The Knight Agency Blog

Holiday Chat Alert! Party with THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT authors Cecil Murphey & Marley Gibson on Thursday, December 15th @ 9pm ET!

2011-12-07T10:02:00.014-05:00

Tis the season to be chatty! Join the co-authors of The Spirit of Christmas
Cec Murphey and Marley Gibson, along with the books contributors, for an online holiday chat. The authors will be taking questions, as well as giving away copies of The Spirit of Christmas and other special holiday treats!

WHAT: Holiday Chat with Cec, Marley, The Knight Agency and YOU!
WHEN: Thursday, December 15th at 9pm ET
WHERE: Chat Room--http://client1.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=115545
HOW TO CHAT: Enter any combination of username and password. Your computer must be Java enabled to chat.

The 411 on THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS: At Christmastime, it’s hard not to get caught up in the shopping, the decorating, the party planning and the family drama—and too we often to lose sight of the true meaning of the season. But sometimes, through God’s grace or a simple twist of fate, we’re able to step back and understand what the holiday is truly about.

Congrats Rosemary!

2011-11-30T08:28:00.008-05:00

The Knight Agency would like to give a big congratulations to Rosemary Clement-Moore for her latest yound adult release, Texas Gothic, making it onto the Kirkus Review's Best TEnn Books of 2011 list! WOOHOO! We absolutely loved this book from the start here at TKA, and are overjoyed tha tit is receiving such well-deserved praise. Go Rosemary!

The 411 on TEXAS GOTHIC: Amy Goonight's family is far from normal. She comes from a line of witches, but tries her best to stay far outside the family business. Her summer gig? Ranch-sitting for her aunt with her wacky but beautiful sister. Only the Goodnight Ranch is even less normal than it normally is. Bodies are being discovered, a ghost is on the prowl, and everywhere she turns, the hot neighbor cowboy is in her face.

"A deeply affectionate rendering of Texas landscapes and legends combines with an appealing cast of well-developed characters to give texture to this well-plotted mystery: truly scary moments are balanced by the humorous bumbles of the awkwardly developing romance between Amy and Ben, as well as Phin's sublime cluelessness about the way her eccentricities appear to other people. The mystery itself is a richly imagined interpolation on documented history and lore of the area; readers who've outgrown the silliness but not the adventure of Scooby-Doo will thoroughly enjoy this." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"This engaging mystery has plenty of both paranormal and romance, spiced with loving families and satisfyingly packed with self-sufficient, competent girls." --Kirkus, Starred Review

"Teen looking for a rollicking adventure filled with paranormal events, dastardly evildoers, and laugh-out-loud moments as Amy and Ben argue and snipe their way to love will adore this book." --School Library Journal, Starred Review

Knight Agency Clients Receive 24 Romantic Times Award Nominations!

2011-11-04T12:01:00.007-04:00

BIG Congrats to all of the rockstar TKA authors that received Romantic Times BookLOVERS Award Nominaitons for 2011! We are beyond proud to have had so many clients nominated. Well deserved to all!

Career Achievement Nominees:

Sci Fi/Fantasy
Lynn Flewelling
Urban Fantasy
P.N. Elrod
Erotica
Joey Hill
Paranormal
Nalini Singh

Reviewers Choice Nominees:
Harlequin Nocturne:
Jessica Andersen: Lord of the Wolfyn
Nalini Singh: Lord of the Abyss
Steeple Hill Love Inspired:
Annie Jones: Home to Stay
Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense:
Stephanie Newton: Point Blank Protector
First Historical Romance:
Monica Burns: Pleasure Me
Bronwen Evans: Invitation to Seduction
Historical Fantasy Paranormal:
Melissa Mayhue: Healing A Highlander
Historical K.I.S.S. Hero:
Jade Lee: Wicked Seduction
Best Romantic Suspense:
Shannon K. Butcher: Living on the Edge
Futuristic Romance:
Gena Showalter: Dark Taste of Rapture
Vampire Romance:
Blood Hunt: Shannon K. Butcher
Archangel's Blade: Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance:
Kiss of Snow: Nalini Singh
Erotic Romance:
Kate Pearce: Simply Forbidden
Erotic Paranormal Fantasy:
Joey Hill: Vampire Instinct
Harlequin Romantic Suspense
Beth Cornelison: Special Ops Bodyguard
First Historical Romance
Vicky Dreiling: How to Marry a Duke
Urban Fantasy Novel
Rob Thurman: Blackout
Urban Fantasy Protagonist
Diana Pharoah Francis: Maz in Crimson Wind
Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Novels 2011
N. K. Jemisin: The Kingdom of Gods

Bryan Andersen on MSNBC

2011-11-04T10:30:00.001-04:00

Iraq vet, triple amputee and Purple Heart recipient Bryan Andersen has lived an extraordinary and inspiring life, and now he is sharing his experience in the memoir NO TURNING BACK, written with David Mack. Recently, MSNBC interviewed him to talk about his November release and new television show.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Kristen Painter Chat Transcript Available

2011-10-28T12:13:00.000-04:00

Last night we had a fabulous time with Kristen Painter, author of BLOOD RIGHTS, in the *haunted* Knight Agency chat room. Per our usual, there were plenty of laughs and prizes. If you've never been to one of our chats before -- you are missing out! Check out our chat transcript to get the deets from last night's event.

Halloween Chat with Kristen Painter, author of BLOOD RIGHTS! This Thursday @ 9pm ET!!

2011-10-17T09:04:00.004-04:00

BLOOD RIGHTS author Kristen Painter will be taking over the TKA chatroom and declaring it the Halloween-only zone in just a few days! Bring your best "costumes" (read: funny usernames) and make sure to read up on Kristen's website and your spooky holiday trivia. We have plenty of fun games and prizes planned for those that are full of the All Hallow's Eve spirit! Bwhahaha!

WHAT: Chat with Kristin Painter

WHEN: Thursday, October 27th at 9pm ET

WHERE: TKA Chatroom <http://client1.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=115545>

HOW: Enter any combination of username and password to enter…if you dare!

The 411 on BLOOD RIGHTS:

Born into a life of secrets and service, Chrysabelle's body bears the telltale marks of a comarré -- a special race of humans bred to feed vampire nobility. When her patron is murdered, she becomes the prime suspect, which sends her running into the mortal world...and into the arms of Malkolm, an outcast vampire cursed to kill every being from whom he drinks.

Now, Chrysabelle and Malkolm must work together to stop a plot to merge the mortal and supernatural worlds. If they fail, a chaos unlike anything anyone has ever seen will threaten to reign.

Chat Transcript for Royal House of Shadows

2011-10-03T08:50:00.007-04:00

Gena Showalter, Jessica Andersen, Nalini Singh and Jill Monroe joined our chat this past Thursday to talk about thier collaborative series ROYAL HOUSE OF SHADOWS. We has an amazing time talking about thier new books and how they liked working together!

Click here to view the chat transcript.

Chat with Royal House of Shadows Authors--Gena Showalter, Nalini Singh, Jessica Andersen and Jill Monroe--THIS Thursday @ 9pm ET!

2011-09-26T08:29:00.023-04:00

Do you love fairytales? Would you love to read amazing retelling of your favorite childhood stories with the added twist of paranormal romance? Join us this Thursday September 29th at 9PM to chat with Gena Showalter, Nalini Singh, Jill Monroe and Jessica Andersen. If you love any of these authors' books, imagine what they created all together! We will be doing some fun give aways and these four ladies will be ready to answer all of your questions.

Join us Thursday!
WHAT: Chat with Royal House of Shadows authors.
WHEN: Thursday September 29th, 9PM ET
WHERE: The Knight Agency Chat Room
HOW TO CHAT: Enter any combination of user name and password. Login. Your computer must be Java enabled to chat!

TWISTED Tour Stop!

2011-09-02T09:17:00.005-04:00

We've finally made it to the last day of the TWISTED Tour! Along the way we've learned Rachel Caine had an affinity for butterfly necklaces as a teen, Marley Gibson owned a zoot suit (yes, seriously), Linda Gerber once dreamed of being a travel agent/historian, Chloe Neill had aspirations of becoming a famous artiste, and to this day anytime Love Shack by the B52s is played Rosemary Clement-Moore immediately reports to the nearest dance floor. Also, Tina Ferraro reminisced about dancing under the stars with the cutest boy ever on her best night ever, and Jonathan Friesen recalled a little local phenomenon known as Prince being the toughest ticket in town. We also visited the sites of the ah-mazing PC Cast, Julie Kagawa, and of course, our headlining act -- TWISTED author Gena Showalter.

We hope you enjoyed rocking out with us because we thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with you! Below, you'll find the last ticket we're handing out on this ride, and as a special treat a few folks from the TKA team are sharing some of their own teen pics. So, get a good laugh in before you grab name of the image and make haste to www.knightagency.net/twistedtour.php. Entries will be accepted up until Sunday, September 4th at 11:59pm ET. Next week we will find out who will be the winner of an epic prize -- a $250 Ticketmaster Gift Card, $100 American Eagle Outfitters Gift Card, a $100 Visa Gift Card for Dinner and a Glam Urban Decay Makeup Gift Set!

Deidre Knight accepting her diploma in super shiny stockings.

Elaine Spencer showing her early love of interior design with super cool matching bedding, curtains and valances. So chic!

Apparently, Lucienne Diver was a a big hair fan. Those bangs are reaching for the sky.

Melissa Jeglinski thinks (and looks like) she's tough stuff in her jazz outfit.

Marketing Director Jia Gayles, overly excited at the time about recent weight loss, chose a way too short shirt. Somewhere a small child is missing their sweater. Sadness.

TWISTED TOUR FULL INSTRUCTIONS:

How do you define the “Best Night Ever?” Does going on a mini shopping spree for a chic new outfit, dinner out with your bestie and seeing your favorite music act live in concert sound like it would do the trick? If so, read on!

To celebrate the release of, TWISTED, the third book in her Intertwined series featuring Aden Stone, Gena Showalter is rocking out with her author buds on The TWISTED Tour. The tour spans almost two weeks and 11 author websites, including this one, from August 22nd through September 2nd. The Grand Prize winner will be awarded all the essentials for a perfect night out, including:

- $250 Ticketmaster Gift Card
- $100 American Eagle Outfitters Gift Card
- $100 Visa Gift Card for Dinner
- Glam Urban Decay Makeup Gift Set

A Second Prize winner will receive an autographed set of Gena’s Intertwined series, including INTERTWINED, UNRAVELED and TWISTED.

HOW TO PLAY: Visit www.knightagency.net/twistedtour.php and check the tour schedule. Visit the sites of each author on their assigned tour date and locate the concert ticket image.

At the end of the tour, fill out the form on the aforementioned TWISTED Tour contest webpage by matching the images you found to the authors’ websites that they were located on before Sunday, September 4th at 11:59pm ET. The winners will be randomly drawn and notified on or around September 9th, 2011.

The 411 on TWISTED: His vampire girlfriend might have brought him back to life, but he's never felt more out of control. There's a darkness within him, something taking over…changing him. Worse, because he was meant to die, death now stalks him at every turn. Any day could be his last.

Once upon a time, the three souls trapped inside his head could have helped him. He could have protected himself. But as the darkness grows stronger, the souls grow weaker—just like his girlfriend. The more vampire Aden becomes, the more human Victoria becomes, until everything they know and love is threatened.

Life couldn't get any worse. Could it?

Join Gena Showalter's TWISTED Tour and Win a $250 Ticketmaster Gift Card, Mini-Shopping Spree, Moolah for Dinner and an Urban Decay Gift Set

2011-08-22T10:56:00.003-04:00

To celebrate the release of TWISTED, the third book in her Intertwined series, Gena Showalter is throwing a mega contest and several young adult authors are joining her for the ride, including: Julie Kagawa, PC Cast, Rachel Caine, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Tina Ferraro, Jonathan Friesen, Marley Gibson, Linda Gerber and Chloe Neill. Plus, our very own Knight Agency blog will host one day of the contest.

The Grand Prize is being hailed as "The Best Night Ever," and with concert tix to your fave music act, an American Eagle gift card for new duds, a glam Urban Decay makeup set for a "new" face AND cash (in the form of a Visa gift card) for dinner, how can it not turn into the best night you ever had?

The TWISTED Tour spans almost two weeks and 11 author websites, including this one, from August 22nd through September 2nd. The Grand Prize winner will be awarded all the essentials for a perfect night out, including:

- $250 Ticketmaster Gift Card
- $100 American Eagle Outfitters Gift Card
- $100 Visa Gift Card for Dinner
- Glam Urban Decay Makeup Gift Set

A Second Prize winner will receive an autographed set of Gena’s Intertwined series, including INTERTWINED, UNRAVELED and TWISTED.

HOW TO PLAY: Visit www.KnightAgency.net/twistedtour.php and check the tour schedule. Visit the sites of each author on their assigned tour date and locate the concert ticket image.

At the end of the tour, fill out the form on the aforementioned TWISTED Tour contest webpage by matching the concert ticket images to the authors’ websites that they were located on before Sunday, September 4th at 11:59pm ET. The winners will be randomly drawn and notified on or around September 9th, 2011.

Don Piper on ABC Special "Beyond Belief" Tonight @ 10pmET!

2011-08-03T16:33:00.000-04:00

Tune in tonight for Don Piper's apperance on ABC's Beyond Belief. Bob Woodruff is interviewing the New York Times bestselling author of 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN, co-written with Cecil Murphey, about his life after death experience. More details at ABC!

First Impressions For August

2011-08-03T14:23:00.000-04:00

It's time for the monthly First Impressions critique. If you'd like the opportunity to have your first page receive feedback, be sure to follow the submission guidelines below. Everyone should feel free to add their constructive thoughts in the comments section.

The Willow
Young Adult
Leah Burroughs

Prologue

Before you die, there’s always some kind of to-do list. (See comment below on first sentence.) For some, that list might contain becoming rich or famous. For others, it might include having a family and growing old. But what if you died before you had time to even think about setting any lifetime goals? What if fate didn’t plan on letting you live past sixteen?

I’d always been afraid of the water, and I couldn’t swim to save my life. But I tried...and I failed miserably.

I was drowning, I knew that much. The water was deepening, the coordinal directions muddled (What does this mean--her sense of direction was muddled?) and lost in a dark cave of blue. The muted anguish swashed through my eardrums, leaking into places it was never meant to go.(I'm not sure what this all means. How can anguish swash through eardums?) My body was weak now, my useless kicking slowing as I felt myself go limp.

There was only so much time left; only so much air my lungs could hold on to. The breath I was fighting to hold was getting tighter, and I wanted to ease that pain, even if the escape was death. (Nice. Simply stated but very meaningful.)

