NaNoWriMo 2015 Updates! How You Doin'?

From NaNoWriMo: I wrote a novel! Now What?

I had to pull it out of my rear end, but I finished National Novel Writing Month 2015 with a complete novella.

Mine's an allegory about the end of the world. What did you write about?

And how is that project doing today? Have you looked at it since November 30th?

I purposely haven't! But now it's January and this is the month to take the next steps for me.

My first steps are to...

1. Print the whole thing out.

2. Smile at it.

3. Get a cuppatea and lie down in bed with it, pen in hand. 

4. Make little notes in the margins. Correct typos. 

5. Set it aside.

6. Move notes to the computer copy. 

7. Start revision. 

How about you? Have you already landed an agent or publisher for your NaNo project? Or are you just about to dust it off, like me?

New Year's Resolution for Writers

I love making New Year's resolutions. I am not so great at the keeping them part, but boy do I love envisioning all the amazing things I'll do in the new year. Usually by now my resolve to keep my resolutions has faltered. If you're like me, I hope this serves as a resolve-booster for you!

My resolutions are often nebulous ideas, such as "work out more" or "be more serious about writing," which I think is why I fail to keep them. Let's be real, if I go for a run once in 2016, I will achieve the "work out more" goal. But it won't help me change my life in a meaningful way, which is what I'd like my resolutions to do.

Possibly the one resolution that every writer makes is this one: Write more.

This is a good resolution, but it's vague (and as writers know, vague is bad). We need to be more specific. Do you want to be more consistent and write every day, even if it is a scant amount of words? Or do you want to increase your output, and say, finish two first drafts this year instead of one? Either way, make it measurable, and then find a way to measure it! Scrivener has great internal tracking tools. Accountability buddies are also great.

Writing more, editing more, querying more, self-publishing more--all of these are excellent goals to strive toward. The world needs more stories. So, writers, let's make our resolutions quantifiable, measurable, and the kinds of things that will transform us in 2016 into the writers we want to be.

Pass or Pages Entry Window is now closed!

We are so thankful to everyone that entered this round of Pass or Pages. Winners of the random drawing will have their entries passed on to the agents, and will be notified by a member of the Operation Awesome team via e-mail by Friday afternoon. The winning entries will be posted the week of January 25th with the agent feedback, one entry per day. Stop by that week to get insight on how these agents look at queries and first pages!

If you entered and were not selected for agent feedback, the Operation Awesome team will do a query critique for you! E-mail operationawesome6@gmail.com by Sunday the 17th to let us know if you want to take us up on the offer.

We will do another round of Pass or Pages in the spring, with another genre/category. Stay tuned!

PASS OR PAGES entry form!

We are now accepting entries for January's PASS OR PAGES contest! Check out the full rules and list of participating agents HERE! Remember, this month's contest is ONLY for authors of Adult Mystery or Thriller novels! Entry window closes at 7pm Eastern time on Wednesday January 13th.

SUBMISSION WINDOW NOW CLOSED!
The winning entries will be posted the week of January 25th with the agent feedback, one entry per day. Stop by that week to get insight on how these agents look at queries and first pages!

Flash Fiction Contest #7 Winner

Whoo! Happy new year! Goofy fiction and a speculative twist--you're after my heart, aren't you?

Flash Fiction Contest #7 Prompt: Buying a new vehicle

Entry by Taryn Skipper

“I'll miss her fiercely,” Emiline lamented, her hand caressing the worn rivets along the tarnished brass hull of the once-magnificent landship.

“We have no choice,” Harrington reminded her. “She's served her purpose, fought a good fight, and now she's fetched a full purse.” Emiline was sentimental for a warrior, but Harrington had abandoned all but logic long ago.

“Not full for long,” Emiline countered, glancing toward a battered airship- the lone survivor of the First Defense. “This relic's overpriced. I understand it's not the merchants' war, but why must they lance our pockets so.” She crumpled to the sand, grieved by much more than prices and overwhelmed by the precipice upon which their clan's existence balanced.

Carmen rested a tiny hand on Emiline's armored shoulder. “You can do this Emi. You're the only one left in this hemisphere who can pilot an airship like this, and we've already paid dearly. Conrad would have wanted-”

“I know,” Emiline cut in, tears slipping down her resolute face. “I just need a moment to mourn. We've lost so much, and everything we've gained is because that landship held us together.”

Harrington signed the merchants' documents, finalizing the trade. Engineered to run with perfect efficiency utilizing minimal puffs of steam, the last working airship took to the sky, and Emiline's embodied memories shrunk below.

The landship was scrapped for parts long before the clan's Final Offensive ran the enemy into the heavens forever, but it sailed on immortal in the hearts of grateful generations.

***

Thank, everyone, for stopping by and reading!

