I am a writer with two novels completed are they ever really done until a publisher tells you they are. And I write a newspaper column which has to be done because of deadline. I often lurk the web for an agent who will fall in love with my title pages and/or my bylines. Over the last few years I have created a dream-team of agents, any one of which I would gift my Lamborghini to as a trade for representation. I don’t own a Lamborghini but they can have my Subaru. One of the agents on my list of heavy hitters is Jenny Bent. Yesterday I was reading her wish-list blog post and something, or should I say someone, caught my eye; it warmed my heart.
She mentioned Lori Roy's latest book UNTIL SHE COMES HOME which has
been nominated for the Edgar. (The Edgar is awarded by the Mystery Writers of
America, for distinguished work in mystery. It covers novels, television, and
motion pictures.) The author’s name was familiar but it wasn’t
until Jenny mentioned that Lori is the author of BENT ROAD, did I sit up and have WTF moment.
(BENT ROAD won the Edgar for best first book).
This is my snap-shot of how Lori Roy became one of Jenny’s authors. I love this little synapse-video because it tells the down to earth story of a writer's beginning with an agent.
A couple of years back I remember reading Jenny’s blog and a post written by
Lori about Jenny requesting a full of BENT ROAD. As I remember the post Lori
said that she was so excited that Jenny wanted to read her full manuscript, that
the night before she sent it, she read the entire book out loud just to make
sure everything was just right. I thought at the time, that’s
exactly what I’ll do when an agent wants a full of one of my novels.
I've been reading my work out-loud ever since but not over night yet. I did become a newspaper columnist and I always read them to my dog, sometimes many times, before I finally send them to my editor. Regarding my books, when I do a rewrite and edit and query and wait, I read aloud and promise I'll do exactly what Lori Roy did - pull an over-nighter when an agent requests a full.
That Lori’s second book has done as well as her first is not a
surprise, her voice is astounding and her writing superb. I feel as if in the beginning I had a little look-see into how Lori ended up working with Jenny Bent on BENT ROAD. I wonder if she read UNTIL
SHE COMES HOME out loud through the night too.
Okay, now it’s time for me to read this post out loud before I click publish. Where's the dog?
When is the last time you read out loud before you clicked send?
This is coincidental but...I just read BENT ROAD in the past six months b/c I wanted to read more "suspense" novels, since that's what I'm attempting I'd read somewhere about the book - can't recall if it was Goodreads, or on some site, but either way, I got it and read it. I was considering buying this new one too...
ReplyDeleteLike you, I love finding agent sites where they talk about author's or finding author sites that have just landed a deal and they post stuff about their "journey." Inspiring!
Donna, I also liked that she mentioned the Bent and Bent connection as well as someone else she dealt with at the publisher that had her name as well.
ReplyDeleteI love that kind of connection. It's sort of a meant-to-be kind of thing.
Good morning, Carolynn with two Ns...stumbled across your blog entry this morning. In answer to your question...yes, I read USCH out loud several times. I also listened to it several times by having my PDF reader read it to me in its mechanical voice. Whatever it takes to get the job done.
ReplyDeletep.s. I also read aloud to my two dogs. I tend to put them to sleep, however, so I don't consider them a good audience.
Good luck to you with your writing.
Lori
Hey Lori, thanks for stopping by. I have learned that my dogs are extra attentive if I have a Milkbone box as a desk ornament.
DeleteBENT ROAD, awesome writing BTW.