There was one thing I regretted, and it might haunt me in any otherworldly place my soul was sent to. I regretted not finding true love, and ~~conclusively~~ decided that’s what would’ve topped my bucket list. I’d never even been kissed…

Fate is cruel. We all know this. But sometimes it decides to give up on you, and in the instant it does, a miracle can happen. (Not of fan of this heavy foreshadowing. Simpler to say: I'd given up hope and then a miracle happened.)

Just as my eyes fell heavy with defeat, my lungs about to ~~cave under the pressure of constricted air~~ collapse, a relentless grasp fastened around my waist to with a godlike strength I’d never ~~dreamt of~~ imagined… (Toning down the descriptives makes the paragraph easier to read.)

Comments:

The first sentence is a bit unclear. I know what you're trying to get across but it's worded in a way that made me read it several times. Maybe something like: Everyone has a to-do list they want to complete before they die.

I'm not a big fan of the narrarator speaking directly to the reader as done in the first paragraph (and again in the penultimate paragraph). It's so important that the opening have a bang. If you start with the second paragraph I believe it would hold more impact.

Also, pull back on the flowery language. The use of some phrasing here was very confusing and felt like you were using words just for the sake of flow and not meaning.

I was eager to see what happened next; if in fact we would find out who was rescuing her (I am guessing this is a female protagonist) or if we would then jump to chapter one and be presented with a different scene. So my attention has been captured.

_____
To enter First Impressions, email your first page (300 words or less) to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net with “First Impressions” in the subject line. Include the title and genre in the email, as well as the name you wish us to use when referring to you publicly. All genres are welcome. Do not send your entry as an attachment; it must be within the body of the email. Winners are randomly selected using http://www.random.org/.

**Disclaimers, Rules, Stipulations, What Not, and All That Jazz: By emailing your entry to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net, you agree to have your first page posted on our blog for critique. Entrants will remain in the selection queue indefinitely, so your number could come up tomorrow or two years from now. Such is life. We will drop you a line if your email is pulled out of the hat. Maybe. It’s best to just swing by our blog often and check things out, no? Winning a first page critique does not in any way indicate an interest or offer of representation by The Knight Agency, and we reserve the right to delete any material that we find improper or offensive. Though we encourage blog readers to offer positive, thoughtful feedback, we cannot control their opinions with Imperius Curses. However, we will promptly banish nasty, mean-spirited comments to the outer limits of cyberspace. Dontcha wish you could do that with people in real life? Addendum (11/03/2010): In order to give everyone a fair chance, only one entry is allowed per person. If you've submitted more than one first page, your initial email will be added to the queue; however, subsequent emails have been deleted

Guest Blogger Janet Mullany Shares Details on TELL ME MORE + Giveaway!

2011-08-02T10:13:00.003-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of TELL ME MORE by Janet Mullany is Lolarific! Congrats! Please email your addy to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net.

What does C.S. Lewis have to do with erotic romance, you may well ask. One thing I find fascinating about writing is how my reading cross-pollinates my writing, particularly books I read long ago. The C.S. Lewis link to my recent release TELL ME MORE is a little obscure, but here’s how it came about.

While I was writing the book I read Lev Grossman’s THE MAGICIANS, a brilliant and complex novel that starts out at a sort of Potteresque school for magicians. The book becomes darker and more dangerous as its characters travel to a fantastical land invented by a writer who wrote a series of children’s books. Just like Narnia?—no, Narnia gritty and grownup and cruel.

So I had THE MAGICIANS on my mind and that led to me thinking about C. S. Lewis’s books which I read and loved as a child, totally oblivious of the rather heavy-handed Christian subtext.

But back to my book and my heroine and her adventures. At one point in the book she becomes involved in a community with a rigid social structure that gets together for various sexual activities. Jo, as a newcomer, is one of the apprentices who serve the higher levels, but she finds a way into the main part of the house, seeking her fascinating mentor who she’s spoken to only on the phone. Almost immediately she takes refuge in a coat closet. This coat closet does not lead to enchanted lands. Instead, she finds herself an unwilling voyeur when a couple uses the closet for other activities:

Clothing rustled. A zipper slid down.

One of her hands emerged from between the coats and almost smacked me in the nose.

I ducked.

Her hand grasped, fluttered, and grabbed the coat rack. I squeezed myself away from them.

It was a bit too late to reveal myself to them at this point; what the heck could I say?

Jo escapes from the closet and explores the rest of the house. Here’s an excerpt from THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER by C. S. Lewis.

Now she had come to the top of the stairs, Lucy looked and saw a long, wide passage with a large window at the far end. Apparently the passage ran the whole length of the house. It was carved and paneled and carpeted and very many doors opened off it on each side. She stood still and couldn't hear the squeak of a mouse, or the buzzing of a fly, or the swaying of a curtain, or anything--except the beating of her own heart.

There isn’t much similarity between the two but I was definitely channeling C.S. Lewis now, remembering how spellbound I was as Lucy walked down that passage, seeing mysterious magic symbols on the doors and at one point a mirror that has a frame of hair and a beard, making her reflection strange and sinister. She’s in a magician’s house to find a spell and solve a mystery. Here’s mine:

A corridor led off at the top of the stairs and I peered down it. The smell of food was stronger now. As I hesitated, there was a muffled thump and a ringing sound, and two wall panels slid apart—an elevator. Waiters emerged with a rolling cart of food. They took no notice of me, but pushed the cart and its covered dishes into a room. I peered around the door. Masked people, Jake and Cathy among them, sat at a long banquet table with an elaborate centerpiece, laughing and talking…
At the table a guy wearing a mask that gave him the face of a lion, stood, and headed for the doorway and me, cellphone at his ear. He was tall and slender, a few threads of gray in his dark hair. As he passed me, I heard a few words, to my surprise apparently about investments.

“But of course…” He sounded slightly annoyed.

He sounded familiar. Very familiar.

“Mr. D?” My voice rose to a squeak.

He turned and looked at me and the lion’s eyes gazed at me, unreadable, in his mask.
Aha! A lion mask! You may remember that the central deity in the Narnia chronicles is a lion called Aslan (the Persian word for lion), and that little detail just wrote itself in there.

Leave a comment answering the following question, and enter to win an autographed copy of TELL ME MORE: Which books did you enjoy as a kid that have stayed with you or even come back to surprise you?

The winner will be randomly selected and announced tomorrow morning.
What people are saying about TELL ME MORE:

… a deliciously naughty novel with an intense steamy narrative. Jo's humble yet enthusiastic attitude makes the bedroom scenes fun and provocative, with more than enough tension to make your heart race. This novel is a hot, spicy adventure you shouldn't miss! --RT Book Reviews

This novel is erotica at its best. A good, strong story driven by interesting characters, and steamy scenes that will leave you smiling secretly to yourself. --The Raunch Dilettante

Our Digital Letter to Clients

2011-07-29T12:54:00.001-04:00

Since the inception of our agency in 1996, we have taken every step possible to ensure that we advocate for our clients by offering a broad spectrum of services. For instance, we were one of the first pioneering agencies to hire a full-time marketing director and have maintained that position for the past six years. We take our position as advocates for our clients very seriously, and so it was only after six months of intense research and planning, involving conversations amongst ourselves and with our clients that we decided to start an assisted self-publishing program. Additionally, we've brought in outside consultants and developed strong relationships with representatives from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony and Kobo; we also continue to reach out to and develop relationships with others.

We did not enter into this lightly, but felt that is was necessary to create this service as an option for our clients. This program is an extension of our current services meant only for current clientele, not a publishing arm. We are taking our standard 15%, and will pay all upfront costs with the exception of copyediting. This is in no way a mandate or a requirement for those wanting to self-publish. They can take advantage of our program or choose to handle the self-publishing portion of their career alone; regardless of their choice, we fully support their decision. But we felt that in the current climate, we’d be remiss to not supply an option in this arena, for those clients wishing to self-publish without handling the details, marketing, publicity, social media, content editing, and such on their own.

Our clients are fully aware of our plans. We surveyed them to gauge their interests in such a program because we treasure their input and want to make sure we are giving them the best and most comprehensive representation possible. Many of them have lined up to participate in the initial launch this coming September, and we are thrilled to be able to assist them in this way.

Today an author stated on a blog that we are “becoming publishers,” which is wholly untrue. In light of that miscommunication about our plans for the future, we felt it was critical that we post the letter sent to all Knight Agency clients to further clarify our position. You can view the letter below.

____________________________________________

Dear Authors:

As you know, The Knight Agency has been working on a very exciting assisted self-publishing initiative that will aid authors in digitally republishing backlist titles, as well as allow clients to publish select front list titles which the author and agency will hand-pick together. For example, clients and agents may select novels, collections, or shorts that mainstream publishers may not consider remunerative enough for acquisition, or that the authors and agents believe would be better served by our sleek new system, which will allow us to monitor and act quickly in terms of pricing, promotion, bundling, etc.

We’ll be taking our standard agency commission of fifteen percent (15%), absorbing all costs except those associated with copy editing. As always in our work as your agents, our objective is to allow you as the author to focus on what you do best, which is writing the most wonderful books possible while we take the time-consuming and tedious business elements off your shoulders. For our fifteen percent commission, we will provide self-publishing assistance in the following areas:

●Content editing – the agents will act, as we regularly do, as editors, reading material and offering suggestions for revision.

●Line and copyeditor referrals – since none of us are copyeditors ourselves, we’re creating a database of quality freelance editors who can provide line and copyediting services.

●ISBN Number assignment – we’ll take care of the cost and work of getting an ISBN assigned to your work. Not all venues require an ISBN, but many do, and of course you’ll want the widest possible distribution for your work.

●Copyright registration – in the event that a book is backlisted, this may already be taken care of, but if a work predates automatic extension or is a new work that requires initial registration, we’ll have it covered and absorb the cost.

●Cover copy – although previously published titles will have cover copy, it will be proprietary to the publisher of that edition, and new copy will have to be written. We’ll handle writing or provide feedback on author-written copy.

●Cover design and consultation – we’re well aware that it takes good, professional quality covers to indicate high quality works, and can handle cover design in consultation with the author.

●File conversions to ePub and mobi – this is where a good deal of the work comes in, and it’s something we’re equipped to handle.

●Uploading files to major retailers – there are many places self-published authors can’t reach on their own, but we’re establishing relationships with e-tailers to make works widely available.

●Dynamic pricing – as mentioned above, we’ll have detailed pricing plans and will be able to move quickly to change pricing to build sales momentum.

●Metadata – the agents, in conjunction with the authors, will develop a list of key phrases to serve as tags to increase title visibility on various retailer sites and search engines.

●Search engine optimization — When promoting e-book titles, TKA will employ the latest techniques in SEO to maximize search rank visibility

●Marketing plan – one of the advantages to the assisted self-publishing program is that The Knight Agency will help promote the works in various formats, including a digital newsletter, a new digital showcase area on KnightAgency.net, on Twitter, in blogs, etc.

●Subsidiary rights – as with all titles we represent, we’ll work on the subrights for these books, including film, foreign, audio, etc. at our standard commission rates.

●Royalty tracking and payments—collecting and tracking revenue with a variety of digital outlets will require vigilance. If any problems arise, authors will have TKA as their advocates.

●Oversight of existing contracts and obligations—non-compete and option clause language will become even more important in existing print contracts. TKA will have full career oversight, making sure that authors are covered and clear to enter into digital self-pub arrangements.

●Down the road, TKA has long-range plans to help clients arrange for print publication of these titles via print-on-demand or other avenues.

We’re developing a simple agreement that states our terms in writing so that our responsibilities and yours are clear. We have our first wave of titles in the works and anticipate launching the first books in September. Please let us know if you have any material you’d like to discuss putting into this program and also, of course, if you have any questions.

The Real Scoop on our New Program

2011-07-29T10:48:00.000-04:00

Reposted from Lucienne Diver's Blog:
The Knight Agency has started up a very exciting program to facilitate e-book publication for those of our authors who want to take advantage. To be clear, we’re NOT becoming a digital publisher. We’re not taking a publishers' cut or submissions or doing anything but working collaboratively with our authors who want to take advantage of the program. We’re doing all the legwork in getting books scanned, putting together a database of copyeditors and arranging for cover art, ISBNs, new cover copy, etc., much of it at the agency’s expense and for only the agency’s regular commission. And ONLY for our authors.

We are NOT giving up on traditional publishing. Rather, this program is for backlist which is no longer available or had never been digitized to begin with or for projects that have not found a home with publishing houses but which the authors and agents agree should absolutely be in the hands of readers who will adore them as much as we do. We’re not telling anyone they have to go through us. Rather, we’re providing a whole lot of really exciting incentives, like marketing and promotion.

Our first titles will launch in September. We’ve got an incredible line-up, with backlist from bestsellers like Stephanie Rowe, Rachel Caine, writing as Roxanne Conrad, Cecil Murphy, Susan Sizemore, Christie Golden and others. You’ll definitely be hearing more about this as the launch approaches.

Read Stephanie Rowe's KISS AT YOUR OWN RISK for Free!

2011-07-07T09:45:00.001-04:00

From now until July 11th, paranormal romance fans can download a digital copy of the first book in Stephanie Rowe's Soulfire series, KISS AT YOUR OWN RISK, free of charge. This promotion is available at various retailers, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Stephanie's second book, TOUCH IF YOU DARE, releases this month.

The 411 on KISS AT YOUR OWN RISK: Trinity Harpswell is a cursed Black Widow-death and mayhem are all part of the job description. If she can manage to go just one more week without accidentally killing someone, she'll break this killer curse and put her Black Widow days behind her. When sexy Blaine Underhill III shows up at her door and asks for her help rescuing his friend from the clutches of Death's evil grandma, Trinity gets pulled into a daring high stakes adventure. As Blaine and Trinity join forces to take down a series of underworld assassins, they may just learn that love is the deadliest game of all.

"Rowe's gift for ironic humor will make any reader's day. The cast of characters is unique and fun with a magical kind of romance the genre needs more of." RT Book Reviews Top Pick of the Month

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-06-24T13:53:00.001-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of THE CEO'S SECRET BABY by Karen Whiddon is Diane! Congrats! Please send your physical addy to Contests(AT)knightagency.net.

We had an awesome time last night with Rosemary Clement-Moore who stopped by to chat with us about her upcoming release, TEXAS GOTHIC. For those of you that missed out, you can check out the chat transcript. To be notifed of our next chat event, sign up for The Knight Agency newsletter here: http://www.knightagency.net/newsletter/.

Now, onto our Freebie Friday!