We've got a ton of stuff coming up on the blog this month. #PassorPages entries are open tomorrow through Wednesday, so if you're querying a mystery/thriller and are brave enough to open yourself up to agent feedback, please enter! Our next #OAFlash Fiction contest is the 22nd to the 24th, and the following Monday will be the agents' feedback on the #PassorPages entries. Finally, on February 1st, several operatives will gab about our January #OABookClub book of the month--and it's not too late for you (YES, YOU!) to get started on Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd to join in the conversation.

I really enjoyed the shorter 250 word stories this week. Whether or not you entered, what did you think? Let me know in the comments!

Flash Fiction Contest #7

Happy New Year!

Thanks for stopping by!

The end of last year saw a downtick in participation, but I hope that was due to the holiday season. I know I cut things off my "to do" list and I still felt swamped. I also got some feedback that my word counts seemed a bit high. My thinking was that if I gave you 750 words, you could use one or two or two hundred, up to the total amount, but I can see where that might be overwhelming. So for this year, I'm going to cut back, keep it short--really challenge you guys.

So! New year, new prompts, new excitement!

If this is your first time joining us, check out more about the contest here. Remember: my preferences are speculative fiction and stuff that gives me the feels; however, this is your story and you do what you want with it.

When you're ready for it, here's the prompt:

Flash Fiction Prompt For Friday, January 8, 2016

When posting, remember to include your name and your Twitter handle.

I look forward to reading your words.

Convention Basics: Five Tips to Make Your Book Stand Out

Please welcome today's guest blogger, author A.P. Fuchs who has some great tips for making your book and you stand out at conventions.

* * * * *

With so many writers these days focusing all their marketing efforts on-line, they’re putting themselves in a corner and limiting their exposure. Off-line sales are where the bread and butter is at if you play your cards right.

I’m talking conventions, which are basically glorified book signings.

Since 2007, I’ve been tabling at Central Canada Comic Con here in Winnipeg, a giant comic book convention. This show is also a big part of my paycheck, and my books fit right in because I write nerdy stuff like monster stories, superhero fiction and sci-fi.

A lot has been learned about having a successful show over the years. Here are some basics to get you started:

1. Display 

Have an eye-catching display. When competing against so many other booths and tables, you need to stand out. Bring a tablecloth because not all shows provide them. Use signage, big ones, like 11”x17” set up on stands so folks catch sight of your book’s cover or what the deal of the day is. Want to really stand out? Get a big banner printed up, one you can put behind you. This can display your name and what you do. It can feature your book covers, a web address. Lots of options.

By all means, lay your books flat if you want, but if you prop them up on book stands, all the better. It raises them above the table and draws the eye. Simple picture frame stands work fine. I use iPad ones because they compact better for transport.

Have a series? Lay them out in order of reading.

Write in multiple genres? Organize them as such on the table. Makes it easier to direct the customer to what’s what.

2. Pricing 

Big sales point. Offer convention-only pricing. I do ten dollars a novel, five bucks a novella. I make sure the customer knows the convention is the only place to get the deal. Get my stuff at a store or on-line and you’ll pay more. Everyone likes saving money.

You can also bundle your books. Have a series? Instead of three books at ten beans each, how about three for twenty-five? You can also do a buy-two-get-one-free thing. Whatever works for you provided you come out in the black all things considered.

3.  Book Stock

Better to bring more books than necessary. Nothing worse than selling out and having someone want something. With time and experience, you’ll learn your top sellers and will stock up accordingly. For a first-time show, I recommend at least fifteen copies of each title. If you only have one book out, bring at least twenty.

4. Miscellaneous Items

Scatter bookmarks and business cards around your table. If someone doesn’t buy something, at least you can send them off with a card for a potential after sale.

5. You

Be courteous, be nice, give the customer the time of day. Don’t be a fake. Answer their questions honestly. Be active. Don’t squirrel yourself away behind your table. Say hi to people as they walk past. Smile. And, please, don’t do the lonely-author thing where you sit there staring at folks, the look in your eyes saying, “Please come talk to me.” Just be cool. Relax. With time and experience, you’ll find what works for you in your personable approach. Ultimately, be yourself. This isn’t a show.

There’s so much to expand on regarding the above, but space doesn’t allow it. Why not sound off in the comments below and exchange tips and tricks with your fellow authors? I’ll tune in when I can and do the same.

About the author: 

A.P. Fuchs is the author of around thirty-five books, a plethora of short stories and comics, and has a thing for a certain ferment hops-based drink. His weekly newsletter, The Canister X Transmission, goes out Saturdays and is all about writing, publishing, marketing and book stuff. You get a free novelette upon signup at http://www.tinyletter.com/apfuchs His main website is www.canisterx.com

Cover Reveal: Treasure at Lure Lake, by Shari L. Schwarz

Today we are excited to help share the cover of Treasure at Lure Lake, by Shari L. Schwarz. I remember seeing Shari's book in Twitter pitch parties, and even an Operation Awesome contest! I'm so excited that it's found a home.

