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Corvisiero Literary Agency
  • Welcome
  • Representation
    • Marisa Corvisiero
    • Saritza Hernandez
    • Cate Hart
    • Kaitlyn Johnson
    • Kortney Price
    • Cortney Radocaj
    • Kat Kerr
  • Authors
  • Submissions
  • Events
    • Events We Are Attending
    • Other Conferences
    • Online Events
    • Workshops >
      • Red Bank, NJ Workshop 2019
      • Los Angeles, CA Workshop
      • Recent Workshops
      • Gift Certificates
      • SCHOLARSHIPS!
  • Staff
    • Erin Clyburn
    • Tara Gilbert
    • Megan Manzano
    • Zach Adamerovich
    • Jolene Haley
    • Sarah Rowlands
    • Opportunities

the cla(y)

What does "High Concept" mean?

10/5/2016

1 Comment

 
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Source: Creative Commons
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Source: MemeMaker
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:
  • It's not your whole book.
  • Not inherently lowest common denominator plot (like a literary or think piece plot).
  • Not just a movie pitch (Stranger Things: ET meets Aliens and every other 80s movie).
  • Not another term for gimmicky.
High Concept has five elements:
  1. broad appeal, 
  2. ooh factor, 
  3. originality, 
  4. standout setting, and 
  5. illuminates a universal human truth.
                      
  1. The premise has broad appeal which I know is kind of vague since appeal is really subjective but the concept should be distinct, easily parsed with a clear premise that is immediately intriguing and taps into a wide range of readers' interest. A great example today was  Kami Garcia's upcoming YA pitched as Fast and the Furious meets Romeo and Juliet. You know from that high concept pitch to expect a high octane adventure with suped-up cars and star-crossed lovers in rival gangs/groups.
  2. It has an "Ooh Factor" built in. Or as Corvisiero Literary Agency, Jr. Literary Agent Cate Hart put it, "where originality meets familiarity." For example:  Truthwitch by Susan Dennard – what’s original – a world of magic; what's familiar is the twisting of the Tristan and Isolde tale and the Arthurian Legend. This IT factor can be delivered in the execution or the premise – a story we know retold with a unique structure, a twist on a trope, mash-up of two genres. Think about what catches your eye in a flap copy or new TV show (again Stranger Things – the familiar of Spielberg and King, yet a new take on the classic "pre-teen friendship plus horror sci-fi" trope.) But the mash-up or trope needs to be one with wide appeal. If your mash-up is too unique or your trope is too niched, it loses its commercial appeal because not many readers may know the trope or pieces you're mashing up to go, "oooh, I can't wait to read that!"
  3. Originality and Familiarity - What are the stakes? Why should we care about the protagonist's plight? The reader should engage with the main character immediately and feel like the stakes are as high for them as it is for the main character. In The Never-ending Story, Bastian is immediately immersed in this world where Atreyu's plight is tied to his own.
    Look at your stories, what are the stakes for your main character? Are they high enough to make you breathless with anticipating their next move? Will readers feel like they want to stick with your character all the way through to the end of the story and come out of it feeling like Bilbo returning from his great adventure? A little crispy, a little heartbroken and still exhilarated by the experience.
  4. ​A standout setting that's still familiar enough for the reader to connect and engage (there's that word again) in. Think the Red Queen where it’s set in this distant future, but still a familiar world, or kind of like the Shannara Chronicles – 4000 years in the future and man has evolved into elves and ogres, trolls, etc. Harry Potter where the muggle world is just one part of this greater wizarding world we get to explore.
  5. A Story That Illuminates Universal Human Truth. Your concept needs to be more than the book. It should challenge expectations, provide insight by illuminating a universal truth. It has to be about something that's bigger than the book (Hunger Games, a book about children killing children.)

​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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Saritza Hernandez 

E-Pub Agent extraordinaire and avid coffee-drinker, Saritza is as short and simple as this paragraph. Give her a good paranormal or fantasy romance, a giant mug of strong Cuban coffee and a corner to put her feet up to read, and she's one happy camper!