Leave a comment to win a copy of THE CEO'S SECRET BABY by Karen Whiddon.
The winner will be announced on Monday afternoon.

The 411: Seeing Tucker Drover—the man she loved more than life itself and presumed dead in a plane crash—shakes Lucy Knowlton's world. How will she tell him about their baby boy—and her engagement to his best friend? Her heart has only ever belonged to Tucker…but how can they go back to the way it was?

Once a successful CEO, Tucker had the misfortune of getting tangled up with a powerful Mexican drug cartel. Now on the run, seeing Lucy again and meeting his son makes him long for them to be a family. And when shattering betrayals are revealed and danger closes in, the only thing that matters is keeping mother and son safe….

YA Lit Chat with Rosemary Clement-Moore TONIGHT @ 9pmET!!!

2011-06-23T10:23:00.000-04:00

Young adult lit appeals to 15 years olds, 55 years olds, and everyone else in between. As the author of five YA novels, Rosemary Clement-Moore certainly knows a lot about the mechanics of writing for a teen audience and why this area hold such an allure. Tonight at 9pm ET, join Rosemary for a chat about her upcoming release, TEXAS GOTHIC, career and future projects. She will also be giving away signed copies of TEXAS GOTHIC and books from her backlist, including the Maggie Quinn: Girl vs. Evil series and THE SPLENDOR FALLS.

WHAT: Chat with Rosemary Clement-Moore
WHEN: Thursday, June 23rd at 9pm ET
WHERE: The Knight Agency Chat Room - http://client1.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=115545
HOW TO CHAT: Enter any combination of username and password. Login. Your computer must be Java enabled to chat.

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-06-17T11:08:00.004-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of TEXAS GOTHIC by Rosemary Clement-Moore is NoraA! Congrats! Please send your physical addy to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net. Everyone else, Rosemary is giving away signed copies of her books during the chat on Thursday @ 9pm ET -- so come hang out with us to get another chance!

Today, we're giving away an advanced reading copy of young adult author Rosemary-Clement Moore's upcoming release, TEXAS GOTHIC (Random House, July 2011), as a special preview for her upcoming online chat with us Thursday, June 23rd at 9pm ET. Rosemary is also the author of four other titles, including the Maggie Quinn: Girl vs. Evil series and THE SPLENDOR FALLS. TEXAS GOTHIC is a spin on the "southern gothic" subgenre with layers of romance, mystery, magic and dark motivations... Is your interest piqued? It should be.

You can read more about Rosemary in the June issue of our newsletter, and don't forget to mark your calendar for pub convo, trivia and MORE giveaways with the author next Thursday!

WHAT: Chat with Rosemary Clement-Moore
WHEN: Thursday, June 23rd at 9pm ET
WHERE: The Knight Agency Chat Room - http://client1.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=115545
HOW TO CHAT: Enter any combination of username and password. Login. Your computer must be Java enabled to chat.

The 411 on TEXAS GOTHIC: Amy Goodnight's family is far from normal. She comes from a line of witches, but tries her best to stay far outside the family business. Her summer gig? Ranch-sitting for her aunt with her wacky but beautiful sister. Only the Goodnight Ranch is even less normal than it normally is. Bodies are being discovered, a ghost is on the prowl, and everywhere she turns, the hot neighbor cowboy is in her face.

Freebie Friday Rules: A winner will be randomly selected from the comments on Monday morning (June 20th).

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-06-10T12:11:00.001-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of KISS OF SNOW by Nalini Singh is Karen H! Big congrats! Please send your physical addy to contests(at)knightagency.net.

This Friday we have an especially exciting giveaway! The tenth book in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series, KISS OF SNOW, marks her hardcover debut. The release has already earned a rarely awarded Top Pick GOLD review from Romantic Times, and it hit the New York Times hardcover bestseller list in the #9 spot. To win a copy, leave a comment with your name. The winner will be announced Monday afternoon.

The 411: Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.
Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would've been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.

Then Sienna changes the rules-and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other's secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight...

A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna's darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home-and the alpha who is its heartbeat.

Agent Q&A!

2011-06-08T11:55:00.003-04:00

Have burning questions about how to get an agent? Wondering whether your manuscript is ready to submit? Feeling a little overwhelmed by the process? Well, ask your questions and I will attempt to answer.

Agent Q&A works like this: Post your questions on this thread, and I will come back later today or early tomorrow and provide some responses. I can't promise to answer all the questions--the thread can get a little long sometimes--but I will answer at least three and I'll do my best to get a good range of answers out there for you.

So? What would you like to know?

~Nephele

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-06-03T15:59:00.001-04:00

The winner of STORM KISSED by Jessica Andersen is Sheree! Congrats! Sorry for the delayed annoucement. :-) Sheree, please email Contests(AT)knightagency.net with your physical addy.

Leave a comment to win a copy of STORM KISSED by Jessica Andersen. The winner will be announced on Monday.

The 411: When sexy Nightkeeper Dez goes rogue, the bounty hunter enlisted to catch him is Reese, his former lover. The sexual energy between them is hotter than ever-but the life-and-death stakes attached to the chase may pull them apart for good.

First Impressions with Melissa Jeglinski: June

2011-06-01T08:45:00.000-04:00

June's First Impressions selection is now up. As always I've marked my notes/edits in red and ask that you feel free to comment with your constructive critiques. Submission instructions are posted below should you care to have your first page reviewed.

The Veil

Paranormal Romance

By Julie Anne

“Another shocking death amps suspicions of something sinister in the city.” (Good opening although it's not quite as pithy as a newscast might sound.)

The eleven o’clock news brought Ava Draikar stumbling from her closet. (Can't help but wonder why she was in her closet? Could be an interesting avenue to explore later on but if you don't then I don't see the point.) Comfortable in her pajamas, she stared at the tiny television on her kitchen counter. Here we go again. Reporters will be all over the hospital tomorrow. Ava increased the volume~~, only~~ slightly~~, for~~ to better hear the details. (Because the tv was loud enough before to bring her out of the closet.)

Sipping wine from a large stemmed glass, she nearly choked. (Did she have the wine with her in the closet? Where did it come from?)

There, on the television screen, was a photo of the latest victim. And Ava knew him. ~~A photograph of the latest victim was lodged securely in the left corner of the broadcast. Ava knew him.~~ (Rather confusing the way orginally written.) Sort of. ~~She saw~~ She'd seen him every day for the past week and had toiled uselessly with lustful fantasies ~~wherein~~ with him playing ~~he played~~ the leading role. ~~The man was gorgeous, but Ava was prone to neither, lust nor fantasy.~~ (Which is it? She had lustful fantasies or she's isn't prone to lust and fantasy? Or maybe it's just not worded the way you mean.)

~~Pensively, she~~ She lowered the remote and turned away from the television. She was missing her favorite show.

The city was fascinating from her window. Even in darkness, and despite the rain that streaked her view, nothing ever seemed to remove the city’s ~~vast complexity, or its~~ irrefutable draw. Separating herself from it would be like removing her own skin. If she could survive the process, she’d never be the same. (A bit overwritten here.) To Ava, the entire metropolis was alive, and she was a part of it. The city was one enormous, pulsating, entity, and it was that image that kept her at her window most nights. (The change in direction between this paragraph and the previous one is quite confusing.)

My thoughts:
The story has a good opening and I was hoping to get more from the first page. The sudden change from Ava watching TV to looking out the window and waxing poetic about the city left me very confused. I really suggest staying with the topic initially brought up which is that of the latest victim.

There are a lot of extraneous commas thoughout.

I felt there were some interesting directions this story could go but the writer needs to continue with a thought rather than allude to it and move on. Answer the questions that are being brought up while they are still fresh in the reader's mind rather than having to explain them again later.
_____
To enter First Impressions, email your first page (300 words or less) to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net with “First Impressions” in the subject line. Include the title and genre in the email, as well as the name you wish us to use when referring to you publicly. All genres are welcome. Do not send your entry as an attachment; it must be within the body of the email. Winners are randomly selected using http://www.random.org/.

**Disclaimers, Rules, Stipulations, What Not, and All That Jazz: By emailing your entry to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net, you agree to have your first page posted on our blog for critique. Entrants will remain in the selection queue indefinitely, so your number could come up tomorrow or two years from now. Such is life. We will drop you a line if your email is pulled out of the hat. Maybe. It’s best to just swing by our blog often and check things out, no? Winning a first page critique does not in any way indicate an interest or offer of representation by The Knight Agency, and we reserve the right to delete any material that we find improper or offensive. Though we encourage blog readers to offer positive, thoughtful feedback, we cannot control their opinions with Imperius Curses. However, we will promptly banish nasty, mean-spirited comments to the outer limits of cyberspace. Dontcha wish you could do that with people in real life? Addendum (11/03/2010): In order to give everyone a fair chance, only one entry is allowed per person. If you've submitted more than one first page, your initial email will be added to the queue; however, subsequent emails have been deleted

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-05-27T10:32:00.001-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of LIVING ON THE EDGE by Shannon K. Butcher is mromero! Congrats! Please send your physical addy to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net.

Last night we had an awesome chat with Chloe Neill, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Chicagoland Vampires series. Thanks to everyone who came out. The room was PACKED! For those that weren't able to make it we have a consolation prize -- Chat Transcript.

Before we jump into today's freebie, we here at TKA want to wish everyone a safe and relaxing holiday weekend. We hope your summer gets off to a rollicking great start!

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Leave your name in the comments to win a copy of LIVING ON THE EDGE by Shannon K. Butcher. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, May 31st.

The 411 on LIVING ON THE EDGE: After a devastating injury, Lucas Ramsay knows he's finished as a soldier.But when the general who saved his life asks him for a favor, he says yes. All Lucas has to do is keep the general's daughter from getting on a plane to Colombia -- which is easier said than done...

Independent to the core, Sloane Gideon is a member of the Edge-a group of mercenaries for hire. But she's not on the clock for this mission. Her best friend is being held by a vicious drug lord, and Sloane must rescue her -- no matter how many handsome ex-soldiers her father sends to dissuade her.

With little choice, Lucas tracks Sloane to Colombia-where she reluctantly allows him to aid her in her search. But as they grow closer to the target, they grow closer to each other. And before the battle is over, both will have to decide just what they are willing to fight for.

You're Invited -- Online Pajama Party with NYT Bestselling Author Chloe Neill Tonight @ 9pm ET!

2011-05-26T08:31:00.001-04:00

Tonight is the night! Chat online with New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Chloe Neill at 9pm ET. This is no ordinary chat because Chloe will be throwing a pajama party to celebrate the recent release of HARD BITTEN, book four in the Chicagoland Vampires series. Expect games, prizes (hint: brush up on your teen heartthrob trivia) and pub convo.

To learn more about Chloe, visit www.ChloeNeill.com.

WHAT: Pajama Party with Chloe Neill!
WHEN: Thursday, May 26th @ 9pm ET
WHERE: The Knight Agency Chat Room
HOW TO CHAT: Enter any combination of username and password. Login. Your computer must be Java enabled to chat.

Chat with Chloe Neill THIS Thursday + Win a Copy of her latest release NOW!

2011-05-23T12:09:00.001-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of HARD BITTEN is Crystal GB! Congrats! Please email your physical addy to Contests@Knightagency.net.

This coming Thursday, May 26th at 9pm ET, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Chloe Neill will be taking over our chat room for a Chicagoland Vampires-styled pajama party! Expect slumber party themed games, giveaways, book convo and more.

To win a copy of Chloe's latest Chicagoland Vampires book, HARD BITTEN, leave a comment with your name and your all-time favorite slumber party game in the comments. The winner will be announced tomorrow afternoon in this post.

WHAT: Pajama Party with Chloe Neill!
WHEN: Thursday, May 26th @ 9pm ET
WHERE: The Knight Agency Chat Room
HOW TO CHAT: Enter any combination of username and password. Login. Your computer must be Java enabled to chat.

The 411 on HARD BITTEN: Chicago is beset by supernatural tensions, and Merit-vampire protector of a safe haven called Cadogan house-is worried that the humans will be reaching for their pitchforks any minute. It doesn't help that yet another vampire rave is broken up by the mayor, and a new inhibition- reducing drug is circulating through the community.

It's up to Merit to put her house in order-literally. And if that takes getting a little blood on her hands, so be it.

Check out Chloe's website, www.ChloeNeill.com for info on the other books in her Chicagoland series:

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-05-13T18:19:00.004-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of DEMONS PREFER BLONDES by Sidney Ayers is Kaya H! Congrats! Please send your physical addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net.

CLIENT NEWS: Congrats to Chloe Neill who hit the New York Times and USA Today lists for the first time with the fourth book in her Chicagoland Vampires series, HARD BITTEN. The release debuted at #16 on NYT and #66 on USA Today. Join us on Thursday, May 26th for an online Pajama Party with Chloe in The Knight Agency chat room at 9pm ET!

Report from Cyberspace:

Agencies pursuing digital ventures was definitely the hot topic this week, spurred by the news that UK agent Ed Victor will launch Bedford Square Books, an entity that will publish his clients’ backlist in digital form. Confirmation also came from Curtis Brown that their agency is “well down the path of formulating their own strategy for republishing their clients' out-of-print works.” - The Bookseller

Authors rely on a variety of methods to get the word out about their books, including adminstration of contests via social media sites. Facebook released new rules this week strictly forbidding many of the practices used to facilitate promotions, such as “Liking” a comment, picture or fan page to capture contest entries. Nor can you use any of Facebooks interfaces (i.e. wall posts, direct messages) to inform someone about any part of the contest. This lockdown is sure to put a crimp in many a DIY promo plan - GalleyCat
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Leave a comment to win a copy of DEMONS PREFER BLONDES by Sidney Ayers. The winner will be announced Monday afternoon.

The 411: A BAD DAY FOR A DEMON

Rafe Deleon is a senior demon and he resents like hell his assignment to Earth to retrieve the Chest of the Damned before it falls into the wrong hands. But then he meets beautiful, intriguing succubus Lucy Gregory and she's just unleashed a whole load of trouble...

REALLY SUCKS FOR A SUCCUBUS

Lucy's chic suburban beauty salon has suddenly become the Underworld's center of mass chaos and destruction. The only good thing in a day going rapidly down the tubes is the arrival of a gorgeous demon who's adamant that he can help her...

But Lucy has quite a few deeply unpleasant--not to mention deadly and hateful--surprises ahead of her, and surely there's never been a worse time to try out a new boyfriend...

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-05-06T20:40:00.002-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of a signed copy of GHOST HUNTRESS: THE DISCOVERY by Marley Gibson is Amber Skyze! Congrats! Please email your physical addy to Contests@KnightAgency.net.