When twelve-year-old Bryce stumbles upon a secret treasure map in his grandpa's barn loft, he doesn't mean to steal it or unearth a painful family secret. He's determined to find what's hidden even if it means lying to Grandpa.

As Bryce, his big brother, Jack, and Grandpa backpack to his cabin, sibling rivalry clouds the brothers' judgment, and all Bryce's plans for an epic adventure go downriver. The boys must work together to survive the dangers of the wilderness, and each other. But when a climbing accident leaves Bryce unconscious and hanging between life and death, their family's secret may never see the light of day... and Jack may not be strong enough to rescue them both.

Treasure at Lure Lake will be published on April 12th by Cedar Fort Books. Shari Schwarz lives in Colorado with her husband and their four boys. Treasure at Lure Lake is her debut and reflects her love for a good adventure story and for hiking and camping in the Northern Colorado Rockies.

Shari is hosting a Kindle Fire giveaway on her blog in honor of the cover reveal. Enter by January 8th! http://www.sharischwarz.com

Preorder Treasure at Lure Lake here:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Add it to your Goodreads shelf!

Pass or Pages Official Contest Rules and Agent Panel

We hope our teaser post in December got you excited about Pass or Pages, a new query contest from Operation Awesome.

This contest features feedback on queries and first pages from a panel of agents. Before jumping into the rules, let's meet our panel of judges!

Caitie Flum, Liza Dawson Associates Literary Agency

Caitie Flum joined Liza Dawson Associates in July 2014 as assistant and audio rights manager. She graduated from Hofstra University in 2009 with a BA in English with a concentration in publishing studies. Caitie interned at Hachette Book Group and Writers House. She was an Editorial Assistant then Coordinator for Bookspan, where she worked on several clubs including the Book-of-the-Month Club, The Good Cook, and the Children's Book-of-the-Month Club.

Mark Gottlieb, Trident Media Group

Mark Gottlieb’s focus on publishing began at Emerson College, where he was a founding member of the Publishing Club, later its President, overseeing its first publication and establishing the Wilde Press. After graduating with a degree in writing, literature and publishing, Mark began his career with the Vice President of Berkley Books (Penguin), working with leading editors.

His first position at the Trident Media Group literary agency was in foreign rights, selling the books of clients around the world. Mark later worked as Executive Assistant to Robert Gottlieb, Chairman of Trident, with responsibility for organizing/managing diverse authors and their complex business transactions. He next assumed the position of audio rights agent. Since Mark has managed the audio rights business, the annual sales volume has more than doubled. Mark showed great initiative and insight in identifying talented writers.

In passing the Audio Department's torch, Mark is building his own client list of writers. He is excited to work directly with authors, helping to manage and grow their careers with all of the unique resources that are available to Trident. Since that time he has ranked as high as #1 in Agents on publishersmarketplace.com in Overall Deals.

Lisa Abellera, Kimberley Cameron & Associates

Lisa Abellera joined Kimberley Cameron and Associates in 2013 with a background in management, marketing, and finance. She has studied creative writing, design and business, earning her B.A. in Strategic Management from Dominican University of CA and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from University of San Francisco. 

Lisa had a successful career in the corporate world before joining the world of publishing. After editorial internships with an independent press and Kimberley Cameron & Associates, she now follows her true passion for books and writing. She leverages her business and marketing expertise to help authors navigate the complexities of publishing. She is excited to develop talented authors and help advance their careers.

She is actively building her client list with both debut and established authors. She is looking to form long-term, collaborative relationships with writers who are committed to putting forth their best work.

Dr. Uwe Stender, Triada US Literary Agency

Literary Agent Dr. Uwe Stender is a Full Member of the AAR (Association of Authors' Representatives). He is interested in all kinds of commercial fiction, especially Young Adult, Middle Grade, Mysteries, and Women's Fiction. He is also interested in all kinds of non-fiction projects. But surprise him, his tastes are eclectic, and he may just love what you wrote!

His favorite five novels right now are: Eleanor And Park, How It Went Down, Code Name Verity, High Fidelity, and The Big Sleep.

Contest Rules:
For this round of Pass or Pages we will only be accepting Adult Mysteries/Thrillers. For future rounds we will feature other genres/categories.
So if you've written a mystery or thriller for adults, and it's complete and polished, read on!

This contest is for people looking for feedback on their query letter and first page. It would be ideal for someone who is about to start the query process, or who has already begun but isn't getting requests for more pages.

On January 11th at 7am EST we'll open the submission window. You'll fill out a form here on the blog with all the pertinent information (contact info for us, query and first 250 words for the agents). Please stay under the 250 word limit for the first page--going over 250 words will cause your entry to be disqualified. The submission form will be live until the end of the day January 13th. Please don't "personalize" the query for the agents or include your bio paragraph, but other than that, treat it as you would a normal query letter. Include your manuscript's word count and title in your query. Comp titles are welcome if you were planning on using them in your regular query letter.

