What's your book subject?

Kiwiwriter

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Here's my book...it's a memoir. Straight from a query letter.

Comments and criticism are more than welcome. I've been writing for 30 years. I'm used to it.

When you have Asperger’s Syndrome, you just miss making contact with the rest of the world. Everything in life – career success, personal independence, even getting a girl to go out with you is just beyond your grasp. You feel like you’re permanently viewing the world through bubble wrap, just able to see what’s going on, but never being able to focus. Never being able to make contact. Feeling like there is “Always One More Thing” standing between you and the rest of the world.

“Always One More Thing” is the memoir of a man who has lived with it for 47 years. It’s about a childhood where you alternate from being the ‘little professor” one minute to being utterly clueless the next. It’s about not realizing how you have made yourself into the class punching bag. It’s about being able to remember all the pennant number of American battleships, but being unable to hold an ordinary conversation. It’s about thinking you are extremely talented and important one minute and wishing you were dead the next. Above all, it’s about resilience, survival, learning, and hope.

I have worked in journalism and public relations for 30 years, hold a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the New School for Social Research, gained in 2001, but first learned my craft decades before that from the great Frank McCourt, as one of his high school students. I was further intrigued by your literary agency when I saw from your website that you specialize in autobiographies and memoirs. Perhaps you might be interested in my story.
 

Alamanach

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Comments and criticism are more than welcome. I've been writing for 30 years. I'm used to it.

When you have Asperger’s Syndrome, you...

Kiwiwriter, since you asked for comments: Plenty of people have Asperger's. I have had the misfortune of knowing several of them. I say 'misfortune' because the guys I knew tended to whine about it, which you aren't doing (thank you!), but otherwise I don't see where you are saying anything about Asperger's that any of those other guys couldn't say. Do you have any new insights into the topic? What can you tell us about Asperger's Syndrome that no one else has ever thought to say? I am not a publisher or an agent, just a reader, but as a reader I can tell you that your book would have to contribute something new to the discussion before I'd consider reading it. (That goes for all the rest of the authors out there too, by the way.)

Just my two cents. Good luck with the project.
 

triceretops

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Been a while since I started this thread. I just read up on the backlog that I missed and there are some very cool non-fic book ideas going out there.

It seems my new agent and several publishers want me to bring back to life my Valley of the Mastodons, the ice age discoveries of Hemet, California. It's about half way finished, and it's a difficulat project, what with my limited platform. But I did manage to revise the TOC, proposal, chapter outline, and first 90 pages, reading for submission. I wish the interest would have come five years ago. I can't find any of my damn stock photos and newspaper clippings. But I'll try, to finish this if asked for a completed versions. What the hell, I LOVE dinosaurs and ice age megafauna. It'll just be chore getting back in that groove again.

Tri
 

StrandedX02

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Mine is about synthetic biology...it happens to be pretty newsworthy right now; there was a paper that got published last month by the Craig Venter Institute about their creation of a "synthetic cell," (which made the cover of the Economist) so I'm trying to pick up the pace to have something pitchworthy by the end of the summer.

triceretops, if I don't mind asking, who's your agent, and do you think he (or she) would be interested in some more science nonfiction?
 

Deal Law

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My buddy and I writing a humorous nonfiction piece about our experiences at two different tier 4 law schools. The book moves chronologically through all three years (four for me as I went to graduate school to get an LLM after finishing my JD), alternating stories from each of us. The stories are (hopefully) hilarious and pretty vulgar. The book is intended to entertain and provide some insight into what law school is like at places others than Harvard and Yale.

There appear to be a glut of books on the market focusing on life at schools in the first tier, like Columbia, Harvard, and Yale, but nothing out there focusing on the experience at schools where the majority of young, would-be lawyers will eventually find themselves. Let's face it, not everyone can get into Harvard and for most law school will be Suffolk or Vermont Law. This is a brutal, funny, true amalgamation of tales from the best three years of both of our respective lives.

It's a lot like Brush With the Law (if anyone here has ever read that one), but more blue collar. Think One L and The Paper Chase meets I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell.
 

siouxnyc

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the New York City underground fight scene, which i've been blogging/reporting on for the past seven years.
 