We have lots of great stuff going on this week client-wise! First off, tons of TKA peeps are participating in Brenda Novak's online auction for Diabetes Research, and The Knight Agency is offering a mega gift basket, filled with 45 autographed books. Also, Deidre Knight has a critique up for grabs. More deets on who's participating below.

So have all of you gotten your Mother's Day gifts bought and cards sent? Well, not me. I know. So bad. I'm thinking a gift certificate of generous proportions might make up for it... Ideas are welcome. What are some of you doing for Mother's Day gifts in a pinch? Especially when they don't live nearby. *le sigh*

Before we jump into the news, don't forget to check out Marley Gibson's awesome giveaway for Freebie Friday. The latest book in her young adult series, GHOST HUNTRESS: THE DISCOVERY, released this week, and she's giving away an autographed copy to one lucky commenter.

CLIENT NEWS: The Knight Agency is giving away a 45-book gift basket including signed titles from Cecil Murphey, Cherie Calbom, Dakota Cassidy, Janet Mullany, Joey W. Hill, Louisa Edwards, Shannon K. Butcher, Monica Burns, Nalini Singh, Shirley Jump, and many more!

Also, several clients are personally donating critiques, signed ARCS and books, items include; RAMPANT by Diana Peterfreund, Outcast Season novels and Morganville Vampire titles from NYT bestseller Rachel Caine, a partial crit from Robin Owens, a signed copy of DON'T TEMPT ME by Julie Ortolon, an autographed copy ARC of BLOOD RIGHTS and a first chapter crit from Kristen Painter, and oodles of other great stuff! This is a wonderful cause, and we hope you'll stop by the auction website and do a search for some of these awesome items.

CLIENT NEWS: Beth Howard, author of the upcoming memoir MAKING PIECE: A MEMOIR ABOUT LOVE, LOSS AND PIE was featured in a Midwest Living article.

CLIENT NEWS: RomCon nominations are in, and several TKA authors are in the running for an award:

Long Paranormal Romance:
Melissa Mayhue - A HIGHLANDER'S DESTINY
Patti O'Shea - IN THE DARKEST NIGHT
Shannon K. Butcher - LIVING NIGHTMARE

Romantic Novella:
Abby Gaines - No Ordinary Man (in ONE IN A MILLION)
Abby Gaines - Chasing the Dream (in THE MEMORY OF A KISS)

Sci-fi/Futuristic/Time-Travel Romance:
Melissa Mayhue - A HIGHLANDER'S HOMECOMING

Short Contemporary Romance:
Abby Gaines - HER SURPRISE HERO

Congrats to the nominees!!!

Report from Cyberspace:

Apparently, Amazon wants to add a little romance to its life. The retail giant is launching a romance imprint, Montlake Romance, that will debut with a title by NYT author Connie Brockway - Publishers Weekly

Another book community is being hatched. Hachette Book Group, Penguin Group and Simon & Schuster will partner with AOL Huffington Post Media Group to launch Bookish, a reader-focused site that will offer, "original editorial features, unique tools and more." - MediaBistro

In social media news, the rumor mill reports that Facebook is making moves to purchase Skype. For those of you unfamiliar with Skype, it allows you to make "video calls." Hmmmm... Sounds like it might be a cool new feature with a variety of promo applications, but I will continue to hide my "online" status from old high school crushes and cousins twelve times removed. Thankyouverymuch - PRnewser
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Today's freebie is sponsored by Marley Gibson. Leave a comment to win a copy of her book, GHOST HUNTRESS: THE DISCOVERY. This contest will be open through Tuesday, May 24th. Winner announced on Wednesday, May 25th.

The 411: After some time off, Kendall’s ready to begin ghost hunting again. But her life is still in flux. She misses Patrick, her new love. She needs to find a photographer to replace Taylor. Plus, she may have discovered who her real father is, but to be sure, she has to convince his family she’s not a fake.

And then there’s a certain doll that seems to be out to get her and her friends. A doll? How could that be? Unless, perhaps, it’s not just a doll. Maybe it’s a vessel containing the soul of a man so evil in life, not even death could stop his reign of terror. This could be Kendall’s most terrifying and deadliest encounter yet.

Island Dreams Contest Winners!

2011-05-06T14:49:00.001-04:00

Join us in giving a BIG congrats to Jason Franklin for winning Elle Jasper and Deidre Knight's contest for a romantic getaway to Tybee Island, Ga.! He and his wife will enjoy two nights at The Lighthouse Inn on Tybee Island, dinner for 2 at Wiley's Championship BBQ in Savannah, and receive a $500 travel voucher.

The second prize winner was Candace Payne. She will receive the entire set of Gods of Midnight books by Deidre Knight and Elle's Dark Ink Chronicles series -- signed.

Thanks to all who came out to the chat last night. We had a blast!

If you couldn't make it, click here for the chat transcript.

A Time for Celebrations by Rhyannon Byrd

2011-05-05T08:20:00.002-04:00

This past weekend here in the UK was a wonderful time for celebrations, and my family and I had an absolute blast. As an American who now lives in England, I thoroughly enjoyed being caught up in all the excitement surrounding the Royal Wedding. But the fun for us didn’t stop there, because we also took part in the Shakespeare Birthday Celebration on Saturday in the beautiful town of Stratford-upon-Avon.

Like the rest of the country, we were all up early on Friday to watch Wills and Kate get married. In light of the special occasion, the day was declared a bank holiday, which meant we could all stay home and enjoy the party! All over our town, families were celebrating with street parties, but since my youngest wasn’t feeling well, we had a family celebration at home. My husband had us all out of bed bright and early for coffee and brioche as we settled in front of the telly to view the preparations for the big day. And there we stayed, glued to our sofas as we watched everything that was happening in London. As my husband knows better than to let me anywhere near a kitchen, he kept us well supplied with scrumptious treats and after the beautiful ceremony we had a lovely cream tea, complete with royal wedding decorations. LOL. We were definitely in the spirit of the occasion, and I love that my children were able to experience the atmosphere of joy and excitement that surrounded the wedding. My daughter’s favorite part was seeing Prince Harry in his uniform, while my son loved the Aston Martin that the newlyweds drove from Buckingham Palace to Clarence House. I thought the way Prince Harry had decorated the car was a riot, but my favorite part of the day was when the bride reached the altar and William looked at her and told her she was beautiful. The romantic in me just melted and I’m sure a lot of you felt the same.

Saturday turned out to be warm and sunny, which was perfect weather for the Shakespeare Birthday Celebration Parade that my son and daughter were taking part in. Stratford-upon-Avon is the birthplace of Shakespeare, as well as the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and the newly renovated Royal Shakespeare Theatre (RST), which sits right on the river Avon. Each year there are government officials from all over the world who take part in the festivities, and this year the American Ambassador was among those who participated. There are always acting troupes dressed in elaborate Elizabethan costumes, along with the very smartly dressed military bands that march from the center of town, near Shakespeare’s birthplace, to Holy Trinity Church, where he’s buried alongside several members of his family. But my favorite part of the parade is always the school children who carry colorful posies of flowers that they take into the church and lay on Shakespeare’s grave. This year my son was among those who carried flowers, while my daughter marched with her music group. My husband and I had very carefully planned out how we would take photographs and videos of them both taking part in the parade, only to be drafted in at the last minute as banner holders, which turned out to be a hilarious comedy of errors. We about died when we found ourselves leading the school section of the parade, which takes a different route through the town so that the kids don’t have as far to walk. Unfortunately, no one had told us what route they were meant to take and after embarrassingly turning down the wrong road, we then had to turn around and lead the long procession of schools back onto the right path again! We couldn’t stop laughing, but the newspaper photographers who were walking along with us and the police who were lining the streets thought it was funny too, so it all turned out okay. But I doubt they’ll be asking us to take part again anytime soon. ;)

Though I wasn’t able to take many pictures of the parade, since it was all I could do to keep the wind from ripping the banner out of my hands, I did walk around afterwards and snap some shots of the town for you. Stratford-upon-Avon is a truly beautiful place and if you ever have the chance to visit, I know you’ll enjoy it. The Queen visited the RST in March and Prince Charles is coming to see the RSC production of Macbeth later this month, so maybe Wills and Kate will come along soon for a visit. If they do, I’m sure the newlyweds will have a warm welcome and a wonderful time.

Hugs,

Rhy

The Shakespeare Monument (top) and The River Avon with the RST on the right and Holy Trinity Church in the distance (bottom)

Rhyannon is the author of the Primal Instincts series, and recently released book seven, RUSH OF DARKNESS, in March. To learn more about Rhyannon, visit www.RhyannonByrd.com.

May You Always Make a Good First Impression by Melissa Jeglinski

2011-05-04T15:19:00.001-04:00

It's time for May's First Impressions post. I take one of our first page entries and offer a constructive critique. (My notes/edits are marked in red.) Then I ask all of you to make your thoughts known in the comments section. Remember, this is meant as a learning experience so please be honest and kind. And, if you would like to have your first page randomly chosen to be critiqued by moi, please see our rules at the bottom of this post.

STRAPPED

Horror

by Sean Thomas Fisher

“Can they get in here?” Carla whispered, ~~with wide eyes and a face that changed expressions in the flickering candlelight.~~ (Awkward. How about: ...Carla whispered, her eyes wide and her face seeming to change expression in the flickering candlelight.)

“I hope not,” Dan replied, hitting the joint and offering it around the circle, catching a disapproving glare from Carla in the process. No one accepted, too paranoid already.

“They can’t,” Paul lied, chewing the partially frozen apple pie. He had tried to thaw it out by the fireplace, which, to avoid being spotted by outsiders, ~~was~~ had been extinguished just before dark.~~ness took hold.~~ He watched Carla nervously glance to the farmhouse’s living room windows ~~again~~ while she clung to her two young boys. ~~Looking to the large windows again himself,~~ He wished they were boarded up as much as Carla did. Or at least had thicker curtains than the dirty white ones hanging there now.

The small amount of light the three candles were giving off made him nervous as well. They should put those out too, he concluded. ~~But he worried about Sophia the most.~~ (You mention Sophia, then have Carla speak next so it's confusing; you should go right to a description of Sophia or her line of dialogue or perhaps expand upon why he's worried about her. As it is that sentence is just hanging there and seems out of context. I'd just delete it.)

“I don’t know,” Carla surmised, still inspecting the premises, her breath floating out in white, ghost-like waves. (It's a long time between dialogue so I had to go back and reread what Carla is responding to.)

“Mom, they have guns,” Mike contended.

“I know, sweetie,” she ~~patronized~~ said patronizingly. “We’re gonna be just fine.”

“Your mom’s right,” Sophia ~~lobbied~~ said, (Simplify your dialogue tags. Why is she lobbying?) discreetly brushing a gloved hand against her pink gun, just to make sure it was still there. Like one would have subconsciously done with their cell phone or wallet at the mall ~~or the fair~~ before all of this began. (Again, we're in Paul's POV so how does he know she's doing this discreetly? He's got to "catch her discreetly brush a gloved hand against her pink gun as if to make sure it was still there.) “We’ll be playing volleyball on the beach soon.”

Both Mike and Matt nearly cracked a smile at this. (How can he tell they "nearly" cracked a smile? He's not in their minds. Be careful to maintain a consistent point-of-view.)

Paul shook his head, knowing he would never get used to hiding out in a different house like this every night with their rotating smells and furniture and pictures of the people who used to live there. (I get what you're going for in this last line but it reads awkwardly.)

My overall first impressions:

I'm guessing that Paul is the main protagonist; I read this twice before I knew for sure. The first line should be from his eyes

Not every line of dialogue needs to have an action immediate follow it. The writer tends to do that a good deal in the opening page. Sometimes that can make the piece read like a screenplay.

From not a lot of set up I definitely get that this group of individuals has banded together to keep safe. And I get the sense of danger with which they are living. So a very good job on getting the atmosphere right. Really work on establishing character development right from the start and confirming who your main protagonist is. I'd read on.

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To enter First Impressions, email your first page (300 words or less) to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net with “First Impressions” in the subject line. Include the title and genre in the email, as well as the name you wish us to use when referring to you publicly. All genres are welcome. Do not send your entry as an attachment; it must be within the body of the email. Winners are randomly selected using http://www.random.org/.

**Disclaimers, Rules, Stipulations, What Not, and All That Jazz: By emailing your entry to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net, you agree to have your first page posted on our blog for critique. Entrants will remain in the selection queue indefinitely, so your number could come up tomorrow or two years from now. Such is life. We will drop you a line if your email is pulled out of the hat. Maybe. It’s best to just swing by our blog often and check things out, no? Winning a first page critique does not in any way indicate an interest or offer of representation by The Knight Agency, and we reserve the right to delete any material that we find improper or offensive. Though we encourage blog readers to offer positive, thoughtful feedback, we cannot control their opinions with Imperius Curses. However, we will promptly banish nasty, mean-spirited comments to the outer limits of cyberspace. Dontcha wish you could do that with people in real life? Addendum (11/03/2010): In order to give everyone a fair chance, only one entry is allowed per person. If you've submitted more than one first page, your initial email will be added to the queue; however, subsequent emails have been deleted.

Agent & Author Chat with Deidre Knight & Elle Jasper -- TONIGHT (Thursday, May 5th) @ 9pm ET

2011-05-04T12:59:00.004-04:00

Get some one-on-one time with Deidre Knight and her client, Elle Jasper, during an online chat tomorrow night at 9pm ET. Besides fielding your pub questions, Elle will share info on the second book in her Dark Chronicles series, EVERDARK (June 2011, Signet Eclipse) set in steamy Savannah, Georgia, plus give you details on her upcoming projects. We'll also announce the winner of the Island Dreams Giveaway, which includes a trip to Tybee Island, Ga., a two-night stay at The Lighthouse Inn and dinner at Wiley's Championship BBQ. There'll be a few more prizes thrown in for attendees, of course. :-)

WHAT: Chat with Elle Jasper and Deidre Knight

WHEN: Thursday, May 5th @ 9pm ET

WHERE: The Knight Agency Chat Room - http://client1.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=115545

HOW TO CHAT: Enter any combination of username and password. Login. Your computer must be Java enabled to chat.

About EVERDARK: Tattoo artist Riley Poe thought she knew the shady side of Savannah—until her brother was taken by a cult of vampires. Allying herself with hot-blooded vampire Eli Dupré, she got her brother back. But her courage—and her one-of-a-kind blood type—made her an irresistible temptation for some very bad bloodsuckers.

After barely surviving an ambush by enemy undead, she has inherited certain traits of her attackers: heightened senses, lightning reflexes, unreal strength. Eli trains Riley to use her new vampiric tendencies, teaching her control and skills she’s never imagined needing. But when a new trait—a telepathic link with a rampaging vampire—manifests itself, Riley knows she has to put her new skills to the test to stop the killer before he strikes again.