You are welcome to enter any other query contest (such as Sun vs Snow) whether or not you are chosen for our feedback panel.

A random selector tool will choose five entries to be given to the agents. Operation Awesome reserves the right to disqualify entries if they don't fall within the genre guidelines, or if they fail to follow any of the other rules. Romantic Suspense will not be included in our definition of Mystery/Thriller for the purpose of this contest. Entrants selected for agent feedback will be informed by January 15th.

The winning entries with agent commentary will be posted on Operation Awesome the week of January 25th, one entry each day. If you aren't comfortable with having your entry (which will be anonymous) shared on the blog, please don't enter Pass or Pages!

If you have any questions, please ask in the comments or feel free to tweet @reynoldstribe.

2016 New Releases We're Excited About

Happy New Year!

If you have "read more books" on your list of New Year's resolutions, we're here today to help you out. Here's some books that we're highly anticipating this year!

January 2016

The Rogue Retrieval by Dan Koboldt
Magic! Both the real AND the illusion kind.
-Kara



February 2016

Morning Star [Red Rising #3] by Pierce Brown
Because I have to know how Darrow's saga ends.
-Kara

Dreaming Death by J. Kathleen Cheney
I have an ARC of this one sitting on my to-read shelf and am looking forward to reading this fantasy about magical psychics going after a murderer.
-Wendy

Reaping Angel [Fallen Redemption #2] by S.L. Saboviec
Our very own Samantha Saboviec's sequel to Guarding Angel is releasing this February! If you haven't read the first one, now's the time to catch up so you're ready for this novel that blends a rich world of supernatural angels and demons within real-world historical events across the world.
-Wendy

A Gathering of Shadows [A Darker Shade of Magic #2] by V.E.Schwab
To be honest, I might wait on this one until the third book comes out in 2017 because I liked how the first book wrapped everything up and am a bit afraid of this one being a cliffhanger. Regardless, I'm highly anticipating both books in this gorgeous fantasy series.
-Wendy

March 2016

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
I love the Mortal Instruments books, and I don't care who knows it.
-Kara



April 2016

The Raven King [The Raven Cycle #4] by Maggie Steifvater
If you haven't read the books of The Raven Cycle, now's a great time to start them, as this one will be the final book in this YA series that follows a quintet of friends as they search out the mythological Raven King. Oh, and one of them has been told that if she kisses her true love, he'll die.
-Wendy

Emerge by Tobie Easton
She's a CP of one of my CPs, so that makes us CP cousins? I don't know, but suffice it to say I am really happy for her and looking forward to the release.
-Kara

May 2016

The Rose and the Dagger [The Wrath and the Dawn #2] by Renee Ahdieh
This sequel to Renee Ahdieh's debut YA fantasy will wrap up the series and determine the fate of Shahrzad and her husband, the cursed Caliph of Khorasan. I'm looking forward to finding out more about the magic in this world and the magic carpet!
-Wendy

Lies, Damned Lies, and History [Chronicles of St. Mary's #7] by Jodi Taylor
I'm a huge fan of this funny, quirky, anything-goes time travel series. One of my favorite things about it is that each book is self-contained enough that I can pick up each new book as it comes out without having to go back and reaquaint myself with all the previous ones.
-Wendy

Date TBA...

The Worst Thing About Saving the World by Christopher Healy
As a fan of Healy's "League of Princes" series (if you haven't read them, check it out - they're hilarious!) I'm looking forward to this stand-alone about a kid dealing with what comes next after saving the world from aliens.
-Wendy


Books NOT released in 2016 that we'll be reading...

Copperhead [Ironskin #2] by Tina Connolly (pub 2013)
I recently read Ironskin (thanks to the author for sending me a copy!) and can't wait to dive back into this immersive historical fantasy. The first book was a retelling of Jane Eyre, and this one follows what was a minor character from the previous book, so I'm very interested to see where it goes.

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (pub 1862)
I am going to read this book by the end of 2016. That's 3.3 pages per day. My husband told me that I couldn't read them to Morrigan as her bedtime story, which is pretty harsh, don't you think? Well, anyway, hold me to this, everyone!
-Samantha

The Original Sinners series by Tiffany Reisz (pub 2014-2015)
The Original Sinners series is craaaaazy. I could not put it down. This next set all came out in 2015, and I was waiting for them all to release before I got started on them. For me, the beginning of 2016 is gonna be steamy. *wink wink wink*
-Samantha

Operation Awesome's Top Blog Posts of 2015

Happy New Year's Eve!

On this, the last day of 2015, we're taking a look back at our most popular posts of 2015 according to our stats. (This does not include contest posts.) So sit back, grab some champagne (or whatever you're enjoying today!) and take a look at Operation Awesome's Best of 2015 List!

10. Major Rewrites: Revising in Layers or Moving Mountains, One Stone at a Time, Part 1 by Melinda Friesen

Posted Sept 14, 2015

In this part of our new writing series, Melissa takes us through her step-by-step process of how to rework a piece of fiction when you know it needs some major work.

