We were discussing "High Concept" or "Commercial Appeal" at the office yesterday and realized this is something that trips up many authors and agents. So here are my very random thoughts on the subject. What is High Concept? First, let me say what it's not:
I hope this post is helpful when you're working on your next projects or polishing up your current WIPs for mass market appeal. The examples listed are primarily for YA and MG but they really apply to all fiction genres and age-groups.
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Do-GooderYA / LGBT / CONTEMPORARY j. leigh bailey Harmony Ink Press September 15, 2016 No good deed goes unpunished, and for seventeen-year-old Isaiah Martin, that’s certainly the case. The gun he was caught with wasn’t even his, for God’s sake. He only had it to keep a friend from doing something stupid. No one wants to hear it though, and Isaiah is banished—or so it seems to him—to live with his missionary father in politically conflicted Cameroon, Africa. However, when he arrives, his father is so busy doing his good deeds that he sends Henry, the young, surprisingly hot do-gooder with a mysterious past, to pick up Isaiah and keep him out of trouble. Even while Isaiah is counting down the days until he can go home, he and Henry get caught in the political unrest of the region. Kidnapped by militant forces, the two have to work together to survive until they are rescued—unless they manage to find a way to save each other first. j. leigh bailey is an office drone by day and the author of Young Adult LGBT Romance by night. She can usually be found with her nose in a book or pressed up against her computer monitor. A book-a-day reading habit sometimes gets in the way of... well, everything...but some habits aren't worth breaking. She's been reading romance novels since she was ten years old. The last twenty years or so have not changed her voracious appetite for stories of romance, relationships and achieving that vitally important Happy Ever After. She's a firm believer that everyone, no matter their gender, age, sexual orientation or paranormal affiliation deserves a happy ending. She wrote her first story at seven, which was, unbeknownst to her at the time, a charming piece of fan-fiction in which Superman battled (and defeated, of course) the nefarious X Luther. She was quite put out to be told, years later, that the character's name was actually Lex. Her second masterpiece should have been a best-seller, but the action-packed tale of rescuing her little brother from an alligator attack in the marshes of Florida collected dust for years under the bed instead of gaining critical acclaim. Now she writes Young Adult LGBT Romance novels about boys traversing the crazy world of love, relationships and acceptance. BLOG TOUR: 7/19/2016 Geronimo Reads Abooktasia WhereBooksReign Checkmate Reads xobrandilarissa Bound 2 Escape Cuz I'm a Nerd Books at Dawn Dandelionn Wine Book Blog Zero Sky
DYING FOR REVENGE: The debut novel in Dr. Barbara Golder's medical thriller series, LADY DOC MURDERS; Kindle release by Amazon on May 20th; print release June 3rd. Barbara Golder was a late literary bloomer. Although she’s always loved books (and rivals Jane in the 3-deep- on-the- shelf sweepstakes), her paying career gravitated to medicine and law. She has served as a hospital pathologist, forensic pathologist, and laboratory director. Her work in forensic pathology prompted her to get a law degree, which she put to good use as a malpractice attorney and in a boutique practice of medical law, which allowed her to be a stay-at- home mom when her children were young. She has also tried her hand at medical politics, serving as an officer in her state medical association; lobbying at a state and national level on medical issues, writing and lecturing for hire, including a memorable gig teaching nutritionists about the joys of chocolate for 8 straight hours, teaching middle and high school science, and, most recently, working for a large disability insurance company from which she is now retired. Her writing career began when she authored a handbook of forensic medicine for the local medical examiner office in 1984. Over the years she wrote extensively on law and medicine and lectured on medicolegal topics. On a lark, she entered a contest sponsored by the Telluride Times Journal and ended up with a regular humor column that memorialized the vagaries of second-home living on the Western Slope. She currently lives on Lookout Mountain, Tennessee with two dogs, two cats and her husband of 41 years. DYING FOR REVENGE