Long used to taking care of herself, Riley has trouble asking for help, even from the powerful vampire she loves....

Speed Date Winner Leigh Evans Finds a Home for Hedi at St. Martin's Press

2011-05-03T15:36:00.005-04:00

During the recent RT BookLovers Convention in Los Angeles, I just so happened to be staying in the hotel room next door to one of our newest clients and first-ever speed date winner Leigh Evans. One night coming back from a party in the Hollywood Hills, I discovered that I’d lost my cell phone. As anyone knows, a missing phone leaves you feeling like it’s the end of the world, but I swallowed the panic and pretended it was no big deal. Long story short, after my fellow party goers, including Leigh, had done all they could and adjourned to their rooms, I crawled around the dangling legs of RT attendees stationed at the bar in one last desperate attempt and found it lodged between two seats. But here’s the part that really warmed my heart. When I rounded the hallway to my room, there was Leigh leaning up against her door jamb—with a knowing smile and arms crossed—waiting to make sure I was truly all right.

That gives you an idea of what kind of spirit Leigh is, both thoughtful and wise. Besides those attributes, she’s also pretty freaking funny – the kind of person who sends you an email that makes you laugh out loud in the middle of a pin-drop quiet office. It’s no wonder that our president and senior agent Deidre Knight felt so fortunate to find her during our speed dating event last December. The once-aspiring author, who’s also a member of RWA’s Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Chapter and the Toronto Romance Writers group, beat out hundreds of would-be entrants in an early morning blog traffic jam to be one of 175 competitors in the “She’s Just That Into You” speed date contest. It only took a few lines from her HEDI’S BOOK OF RULES manuscript to reel Deidre in for the long haul. “From day one, I knew Leigh's work was something special,” Deidre says, “Her prologue brought tears to my eyes in just those few opening pages. Each round, I kept advancing her, knowing I couldn't wait to settle in and read a big chunk.”

Deidre was certain she’d stumbled upon what literary agent dreams are made of – that elusive talent whose voice strikes the perfect note at just the right time. So, suffice to say, when Deidre finally shopped Leigh’s urban fantasy series last week, it was no shock to her that several houses expressed intense interest. “You don't find an author like that very often,” Deidre says, “[and] I wasn't surprised when editors loved her as much as I did.” In a pre-empt, Holly Blanck at St. Martin’s cemented the six-figure deal that would make Leigh’s dreams of being a published author reality. “I began reading Leigh’s manuscript on the train home one night, and read it straight through,” Holly remembers, “I took my reader on the treadmill at the gym, completely abandoned cooking dinner, and refused to shut off the bedroom light until about 4am, despite disgruntled protests from the boyfriend. As soon as I finished reading, I knew I was in love with this project, and that I wanted nothing more than to work with this fabulous author on this amazing series.”

Asked what her immediate feeling was after finding out that the deal with St. Martin’s was done, Leigh says that besides being utterly relieved after a day of constant emails and phone calls she thought to herself, “How’d this happen to me? ME?” On her blog, she elaborates about the experience with her standard wit, “My life had changed dramatically in the space of one afternoon, and ‘I’ had been the one to turn it around... Who knew? Oprah was right. You can change your life if you follow your passion.”

Well, we here at TKA are glad Leigh listened to Oprah, and can’t wait to see all of the extraordinary things that are surely coming her way. As for what she’s doing to celebrate her big accomplishment, Leigh says, “Normally, I'd pull the cork out of a bottle of merlot with my teeth, but I'm on a diet from hell, so I settled with beaming and allowing myself to be hugged repeatedly. Though, there is a very pretty and shiny bracelet that I've had my eye on...”

For more information on Leigh, visit her website http://leighevans.wordpress.com/.

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-04-29T17:26:00.007-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of WARRIOR OF THE ISLES by Debbie Mazzuca is Jennifer M (OR)! Congrats! Please send your physical addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net.

Well, after a bit of a hiatus, I'm on the news prowl again! It's seems the biggest news today is focused squarely on "merry old England" for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, heretofore known as Her Royal Highness Princess William Arthur Philip Louis, Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn, Baroness Carrickfergus (Wow, Kate is so much easier...).

Anyways, I for one, was not getting up at 4am or some other tragic hour to watch the festivities, but I must say I did crawl out of bed 30 minutes early to catch the ride to the palace. I'm sure an infinite amount of reruns will get me up to speed this weekend.

BTW, for a bit of fun, try this royal name generator at Eonline. Apparently, I am Marchioness Jia Arabella Gaylescock of Atlantaham. Not sure how I feel about that. ;-)

CLIENT NEWS: Deidre Knight and Elle Jasper will participate in an agent/author chat this coming Thursday, May 5th at 9pm ET. Both ladies have tons of informative tips on how to get published, and Elle is going to share juicy tidbits about the upcoming book in her Dark Ink Chronicles series EVENTIDE. Click here to bookmark our chat room.

Report from Cyberspace:
Penguin Group announced the launch of a new online community, Book Country. Users can submit work in various genres for peer review, and get advice on pitching, marketing and subsidiary rights, among other helpful things. Eventually, the company hopes Book Country becomes a place where editors and agents find new talent. There are also plans for a self-publishing arm - New York Times

Boulder Book Store is making headlines by announcing plans to charge customers $5 - $10 for author events. The patrons would then receive a $5 coupon to purchase anything in the store that day. I'm not sure about this one... It's hard enough getting people to come out for signings unless there's a big name attached. Adding a charge, though it's given back in the form of a coupon, seems like just another hurdle that will confuse people and dissuade them from attending - MediaBistro

In love with your iPad or iPhone? Feel like someone is watching your every move? Well, maybe they are. Apple is being accused of tracking iPad and iPhone owners locations. The company recently came out with a statement denying any intent on their part to collect data on their customer's trips to the grocery store - eBookNewser

Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A VISIT FROM THE GOOD SQUAD, Jennifer Egan's advice for aspiring authors can never be said enough -- read - Mediabistro

Are you a Harry Potter fan? If so, this was a very good week for you (and me) because the trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was released. Come on July 15th!!! - You Tube

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Today's Freebie Friday is sponsored by Debbie Mazzuca, author of WARRIOR OF THE ISLES and also known as Duchess Debbie Lulu Mazzucaberton of Ottawabury. ;-)

Leave a comment to win an autographed copy of WARRIOR OF THE ISLES. The winner will be announced on Monday.

The 411:

BOUND BY DUTY

In a time of raids and ransoms, Aidan MacLeod is responsible for a formidable Scottish keep and all the people within. Yet the fearless Highland laird never forgets his charge to shield his young half-brother from the grave consequences of his tragic birth.

LINKED BY FATE

But an alluring stranger known only as Syrena could undo all of Aidan's defenses. For Syrena has vowed to bring Aidan’s brother to a realm far from the Scotland of their understanding. To succeed, she is at Aidan’s mercy.

DIVIDED BY DESIRE

Ignoring his attraction to the beautiful Syrena is pointless. But if Aidan lets himself trust the enchanting woman who has so quickly captured his heart, he’ll be forced to risk everything he has sworn to protect...

RESCHEDULED!!! Author and Agent Chat Alert! Talk to Elle Jasper and Deidre Knight!

2011-04-25T16:46:00.003-04:00

Due to technical difficulties caused by inclement weather, we've had to reschedule Deidre and Elle's chat for next Thursday, May 5th @ 9pm ET. Since the new chat time falls after the Island Dreams Contest ends, we will be making the BIG winning announcement on the 5th. Have no idea what that is? Well, all you have to do is tell Deidre and Elle why you deserve a romantic getaway and you can win two nights at The Lighthouse Inn on Tybee Island, Ga., a $500 travel voucher, and dinner for two at Wiley's Championship BBQ. Click here for the details: http://www.knightagency.net/romanticgetaway.html

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Elle Jasper's Dark Ink Chronicles series follows the adventures of tattoo artist Riley Poe as she battles centuries-old vampires on the haunted streets of Savannah, Georgia. Romance Junkies said the first book, AFTERLIGHT was, "Edgy and modern... The most absorbing, enticing and unique paranormal world I've read in years," and the Romantic Times bestowed it with 4.5 stars. The second book, EVERDARK, releases this June.

Elle will be in our chat room ~~this Thursday, April 28th @ 9pm ET~~ Thursday, May 5th @ 9pm ET to chat about the series, along with her agent Deidre Knight. You can definitely expect juicy tidbits about Elle's books, insider pub industry info from Deidre and trivia and giveaways. You know what to do -- MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

WHAT: Chat with Elle Jasper and Deidre Knight

WHEN: NEW TIME!!!! Thursday, May 5th @ 9pm ET

WHERE: The Knight Agency Chat Room - http://client1.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=115545

HOW TO CHAT: Enter any combination of username and password. Login. Your computer must be Java enabled to chat.

About the series: Riley Poe leads the series as a gritty, unconventional tattoo artist-turned-undead-slayer after her younger brother is lured into a gang led by a pair of vicious Romanian vampires. In books 1,2,and 3, Riley, a dead-sexy guardian vampire named Eli Dupre, his undead family and Riley's surrogate grandparents-who are not only Gullah root doctors but hoodoo conjurers as well--stalk the underside of Savannah, Charleston, and a trip to the Old World as they track the deadly Arcos vampires to Romania. The story unfolds through Riley's eyes in first person where you learn of Riley's torrid past, her desires, and her fears as she falls hard for Eli, becomes Victorian Arcos' obsession, and struggles not to become the very thing she fights: a vampire.

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-04-22T21:55:00.001-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of INTERTWINED and UNRAVELED by Gena Showalter is Chelsea B. Please send your physical addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net. Congrats! :-)

Leave a comment to win a Gena Showalter gift set including her two YA books, INTERTWINED and UNRAVELED. The winner will be announced Monday.

The 411 on INTERTWINED: His eyes are the window to his souls . . . Most sixteen-year-olds have friends. Aden Stone has four human souls living inside him:

One can time-travel.

One can raise the dead.

One can tell the future.

And one can possess another human.

Everyone thinks he's crazy, which is why he's spent his entire life shuffled between mental institutions and juvie. All of that is about to change, however. For months Aden has been having visions of a beautiful girl -- a girl who carries centuries old secrets. A girl who will either save him or destroy him.

Together they'll enter a dark world of intrigue and danger . . . but not everyone will come out alive.

Guest Blogger Jenna Kernan: Dream Walking

2011-04-19T09:16:00.002-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of autographed copies of DREAM STALKER and GHOST STALKER by Jenna Kernan is HollyD! Congrats! Please email your physical addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net.

I became interested in dreams about the time I had nightmares linked with high fevers as a child and found myself locked in a terror from which I could not wake.

My fascination with dreams continues in the second in the TRACKER series, GHOST STALKER, (available: April 19, 2011). The heroine in this story has the ability to walk in another’s dreams. While there she is invisible to the dreamer but has the power to heal physical or mental trauma. When she uses her gifts to enter the hero's dream, she discovers four things, he isn’t lying, she’s irresistibly drawn to him, he can see her while dreaming and he remembers her visit. Here’s what happens when the hero wakes up to find she’s invaded his dream:

“What did you do?” he growled.

Her jaw dropped as words failed her. What had she done? In his dream he was so handsome, so giving. The temptation and promise of anonymity were too much to resist and she had lowered her guard.

“Oh, Great Spirit,” she whispered.

“You invaded my dream.”

“I never thought that, I mean, I didn’t intend…” How could she finish? “Nicholas, please.” She needed to recall who he was, no, what he was. But her body still trembled from his lovemaking.

“I didn’t intend that to happen.”

“You really had me fooled. All aloof on the exterior, but oh, how you burn underneath…”

A sneak peek from GHOST STALKER, releasing April 19th.

For more excerpts visit www.jennakernan.com

The third in the TRACKERS series, SOUL STALKER, arrives December 19th and features a Native American shape-shifting raven who needs the help of an enemy, who can speak to the dead, in order to stop a supernatural killer.

GIVEAWAY: I'll be giving away a copy of each DREAM STALKER and GHOST STALKER, the first two books in my original TRACKER series to one randomly chosen commenter. The winner will be announced tomorrow afternoon.

QUESTION: I look forward to hearing about one of your meaningful dreams or feel free to make a comment or ask a question about GHOST STALKER.

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-04-15T18:34:00.001-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of TRUTH AND DARE by Candace Havens is StacieDM! Please email your physical addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net.

Just a giveaway today! Leave your name in the comments to win a copy of TRUTH AND DARE by Candace Havens. The winner will be announced on Monday.

The 411: Once the game starts, there's no going back...

Forensic anthropologist Patience McGee doesn't play games. So when she offers to investigate the death of businessman Cade Randall's father from twenty years ago, Cade's ambivalence is nothing short of frustrating. Well, she'll show this mouthwateringly hot man exactly who he's dealing with....

Cade had made up his mind to walk away from the case-until Patience dared him to help her investigate the murder. And as they immerse themselves in the mystery, it isn't long before the vibe between them goes from civil to sizzle. But what will happen when Cade and Patience realize that the most dangerous dare of all... is the truth?

Agent Q&A

2011-04-13T17:13:00.002-04:00

Hey there, everyone. I'm a bit late today thanks to a busy morning, but I have not forgotten that today is Agent Q&A Day! For those of you new to this TKA feature, I drop by once a month and ask you to post all of your burning questions about publishing, writing, getting an agent and so on. Just ask away in the comments section of this thread. Then I'll come back and provide some answers. I'll be sure to answer a minimum of three questions, more if I have time. (Last month I think I answered pretty much everything.)

So, what would you like to know? Post away! I'll probably answer tomorrow morning to give everyone a chance to get their questions up this evening.

~Nephele

First Impressions: April

2011-04-06T12:40:00.000-04:00

Well, it's time for another First Impressions review. For those of you who are new to this, every month we post the first page of a submission and I offer a critique. Everyone is invited to offer their constructive comments as well. My notes/edits are in red.

Novel Title: MAN-SHY

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Author: Zara Penney

I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. ~~It became almost embarrassing.~~ There was something addictive about his face. Could’ve been the laugh lines at the side of beautiful green eyes. Could’ve been the cleft in his chin. A classic Cary Grant chin.