Check out the rest of our writing series here:

• Prewriting: Getting into Character
• Prewriting: Making a Roadmap
• First Draft: A Process of Evolution
• First Draft: Maximizing Productivity
• First Draft: Camp NaNoWriMo
• First Revision: Cooling Periods & Paper
• Major Rewrites
• Major Rewrites: Revising in Layers
• Major Rewrites: Guest Post by Terra Luft
• Editing & Polishing: Time to Add Some Ellipses
• Editing & Polishing: 5 Steps to Fresh-Eyed Editing
• Querying
• Querying: Four Great Query Resources
• Querying: How To Find Your Best-Fit Agents
• Querying: How Many Queries Should I Send?
• Revise & Resubmit: What Really Happens Then

9. Urban Fantasy Resources by Angelica R. Jackson

Posted January 5, 2015

Angelica shares with us some thoughts on the genre of urban fantasy -- what it entails, what books are great examples, and how opinions on it may vary. She gives us some insight into how UF crosses over into other genres such as steampunk, magic realism, and paranormal.

8. Guest Post: Why Every Fiction Writer Should Be Writing Short Fiction by Terra Luft

Posted September 16, 2015

Speculative Fiction writer Terra Luft weighs in on whether or not it's worth a writer's time to write short stories (spoiler: it is!)

Check out some of Terra's short fiction:

"Reflection" available in Secrets and Doors: Stories by the Secret Door Society

"Fly on the Wall" coming soon in Ind'Spiration Digest

Microfiction

7. 2015 Writing Goal Tracking Sheet by Abby Annis

Posted January 10, 2015

If you're looking for a way to track your writing progress through the year, jump back to almost a full year ago and download Abby's handy, color-coded spreadsheet! You should simply be able to change the date on these to start fresh for 2016!

6. Guest Post: S.L. Saboviec on Growing Your Characters' Relationships to Grow Your Character!

Posted September 4, 2015

As part of her Guarding Angel blog tour, our very own Samantha Saboviec first posted on Operation Awesome as a guest, describing how she uses character relationships in her series to demonstrate growth within the characters themselves.

Keep your eye out for her second book in this series coming in February!

5. Introducing Samantha

Posted September 4, 2015

This year, Operation Awesome underwent some major changes. We said goodbye to a number of our former bloggers as they moved on and said hello to some new contributors who are excited to bring our readers their new thoughts, ideas, and experiences.

Among those who moved on:

• Angela Townsend
• Michelle McLean
• Becky Mahoney
• PK Hrezo
• Kell Andrews

And those we welcomed:

• Kara Reynolds
• Melinda Freisen
• Samantha Saboviec

4. Interior Design for Book Nerds by Angelica R. Jackson

Posted March 16, 2015

Angelica helps us dive into her book Crow's Rest, specifically in looking at the gorgeous interior design and how it adds to the ambiance and feel of the story.

Doesn't it just make you want to hold a copy in your hands?

Crow's Rest is now available! Check out Angelica's page HERE for info on where to purchase it.

3. Guest Post: Self-Publishing for Author/Illustrators by Taryn Skipper

Posted September 3, 2015

Children's book author/illustrator Taryn Skipper weighs out some of the pros and cons of trade publication vs self-publishing when it comes to picture books, and how she came to her decision to self-publish.

Want to check out Taryn's books or other illustrations (the dinosaurs are my favorite!)? More info is available on her webpage: http://skipperbooks.com/

2. Weaving a Tapestry of Page-Turning Story by Samantha Saboviec

Posted September 11, 2015

Samantha urges us all to pull out our highlighter stash and take a good, hard look at the balance of our action, dialogue, backstory/exposition, and description over the first pages of our novel. Not only is it colorful and fun, but it's a great way to visually assess where your first pages may be losing readers.

And... our #1 blog post of the year...

1. Guest Post: Publishing Myths: "You Need an *In* to Get In" by Jason Sizemore

Posted July 30, 2015

Apex editor Jason Sizemore wrote for us an excellent post about one of the myth surrounding publishing -- the belief that you have to know people in the industry in order to become a published author.

He also shared with us a bit about his new nonfiction book, For Exposure: The Life and Times of a Small Press Publisher, which can be purchased at www.ApexBookCompany.com

Guest Post: Small Press/Big Press Pros and Cons by Lawrence M. Schoen

I’ve been at this for a while, more than twenty years writing and selling stories and novels, and in that time I’ve had five books published from small presses (six if you count an early ebook from the days before there were Kindles). There are a lot of pros to being published by a small press, but there are also limitations, even when your publisher loves your work and you’re the biggest fish in that small pond. My new novel, Barsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard, is my first venture in the world of the big press. Specifically, it’s being published by Tor Books, the largest of our genre’s publishers in the US. Or to put it another way, I’m now the littlest fish in the biggest pond.

