Agents Like Us - Uwe Stender

Agents Like Us asks agents all their deep, dark agenting secrets. This week, Uwe Stender of TriadaUS Literary Agency is here! He's actively looking for YA, Middle Grade, Women's Fiction, Literary Fiction, and Mysteries. You can find his submission guidelines here, and him tweeting under @UweStender.

Uwe's answers are below in bold. Let us know what makes him like you in the comments!

Uwe on Agenting

• When writers query me, I really wish to find strong writing.

• My favorite part about being an agent is the "high" of discovery.

• Rules and trends aside, what I really look for in a story is an amazing story.

• Whenever I make a book deal, I go for a run, as my adrenaline skyrockets and I need to settle down again.

• I really wish I saw more mysteries (adult, YA, middle grade) in the slush.

Uwe on Clients

• My ideal client would be creative and passionate.

• What I love most about my current clientele is their excitement for their writing.

• What I want most for any client is for them to be happy in their life. 

Uwe on Life

• If I weren't an agent, I'd probably be a music producer.

• My favorite (non-client) book is right this second: “Eleanor and Park.”

• Secretly, I'm terrified of hospitals.

• My secret girlfriend is Alina Süggeler (from the German band Frida Gold).

• I have a total bromance with Bradley Cooper.

• Sometimes, when no one is around, I ask my dog how her day was.

• My favorite drink is a Brendan B. Gin and Tonic.

Next Week's Agent: Katie Grimm!

Cover Reveal - Robert Lettrick's FRENZY

Who wants to have nightmares tonight?! 

My awesome agency brother Robert Lettrick's middle grade horror book, FRENZY, finally has a cover, and, oh my God, it's so awesome looking! Seriously, what middle grade reader is going to be able to resist picking this one up?

Read more about Robert's book here. It comes out in April 2014 by Disney Hyperion.

What's Up Wednesday - 9.11.13

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up.

You can participate by going to Jaime's blog here. Or Erin's blog there.

What's Up, my Wednesday people!

What I'm Reading

Just finished The Dream Thieves, and, oh my gosh, it was so good! I really do love the characters in this series and I'm picking up on some things in Maggie's writing style that I just really love. And ugh, Adam. Just Adam. <3

Each of the boys have been so well rounded out in this book, and have such heart breaking stories. I can't really talk about any of it without spoiling, but if anyone wants to have a gush session, especially after September 17th, EMAIL ME!

What I'm Writing

I think I invented a new term this week.
Story Stare: when someone is talking to you, but you are totally not paying attention because you had a random thought about your WIP and your gaze drifts right up over their left shoulder.

I have it. BAD.
(Sorry everyone who tried to tell me something important this week!)

What Else I've Been Up To

I'm writing a lot, so really not much. I did have Carly Watters from PS Literary Agency on my blog this week. So check out that interview! I'm trying to figure out what I should do with the Agents Like Us series. Is it better to keep each agent a surprise to reveal on Tuesday mornings? Should I tweet hints? Or should I announce at the bottom of each post who's coming up next week? 

What Inspires Me Right Now

Know what I realized this week? I have to get out more. I've been spending way too many weekends cooped up inside. So this weekend I started going out for more runs (and when I mean runs, we know I mean I jog for a while. Then walk. Then jog. Because athletics and I do not really like each other). Anyway! The point is the minute I got outside, I felt like I shook loose a bunch of thoughts I had rattling around in my head. Plus, air smells better out here. So there's that.

Agents Like Us - Carly Watters

Agents Like Us asks agents all their deep, dark agenting secrets. This week, Carly Watters of PS Literary Agency is here! She's actively looking for women's fiction, YA, commercial fiction, and more! You can find her submission guidelines here, her really great blog there, and her tweeting under @CarlyWatters.

Carly's answers are below in bold. Let us know what makes her like you in the comments!

Carly on Agenting

• When writers query me, I really wish they'd be selective and do their research. Agents are looking to sign great writers, and want writers that will be a good fit. I recommend querying writers to read books by authors whom the agent represents, read their blog posts and interviews, and follow them on Twitter. 

• My favorite part about being an agent is everything. From discovering new talent, to being the biggest literary advocate in your author's life, to selling debut fiction, to building author brands--agents have a special relationship with the clients and within the publishing world. 