MEDICAL THRILLER DR. BARBARA GOLDER FULL QUIVER PUBLISHING Represented by: DOREEN THISTLE Someone is killing the rich and famous residents of Telluride, Colorado, and the medical investigator, Dr. Jane Wallace, is on a collision course with the murderer. Compelled by profound loss and injustice, Jane will risk her own life to protect others from vengeful death, even as she exacts a high price from those who have destroyed her world. DYING FOR REVENGE is a story of love, obsession and forgiveness, seen through the eyes of a passionate, beautiful woman trying to live her life -- imperfectly but vibrantly -- even if she won't survive. Dara Lyons Writing isn’t so much what Dara does. It’s who she is. At five-years-old Dara knew she wanted to tell stories for a living. She has a tendency to fall in love with characters and a somewhat (extremely) fanatical need to put their lives down on paper. Dara writes Young Adult fiction because she's still seventeen at heart and because she remembers what it felt like to pick up a book and see herself in its characters. Represented by: Veronica Park The Interview Q: The peacock feather seems to mean a lot to you. Where does that love stem from? Dara: My love for the peacock feather is kind of ironic because most of my stories are about girls, but it’s the male peacock who has the brilliant/bold feathers. That said, I’ve always loved peacock feathers because they are each beautiful and different. I really try to celebrate diversity and being proud of our own uniqueness. When I was a little girl – biracial and the only child of a single mom – there was a lot about me that was unique. At times, I’ve viewed that uniqueness as a bad thing, but I’ve spent a lot of time trying to learn to be okay with looking different than the people around me. Spreading one’s feathers is an essential part of learning to fly and I’ve always found it really cool/symbolic that peacocks fly in these beautiful, but short-lived bursts. Each flight is breathtaking but none of them is especially long. For me, that’s like life. It’s not about soaring through the air, but about taking small risks that yield wonderful results. I’ve actually started to amass peacock stationary and journals as a constant reminder to spread my wings while writing and to take a million little leaps… Q: You have a tendency to fall in love with your characters. How does that process evolve? Dara: As sappy as this sounds, I don’t create my characters. I discover them. I start with an idea or a concept, but as I begin to write, the characters reveal themselves to me. Each one is different. Some represent qualities in myself or in others. Some protagonists have traits I wish I had, but don’t. Most of the time, my characters are these kick-ass people and I kind of wish they would materialize in real life and I could hang out with them and be friends. Q: You are a self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie. How do you fulfill this need? Dara: Oh wow! I’ve gone skydiving, parasailing, jet skiing… I never say no to a rollercoaster and I try to run a few times a week. I feel like that stomach-plummeting sensation of being alive is the best antidote to death that there is. Most of the time, my life is fairly routine, but I absolutely need to live on the edge from time to time. It keeps me young and shakes up the status quo. Q: Comedy improv is something you go out and do once a week. What does this do for you personally? Dara: Who wouldn’t want to laugh for two hours straight? As an improviser, I have the chance to be completely foolish and to embrace every moment. One of the first rules they teach you in improv is to say yes to everything that happens on stage. It’s like a giant game of make believe and, as a writer, this helps me to throw away my inner critic. Improv has helped me in each and every area of my life. I can’t get enough. And it absolutely bleeds over into my writing. Q: What is one of your favorite quotes? Dara: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.” ―Henry Ford Q: What chore do you absolutely hate doing? Dara: Cleaning and cooking. I’m not domestic in the least, so I eat out a lot or get take-out (luckily, I live in an area with a lot of healthy, organic options) and I pay someone to clean the house. Life is too short to do the things you hate. Q: If you could paint a picture of any scenery you’ve seen before, what would you paint?
