agent can often facilitate discussions of promotional plans, etc.

THE SECRET LIFE OF AGENTS – WHAT WE DO AND WHERE WE CAN BE FOUND

When you think of agents what probably comes to mind is the Hollywood stereotype – maybe a man in a well-tailored suit who looks like he leads the good life, styles his hair with snake oil and wears a little too much bling, possibly on his pinky. Or maybe you've seen the short-lived series Central Park West and think that agents, editors and authors attend almost nightly soirees where we sip champagne and look perfectly comfortable in our designer gowns and tuxes. Well, I mean, doesn't everybody?
The truth is that while we may on occasion burn the midnight oil, we're more likely to be catching up on our reading than tripping the light fantastic. And, while there's a certain amount of bling and finery, we only dust it off a few times a year for award ceremonies and special events like launch parties and 30th anniversary celebrations. Actually, outside of the office, agents can most often be identified by corrective eye wear from squinting at too much fine print for hours on end and stooped shoulders from carrying home 200 pages at a time. Yes, we really do work for a living. It's not all about the schmooze. Oh, that figures in. Networking is an integral part of what we do. But I would say that the bulk of our work involves reading, critiquing, submitting, negotiating and nagging, which I like to call nudging, but I don't think I'm fooling anyone. I'll discuss each in turn.
Reading. You might be under the impression if you've seen the movie Wolf that editors (and maybe agents) spend a good deal of our office time reading and editing manuscripts. This isn't so. There's too much office work to do in the office – returning calls, checking e-mail, looking over contracts, arguing over contract points, writing pitch letters, writing checks, etc. As a result, reading is primarily done at home, in our "free" time. This means that work is competing with family, hobbies, socializing and, oh yeah, sleep. In other words, when you send us material for our consideration, you're asking us to give up something in order to read your work. No problem. This is what we signed on for. But you have to make it worthwhile. Don't send out a diamond in the rough thinking that we'll be able to help you polish. We don't have that kind of time. I'm not saying that we won't provide editorial input. I can and do. However, it already has to be so good and so compelling that it calls to me above and beyond the pile of dishes waiting for me in the sink (okay, not hard), the other submissions I brought home to read, and snuggling up with my husband on the couch. Is that a tall order? Maybe. But one new author manages it every year – for me. And there are many more agents out there. In other words, we're discovering new – or new to us anyway – talent all the time. It's one of the most exciting parts of the job.
Critiquing. As I mentioned, I do provide feedback; sometimes in the rejection letters, though with about 200 queries per month per agent (there are two of us in the office), I don't have time to respond with a personal note to every submission. More often, though, I'll give a detailed letter because I think someone is close and that there are only a few things holding the writer back from being "there." I also work editorially with my authors, both new and established, because it's too competitive a market to let something go out at less than its best. Editors have a lot of material to go through. I don't want to give them any excuse to put my submission aside and move on to the next.
Submitting. There's a lot to this one. First, knowing the market. Because of our regular interactions with editors, we have a good sense of who is buying what and who's just not buying. We have a sense of how best to market the book (single versus multiple submission, for example, or mystery vs. mainstream). We can also pitch the work to editors, either over lunch, via phone or a glowing cover letter. Often, editors will even call us rather than vice versa because they're looking for something in particular at that moment. In that case, we'll alert our authors to possibilities they might want to jump on. We also follow up regularly on those submissions, but we'll get to that in the section on nagging.
Negotiating. Once we've got an offer, we enter the negotiating stage. If this is an option book, a new work by a published author that you're contractually obligated to show her current publisher, you'll be negotiating with just one party. (Although this would change if after negotiating in good faith you're unable to come to an agreement or if the publisher fails to offer for the next book.) If this is a new writer or a work not covered under option, you might be talking with one publisher, for example giving a favored editor the chance to preempt, or you might be dealing with an auction situation. However it plays out, the agent is there to get the author the best terms possible and negotiate the most advantageous language. Because we've worked with all these houses before, we'll already have boilerplate language that's much more in the author's favor than the model the publisher starts with for an unagented writer. Once the contracts arrive, we look them over to be sure everything is as agreed and to hash out any problems that arise. In addition, we handle subrights deals on behalf of the authors – translation, film, television, audio, etc.
Nagging. Well, as you might guess, this is just my favorite part of the job. The agent exists not only to be a hard-nosed negotiator but to handle all the business aspects of the writing and let the author get on with the creative side of things. So, we follow up on submissions and on contracts that don't arrive in a timely manner. We make sure check requests are put through. We request information on print runs and sell-throughs. Basically, we make sure that things run smoothly, in a timely manner, with information flowing back and forth between the publisher and the writer.
Oh, did I forget that we're the great communicators? The agent keeps the author apprised of submissions, rejections, offers, payments, publication dates, figures, etc. She keeps the editors advised of the ETA on manuscript delivery, on publication dates of other publishers if the author's work is being released by more than one house, of promotion points, etc.
And yes, sometimes we schmooze – break bread together, raise a glass, celebrate. I've even drunk champagne, though I prefer chocolate martinis.