• Rules and trends aside, what I really look for in a story is for it to make me FEEL something. Whether it makes me cry, laugh, or think about my own life.

• Whenever I make a book deal, I do a big happy dance and call the author with a smile on my face. 

• I really wish I saw more upmarket fiction in the slush. I love commercial fiction, but I'm looking for book club books and high concept projects, too.

Carly on Clients

• My ideal client would be a bestseller. (Is that too cheeky?) Let's try that again… Someone who is talented, understands the art of revisions, is willing to promote and market their book, is resilient, has many books in them, and has excellent communication skills whether it's talking with me, their editor, on social media or their ability to communicate their ideas within their book. 

• What I love most about my current clientele is how they surprise me with their original ideas and their passion for writing.

• What I want most for any client is a perfect fit with their editor and publishing house, and a long, successful publishing career.

Carly on Life

• If I weren't an agent, I'd probably be an urban planner. I love cities and learning about how they develop and grow over time.

• My favorite (non-client) book is a tough question for someone that reads so much! 'One Day' by David Nicholls.

• Secretly, I'm terrified of running out of books to read. And large insects.

• My secret boyfriend is Garrett Hedlund. Anyone who has seen Country Strong knows what I'm talking about…

• I have a total girlcrush on Elizabeth Olsen. Great actress, stylish, and seems like a woman who knows who she is.

• Sometimes, when no one is around, I attempt to cook. (It ends badly and I end up getting sushi take out.)

• My favorite drink is a glass of Malbec.

NEXT WEEK: Agent Uwe Stender!

What's Up Wednesday - 9.4.1

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up.

You can participate by going to Jaime's blog here. Or Erin's blog there.

What's Up Wednesday people! Can you believe we're halfway to Friday?!

What I'm Reading

I finished These Broken Stars a few nights ago (and, oh my gosh, it's sooo good), and thought I'd just look at the first chapter of The Dream Thieves since I had a galley on my Kindle.

I was sucked right in. I really liked the first book, but I think I *LOVE* the second. Adam is so my book boyfriend.

What I'm Writing

So I didn't quite make my 10K to Labor Day challenge. But I did make 6.5K, which is not bad.

Seriously, I love this MS. I've gotten to that point where I'm neglecting anything and everything other than making my word count every night. It's kinda the best part of the writing cycle, don't you think?

What Else I've Been Up To

My agent, Lauren MacLeod, helped me kick off a really awesome blog series this week! Agents Like Us asks agents about their Agenting, Clients, and Life to help writers get a better feel for the agents they are querying/following. Lauren's answers were sooo funny! Plus her bangs are amazing.

I have about 7 other agents lined up, and can't wait to see all their answers too.

What Inspires Me Right Now

I've been a huge Kurt Halsey fan forever, and his paintings are so sweet. Sometimes when I need inspiration to write, I start Googling to see what new things he has out.

Agents Like Us - Lauren MacLeod of the Strothman Agency

I've been super fortunate to have interviewed so many of my favorite authors in my Writers Like Us series from Sara Zarr and Jennifer E. Smith to Katie McGarry and Jennifer Echols. So today I'm really excited to announce a brand new blog series.

Agents Like Us asks agents all their deep, dark agenting secrets. Of course, I couldn't kick this series off right without the help of my rockstar agent with equally awesome hair, Lauren MacLeod of the Strothman Agency. She reps young adult and middle grade. You can find her submission guidelines here, and her tweeting under @BostonBookGirl.

**PLUS--if you scroll all the way to the bottom of this post, we're giving away a signed copy of Jodi Meadows' INCARNATE.**

Lauren's answers are below in bold. Let us know what makes her like you in the comments!

Lauren on Agenting

• When writers query me, I really wish they would do their research! But more than that, I love when they include the genre, title and word count in the first sentence or two. 

• My favorite part about being an agent is the clients! Specifically working with them on amazing new projects and, of course, making the "we have an offer!" call. It makes me feel like a fairy godmother. 

• Rules and trends aside, what I really look for in a story is a connection. If it makes me feel something, I'm going to offer.

• Whenever I make a book deal, I call my dad or my husband. It is usually a while before we can officially announce but I have to tell someone! 