Accordingly, this seemed like a good topic for this guest post: my thoughts on the pluses and minuses of small and big presses. So, in no particular order, here we go:


AGENTS - I didn’t have one when I sold those books to the small presses I’ve worked with. Heck, in several instances I actually wrote the contract for my publisher (leaning heavily on my own experiences as a small press publisher and cribbing language from a variety of SFWA templates). And because I negotiated those book sales directly with each of my publishers, I didn’t need one. The resulting contracts only ran between one and three pages, but did require me to educate myself on all the points that an author needs to be familiar with before signing a document — in particular what rights are being acquired and when the work reverts.

By comparison, I managed to sell Barsk before I had an agent, and quite literally the same day I received an email from my editor saying he was buying the book I began beating the bushes for an agent. And a good thing too, because the Tor contract ran 34 pages written in dense lawyer-speak. More still, my agent ended up crossing out, altering, and/or amending more than half of the language in the document (yeah, I have a pretty awesome agent). After my other contract experiences, I consider myself pretty well versed on the language, but in this case that translated into knowing that I was woefully under-equipped to tackle a big press contract without professional help.


ARTWORK - I had a major amount of input on the covers for all of my small press books. I picked the artist and I always worked with her and the editor, providing feedback on early sketches and color schemes and all of that. The results were pretty fantastic (and here’s a shoutout to that incredible artist, Rachael Mayo!). More recently, with Barsk I had no input into the artist. Instead I had Tor’s legendary art director, Irene Gallo, who enlisted the astonishing (and award winning!) Victo Ngai to produce one of the best book covers I’ve ever seen in my life! I really lucked out here, and I have no explanation how or why.

Seriously, we’ve all heard the horror stories of mass market paperbacks showing blonde, blue-eyed characters on the cover when every person in the book is described as dark and swarthy. It’s a great thing to have influence in the cover of your book, and that may be one of the biggest perks/reasons of the small press (assuming you have that kind of relationship with your publisher), but there’s a lot to be said for the resources a big press can put behind a cover in terms of the talent they can attract.


TURNAROUND - In my experience, small presses have very small staffs, often as little as the one individual who started the thing. As such, they don’t do as many books, and the publishing calendar isn’t as full. Consequently, don’t be surprised if your book doesn’t need as much lead time and you see the bound result in your hands that much sooner. On the other hand, one of the reasons the process goes faster is because small presses aren’t set up with the same advertising schedules as big presses. Advance copies probably won’t be printed and sent out to other authors for potential blurbs with lead time to include them on the back cover, nor will a team of marketing people meet with bookstore buyers to pitch your book a year before its release date long before your final edits have even been turned in. Small press distribution isn’t as complex an issue either, and the sheer number of copies that will be printed (or which your publisher hopes to sell) are probably an order of magnitude lower at least. But wait, there’s more. Getting reviewed by the major players (by which I mean PW, Booklist, Library Journal, and Kirkus) can be harder. Some won’t review small press at all, or may require longer lead times than are practical for a small press, or insist on a physical galley which your publisher simply isn’t equipped to provide before the book is actually going to press.

In the world of small press where your editor and publisher are the same person, that person is also responsible for all the other myriad tasks, like submitting your book for review and for award consideration. That can be a good thing because you have fewer people to communicate with when decisions are being made, fewer links in the chain. The odds are good that every factor affecting when your book will come out will run much smoother (in terms of months or years!) compared to the timetable of a big press. On the other hand, it also means that when “life happens” your entire project can be derailed for months at a time. Trade offs.


MONEY - Let’s face it, most small presses are a labor of love — certainly the one that I run is — and while the publishers want to make a profit, the ones I’ve worked with also want this to be true for their authors. But it’s a business, and as is true of any business profits favor the company over the folks who supply the product (and this is true for big press as well). Neither size press is going to live or die on the fate of your book. It’s a numbers game and unless you have multiple books in the stream you don’t even have a seat at that table.

That said, in my experience even a low advance from a big press is going to be many times what you get compared to a big advance from a small press. I’ve actually sold foreign reprint rights on some of my small press sales that earned me more than the initial advance. Crazy, right?


RECOGNITION - Issues of money aside, every author I’ve ever met wants to be read. The odds of this happening are better with a bigger press simply because they have greater resources. Copies of your brilliant prose will find their way to a wider audience (this is also true of pirated copies!) and more people will see your work.


WHAT’S IT ALL MEAN? - Probably not a whole lot. Most of us aren’t in a position to choose, particularly at the early part (however you choose to define that) of a writing career. We tend to grab eagerly at whatever opportunities are put in front of us. And too we’ve bought into the narrative that it’s an uphill climb, that bigger is better, that the small press is just a stepping stone on the way to a lucrative big press contract.