Kent

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Categories #5 and #4. Inspirational/True Crime. My wife of 34 years is pretty much the inspirational part...I'm the true crime. I'm anything but a tough guy, but I do have organisational skills. When my Chicago, mob-controlled union faced a challenge by a major international corporation, we fought back. I had never before committed a crime but to save my union and its members, I organized and directed a group of criminals at the behest of the union's (very) Italian leadership. We won the fight, but I hated what I had become. The year I became a "capo" in the union with my own part-time body-guard, my wife was chosen by our church as "Woman of the Year". Only she knew of my double life. And it was she who convinced me to return to my Catholic roots. So I did. I prayed to be delivered from the evil world I allowed myself to enter. Two weeks later the FBI gave me the Sophie's Choice of ratting out my union bosses or going to prison for 30 years. It was the answer to my prayer.
In federal prison for three years I lived not as the "Chicago thug" I once was, but as a follower of Christ's commandment to love. It served me well. I became a trusted confidant to: Dan Morales, the former A.G. of Texas; to several disgraced CEO's of publically-traded corporations; to Warren Brown, the Baptist minister who robbed banks to support his church and to Ricky Ross who introduced crack into L.A.
I wrote most of the book in prison. Professional guidance came in the form of khakis (prison garb) worn by a former playwright. When my beta-readers return the book to me they do so with gaping mouths.
Sorry for the lengthy post.
 

Kyla Laufreyson

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I'm toying with the idea of writing a nonfiction book on anime culture, attending conventions and cosplaying. My question is the author's bio section of the proposal...I mean, does "I've been an anime addict since the age of five and attend as many conventions as humanly possible" really count as credentials? I know I could write the book and make it a damned good book because of those two facts, but I don't really know if they're enough to "qualify" me in the eyes of agents/publishers.
 

Sunnyside

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This guy.

jim-henson-beard.jpg
 

candiecotton

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I have 2 ideas in my head ,
The first is my 20 year ordeal with the child welfare system as a parent accused of terrible things & the possible loss of my children until theyre 16 . Every time a new worker comes on the scene it is usually some fresh out of school young person with no children , reads the file with the lies my mother told & then comes & takes my children .

the other is a basic survival guide for parents who are going through the system to help them through the worst possible thing that can happen . i have so many ideas bouncing around in my head i dont know where to start.
but i want to get my story on paper.
 

Tom Swiss

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Well, since you asked...this is the pitch I've come up with so far:
Shortly before his death, John Lennon called himself a “Zen Pagan.” With this he gave an excellent name to a religious trend that goes back at least as far as Henry David Thoreau, who wrote of his love and respect for both the ancient nature god Pan and the Buddha.

The connection between Buddhism and nature spirituality is ancient. According to legends of the Buddha's enlightenment, in his hour of need he asked the Earth to bear him witness, rather than appealing to a heavenly deity. Over the centuries Buddhism influenced and was influenced by nature religions like Taoism and Shintō, and its introduction to the West came partly by the work of spiritual nature writers like Thoreau and Gary Snyder. Occultists like Aleister Crowley and H.P. Blavatsky played key roles in both Buddhist and Pagan history.

Why Buddha Touched the Earth: Zen Paganism for the 21st Century investigates these connections. It combines rigorous historical research with lively and practical discussions of mysticism, magic, meditation, ethics, and the future of religion.
 

PinkAmy

New kid, be gentle!
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I've written a memoir. The most difficult part of my research is trying to make sure I'm telling as honest and nonbiased account of the particular events while not overly analyzing myself.
 

Tippecanoe1841

Dead poets live forever.
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My new non-fiction book project is a sports book with a regional interest. It is a history of the now-defunct football rivalry between my alma mater, Western Kentucky University, and Eastern Kentucky University. The rivalry, which dates to 1914, was called "The Battle of the Bluegrass" until the name was co-opted by the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville, which didn't start playing each other in football until 1994. The WKU-EKU rivalry ended after the 2008 game, due to WKU moving up a division to Football Bowl Division. NCAA rules prohibit Bowl Division teams from playing away games at lower division school's home field, and EKU is unwilling to play only at WKU's home field.

Rather than grind an ax with the administrators at both schools who allowed this nearly 100 year old football rivalry to die, my book will tell the story of the rivalry from both sides, and hopefully re-capture some of what was lost when the real "Battle of the Bluegrass" came to an end.