His neck was long with an Adam’s apple which bobbed up and down like the cork on a fishing line (um, not such an attractive image) as he swallowed. He seemed bored, or absorbed in deep thought. Long slim fingers were absently twirling a crystal wine goblet. He stared into it – mesmerized. (Now, if he's mesmerized then how does he seem bored?)The golden liquid swiveled and glistened like a multi faceted diamond as it caught the light from the wide window beside him. (This sentence seems overdone, is it even needed? I'd cut. What type of wine is golden? One usually thinks white or red, yes?) The nails were groomed to perfection. (Okay, guy with groomed nails drinking "golden" wine out of a crystal goblet...? I'd wonder.) If not groomed then he was just one of God’s most perfect creatures. God does do it from time to time. (Cut this last sentence, more train of thought.)

Mmmmm he could be about forty. Maybe older. Yes definitely older. Let’s (Who is your protagonist speaking to? This breaks the third wall.) bump him up to 45 (Spell out the number). Salt and pepper hair was short and practical. He was the quintessential Polo Ralph Lauren man... (no need for ellipses)

Hunk. (This is a bit much.)

Score: Perfect Ten. (Keep this, it's enough.)

I looked around the restaurant. Mine were not the only eyes drawn like lustful ~~greedy~~ butterflies to the eighth wonder of the world currently sitting alone ~~there~~ at a white-clothed table. Maybe he’d been stood up? He didn’t seem too concerned about it if he had been.

What sort of man ~~could he be~~ was he? The mouth was generous. Given that my Mmother (Mother is a proper name, do not capitalize it when used as a noun.) considered herself a great judge of character - I’d lived a lifetime of warnings.(Very confused by this.) Never go for a shortie with a mean mouth. This mantra had seeped into my life. No matter how much I tried, (Tried what?)short men with mean mouths were off my agenda. This man was the pinnacle of Mother’s eligible (eligibilty is perhaps the word you're looking for) criteria.

But that’s why I’m man-shy. Mother is hungry for grandchildren.

Overall, this was a fun first page. I was engaged by the writer's voice and I honestly liked her protagonist. Just be careful not to "speak" to the audience.

The last sentence was great. But I'm not sure why, if she's man-shy, she's checking out the guy.

I have questions, but I'd read on.

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To enter First Impressions, email your first page (300 words or less) to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net with “First Impressions” in the subject line. Include the title and genre in the email, as well as the name you wish us to use when referring to you publicly. All genres are welcome. Do not send your entry as an attachment; it must be within the body of the email. Winners are randomly selected using http://www.random.org/.

**Disclaimers, Rules, Stipulations, What Not, and All That Jazz: By emailing your entry to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net, you agree to have your first page posted on our blog for critique. Entrants will remain in the selection queue indefinitely, so your number could come up tomorrow or two years from now. Such is life. We will drop you a line if your email is pulled out of the hat. Maybe. It’s best to just swing by our blog often and check things out, no? Winning a first page critique does not in any way indicate an interest or offer of representation by The Knight Agency, and we reserve the right to delete any material that we find improper or offensive. Though we encourage blog readers to offer positive, thoughtful feedback, we cannot control their opinions with Imperius Curses. However, we will promptly banish nasty, mean-spirited comments to the outer limits of cyberspace. Dontcha wish you could do that with people in real life? Addendum (11/03/2010): In order to give everyone a fair chance, only one entry is allowed per person. If you've submitted more than one first page, your initial email will be added to the queue; however, subsequent emails have been deleted

Labels: first impressions

Happy Freebie Friday

2011-04-01T19:28:00.001-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of THE DARKEST SECRET by Gena Showalter is Sam! Congrats! Please send your physical addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net.

Sorry to keep it quick this week, but we've been crazy busy preparing for the RT BookLovers Convention in LA next week -- so no news round-up today. We do have an incredibly adorable, hilarious and heartwarming video about kittens, though. TKA authors Marley Gibson and Patrick Burns, special assistants to rising stars Madi and Boo, are helping their "bosses" compete for the job of Purina Cat Chow Correspondent(s). You can help them by viewing the YouTube video below. Trust me, it will definitely put a smile on your face!

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Leave a comment to win a copy of THE DARKEST SECRET by Gena Showalter. The winner will be announced on Monday.

The 411: Keeper of the demon of Secrets, Amun can manipulate the darkest thoughts of anyone nearby. But when the immortal warrior is chained and isolated to protect those he loves, death is his only hope of release—until he meets Haidee, a fellow prisoner whose beauty and hidden vulnerability draw him into a reckless test of his loyalty….

Haidee is a demon-assassin, raised to despise Amun's kind. Yet how can she hate the man whose touch sets her aflame? But to save him, she must give herself body and soul…and face the wrath of a powerful adversary sworn to destroy her.

Speed Date 2 -- Grand Prize Winner Announcement!

2011-03-29T12:07:00.000-04:00

We are thrilled to announce the winner of Speed Date 2 – Brandy Shockley!! Brandy's YA manuscript definitely caught Deidre's attention, and she will receive a critique and mentoring from Deidre with an eye toward possible representation. This was a very tough competition, and both agents were extremely excited to see another great crop of writers submit their stories. Please join us in giving a BIG congrats to Brandy!

Also, I think some of you might have forgotten, but there is one more matter to settle... One person was randomly drawn from the initial 125 recipients to receive a first chapter critique. The winner of that prize was Christine Gallimore.

We just want to thank all of you who followed this competition from start to finish. We love interacting with everyone on the blog, and will continue to do this kind of unique contests as long as there is a demand. While we’re taking a rest from the contest circuit for a bit, always remember that you can query us via our regular channel at Submissions@KnightAgency.net.

Speed Date 2 - Extension

2011-03-28T09:58:00.000-04:00

We know many of you were waiting to hear the winner of Deidre and Pamela's speed date contest today, but the agents need a little bit more time. The race is now on between Bob Martinez and Brandy Shockley, and the final announcement will be posted tomorrow by 2:30pm ET. Good luck to Bob and Brandy, and congrats on making it such a tough choice! Shows that both of these writers are extremely talented. :-)

In the meantime, please check out this special cause. Deidre is participating in a benefit for Fatin Soufan and her family. Fatin is a well-known member of the romance community who runs the Romance Reader at Heart site. Recently, her husband was shot to death at his workplace, and Deidre is one of many publishing folks who have donated their time or certain items toward an auction to help benefit Fatin and her children. Here are the things up for bid:

Deidre Knight First Chapter Manuscript Critique
Knight Agency Book Gift Basket

Also, don't forget that you can still enter Deidre's Island Dreaming Giveaway, co-sponsored with her fellow NAL author Elle Jasper. The trip includes a $500 travel voucher, two nights at The Lighthouse Inn on Tybee Island, Ga., and dinner at Wiley's Championship BBQ. Click here for more info.

Happy Freebie Friday

2011-03-25T21:10:00.002-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of THE LAST MARTIN is Sharon K. Mayhew. Congrats! Email your physcial addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net.

CLIENT NEWS: RITA noms rolled in this morning, and we want to congratulate our clients who are in the running this year -

Erin Kelly - MORE THAN A STRANGER, Golden Heart nominee
Melissa Mayhue - A HIGHLANDER'S HOMECOMING, Paranormal category

Great job ladies!!!

CLIENT NEWS: Last night, we had fabulous time chatting with USA Today author Katherine Garbera. If you weren't able to make it, you can check out the chat transcript here.

Report from Cyberspace -

Dorchester Publishing is in hot water again for not paying its authors and selling digital copies of books to which they no longer hold rights. Novelist Brian Keene recently wrote about his long struggle with the notorious house and is calling for a boycott - GalleyCat

Google received a blow this week when their Amended Settlement was thrown out of court as not being "fair, adequate, and reasonable." The judge noted that many of the objections would be removed if the option was opt-in settlement, rather than opt-out settlement. - The Bookseller, Industry reactions to the decision can also be found on GalleyCat

New York Times bestselling author Barry Eisler got tongues wagging with his decision to turn down a two-book, $500K deal from St. Martins in favor of becoming a self-pubbed author. Meanwhile, in a startling turn of events St. Martins reportedly paid $2M in a 4-book deal to Amanda Hocking, who famously made headlines recently by hitting the USA Today list as a self-pubbed, digital-only author - Daily Beast and Publishers Lunch (subscription only)

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Leave your name in the comments to win a copy of THE LAST MARTIN by Jonathan Friesen. The winner will be announced on Monday.

The 411: There's always a Martin. One Martin. Martin Boyle already has plenty to worry about. His germaphobic mother keeps him home from school if she hears so much as a sneeze, and his father is always off somewhere reenacting old war battles. Julia, the most beautiful girl in school, won't even speak to Martin, and the gym teacher is officially out to get him. Which is why Martin really doesn't need this curse hanging over his head. On a trip to the family cemetery, Martin wanders among the tombstones of his ancestors and discovers a disturbing pattern: when one Martin is born, the previous Martin dies. And---just his luck---Martin's aunt is about to give birth to a baby boy, who will, according to tradition, be named Martin. Martin must find a way to break the curse, but every clue seems to lead to a dead end. And time is running out.

Chat with Katherine Garbera TONIGHT @ 9pm ET

2011-03-24T10:54:00.000-04:00

Turn off the tube and turn on the fun tonight with the featured guest in our chat room, USA Today bestselling author Katherine Garbera. Starting at 9pm ET, the Florida native will be on hand to discuss her steamy Miami Nights series, talk about her publishing experience as the author of more than 50 novels and give away a few goodies in the process. Hope you'll join us!

WHAT: Chat with Katherine Garbera
WHEN: TONIGHT, Thursday, March 24th @ 9pm ET
WHERE: The Knight Agency Chat Room - http://client1.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=115545
HOW TO CHAT: Enter any combination of username and password. Login. Your computer must be Java enabled to chat.

Biggest Contest EVER! -- Win a trip to Tybee Island from Deidre Knight and Elle Jasper

2011-03-23T11:17:00.003-04:00

Wouldn't you rather be at the beach than wherever you are right now? Luckily, Deidre Knight and Elle Jasper have the cure for your island dreaming -- a trip to breath-taking Tybee Island, Ga. The island is located near historic Savannah where both authors based their series. Deidre's next Gods of Midnight book, RED MORTAL, is due in stores on April 4th, and Elle's EVERDARK will be released on June 7th.

So, how do you get to Tybee? Just tell Deidre and Elle why you deserve a romantic getaway. The best answer wins 2 nights at the luxurious Lighthouse Inn, including a $500 travel voucher and dinner at Wiley's Championship BBQ. Enter here: www.knightagency.net/romanticgetaway.html

The Lighthouse Inn:

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-03-18T14:14:00.002-04:00

UPDATE: The winner is Diane! Congrats! Please email your physical addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net.

Client News: Next week on Thursday, March 24th we're hosting USA Today bestselling author Katherine Garbera in our chat room at 9pm ET. If you've been to our monthly chats before, you know that it's always both fun and eductional. Katherine is the author of more than 50 books, so she has plenty to share about her experience, as well as give us the skinny on her hot new Miami Nights series. There will be giveaways and trivia. Click here to bookmark our chat room. Also, we're giving away a copy of the first Miami Nights book, TAMING THE VIP PLAYBOY for Freebie Friday. So don't forget to leave a comment in this post to enter the drawing!

TKA News: TKA pres Deidre Knight has been tapped to be the featured speaker at the Pocono Lehigh Romance Writers Retreat at Sea, which sets sail on August 8th. The retreat is open to both members and non-members. This is the perfect opportunity to get away from the daily grind and concentrate on your writing goals. Fees are due by April 1st. Visit PLRW's cruise page for more info.

Report from Cyberspace:

The industry awaited news of new Borders closings this week, with some estimates warning the retailer would shutter up to 75 new locations, according to Publishers Marketplace (subscribers only site). However, the final annoucement listed only 28 additional closings in California, Conneticut, Hawaii, Massachussets, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Washington state. - Official Store Closure List

Mass market paperback sales are were down 30% in January, as reported by the Association of American Publishers. Admittedly, that sounds like pretty scary news until you realize that ebook sales increased by 115.8%, up from $32.4 million to $66.9 million, during the same time period. Sounds like growing pains to us as the industry calibrates itself to new ways of doing business - via GalleyCat and eBookNewser

And in news that is probably only exciting to me, and, oh, about a 5 million other people, it was announced that Katniss Everdeen from Suzanne Collins's infamous Hunger Games series was cast this week. Jennifer Lawrence, known for her Academy Award-nominated role in Winter's Bone, will take on the beloved badass heroine. I'm not that familiar with Lawrence, so I can't cast a vote in the heated actress debate, but I'm all for any move that gets this project closer to a movie screen near me - Eonline
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Leave your name in the comment section to win a copy of TAMING THE VIP PLAYBOY by Katherine Garbera.

The 411: The sultry heat. The pulsing music. How could millionaire club owner Nate Stern have resisted taking Jen Miller into his arms? Though everyone in Miami considered him a playboy, Nate never flirted with his employees. Yet something about Jen had him changing his mind.

Sleeping with her VIP boss was risky, but the businessman’s charms had Jen throwing caution to the wind. Still, she’d been hurt before. Knowing Nate must play the role of Casanova for the press had her guarding her heart. But when Nate held her close, Jen couldn’t resist the flames...no matter what.

Speed Date 2 -- Finalists Announced!

2011-03-17T10:05:00.002-04:00

More than 400 entered, 125 sent in their work for review and just three are left in Deidre and Pamela's speed dating contest. We are excited to announced that the following writers are in the running to become America's next top model...er....oops...I mean a Knight Agency client: Bob Martinez, Rhea Ference and Brandy Shockley. We want to offer a BIG congrats to Bob, Rhea and Brandy for making so far in the competition and also send our thanks to the talented writers in the previous round for all of your hard work!

Stay tuned to our blog for the grand prize winner announcement on Monday, March 28th.

Now for a little fun from Deidre and Pamela who indulged TKA's PR Director (aka. me) in a twist on The Newlywed Game -- retitled Sisters Know Best.

Sisters Know Best

Deidre on Pamela:

What is Pamela’s favorite color?

DEIDRE SAYS: Red for her house, navy blue for wardrobe!
PAMELA SAYS: Red

If Pamela was standing in the romance section of a bookstore with only $10.00 in her hand, which type of book would she be most likely to reach for – a steamy historical, a light-hearted contemporary, a fast-paced suspense or a dark fantasy?
DEIDRE SAYS: I’d say either a fast-paced suspense or a light-hearted contemporary.
PAMELA SAYS: Light-hearted contemporary

What was the name of Pamela’s first boyfriend?
DEIDRE SAYS: Tom
PAMELA SAYS: Tom

What was the first book that Pamela sold?
DEIDRE SAYS: Jessica Hatchigan’s HOW TO BE YOUR OWN PUBLICIST
PAMELA SAYS: HOW TO BE YOUR OWN PUBLICIST

What is Pamela’s favorite comfort food?
DEIDRE SAYS: Homemade mashed potatoes? I don’t really know-but I remember her making ME homemade mashed potatoes and they were very comforting!
PAMELA SAYS: Homemade soup

Pamela on Deidre:

If Deidre couldn’t be a literary agent, what would she be?
PAMELA SAYS: A full time writer
DEIDRE SAYS: Hard, hard. Author, probably. Or maybe go into some kind of sales or marketing in another field.