I’m not disagreeing with any of that, but once you’ve grabbed that brass ring I think there are plenty of reasons for still publishing with a small press, particularly when it comes to projects that are too controversial or too specialized for a big press to want to invest in.

In the end perhaps the best thing I can tell you, big or small, is that you want to work with someone who believes in your story. This should also be true with respect to your agent. You want to be appreciated. You want to be valued for your vision and your talent. You want to be published by someone who sees you as a writer first and a potential profit second. Or at least, that’s what I want. And in my opinion, achieving that goal is more important than the size of the publisher who’s printing your book.

****

Lawrence M. Schoen holds a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics. He spent ten years as a college professor, and has done extensive research in the areas of human memory and language. This background provides a principal metaphor for his fiction. He currently works as the director of research and analytics for a series of mental health and addiction recovery facilities in Philadelphia.

He’s also one of the world’s foremost authorities on the Klingon language, and since 1992 has championed the exploration and use of this constructed tongue throughout the world. In addition, he’s the publisher behind a speculative fiction small press, Paper Golem, aimed at showcasing up-and-coming new writers as well as providing a market for novellas. And too, he performs occasionally as a hypnotherapist specializing in authors’ issues. 

In 2007, he was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. He received a Hugo Award nomination for Best Short Story in 2010 and Nebula Award nominations for Best Novella in 2013, 2014, and again in 2015. Some of his most popular writing deals with the ongoing adventures of a space-faring stage hypnotist named the Amazing Conroy and his animal companion Reggie, an alien buffalito that can eat anything and farts oxygen. His latest work is a very different kind of book, an anthropomorphic SF novel that explores prophecy, intolerance, friendship, conspiracy, and loyalty, and a drug that lets you talk to the dead.

Lawrence lives near Philadelphia with his wife, Valerie, who is neither a psychologist nor a Klingon speaker.

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Our Favorite Books of 2015

It's time to look back on the past year of books! We had the opportunity to talk about some amazing books in our Wednesday Debut Interview series, including:

Fractured Immmortal by E.L. Wicker
Tunnel Vision by Susan Adrian
Heartsick by Caitlin Sinead
Sachael Dreams by Melody Winter
Fairy Keeper by Amy Bearce
Everything that Makes You by Moriah McStay
Any Way You Slice It by Kristine Asselin
Nobody's Goddess by Amy McNulty
Anna, Banana, and the Friendship Split by Anica Mrose Rissi
The Tulip Resistance by Lynne Leatham Allen
Run Away by Laura Salters
The Rearranged Life by Annika Sharma
Secret of the Sevens by Lynn Lindquist

Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave by Jen White
Syeira by Gill L. Holland
The Haunting of Springett Hall by EB Wheeler
Not After Everything by Michelle Levy
A Clear Solution by Eric McFarlane
Traitor Knight by Keith Willis
Link by Summer Wier
Underneath Everything by Marcy Beller Paul
Stillwater by Melissa Lenhardt
The Daring Prince Dashing by Marilou Reeder
Grudging by Michelle Hauck

Other new books we've featured:

Crow's Rest by Angelica R. Jackson
Red Blooded by Caitlin Sinead
Dragonfire [Secrets of the Makai Book #3] by Toni Kerr
For Exposure: The Life and Times of a Small Press Publisher by Jason Sizemore
An Owl Goes Trick or Treating by Sherrida Pope
Sidekick by Natalie Whipple
Hybrid [The Domino Project #2] by KT Hanna



Besides all those wonderful books, here's a few more we've read and enjoyed over the past year:

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
This YA fantasy retells the story of 1001 Arabian Nights with beautiful language, a fierce and determined female lead, and just the slightest hint of magic. This one does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, but you only have to wait until May for the sequel that will tie it up.
-Wendy

The Pretty Ones by Ania Ahlborn
Ania's strength is in building amazing, realistic characters and then doing really terrible things to them (in a psychological rather than gory way [with one or two exceptions]). This book is crafted to be uncomfortable but unputdownable. She's got two more books that I haven't read, and I'm definitely going to be reading them in 2016.
-Samantha

Golden Son [Red Rising #2] by Pierce Brown
Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within. (Goodreads)
Darrow is a very compelling hero; he has strong motives driving his actions, making his choices believable even when shocking or violent. I can't wait for the third book to come out!
-Kara

P.S. I Still Love You [To All The Boys I've Loved Before #2] by Jenny Han
Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.
She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.
When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once? (Goodreads)
I loved Lara Jean and her family--all of the characters felt real to me. I think that's essential for contemporary YA.
-Kara

Luther and Kathrina by Jody Hedlund
This historical romance explores the unusual courtship of religious reformer Martin Luther and Katherine von Bora, the runaway nun who became his wife. The historical aspects are well-researched and immersive.
-Wendy

The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore
The setting is so deeply rooted in the Central Valley of California, but the magical realism gives it a wondrous twist on the familiar.
- Angelica & Karen