The hardest part of the book is going to be conducting interviews. The players, coaches, and fans who were part of the rivalry and are still living are scattered all over the country. Many interviews will have to be done by phone or e-mail. I have already been in contact with the all time winningest coach for both schools, both of whom are now retired-Roy Kidd of EKU and Jimmy Feix of WKU. I plan to interview both extensively.

The book is in its very early stages. Since I have followed the rivalry since I was 9 years old in 1973, I already have a great deal of knowledge about it.
 

Tippecanoe1841

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With Larger than Life characters like Glenn Beck, Mitt Romney, Marie Osmond and other famous LDS (Mormon) people in the news I am hoping to offer something a little light and humorous but pointed and real that gives a glimpse into the cultural aspects of the Mormon mindset and world. Some of these people have great influence over our politics, over portions of the right wing media and the civil rights of other citizens in the United States. This book is a playful magnifying glass that may send some of them scurrying for cover.

Finding The Pony is a celebration of the spirit of optimism in the face of the huge pile of fetid feces that life often places before us, especially the life relegated to a spirited, playful, irreverent, young Mormon girl. In addition to a personal story relating to the cultural experience of being LDS this tale includes numerous dark parodies and tender essays that culminate the mood and indoctrination that inevitably spawn a determined spirit of rebellion, freedom, and courage to finally be free of all those anvils.

Perhaps many people who escape religious oppression will relate to the process of enlightenment and human nature to reach beyond the tight tiny island borders and brave the waves to a new way of seeing their world and fellow human beings. Some of these stories are exclusively LDS but have tones that apply to Muslim, Jehovah’s Witness, or most any Patriarchal dominated religious order. Humor is a great salve for most wounds, especially the wounds of the mind and I approach my own difficulties with a spirit of silly, bawdy, ironic, and sometimes very dark humor that appeals to a more sophisticated audience.

After three years of daily practice in the arts of entertaining, enlightening, and supporting hundreds of others who have been through similar experiences, I have finally decided to respond to their encouragement to offer my writing to a broader world. This book is the culmination of many of those engaging conversations.

When I have recovered from the success of this book (Do you see the frisky happy pony yet?) I hope to offer another more sharp edged book where I channel the spirit of the great Molly Ivins in a playful attempt to poke a few holes in the vast weak dam of Mormonism and religious devotion at the expense of reason and practicality. My own Unitarian & Post-Mormon communities claim to be on the edge of their seats in anticipation. I hope to not keep them waiting long.


I would buy and read your book in a heartbeat.
 

RAMHALite

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I'm writing one that has elements of psychology, philosophy, and yoga. The premise is that your experience of being a conscious self with rationality, free will, and mental control over your own thoughts and actions is just fraudulent folk-psychology. Neuroscience demonstrates that the true state of affairs is nothing like this at all. Think Gurdjieff, The Matrix, Neuromancer. That's the direction all new neuroscience research is heading.
 

Wayne K

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I just started a new memoir. Its about my experinces at the Elan School.

A snippet from the proposal


A Life Gone Awry is the story of my two and a half year stay at Elan School, a therapeutic community for emotionally disturbed adolescents, which has been in the media spotlight for abuse for over twenty years.

When Michael Skakel was indicted for the murder of his next door neighbor Martha Moxley in 2000, and residents from his house told the stories of Élan’s abuse on TV, once again, they ignored us kids at the bottom of the hill. Mike’s house was full of rich kids, and their families cared about what happened to them, so they had it easy compared to Elan Seven. We were the worst of the worst, and no one cared what happened to us. The abuses that happened there are referred to as, “Lies,” made up to sell a book. The truth about Elan is that the most outrageous stories are the ones that are true. It was an asylum run by the inmates.

And another

At Elan School, football was a metaphor for life, without parole. As Mike was being tried for the murder of Martha Moxley, our other star running back, Wayne Weaver, was being tried for murder across town. Our halfback was Robert Gamble, who killed a man for being gay. His co defendant was Larry Rhodes, one of our defensive linemen. The coach’s pet was Pat Carlson, who raped and murdered an eight year old boy. Elan has stories to tell, and I’m one of the few left to tell them. This is a good book.