Who would you say spent the most time in front of the mirror as a teen – you or Deidre?
PAMELA SAYS: Me
DEIDRE SAYS: Definitely Pamela because she’s always been the truly polished one out of the two of us.

If Deidre was forced to pick one or the other for her personal collection, what would she buy – a physical book or an ebook?
PAMELA SAYS: Physical book
DEIDRE SAYS: Hmm…depends on if you mean for long-term ownership, travel reading, or what. But I’m going to say physical book, still, because the question doesn’t specify bath reading, beach reading, bed reading…LOL. So I must pick the more durable of the two.

What was the model/make of Deidre’s first car?
PAMELA SAYS: Pontiac Firebird
DEIDRE SAYS: Pontiac Firebird 1980 with t-tops. It had silver leather interior and when hubs first started dating me, he joking referred to it as my “drug dealer car.” What can I say? I was a sweet, good girl in a wild ride.

What do you estimate is the highest number of books Deidre’s ever read in a week’s time?
PAMELA SAYS: 15
DEIDRE SAYS: I have no idea! I haven’t been one of those people who historically keep up with what I read too closely, especially not as an agent where it kind of blends together (reading for clients/reading for pleasure.)

And...it looks like we have a tie. Seems this sisters know each other pretty well. :-)

Will They or Won’t They by Stephanie Doyle

2011-03-15T11:00:00.003-04:00

UPDATE: The winner of THE DOCTOR'S DEADLY AFFAIR by Stephanie Doyle is Katy Pool. Congrats! Please send your phsical addy to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net.

I’ll admit it; I’m a huge TV fan. I watch tons and tons of it. Reality, dramas, comedies you name it. But by far my biggest weakness is for those shows which have a relationship component where the couple is struggling to get together. Or more often, doing everything they can to stay apart.

I watched West Wing to see if Josh and Donna would get together. Bones – to see if Booth and Bones would get together (I’m still angry about what they did with that couple this season) House - to see if House and Cuddy would get together. Finally they did!

Everyone always thinks the show is over when you get the couple together but to me it adds another layer. Right now I’m loving House and Cuddy.

Although I’m obviously in the minority because most TV shows will string it out and string it out season after season. Then when they’ve done everything they can to keep them apart – in walks the “other” love interest. I HATE the other love interest. You know they are just temporary filling to drag our favorite couple through even more.
I told myself I wasn’t going to watch Castle. I was already suckered into Bones and suffering through their “will they or won’t they experience” and I didn’t want to take on another couple who will torture me for the next few seasons. But all it took was that one episode where I found myself invested in them and… bam. I’m stuck. So now it’s Becket and Castle – will they or won’t they?

I have to say my Silhouette Romantic Suspense (the last month for Silhouette before switching to Harlequin Romantic Suspense!) THE DOCTOR'S DEADLY AFFAIR is all about the “will they or won’t they experience.” As the story begins we learn this couple already has a bit of a past – one really bad first date. We’re picking up with them at just that moment where they are either going to figure out how to be together or separate for good.

Fortunately for them a little thing like murder is just the ticket to help them stick together and work out their issues!

Tell me who your favorite TV couple is in comments and I’ll pick someone to win a signed copy of THE DOCTOR'S DEADLY AFFAIR. The winner will be announced tomorrow afternoon.

About Stephanie: Stephanie Doyle, a dedicated romance reader, began to pen her own romantic adventures at age sixteen. She began submitting to Harlequin at age eighteen and by twenty-six her first book was published. Fifteen years later she still loves what she does as each book is a new adventure.

She lives in South Jersey with her cat Lex, and her two kittens who have taken over everything. When she isn’t thinking about escaping to the beach, she’s working on her next idea.

www.StephanieDoyle.net

Speed Date 2 - Results for Round 2

2011-03-14T09:56:00.002-04:00

Deidre and Pamela spent the weekend whittling the names of the speed daters down to 15 contestants. Below are the list of those folks who led the pack and will now be able to send in the first three chapters of their manuscripts for the next round. We've also included more Q&A from Deidre and Pamela.

Don't forget to join us back here on Thursday, March 17th for the announcement of the final three finalists, plus we're going to play a fun game with Deidre and Pamela to see which sister knows the other best! :-)

Bob Martinez
Brandy Shockley
Cathy Pritchard
Christine Gallimore
E.M. Lord
Jenna Jaxon
Kathleen Foucart
Leeann Morgan
Lin Christie
Lisa Wells
Liz Phelps
Lizzie Friend
Michele Shaw
Rhea Ference
Shari Lambert

Instructions: On Monday, March 14th we will email the 15 entrants* advancing to Round 3 and post their names on the blog by 10am ET. They must email us their first three chapters by 9:00pm ET that same day.

*All 15 entrants will receive a confirmation email that their work has been received. If you do not receive a confirmation, please follow up. At this time, we are still advising people to use our Contests@KnightAgency.net addy. If you had trouble with sending to that addy before, you can alternately send it to jia_gayles(AT)yahoo.com. Both inboxes will be checked.

TKA Q&A with Deidre and Pamela -

What has been one of your proudest moments as an agent?
DEIDRE: It is very hard to pinpoint a proudest moment because quite frankly there have been many. Here are a few greatest hits: seeing 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN pass the four year mark on the New York Times bestseller list; Gena Showalter being the first Harlequin Teen author to hit the New York Times; Cara Lockwood’s movie of I DO, BUT I DON’T airing on Lifetime with the hunky Dean Cain in lead role; my recent sale of “pie lady” Beth M. Howard’s memoir, MAKING PIECE in a pre-empt after a great deal of heated interest from publishers; the first time I did a six figure deal (to Doubleday for ACHIEVING YOUR FINANCIAL POTENTIAL by Scott Kays); my very first NYC trip, when I found out what I was truly made of inside—overcoming fear and potential intimidation and instead successfully meeting editors from cold calls.

What is the best part of working with a member of your family?
DEIDRE: I love getting to travel with Pamela to all sorts of fun and exciting destinations, particularly all our trips to NYC. We always inspire each other during these trips and challenge each other to go farther in the business.

Sisters by the Seashore in Newport, R.I.

Left: Deidre; Right: Pamela

Left: Deidre; Right, Pamela

What part of your job gives you the biggest thrill?
PAMELA: It sounds trite, but being able to tell a first-time author that we have an offer is truly the most rewarding aspect of my job. It's an honor to play a part in the realization of someone else's dream.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned about how to be successful in the publishing world
PAMELA: In this business, perseverance is the key to success. I have told many people about a nonfiction project that I once sold after showing it to no less than 35 different publishers. It was a project I deeply believed in, and I just couldn’t let it go. It proves the point that it’s all about getting the material in front of the right people.

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-03-11T14:17:00.004-05:00

UPDATE: Wow, can I ever get this announced on a Monday. Sorry for the delay, folks. The winner of THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS by N.K. Jemisin is The Original Drama Mama. Please email your physical addy to Contests@KnightAgency.net.

CLIENT NEWS: Rob Thurman's sixth Cal Leandros novel, BLACKOUT, debuted at #19 on the New York Times mass market list. We are incredibly proud of Rob! WTG!

TKA NEWS: Lucienne Diver talks about the agent/author relationship with Romantic Times web editor Morgan Doremus:

Report from Cyberspace:

Amazon says hasta la vista baby to Illinois after Governor Pat Quinn signed new sales tax fairness legislation into law requiring online retailers to collect sales tax - Bookselling This Week

USA Today bestselling, self-pubbed ebook author Amanda Hocking warns those using her as an example of why traditional publishing is on death's doorstep to rethink their position - Amanda Hocking's Blog

Author, journalist and former repairer of ripped newspapers at the New York Central Library, Cory Doctorow pokes holes in HarperCollins's 26-ebook library lending theory - The Guardian
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Leave a comment to win a copy of ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS by Nebula-nominated author N.K. Jemisin. The winner will be randomly drawn and announced on Monday.

The 411: Yeine Darr, mourning the murder of her mother, is summoned to the magnificent and beautiful city of Sky by the king, her grandfather. He names her his heir but has already assigned that role to both his niece and his nephew, so what he’s now done is set up a competitive and thorny three-way power struggle. Yeine, looking more like her Darre father than her Arameri mother, may be a baroness in the Arameri world, but in the matriarchal North she is a chieftain of her people. She is also terrified and fascinated by the gods who roam Sky, including the nocturnally monstrous Nahadoth and the childlike Sieh. In just a few days, Yeine discovers that every action has consequences when she inadvertently sets up Darre to be attacked and realizes that her role in the succession to the throne may be that of a human sacrifice. This complex tale of politics, assassination, racism, and gods too intimately involved in the lives of humans is a challenging read and a notable authorial debut. --Diana Tixier Herald, Booklist

Speed Date 2 Results for Round 1

2011-03-10T09:40:00.001-05:00

Deidre and Pamela were thrilled to see that so many talented writers participated in our second speed date competition, and once again there were some tough choices to be made. In the end, there could only be 25 to move onto the next round. Their names are listed below, as well as some fun Q&A with Deidre and Pamela on how they got started in the agenting biz.

Ann Childs
Annette F. Boone
Bob Martinez
Brandy Shockley
Brenda Heald
Cathy Pritchard
Christine Gallimore
E.M. Lord
Jenna Jaxon
Joseph Wise
Kathleen Foucart
Kelly Bryson
Leeann Morgan
Lin Christie
Lisa Wells
Liz Phelps
Lizzie C. Friend
Mandy Mikulencak
Melanie LeGrand
Meredith Simmons
Michele Shaw
Nancy Kattenfeld
Rhea Ference
Shari Lambert
Tim Renoylds

BIG congrats to those moving onto the next round, and a special thanks to everyone who participated!

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ROUND 2 --
On Thursday, March 10th we will email the 25 entrants advancing to Round 2 and post their names on the blog by 10am ET. They must email us* their first ten pages by 9:00pm ET that same day.

*All 25 entrants will receive a confirmation email that their work has been received. If you do not receive a confirmation, please follow up. At this time, we are still advising people to use our Contests@KnightAgency.net addy. If you had trouble with sending to that addy before, you can alternately send it to jia_gayles(AT)yahoo.com. Both inboxes will be checked.

TKA Q&A with Deidre and Pamela!

What inspired you to hang up your own shingle and open The Knight Agency?
DEIDRE: I’d wanted to start my own business for years prior to opening the agency. Pamela and I grew up working in our family’s business, and apparently entrepreneurialism was in my blood. My only problem was I just wasn’t sure what sort of business I wanted to actually launch! I’d been thinking, working and praying toward that goal for several years when my husband signed on with an agent. She’d just moved to Atlanta from New York, and we had dinner at her house one night. It was one of life’s big “aha!” moments for me. As we left that agent’s house, I turned to Jud and said, “Okay—editing? Reading? Film rights (I had a background in entertainment)? Marketing? This sounds like ME.” I didn’t hang up the proverbial shingle right away; I waited for just the perfect moment—which turned out to be in 1996 when the Net really broke loose.

How has your vision of what being an agent means evolved over the years, or is it essentially the same as it was fifteen years ago?
DEIDRE: My definition of my role is constantly evolving, just as the publishing landscape is ever-changing. Right now, of course, I’m seeing my purview expanding as the digital landscape grows wider and more exciting. At TKA we have many plans in terms of helping clients take advantage of all the emerging digital publishing opportunities; we’ve also spent the past five and a half years growing our publicity wing, which Jia Gayles oversees. You see that program in operation right here, right now with this contest—and promotion is a huge part of our agenting philosophy, one you see in action via Twitter, our newsletters, blogging, author chats, contests and more. I really believe that an agent’s job is far more than just placing books with publishers: it’s about overall career management, publicity, exposure and maximizing a wide variety of opportunities, many of which are tied to the multimedia landscape.

How did you get your “foot in the door” as a newbie agent trying to meet with major publishers? Do you think the methods you used then would work for someone trying to make a name for themself in the current industry?
DEIDRE: I am very fortunate that I had an extensive marketing and sales background prior to agenting, so “cold calling” came naturally to me. Phone fear wasn’t a problem. Within two months of launching my agency, I was already visiting NYC and setting meetings with editors, even though I didn’t have a big client list or a list of accomplishments. I’d done my research, and did what I’d always done in sales: built relationships. To this day, I think that relationships are the absolute cornerstone of publishing, whether you’re an author, agent, or editor. As a note: my very first publishing meeting was with an editor at Dell Publishing. Later, when I was shopping Diana Peterfreund’s SECRET SOCIETY GIRL, I phoned that same editor—and very long story-her assistant took the submission, and beat out four other editors and landed the project at auction. So quite literally, my first publishing meeting led to an auction day win for Diana Peterfreund and me!

Left: Deidre, an agent prodigy wheeling and dealing in her pre-Blackberry days; Right: Pamela, a prima ballerina who developed an early appreciation for the Arts

What sort of career did you have before agenting, and what made you want to leave that industry to join Deidre at TKA?
PAMELA: I was in computer sales working with banks, and I loved my job. When my family and I left the metro Atlanta area, I continued working from our new home on the lake, but it just got harder and harder. Deidre and I were as close as ever when she began the agency, and we often talked often about me coming on board when I was ready. I waited until the fall of 2000 when my son was turning one and jumped in with both feet.

Share the story of your most memorable sale.
PAMELA: All of my sales are memorable. Truly, every one is very important to me. But there is one sale that I am particularly proud of and remember well because it was early in my career and less conventional than some of my other ones. I'd read an interesting article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and it really piqued my interest. I approached the author and asked if he had ever thought of writing a book. We eventually signed him, and I sold the project. The book was amazing and did very well. This was a great a confidence builder for me early in my career, and it fueled my passion for agenting.

What’s the best part of working with a member of your family? What’s the toughest part?
PAMELA: I get so much emotional support from Deidre on a personal level. We have always been incredibly close, which isn’t the case with all sisters. Maybe because we are 8 years apart we never fought over the usual sister things like boys or clothes. This emotional bond completely carries over to the business, and it makes my career in publishing so much richer.