​

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DO-GOODER

7/19/2016

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Do-Gooder

YA / 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.
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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.
j. leigh bailey website
goodreads
BLOG TOUR:

7/19/2016
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Geronimo Reads
Abooktasia
WhereBooksReign 
Checkmate Reads 
xobrandilarissa 
Bound 2 Escape 
Cuz I'm a Nerd 
Books at Dawn 
Dandelionn Wine Book Blog 
Zero Sky

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                                DYING FOR REVENGE 

5/6/2016

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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.
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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.
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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.
Dr. Barbara Golder Website
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Dara Lyons Author Interview

3/15/2016

1 Comment

 
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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.
Dara's Website
Dara's Blog
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Ken Bagnis Author Interview

3/4/2016

2 Comments

 
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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.
Ken's Website
2 Comments

Sam Pease Author Interview

2/22/2016

4 Comments

 
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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
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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.

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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.
Sam Pease
The Jet Project
Eat Less Crap Diet
4 Comments

Jo McNally Author Interview

2/20/2016

0 Comments

 
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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.    
Represented by:
 
Veronica Park

  The Interview

Q: You write about the forever power of love. Can you explain your view on love? 

Jo: As a romance writer and reader, I'm naturally a big fan of "happily ever after." I'm a firm believer in love that lasts forever. But - - - that kind of love takes work. Falling in love is easy. Staying in love and building a life with someone is hard. Both partners have to be in it for the long haul, and have to be willing to set their own egos aside to fight for the relationship. Oh, and laugh. You have to be able to laugh. My marriage is a mix of two very strong personalities. One of the things I love most about Himself is that I can be flat-out furious with him, and in the middle of a heated argument he'll say something stupid or just wink at me, and immediately we're both laughing. That's love that lasts. That's the kind of love I want my characters and readers to find.
 

Q: You don't hide how much your family has impacted your career. How has your family helped fuel you?  

Jo: My parents were married for sixty years the year my dad passed. They still held hands and laughed and danced together. They were my example of how marriage works, and how love lasts. My mom is 90 years old this year, and she's still a jet-setting fashionista who doesn't take crap from anyone. She and her sisters, along with Dad's mom and sisters, were my examples of strong women. My husband has been my friend, lover, cheerleader, coach, nag ("shouldn't you be writing instead of sitting there on your ass?"), advisor and champion in every way. Without him, I would not have a book contract, an agent, or any of the opportunities I have now. He admits he doesn't understand the creative process, but he's there for me, even if it's just bringing me a sandwich or a glass of wine when I'm holed up in my office writing like a fiend.
Q: You have a detailed "How I became a writer timeline". What is the most pivotal moment on your timeline?
                                                                                        Jo's Timeline


​Jo: Honestly, the most pivotal moment wasn't one I mentioned on the timeline. I'd been climbing the corporate ladder for a while, and was the Director of Customer Service for an international company. A co-worker asked me to attend her daughter's Girl Scout meeting for Career Night as one of several women to be interviewed. One of the questions, asked in wide-eyed innocence, was "When you were a little girl, did you dream of growing up to be a Director of Customer Service?" That question stabbed me right in the heart.
No!
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My childhood dream was to write romances. What the hell happened to that dream? I was unsettled and unsatisfied for months after that evening, until I realized that I could still chase that dream. I sat down one night and started writing a love story, and I haven't stopped since
Q: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

Jo: 
I was surprised how emotionally invested I become when writing scenes. It first happened when writing a scene about a large spider landing on the hand of my heroine, who, like me, was terrified of spiders. As I was writing, I realized my skin was crawling and I was really tense, as if the spider was on my hand. I was in the scene completely. I was on edge for days while writing an emotional confrontation between a different hero and heroine that involved a threat of suicide. I've heard that if something makes the writer cry, then the reader will cry, too. I hope that's true, because I've shed tears over scenes I've written. I still get choked up over the ending scene of my current novel, and I cried while writing it (happily-ever-after tears, of course).
Q: What advice would you give to your younger self? 

​Jo:
 Stop being defined by what other people think. There were too many things I did or didn't do based on someone else's opinion, instead of following my own heart. In writing, I let the whole book club phenomenon intimidate me away from romance novels for a while because other people didn't consider them to be "real literature." I was an idiot.
Q: What is your favorite quote and why?

​Jo: I think it was Ray Bradbury who said "You’ve got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down." I'm not naturally a risk-taker, but I push myself to be, and this quote has a lot to do with that. If you wait for the perfect time, the perfect conditions, the perfect people - well, you'll never leave that cliff. Sometimes you just have to take the leap and see what happens. Otherwise, nothing happens, and what's the fun in that? 
Q: How do you relax?