WHERE TO FIND THOSE ELUSIVE AGENTS
Well, okay, we're not so elusive really, though I can warn you that a good agent is likely to be too busy to advertise. In other words, if you see or receive a call for submissions, it's a good idea to check the agent out. Quite a few scams have started this way. Please be safe rather than sorry. If you're not sure how to tell reputable from disreputable, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America have a site that will help: http://www.sfwa.org/beware/agents.html. Also, the Preditors and Editors site will recommend or disrecommend by agency and sometimes tell you a little bit about what a particular agency represents, though it's alphabetical by first name rather than last. Their site is: www.anotherrealm.com/prededitors/. If you prefer print, there's Jeff Herman's Writers Guide to Book Editors, Publishers & Literary Agents. Also, you can check the website for the Association of Authors Representatives: www.aar-online.org. Not everyone who qualifies is a member, of course, and not every member agent will be right for you, so it's a good idea to do your research.
How you ask? Well, you're at a conference. It's a good place to start. Ask your agented friends how they feel about their agents. If there's no one you're comfortable approaching, look in the acknowledgements of books you feel appeal to the same audience you're trying to reach. Many authors thank their agents. You might also go on-line or look through industry magazines to see if you can find interviews with the agents you're interested in or articles they've written. Of course, once an agent has said that he or she would like to represent you, then you're able to ask questions of that agent directly to see if you'll be compatible. Before that point, it's unlikely that an agent will take time out of a very busy schedule to be grilled.

ADVICE FOR THE ASPIRING WRITER
The very most basic thing you can do to increase your chance of getting the right kind of attention from an agent is to follow the agent's submission guidelines, which are often posted on the agency's website. Ours is www.spectrumliteraryagency.com. Some agencies welcome electronic submissions, others delete them unread. Some want a brief synopsis, others a full outline. You do research when writing your novel, you should do no less for the submission process. If you're sending a regular mail submission, always include a self-addressed, stamped return envelope. I could go on with dos and don'ts, but that could cover a whole new presentation.
Polish. Get readers you trust, a critique group or partner and listen to what they have to say even when it hurts. If it makes sense to you, take it. If it doesn't, throw it out. But always take it under consideration. Never send out a draft. Remember that revision is your friend.
Learn your market. Consider your favorite writers. Why does their writing speak to you? What works? Why do you think they're so popular? Don't try to emulate anyone. The best thing you can offer is a breath of fresh air, but you should be able to apply what you've learned to your own writing without lifting ideas.
Be persistent. Most writers don't sell their very first novel, certainly not on their very first submission. If you don't have a stack of rejections, you may not be trying hard enough. You may need to develop a thick skin, but you may also find that the better you get and the closer you get the more helpful even the rejections may be to help you learn and hone your craft. That's not to say that if you receive a form rejection you're not a terribly talented writer. Sometimes it's a matter of time or simply of taste.
Basically, above all, don't get discouraged. As Dori from Nemo would say – can you tell I have a five-year-old? – "Just keep swimming." We agents aren't really sharks except as called upon.