• I really wish I saw more YA mysteries and thrillers in the slush. Contemporary YA and funny MG is my wheelhouse so I get a lot of those, but I also really love tense, action packed stories and it seems like people don't write those as much.

Lauren on Clients

• My ideal client would be J. K. Rowling. And I would call her Jo and we would go to parties with Kate Middleton and plan the surprise Harry Potter spin-off series. 

• What I love most about my current clientele is how supportive they are of each other! Every agent thinks her clients are very talented and smart-- and I am no exception!-- but I think mine are particularly supportive and wonderful to each other and it makes me really happy. Also: you guys are all really funny. 

• What I want most for any client is success! I want my clients to find the readers and the fanbase they deserve. (I wouldn't mind them bringing in just boatloads of advance money either.)

Lauren on Life

• If I weren't an agent, I'd probably be an editor. But if I wasn't an agent because books were over, I'd want to be working in TV. I *love* stories and all the various ways we tell them. But, more realistically, I'd probably be a lawyer or a high school English teacher. 

• My favorite (non-client) book is most recently? Jellicoe Road. But ever and all time? Harry Potter. Probably ... and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

• Secretly, I'm terrified of driving in Boston! I *can* drive here, but only with lots of concentration, no music playing and only if can only take right turns. Down south, where I grew up, people drive much slower and you can do basically whatever you want so long as you drive slowly. But here! Here all drivers just want to kill you. 

I like to worry about the apocalypse too. I don't think I'm so much a "survivor" as I am an "early zombie-lifestyle adapter." Oh! And toilet snakes-- this has always been a fear, but this recent article in Slate-- "A Brief History of Toilet-Based Animal Attacks" --ramped up the nightmares. 

• My secret boyfriend is the Winchester brothers. And Captain Mal. (I will also never not have a thing for Leonardo DiCaprio.)

• I have a total girlcrush on Jennifer Lawrence (who doesn't!?!) and Michelle Obama (she got bangs because she liked them so much on me) and Kate Middleton (I can't help it! It is just-- I love that she and William seem to have so much fun together and she has such great style. Plus she got married just a few weeks after I did, so we have a deep bond) and Christina Hendricks (because I have eyes).

• Sometimes, when no one is around, I love it! I'm an introvert at heart. (Also, I talk to my dog like he is a human. And I, er, do his voice back to me too. )

• My favorite drink is Diet Coke! Unless you mean drink drink and then bourbon. Which work very well together, but is not very classy.

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Currently Reading - September 2013

Hello, hello! Hope everyone is having a fantastic end to their summers and going back to work/school/post-summer life isn't too painful.

For me, I'm knee deep in writing my own manuscript, so my reading has tapered off quite a bit in the last month. The only book I'm committing to read in September is Twitter buddy Jennifer Laam's THE SECRET DAUGHTER OF THE TSAR (she was so nice in giving me an eARC). I'm excited to read this one because it's A) my first non-YA read in 2013 and B) Russian historical!

So since I'm not reading much now in September, here's a recap of my absolute favorites from this summer:

Jessica Martinez's THE VOW was an amazing YA contemporary that asked the ultimate question: how much can you really commit of yourself to saving your best friend? My full review is here.

It's no surprise that Trish Doller's sophomore book is on my list. WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE is equal parts heartbreaking and triumphant. Expect much fangirling when this one comes out later this month. My full review is here. For all my previous fangirling, here.

I also really loved Miranda Kenneally's THINGS I CAN'T FORGET. If you want a sweet romance that challenges the characters' beliefs and faiths, this is your book. My full review is here.

Hilary T. Smith's debut, WILD AWAKE, was also at the top of my list. The main character took us along on a very wild, manic ride that I can't quite stop thinking about months later. My full review here.

THE TRUTH ABOUT YOU AND ME was the first book I read from Amanda Grace (AKA Mandy Hubbard) and I immediately fell in love with her unconventional storytelling. My full review here.

Lauren Myracle's THE INFINITE MOMENT OF US reminded me of Judy Blume's FOREVER and pushed the envelope of young adult contemporary romance. My full review here.

2013 Reading Challenge

Valerie has read 11 books toward her goal of 50 books.

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