Agents: What is the benefit? And who is Avon?

Today, one of my friends asked this question and it made me think of new writers, and how much you don't know you don't know when you're starting out.
I've been plugging away at the writing thing for twenty years, so I've picked up industry info as I went. Now I take it for granted that everyone knows all about this business. It isn't until a new writer asks a question that this is highlighted. I am in no way claiming to know a heaping load, but I do know one or two things. And I'm happy to share.

Therefore, I've decided to blog my answer because I believe it will help other new writers. And despite what those in the know may think, it's not because I'm lazy...I mean frightfully busy, and can't come up with anything to blog. I promise you, it's because I want to help the new writers out there.

So hon,

Let's take a walk to my office...

The reason authors prefer to be represented by agents is because agents can get authors better deals. They can get your book in front of editors who wouldn't look at a slush pile. There are a lot of publishers these days who will only look at work sent in by an agent.

Agents get us better deals. Sometimes if more than two houses are interested in your book, they can start a bidding war and you can end up with a major book contract--major contracts are anything over 500,000 £/$.

Having an agent frees the author to concentrate on writing while she has someone to deal with the selling. Agents know the market and can give great guidance as well as advice on editing/polishing.

Plus, when you have an agent you can sell to several different publishing houses--not the same book! Your other work. Although, books are often resold/reprinted by other publishers once the rights revert back to the author. All they do is change the title and note it on the cover. ie first published under the title bla-bla-bla.

You don't have to worry about fitting your book into a market, the agent takes on this headache. They also deal with foreign rights and translation rights and... oh please, Heavenly Father... film rights! So, all in all, an agent is a most desirable thing to have if you want to hit the potential big times.

Now, Avon is an imprint of Harper Collins, which is owned by News Corporation--a combination of the British publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, and the American company Harper & Row. They publish primarily romance novels. They are big and one of the very few publishers still accepting unsolicited manuscripts/queries.

Hope that gives you a quick rundown of a tiny part of this wonderful industry we're in and the advantages of having an agent.


Can I offer you a hot drink? Tea? Coffee? Herbal? "James!" That's my assistant hehehe... have a great weekend!

What a Saturday

Woke at six this morning with high hopes for my Saturday. Then discovered hackers are targeting author’s sites.

Being paranoid...I mean sensible, I rushed over to my website to check that it was all right. As far as I can see, it’s fine, praise God!!

Needless to say, my day has been totally derailed and to add a little extra irritation, I can’t get my Dragon Naturally Speaking software to work! It’s been months since I last used it and never seem to have the time to spend to sort it out.

I sincerely hope your Saturday is sailing along smoother than mine.

My Blog Made The Top Romance Novels Blog List

Top romance novels Blogs

I’m rather pleased that my blog got onto the Daily Review’s Top 100 Romance Novels Blogs. How cool is that? I didn’t even know such a thing existed. But since it does, I’m proud to be a part of it. Especially since I get to have that nifty Award seal on my blog.

I expect I’ll have to make more of an effort to keep up with my blog entries, now. Hmm, let me think of something worthwhile to blog...

Think, think, think...I’m bound to come up with something soon.

My New Story: Let's Pretend

Blurb:

True love needs no pretence

When A&E trauma surgeon, Isobel, married sexy Irish firefighter, Lucas Delaney, she knew it was going to be forever. Unfortunately, she didn’t realise forever would only last five short years.

Keeping her failed marriage from her family seems like a piece of cake, until her grandmother calls a family gathering and Belle suspects she’s about to break unpleasant news. Making excuses for Luc’s absence, she flies home to Connecticut.

Then delicious Lucas arrives for the three-day get-together and Belle knows things are going to get dicey. Especially since he still has the power to make her heart miss a beat, and her stomach bottom out.

When Belle asks him to pretend they’re still deeply in love, Luc doesn’t have a problem. He sees an opportunity to reclaim the love of his life. And he goes all out to remind Belle how it used to be between them, before long work hours and clashing schedules invaded their marriage.

What he needs to know though, is, once the pretence is over, will Belle be signing divorce papers? Or will they be renewing wedding vows?

More Than a Playboy

Thought I'd post a little teaser of More Than a Playboy.

Blurb:

She has a shield...he has one too...and they’re both hiding secrets behind them.

Serious-minded Alexandra (Sandy) Donovan has one unbreakable rule—never fall for a rich playboy. She’s seen the pain it caused her mother, how it ruined her childhood, and she’s determined never to let the same thing happen to her.

Unfortunately, the only man to make her hormones sit up and take notice is a rich playboy who doesn’t know the first thing about taking life seriously.

A lonely miserable childhood has taught Cameron Berkeley-Scott to hide his feelings in humour, but his comic nature seems to be pushing away the one woman he wants to draw near. She thinks he’s a playboy—a title he has no desire to have—and she ignores his outrageous flirting.

Now it’s time for Cameron to show Sandy he isn’t all about seeking life’s pleasures without commitment or responsibilities, but will it push her further away when she finds out who he really is?