Cathy C said:

A rather shy member emailed me, asking if I'd ask a question on their behalf. Of course, I said yes.

"I keep hearing that getting an agent is important, but why? If I can find a publisher myself, what am I paying a commission for them to do? Isn't getting the manuscript to publishers that only accept 'agented submissions' an agent's real purpose?"

Naturally, I have an opinion, but I'll leave it to our esteemed guest for her take on the subject.

Also, a question appeared in our main "Ask the Agent" forum (of which this Q&A thread is part.) Click here to see the question. Since it's sort of a related issue, I thought I'd port it over here, (e.g., a common misunderstanding about an agent's role in a manuscript.) This question isn't the first time an aspiring author has confused the roles of an agent and a publicist. In what way does an agent "promote" a manuscript?

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Lucienne Diver said:

I don't actually represent non-fiction, so I may not be the best person to answer your question, but my feeling has always been that when you contact an agent, what you're doing is hiring an expert in your field to represent your work. If the agents you're contacting don't know about the market comparisons, they're probably not right for you. In other words, I'm not sure you have to knock yourself out coming up with them or making them exact. Write a kick-butt memoir and once you've gotten yourself an agent, he or she should be able to help you with this. Kristin Nelson, who has a great blog at http://pubrants.blogspot.com/ would probably be able to address this better than I would, since I believe she represents memoirs.

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Morning Ms Diver,
It's Kimmi again.
I wrote the memoir and I finished 99% of my proposal, its strong, with the exception being the comparative titles...none available to really compare with because as I said, this is still history in the making. Also thank you for Ms Nelsons site.
Both agents asked for the proposal~ I'm going to submit without the comparatives and a brief explaination~
Do you think that is fair? I am tired of beating myself about this...should be the book, I'm concerned with.
I just don't want to throw random comparatives in when there really is none available and I feel it would weaken my proposal.


hugs kimmi

YA?

Dear Rhonda,

Thanks for checking the website. It's always appreciated when an author does her research. Yes, we represent some YA (see PROM DATES FROM HELL by Rosemary Clement Moore and the Morganville Vampire series by Rachel Caine).

giftedrhonda said:

Hi, Ms. Diver - thank you so much for visiting!

Do you or your agency consider YA? I checked your website, and I'm having a hard time figuring it out (I did see your agency reps a JAM novel coming out - meaning Berkley Jam?). Forgive my ignorance, and thank you!

Sincerely,

Rhonda

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Query letters

The query letter is the first thing an agent or editor reads and is very important. Since it might answer a lot of questions for people, I've cut and pasted my (hopefully helpful) list of dos and don'ts below.

GENERAL QUERY DOS AND DON’TS:

-The query letter is basically an introduction to the
writer; the synopsis is the introduction to the story.

-The query should tell the agent/editor something about you,
perhaps by what authority you write about the things you do.
For example, if you’re writing medical suspense, perhaps you or someone close to you is a doctor or nurse. This would be important to note because it goes to your credibility.

-The query should be written by the writer (not your secretary, mother, best friend, fictional protagonist, etc.).

-A query is an agent/editor’s first introduction to your work. Do not rush it through the door without careful proofreading. Standard mistakes often seen: typos, mistaking the agent/editor’s name or sex (a Mr. instead of a Ms.), mixing up letters and envelopes so that one agent/editor receives a letter meant for another. Do what research you can to target the right person at each agency or publishing house.

-Always include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the response even if you don’t want the material returned. In case the SASE gets separated from the query, your address and manuscript title should be included in your cover letter. Your name and the title should appear on each page of a manuscript or synopsis.

-Arrogance is a turn off. Do not suppose that your first novel will break all sales records and become a blockbuster movie. While this does happen on occasion, it is rare and an agent/editor does not want to take on someone they suspect will have unrealistic expectations and thus be difficult to work with.

-Do not use an unreadable font because you think it is interesting and different. Everyone in the field has troublesome eyesight due to squinting at so much small type. In the same vein, do not use a dot matrix printer; their type is generally faint and difficult to read. The more work the professional has to do, the greater the chance that your work will be put aside.