​Jo:
 A glass of nice red wine always works. We have a big screened porch, and I love sitting out there with Himself and listening to all kinds of music. We've even been known to slow dance with no one else around. I also have a great group of girlfriends, and time being silly with them helps me unwind.
Jo's Website
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Amy Fish Author Interview

2/15/2016

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Amy Fish is a Canadian who writes about complaining. She is the author of the Non Fiction book “The Art of Complaining Effectively.”
Her work has been published in  Reader’s Digest and the Globe and Mail (Canada’s national newspaper) and she has won writing prizes from both Writer’s Digest and the Quebec Writer’s Federation.
Amy is Represented by: Veronica Park

              The Interview
Q: Your book, The Art of Complaining Effectively, is about how to stand up for yourself. What do you feel is the hardest part about sticking up for yourself? 

Amy: 
For most people, the hardest thing about standing up for yourself is knowing how to do it. Once you have the tools at your fingertips, the complaining is easy.

Q: 
What led you to write about complaining?

Amy: 
 For years, I had a full time job listening to (and resolving!) complaints for a University affiliated health care network. I started to realize that there are a few easy ways to make your complaints more effective, and I wanted to share those tips with more than just my cat. (I'm kidding. I don't really have a cat. But if I did, boy would she ever be a master complainer.)

Q. 
You write a column called Complaint Kitchen for Her Magazine filled with yummy recipes. What's your favorite dish to prepare and why?

Amy: 
Lately I've been into sausage pasta (click here for the recipe). It's easy, and no one complains about it. 

Q. Tell us a little about your plans for the future. Where do you see yourself as a writer in five years?

Amy: 
I see myself in front of a Scottish castle, ripping my wine velvet bodice while a long haired.. oh sorry, what were you saying?

Q: Do you have any hidden or uncommon talents?

Amy: 
 I speak French and Hebrew fluently and enough Italian to buy a dress in the market.

Q: What is something memorable you have heard from your readers/fans?

Amy: 
That they can't read my work on the subway because they laugh too loud and people start to stare.

Q: Pen or type writer or computer?

Amy: 
Yes.

Amy's Website
goodreads
Amazon Author Page
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February 2016 MSWL

2/9/2016

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Welcome to the Corvisiero Literary Agency's monthly MSWL post. Check this blog to stay up-to-date with what our agents are hoping to find in their inbox.

February 2016 MSWL



Marisa Corvisiero- Literary Agent
Marisa is looking for Contemporary Romance and NA that will pull at your heartstrings for good reason on one page and have you swooning in the next. Humor and sass always welcome. If you have a good unique story, with a good voice and well written, then you should submit it.


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Saritza Hernandez-  Sr. Literary Agent
Saritza is looking for strong, well-written and engaging Queer YA and diverse romance.







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Sarah Negovetich- Jr. Literary Agent and PR Team Leader:
Sarah is looking for really big books right now with intricate world building, specifically in the fantasy and sci fi genres for YA. A good comp would be Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard.

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Cate Hart- Jr. Literary Agent
Cate is looking for edgy contemporary romance and romantic suspense. She's dreaming of finding a YA fantasy that's unique or features non-traditional fairytales and folklore, like Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Series or Six of Crows, but outside the well-known, traditional settings.
In Middle Grade she's looking for mystery and adventure, but also heartwarming and/or heartrending stories, most recent favorite is Lois Sepahban's Paper Wishes.

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Veronica Park- Junior Literary Agent  / Marketing Consultant
Veronica is feeling nostalgic with the upcoming holiday, so her #MSWL for this month will include romance where the heroine saves herself (bonus if she saves the hero while she's at it) in any category or genre. The real trick for her is if you can take the romantic relationship out of the story and it still makes sense she doesn't consider it a romance. (Just a story with romantic elements.)
Also, she'd like to see narrative nonfiction centering on current events and/or women's issues.
Girl power, activate!

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Vanessa Robins- Literary Agent Apprentice
Vanessa's MSWL is extremely specific right now. Her big "I would rep that immediately" is a book composed of open letters to and from police officers across the country. Think a political debate meets Humans of New York.

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R.J. Prescott Releases THE AFTERMATH

12/22/2015

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 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
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