Dara: I’ve been to some incredible beaches. In Puerto Rico, Mexico, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos… I would paint one of these beautiful beaches and then, ideally, climb into the painting and soak up the sun. Ken Bagnis Ken Bagnis is an accomplished musician and practicing psychotherapist. He has been crafting stories and singing for rock-n roll bands since his early youth in Cleveland, Ohio. Musical success took the form of tens of records sold, supported by a North American tour in a filthy Econoline van which lasted several years. Ken shares at least four eerie connections with Hawaiian entertainer, Don Ho including a number one record on the island of Oahu for two straight weeks. When the tour ended on super sunny Christmas in Los Angeles, Ken vowed he would never drive in the snow again. Wandering down a side street lit by the Gazzarri’s parking lot, he contemplated starting a new life as close as possible to the Sunset Strip. With the fortuitousness which always surprises one in retrospect, he collided with the girl of his dreams. The marriage survives but Gazzarri’s has not. Represented by: Marisa Corvisiero and Veronica Park The Interview Q: Tell us about your early youth in Cleveland, Ohio.
Ken: How early are we talkin’? I remember a lot of snow and singing for a few rock bands. We came up with bitchin’ names for the groups like SAVAGE FEW, DECEIVER and THE BLACK PANTHERS. My mother suggested we might want to change that last one. I wasn’t a very politically aware twelve year old. I was a huge fan of my brother’s black light panther poster. We had jackets made. Q: You are a practicing psychotherapist, what does that entail? Ken: Now I’ll get all serious…I am the director of a private psychiatric facility in Los Angeles. We treat adults with psychotic disorders. Our continuum of care supports each client throughout his or her journey from mental illness to wellness. Our guiding principle is that with proper support, each individual has the potential for recovery and improved quality of life. I love my work. I recycle the same creative energy I used as a musician and everyday is a new adventure. I have a guitar in my office and I’m not afraid to use it. Q: What can you tell us about your upcoming Young Adult novel, Sidewalk Rockets? Ken: Sidewalk Rockets is such a fun adventure. It’s my first novel and I’m deeply in love with it. My favorite description is The Goonies meets The Hardy Boys, if the Hardy Boys were a rock band. I was listening to a ton of 70’s rock when I wrote it, so you can feel its groovy influence. At its heart, it a coming of age tale that explores deeper themes of courage, friendship, and mending a broken family (I totally borrowed that from my synopsis). If you’re an editor, buy it immediately. Q: You have two kids and two cats. Which pair is more mischievous and why? Ken: Just this morning my kids got into my wife’s makeup case. Their faces were COVERED in black mascara. Ears included. “Look how pretty, Daddy.” Very glam, just like their daddy in the 80’s. I laughed until I tried to wipe it off. Who knew makeup was so greasy? After an unscheduled shower, they were late for pre-school. I have pictures. BTW, the cats slept through the whole ordeal. Q: What's your favorite type of foreign food and why? Ken: I can eat obscene amounts of sushi. It’s consistently delicious, healthy and light. Even if I get it at a grocery store, it’s still pretty damn good. Q: Aside from necessities, what one thing could you not go a day without? Ken: The correct authorial answer would be coffee. I hate to be a conformist but… I kicked the habit for several months. I was a tea guy. I was content and insisted it was all I needed. “It does the job without making me crazy.” I must be a fan of crazy because coffee is, once again, central to my existence (Takes a sip). I could have worse addictions. Q: If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to and why? Ken: June of 1987. The Front Row Theater. My high school graduation. After shocking my younger self with my salon quality hair and how well I have aged, I would insist that I dump all of my tens of dollars into Apple stock. $1.25/share. Buy the ’78 Grand Prix in twenty years when you’re a kazillionaire. Oh! Before I disappear in my time machine…skip the “root perm” young Kenny. BAD idea. Sam Pease (Rhymes with "Please") Sam Pease is the #1 bestselling author of "Date Like A Dude" and "Eat Less Crap, Lose That Fat" the revolutionary new gym-free diet that show readers how to lose weight easily, while still eating the foods they love. Represented by: Veronica Park The Interview ![]() Q: You are the #1 bestselling author of "Date Like A Dude". What kind of research went into figuring out whether he's a sleeper, a creeper or a keeper? Sam: I’ve been anecdotally “researching” all my life so I’ve had years of [clears throat] hands-on experience… I’ve made all the mistakes so readers don’t have to…I love talking about dating, whether it’s counselling and encouraging friends, advising strangers, gossiping with colleagues or obsessing over dating shows on television. ![]() Q: In your first book, Eat Less Crap, Lose That Fat, you inspire readers to get slim without the gym. What’s one tip you can give us about healthy eating? Sam: I love eating and hate working out so I invented a diet that shows people how to get slim without the gym. One of my favourite discoveries was that if you leave two mouthfuls from every meal and snack you can lose 1-3 pounds a week. It worked for me; I lost 62 pounds in 5 months without setting foot in a gym and I still ate carbs, cheese and chips most days. My book is filled with lazy girl diet tips like this. Q: You call yourself an ethnic stir-fry. What went into the making of Sam Pease? Sam: I was born in England and raised in New Zealand, but I’m a composite of 9 Eurasian African ethnicities - English, Xhosa, French, Indonesian, Irish, German, Cantonese, South African and Javanese. I also call myself a fruit salad. I look forward to the day there’s a supercombo box to tick on Census forms… Q: What cultural value do you see in writing/reading/storytelling/etc.? Sam: Books. Are. Everything. Amazing books help you understand the world and make sense of the exquisite mess in one’s own head. I once complained to my mother that I’d read everything in the local library. She suggested reading them all again. Clearly I’m from a bookish family… I’m delighted that my son reads like wildfire, but I guess if I taught basketball for a living he’d probably be a baller… Q: What do you think most characterizes your writing? Sam: My innate disregard for rules. So, I’m cheeky. And naughty. And sassy. The publishers of Date Like A Dude told me not to censor my writing but when they read the final draft, they blushed. And I’d held back… Q: What are some day jobs that you have held? If any of them impacted your writing we'd love to hear an example. Sam: I’ve had a hundred jobs so I became an author through a process of elimination… It was the only job in writing left… I was a speechwriter for the Prime Minister of NZ (our President), a television journalist, a TV presenter/host, a radio newsreader, a producer, an internal communications consultant, an event manager, a director, a publicist, a production manager, an editor’s assistant, a sponsorship manager… the list goes on… Q: How did you get to be where you are in your life today?
Sam: Through perseverance. Being stubborn is not always a bad thing… I’ve been through more life shocks and hard times than one could imagine so to still be driven and ambitious genuinely amazes me. Success isn’t about talent; it’s about not giving up. Whenever I doubt my writing ability, I Google Madonna lyrics. And then I think I’m a genius. Ha. Jo McNally is is a true believer that It’s never too late to follow a dream. she spent several decades climbing the corporate ladder before finally listening to the persistent voice from her childhood saying “you should be writing!” She now writes contemporary romance novels with touches of humor, drama, sensuality, and above all: the healing magic of forever love. |
The Aftermath Last Tuesday, December 15th, Grand Central released R.J. Prescott's sequel, The Aftermath. In order to start the release off right, Grand Central also hosted a Release Week Blitz for this flaming hot romance novel. Many reviews, guest posts, and interviews later, we're providing the list of participating Release Week Blitz blogs for your reading pleasure. If you don't already know how steamy this book is, we highly recommend reading on, so you can see for yourself exactly what R.J. is made of... Amazon | Barnes and Noble Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | The Hurricane |
Release Week Blitz
December 15th
The Review Loft: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Jayme Books: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Two Book Pushers: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Here is What I Read: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Beyond Boyfriend Reviews: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Books and the Big Screen: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Mrs. Leif's Two Fangs About It: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Agents of Romance: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Q&A
Best Book Boyfriends: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
This Girl Loves Books: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Q&A
2 Girls and Their Kindles: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
M's Sinful Reviews: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
December 16th
Escape N Books: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
A Bookish Escape: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Reading the Sheets: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Smut and Bon Bons: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Romance Between the Sheets: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Once Upon a Story: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
I'm a Book Shark: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Mommy's Naughty Playground: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
BookHounds: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Who Picked This?: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
It's About the Book: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
A Book Whore's Obsession: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
December 17th
Caroline Jane Reads: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Not the Classics: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
The Hopeless Romantics: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Rochelle's Reviews: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Book Boyfriends: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Red Moon: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Q&A
Happy Cloud Reviews: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Read Write Love: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Q&A
Talk Books to Me: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Life With Two Boys: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Nose Stuck in a Book: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
The Book Disciple: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