-Synopses may be single-spaced, but manuscripts should be unbound, double-spaced, 12 point type and printed on only one side of a page. The manuscript title and author’s last name should appear at the top of each page. All pages should be numbered. (Note: be sure that the length of your manuscript is appropriate for the genre in which you’re writing.)

-Allow humor to show through, but don’t try to get too cutesy with your queries. [You may laugh, but I know editors who have received plastic fish (plural) and other oddities from aspiring writers who thought that this would be a unique way to approach editors.]

-Do not put down other writers of your genre. Remember that the agents you’re approaching should love the genre in which you write and will only be offended by disparaging comments about your peers. By the same token, you should not put down other professionals who have declined your work or include previous rejection letters, no matter how complimentary they were.

-It’s not a good idea to query on many books at one time. While you may want to let an agent/editor know that you’ve got more than one novel in you, it’s best to choose one book on which to focus. While many successful writers were first published several manuscripts down the line, it will not give the best impression.

-Do not send a letter encouraging an agent or editor to go visit a website to read your submission. We have too many queries awaiting our attention to go looking for work.

-Don’t try to rush the agent/editor along with a line like “I look forward to your speedy response.” Rejection takes much less time than a careful read.

Query Etiquette
-Do mention if it's a simultaneous submission. It's good manners and can hurt your chances with an agent if we find out later what we should have known up front. In addition, if you sign with an agent, do the other agents looking at your work the courtesy of letting them know right away so they don't spend their limited time reading something that's no longer available.

janetbellinger said:

Hi Lucienne,
I am looking forward to hearing your wisdom. How much stock do agents really put in the query letter?

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The Happily Ever After

I'm so glad you explained HEA – I was afraid I was going to have to plead ignorance! I'm trying to think really hard of an example I can give you of a hero and heroine not riding off into the sunset in some way, shape or form in paranormal romance, but none are coming to me. There doesn't have to be a traditional marriage proposal, but an acknowledgement that the protagonists are soul-mates is kind of a must. Without that, the book probably veers more toward urban fantasy (though, of course, there are other factors as well and the execution may make all the difference). Does that help?

dragonjax said:

Hi, Lucienne--

Here's a question that's driving me to drink: what's your opinion on there being a traditional HEA in a paranormal romance? Given how the genre is a blend of romance and dark fantasy, is it enough for there to be romantic elements in the story WITHOUT including a traditional HEA (hero and heroine ride off--or fly off--into the sunset/moonrise/what have you), or does that break a trust that romance readers would have going into the story? OR, is paranormal pushing the boundaries on what's normal, let alone traditional, and so the definition of the HEA is maleable (maybe more of a Happily Ever Afterlife)?

Boy, I hope this makes sense. (See the above about this one driving me to drink.)

Best,
Jackie

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Hi, Ms. Diver - I'm not sure if you saw my original question or not (you've gotten a bunch on here to answer!!), but I was wondering if you or your agency takes YA.

Thanks,

Rhonda

Ever After

Lucienne Diver said:

I'm so glad you explained HEA – I was afraid I was going to have to plead ignorance! I'm trying to think really hard of an example I can give you of a hero and heroine not riding off into the sunset in some way, shape or form in paranormal romance, but none are coming to me. There doesn't have to be a traditional marriage proposal, but an acknowledgement that the protagonists are soul-mates is kind of a must. Without that, the book probably veers more toward urban fantasy (though, of course, there are other factors as well and the execution may make all the difference). Does that help?

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It does, thanks; I definitely appreciate your take on this.

But given how the boundaries continue to blur between the two genres, and given how each traditional reader group (fantasy and romance) brings its own set of expectations to the book, I think that this question is going to be popping up more and more in the not-too-distant future. (Oy. Where's that drink...?)

Hello, Lucienne, and welcome.

I'm curious if you, or any agents you know, have ever discovered a new writer while scoping out blogs or writing forums. Is it uncommon or happens more than most people think?