Bindi by Nnendi Okorafor
The world-building in this book is immersive and gorgeous, and the main character has a gentle strength that made me love her so much. I've started on another book by this author, and I'm loving it, too. I might end up devouring everything Nnendi wrote in 2016.
-Samantha

Scarecrow edited by Rhonda Parrish
Rhonda carefully picks out stories with strong characters, interesting world building, and tough choices. I picked this one over Corvidae (published this year, too) because anthropomorphic birds freak me out; however, I recommend all three in her Magical Menageries series.
-Samantha

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E.Schwab
I love how this fantasy combines four different, overlapping magical worlds and tells the story of a Traveler who has the ability to slip from one world to the next and the dangers he encounters in each one. The language is incredibly vivid and the story is so much fun.
-Wendy

The Sound of Life and Everything by Krista Van Dolzer
Twelve-year-old Ella Mae Higbee is a sensible girl. She eats her vegetables and wants to be just like Sergeant Friday, her favorite character on Dragnet. So when her auntie Mildred starts spouting nonsense about a scientist who can bring her cousin back to life from blood on his dog tags, Ella Mae is skeptical—until he steps out of a bio-pod right before her eyes.
But the boy is not her cousin—he’s Japanese. And in California in the wake of World War II, the Japanese are still feared and despised. When her aunt refuses to take responsibility, Ella Mae and her Mama take him home instead. (Goodreads)
I loved the blend of sci-fi and historical fiction, but the best part for me was the ending took me by surprise.
-Kara

New in 2016: #OABookClub

Well, hello there, my sparkly holiday celebrants! This is Samantha, and I'd like to welcome you the first of several book-related posts that will ring in the new year with a bang. Today's topic is an exciting New Thing We're Gonna Do starting in 2016.

Writers are readers, and the Operation Awesome team is no exception. We decided that in the new year, we should get together and have cawfee and tawk about books. Therefore, I bring to you: #OABookClub.

At the beginning of each month, we'll announce a book we're reading. Our criteria are 1) something most of us have an interest in, 2) something stand-alone (i.e. no series), and 3) something that is available in most libraries. Throughout the month--assuming we aren't waiting until the day before the post to cram--we'll be talking away on the hashtag #OABookClub on Twitter. Feel free to join the conversation. On the first of the next month, we'll get together, give our impressions of the BotM, and invite you to weigh in, too.

January's Operation Awesome Book of the Month

For this month, to celebrate the inaugural round of our fabulous new contest, Pass or Pages, we'll be reading an iconic book written by an iconic mystery writer.

In the village of King's Abbot, a widow's sudden suicide sparks rumors that she murdered her first husband, was being blackmailed, and was carrying on a secret affair with the wealthy Roger Ackroyd. The following evening, Ackroyd is murdered in his locked study--but not before receiving a letter identifying the widow's blackmailer. King's Abbot is crawling with suspects, including a nervous butler, Ackroyd's wayward stepson, and his sister-in-law, Mrs. Cecil Ackroyd, who has taken up residence in the victim's home. It's now up to the famous detective Hercule Poirot, who has retired to King's Abbot to garden, to solve the case of who killed Roger Ackroyd--a task in which he is aided by the village doctor and narrator, James Sheppard, and by Sheppard's ingenious sister, Caroline.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is the book that made Agatha Christie a household name and launched her career as a perennial bestseller. Originally published in 1926, it is a landmark in the mystery genre. It was in the vanguard of a new class of popular detective fiction that ushered in the modern era of mystery novels.

Join us! Operatives Wendy Nikel, Katrina Lantz, Kara Reynolds, and I will be posting our impressions on February 1st, and we'd love to chat about it with you in the comments.

Click to Tweet: "I'm reading THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD by Agatha Christie in January for @OpAwesome6's #OABookClub. Join me?"

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But wait! There's more!

2016's Operation Awesome Book of the Year

This is unofficial and possibly the only time I'll do this.

I decided that I need--THAT'S RIGHT, NEED--to read Les Miserables. (Someone might also be demanding encouraging me to write a retelling of it--set in space, because of course--but I have committed to nothing.)

Except, in case you haven't heard, Les Mis is rather long. So I made myself a new year's resolution to read a little bit every day or so and finish it by December 31, 2016. I have been informed by my husband that it is not suitable bedtime reading for my 16-month-old, so that's out. But despite the harrowing setbacks, I'm still planning on doing it.

If you'd like to follow along, I'll be tweeting my reactions on the Twitter hashtag #LesMisRead2016. I'll give an update on the first at the end of our BotM post, too. If you'd like to read along with me, well, go get yourself a copy and we'll start on Friday. (The version I bought is about 1250-ish pages, so it's about 3.3 per day.)

Full disclosure: I struggle with classics. So. We'll just see how this turns out.

Click to Tweet: I'm reading LES MISERABLES in 2016 with @Saboviec. Join me? #LesMisRead2016

Hope you guys can join in! Who's reading along with us?