December 18th
Naughty Book Blog: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
The Book Bellas: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Kawehi's Book Blog: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Sizzling Pages Romance: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Book Nook Nuts: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
One Book Boyfriend At A Time: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Amazeballs Book Addicts: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Ceejay's Reading Reviews: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Little Miss Reader: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Lost to Books: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Gemma Reads Too Much: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Book Junky Girls: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Mary Gramlich Blogging Along With: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Kris & Vik Book Therapy Cafe: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Other Posts:
The Book Harbor Reviews: 12/19/2015 - Review
Fictional Men's Page for Ho's: 12/15/2015 - Review
Book Nook Nuts: 12/15/2015 - Review
Maryse's Book Blog: 12/15/2015 - New Release Roundup
Romancing the Book: 12/15/2015 - Playlist
Romancing the Book: 12/15/2015 - Review
Bookalicious Babes Blog: 12/15/2015 - Spotlight
Butterfly-O-Meter Books: 12/13/2015 - Review
Jeri's Book Attic: 12/11/2015 - Review
December 15th
The Review Loft: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Jayme Books: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Two Book Pushers: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Here is What I Read: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Beyond Boyfriend Reviews: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Books and the Big Screen: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Mrs. Leif's Two Fangs About It: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Agents of Romance: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Q&A
Best Book Boyfriends: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
This Girl Loves Books: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Q&A
2 Girls and Their Kindles: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
M's Sinful Reviews: 12/15/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
December 16th
Escape N Books: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
A Bookish Escape: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Reading the Sheets: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Smut and Bon Bons: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Romance Between the Sheets: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Once Upon a Story: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
I'm a Book Shark: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Mommy's Naughty Playground: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
BookHounds: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Who Picked This?: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
It's About the Book: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
A Book Whore's Obsession: 12/16/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
December 17th
Caroline Jane Reads: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Not the Classics: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
The Hopeless Romantics: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Rochelle's Reviews: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Book Boyfriends: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Red Moon: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Q&A
Happy Cloud Reviews: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Read Write Love: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Q&A
Talk Books to Me: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Life With Two Boys: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Nose Stuck in a Book: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
The Book Disciple: 12/17/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
December 18th
Naughty Book Blog: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
The Book Bellas: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Kawehi's Book Blog: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Sizzling Pages Romance: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Book Nook Nuts: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
One Book Boyfriend At A Time: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Amazeballs Book Addicts: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Ceejay's Reading Reviews: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Little Miss Reader: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Lost to Books: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Gemma Reads Too Much: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Book Junky Girls: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Mary Gramlich Blogging Along With: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Spotlight
Kris & Vik Book Therapy Cafe: 12/18/2015 - Release Week Blitz - Review
Other Posts:
The Book Harbor Reviews: 12/19/2015 - Review
Fictional Men's Page for Ho's: 12/15/2015 - Review
Book Nook Nuts: 12/15/2015 - Review
Maryse's Book Blog: 12/15/2015 - New Release Roundup
Romancing the Book: 12/15/2015 - Playlist
Romancing the Book: 12/15/2015 - Review
Bookalicious Babes Blog: 12/15/2015 - Spotlight
Butterfly-O-Meter Books: 12/13/2015 - Review
Jeri's Book Attic: 12/11/2015 - Review
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