Closing paragraph
When the owner, Joe Ricci, died I was relieved. I wasn’t the only one. All these years later, his death gives people comfort. In A Life Gone Awry the reader will understand why. Michael Skakel and his friends were the face of the students of Elan. They were the ones shown on TV. We were the ones they buried under the prison. This is our story.
Pretty boring, huh?
 
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chasbaz

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Prinny's Taylor: a historical biography

What I am writing: ‘Prinny’s Taylor’, a biography of the tailor to the Prince of Wales, later George IV.

I have been researching the life of my gggggfr Louis Bazalgette for about 15 years now. I have almost completed the first draft of his biography, which I hope to publish this year.


Louis is completely unknown and the fact that he was Prinny's tailor for 32 years is unrecorded in any book that I have seen. This is a good thing for me, as the material is mostly very fresh, and hopefully will be new and intriguing to those who are interested in Prinny and in Georgian London.

I’m impatient to get the book finished and have been reviewing publishing options. Although self-publishing is very tempting, I think I have a product which might possibly interest a publisher.

Looking forward to comparing notes with others writing similar books, and of course with anyone else who wants to talk to me!

To publicize the work I have a blog at http://chasbaz.posterous.com which has a lot of information on London tailoring in the late eighteenth century, about the Prince of Wales and other Regency stuff, plus links to other useful sites.


WHAT'S THE MOST DIFFICULT ASPECT OF RESEARCH FOR YOUR BOOK?
All of it!
 
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JudyS

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What I am writing: ‘Prinny’s Taylor’, a biography of the tailor to the Prince of Wales, later George IV.

I have been researching the life of my gggggfr Louis Bazalgette for about 15 years now...
Does gggggfr mean "Greatgreatgreatgreatgreatfather?" So, the tailor to George IV was an ancestor of yours?
 

Pistol Whipped Bee

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The psychological experience of withdrawal the morning after years of drinking four bottles of wine a day, every day, evokes the image of my mind being stretched and warped over an Event Horizon as it's about to be sucked down and through a Black Hole.

My withdrawals and DT's were terrifying and excruciating.

My memoir takes the reader through my experiences of late stage alcoholism, two arrests by my new husband of three months and my subsequent adventures through and between five inpatient treatment centers for alcohol abuse.

Edited chapters from my book can be found on my blog.
 
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Black Land: Ancient Egypt's African Origin

I've long been interested in the biological and cultural relationships that the ancient Egyptians had with other African peoples, and I think writing and publishing a nonfiction book dedicated to the subject would disseminate some critical information about the subject that more people need to know. My thesis, developed after years of research, is that the ancient Egyptians were predominantly a dark-skinned African people (i.e. what many would call "black") with particularly close bio-cultural relations to Northeast African peoples such as northern Sudanese, Ethiopians, Eritreans, and Somalis.

The trick will be finding someone who is willing to publish it on a large scale. I don't want my readership to be limited to so-called "Afrocentric" or "alternative history" circles, but I am concerned that mainstream publishers won't accept a manuscript that advances the arguments I will make. Furthermore, although I am pursuing a career in biological anthropology, right now I'm just a college kid, so I may not have a ton of gravitas.
 

hokaheyrider

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I'm writing a......I don't what you'd call it. A Chronicle I guess, it's a 1st person account of my experience riding in a 9,000+ Mile Motorcycle Endurance Ride from Key West Florida to Homer Alaska.

I did a thread on it in a Harley-Davidson forum I belong to and I had so many people telling me, "You need to write a book" that i decided to give it a try. Have no idea what I'm doing but giving it my best shot anyway.
 

Undivided_Heart

fairy tales and happy endings
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Hello everyone!
I'm pretty new here :)
Reading this thread, there are so many interesting non-fiction books out there; I never really read much of it, apart from lit crit for my studies, but now I've just finished studying (!), so I want to start reading more widely I think :)
I published a book in 2009 which is a cross between 1, 5 and 8. It's a Christian book for young women, with just loadsa stuff from the Bible. It was fun to write, because it was for a really fun age group, so the writing style was relaxed and informal. I'm a fiction writer normally, but I really want to write some more Christian books in the future (probably not too distant!).
I'm also obsessed with all things Austen/Brontes/Regency England, and have read a bunch of non-fiction about all that jazz, and I wonder about delving into that one day...
Nice to meet some of you, anyway :)