Needless to say this is a tough business and not for the faint of heart. For every rejection we send one client, just multiply it by 30 (my typical client list) and then you have what we are dealing with daily. Deidre and I do a lot to keep each other afloat during these tough days. And to balance this out, we get to share closely in the success which is even more sweet when you see someone you love dearly achieve it. The flipside to that is the same thing when we have a tough day. It’s hard to watch my best friend when things don’t go as planned.

Left: Deidre; Right: Pamela

Agent Q&A

2011-03-09T14:22:00.002-05:00

Hey there, everyone. Apologies for the lateness today. My schedule has been a bit on the insane side recently. However, I'm here and ready to answer whatever questions you feel like throwing my way.

For those of you who have not participated before, it's very simple. Post your questions about publishing, getting an agent, the agency and so on in the comments section below. I'll come back later this evening or early tomorrow and answer at least three of them--more if time allows.

So, what would you like to know? Go ahead and ask.

~Nephele

MIA Speed Date Contest Round 1 Entrants - A Special Message

2011-03-08T14:19:00.009-05:00

This post is for Speed Daters who made it through to the first round yesterday. We are missing 25 of the 125 emails that were supposed to contain your first 3 pages for Deidre and Pamela's review. This is an inordinate number of missing emails, especially since we feel like everyone was so excited about sending in their work.

To make sure that our server is not prohibiting certain people from sending an email -- we are offering a special extension to Speed Daters listed below. If you are one of the folks listed as MIA, please retry sending in your first three pages by tomorrow afternoon. If you email us at Contests@KnightAgency.net, and DO NOT get a reply from us stating that your project was received -- please leave a comment on this blog with your email address so that we can try to get in contact with you via alternate email hosts.

MIA Speed Daters:
~~Alison Hendrie~~
Amanda Jensen
~~Andrea Aten~~
~~Ashley Graham~~
~~Audrey Lockwood~~
~~Debra Rodensky~~
Dex Raven
~~E.M. Lord~~
~~Gina Mosley Lamm~~
~~Jani Grey~~
~~Jared Garrett~~
Jennifer Myers
~~Kelly Bryson~~
~~L.G. Vernon~~
~~Landra Graf~~
Lynette Schneider
~~Nicholas Denmon~~
~~Nick Burnette~~
~~Pat Jeanne Davis~~
~~Rhea~~
~~Rubianna Masa~~
~~SA Brown~~
~~Scot Douglas Celley~~
~~Stephen Hayes~~
~~Wendy Bunker~~

THE OFFICIAL SPEED DATE 2 POST -- Updated

2011-03-07T11:59:00.004-05:00

UPDATE: Please find the 125 entrants for Speed Date 2 below, alphabetized for your reading pleasure. We are grateful to EVERYONE who entered. If you didn't get selected today, we strongly encourage you to submit to our agency via the traditional channel of querying our submissions coordinator.

As for the 125 lucky ducks, you have until 12:00pm ET tomorrow (3/8/2011) to email your first three pages to Contests@KnightAgency.net. Consult the rules for details on how to format your email. If you have any questions about the below or the contest in general -- you can use "Contests" email addy given above. And without further ado...

Alison Hendrie

Amanda Jensen

Amanda Lee

Andrea Aten

Angel Leigh McCoy

Ann Childs

Annette F. Boone

Arlene Hlttle

Ashley Gafford

Ashley Graham

Audrey Lockwood

Barbara Weitz

Belinda Christ

Bethany Morrow

Bill Breedlove

Bob Martinez

Brandy Shockley

Brenda Heald

Bryce Daniels

C.C. Wiley

Caitlyn Nicholas

Candice Green

Carla Kempert

Carol R. Wood

Cary Barbor

Cathy Pritchard

Chad Corrie

Cheryl O' Donovan

Christine Gallimore

Christine Kuczmynda

Connie M. Keller

Dan Wickline

Debora Dale

Deborah Grahl

Debra Rodensky

Dex Raven

Donald Cummings

Dorothy Dreyer

E.M. Lord

EK Ellis

Felithia Holiday

Gina Mosley Lamm

Jackie Felger

Jacquelyn Sylvan

Jani Grey

Jared Garrett

Jen Duffey

Jen Ward

Jenn Nixon

Jennifer Froelich

Jennifer Myers

Jennifer Santiago

Jess Huckins

Jessica Williams
Jo Delong

Jodie L. Boduch

JohnO
Joseph Wise
Julia Hoye

Julie Gupton

Karyn Bristol

Kate Martin

Kathleen Foucart

Katie Kelly

Kay LaLone

Kelly Bryson

Kerri M.

Kimberly Nee

Kristin Lynn Thetford

KT Grant

L. G. Vernon

Landon Rogers

Landra Graf

Laura Kaye

Leah Marie Brown

Leeann (commented @ 12:17pm)

Lisa Troy

Lisa Wells

Liz Phelps

Lizzie Friend

Lori Hahnel

Lucy River

Lynette Schneider

Mandy Mikulencak

Matt Manzella

Melanie LeGrand

Meredith Simmons

Michele Shaw

Mila Ramos

Mimi Cross

Morgan Baden

Nancy Kattenfeld

Nancy Smith Gibson

Naomi Rawlings

Nicholas Denmon

Nick Burnette

Pat Jeanne Davis

PaulaRose

Peggy Bird

Rena Rossney

Rhea (commented @ 12:06 pm)

Robert Ryan

Robin Boisseau

Rona Altrows

Rubianna Masa

Ruth Donnelly

SA Brown

Sandra Gale

Scot Douglas Celley

Shari Lambert

Sheri Downing

Sherrie Snow

Stephen Hayes

Susan Bohnet

Tara Kennedy

Theresa Sanchez Bazelli

Tiana Bragg

Timothy Reynolds

Tina Lynn Sandoval

Tom Honea

Toni Morrow Wyatt

TracyA (commented @12:02 pm)

Viviane Brentanos

Wendy Bunker

Xandra James
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Today is the big day, and you are in the right spot. Deidre and Pamela are both BEYOND excited to see some fresh, new talent, and can’t wait to start reading your work!

Leave a comment in THIS post between 12:00pm and 1:00pm Eastern Time to win a Speed Date with Deidre and Pamela. When 1:00pm rolls around, we will pull all of the names entered during the specified entry period and randomly draw 125 participants. THIS post will be updated with the selected names by the end of the business day today, and the lucky 125 must send in their first three pages by 12pm ET tomorrow, March 8th. If you already read the rules, this is all old news. But just in case, here’s a link to review the rules if you need to.

As we mentioned, Deidre and Pamela are going to be strolling down memory lane as we update the rounds here on the blog. In Thursday’s blog post, we’ll post some Q&A from the sisters about The Knight Agency’s history along with the names of those advancing to the next round. In the meantime, we know you just want to get to “it.” So get going!!! Good luck!

Deidre and Pamela now and then…

Present Day

Left: Deidre; Right: Pamela

Big Sister, Little Sister

Left: Deidre; Right: Pamela

Too Cool Teens ;-)

Left: Pamela; Right: Deidre

Almost time!!!

2011-03-07T10:55:00.002-05:00

Hey Folks, we know you are anxious for Speed Date 2 with Deidre Knight and Pamela Harty to get started. We've got a little more than an hour to go before the contest opens up, and we just wanted to say thanks to all of you for continuing to check the blog and taking time out of your day to enter our contest. Deidre and Pamela can't wait to dive into your work.

If you have any last minute issues, I'm answering questions down in the original rules post. Please remember that the original rules post will be disabled for comments during the contest entry period beginning at 12pm ET. Also, I'm disabling this post for comments just so there's no confusion about where to post entries. Look for the "Official Speed Date 2 Post" at the appropriate time. I will probably put it up a few minutes before 12, so make sure your time stamp doesn't report that you posted before the contest officially opens.

Best of luck to all of you!!

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-03-04T14:19:00.001-05:00

Whoops, running a little (read: lot) late with the winner of HEXBOUND by Chloe Neill. The winner is -- Jamie, I'm a guy, btw. Love the name, LOL. Please email your physical addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net.

This week we've been prepping for Speed Date 2, our big talent search contest with Deidre Knight and Pamela Harty that commences on Monday. If you haven't checked it out, just take a peek at the post below this one for all the rules and such. Hope to see many of you competing for a spot!

Now for our super official and serious Report from Cyberspace...

CLIENT NEWS: N.K. Jemisin's THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS was nominated for a Nebula Award in the novel category.

It's National Grammar Day! (Please, do me a favor and don't look for mistakes in this post. I'm sure there are many...) Head on over to the National Grammar Day website for fun facts and quizzes - National Grammar Day

Librarians (and many readers) are in an uproar over HarperCollins recent move to restrict ebook licenses to a limit of 26 checkouts, after which the library would have to purchase another ebook license. Apparently 26 is the magic number when print books fall apart. Who knew? - GalleyCat

Random House titles are finally available via Apple's iBookstore. The publisher was the last holdout of the "Big Six" to accept the agency pricing model for ebooks necessary to have their releases sold through Apple - Huffington Post

Former Curtis Brown agent Nathan Bransford posted some excellent tips earlier this week on how authors can make the most of their Facebook account - Nathan Bransford Blog
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Leave a comment to win a copy of HEXBOUND by Chloe Neill. The winner will be annouced on Monday.

The 411 on HEXBOUND: Lily Parker is new to St. Sophia’s School for Girls, but she’s already learned that magic can be your best friend…or your worst enemy.

They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. Turns out, even a little magic can turn you to the dark side. That’s why Lily has to learn how to control her newly discovered paranormal abilities, on top of avoiding the snobs who think they run her school, nursing a crush on a cute sophomore with a big, werewolf-y secret, and fighting the good fight with her best friend Scout as they take on Chicago’s nastiest nightlife—including the tainted magic users known as Reapers.

Then Lily’s invited to a private meeting with Sebastian. He’s hot, powerful, and offering to help her harness the magic flowing in her veins in a way no one else can. He’s also a Reaper. Lily can’t hide her suspicions. But she’ll soon find out that the line between good and evil isn’t always clear…

Speed Date 2: Deidre Knight & Pamela Harty Search for the Next TKA Superstar

2011-03-02T09:00:00.006-05:00

Back in the day (aka 1996), when The Knight Agency first got started, president and founder Deidre Knight manned the submissions inbox, the phone and the door. Fast forward fifteen years later, and TKA has attained national prominence with an incredible list of bestselling clients. From nearly the beginning, Pamela Harty, Vice President of Sales, worked alongside her sister Deidre, helping to nurture and shape the agency. Now, the sisters are hankering for a trip down memory lane to a time when they interacted with querying writers one-on-one to find the next big TKA star. Could it be you?

Beginning Monday, March 7th, Deidre and Pamela are teaming up for Speed Date 2, a whirlwind competition to find the newest TKA client.* Just like old times, they are getting down in the trenches to scout out the cream of the crop. If you heard about or participated in our “She’s Just That Into You” competition last year, you know that Deidre ultimately selected two new clients, mega talents Leigh Evans and Erin Kelly, out of hundreds of participants. That event was so successful we’re doing it again.

This time around we’ve included a few tweaks, like an open hour-long entry period and selection of contestants by lottery. Oh, and we definitely plan to start it later than 5am Pacific Time. Sorry about that again, folks. Now if you live in Australia or some equally faraway place, please accept our apologies for the difficult wakeup call in advance. As a fun add-on, Deidre and Pamela will share tidbits about how the The Knight Agency got started in the blog posts annoucing those progressing to the next rounds.

*Please note, if the agents decide that ultimately none of the manuscripts entered meet our agency’s needs at this time, an alternate first chapter critique by Deidre or Pamela will be offered to the Grand Prize Winner in lieu of representation. A winner will also be selected to receive a first chapter critique from the first 125 entrants.

This blog post is only a preview for the contest. Comments for this blog post will be DISABLED once the contest officially begins. On Monday there will be a blog up labeled, “OFFICIAL SPEED DATE2 POST” where you will be able to throw your name into the hat. Below you’ll find the rules. So, get familiar with the contest, and come back and see us on March 7th @ 12pm Eastern Standard Time. Got a question after you read ALL of the rules? Email Contests@KnightAgency.net.

THE QUICKIE SUMMARY: Visit the “OFFICIAL SPEED DATE 2 POST” on Monday, March 7th and leave your name in the comment section from 12pm ET to 1pm ET. We will assign everyone a number who left a comment during the specified entry period and draw 125 contestants using Random.org. The 125 intial entrants will be announced on the blog by the end of the business day and asked to email the first three pages of their manuscript to Contests@KnightAgency.net. Deidre and Pamela will then join forces to whittle the 125 contestants down to 3 finalists over the following days.

At the end of the contest, we will also award a first chapter critique to one of the initial 125 entrants via random drawing who was not selected as a finalist.

THE FINE PRINT:

1. On Monday, March 7th, we will accept entries into the contest from 12pm ET to 1pm ET. Leave a comment with your name in the "OFFICIAL SPEED DATE 2 POST" during the specified time period to enter.

2. One hundred and twenty-five (125) contestants for Round 1 will be selected via random drawing from those who entered during the specified time period. The Round 1 winners’ names will be posted by the end of the business day (3/7/11) on http://www.knightagency.blogspot.com/ in the updated “OFFICIAL SPEED DATE 2 POST.”

3. The 125 contestants must send in the first three pages of their manuscript, as well as their name (as you would like to be publically identified), physical address, genre and overall word count to Contests@KnightAgency.net by 12pm ET the following day -- Tuesday, March 8th. UPDATE (3/7/2010 @ 11:24am ET): Please include your title as well. If for some reason, you don't because you did not see this update -- don't worry about it. You will not be penalized. All information, including the first three pages, should be included in the body of your email. To protect ourselves from potential viruses, we will not open attachments. Do not include a query letter.

4. On Thursday, March 10th we will email the 25 entrants advancing to Round 2 and post their names on the blog by 10am ET. They must email us their first ten pages by 9:00pm ET that same day.

5. On Monday, March 14th we will email the 15 entrants advancing to Round 3 and post their names on the blog by 10am ET. They must email us their first three chapters by 9:00pm ET that same day.

6. On Thursday, March 17th we will email the 3 finalists advancing to Round 4 and post their names on the blog by 10am ET. They must email us their full manuscript by 9:00pm ET that same day.

7. The Grand Prize Winner* of an offer of representation by The Knight Agency will be announced on Monday, March 28th.

*If it is determined at the end of the contest that the materials submitted are not on par with The Knight Agency's needs, representation will not be offered. In this case, either Deidre or Pamela will provide a final winner with a first chapter critique.

In an effort to cover all of our bases...keep reading for even more details...
- International participants are welcome.
- Multiple entries are not allowed. If you enter more than one manuscript, only your first entry will be counted.
- You cannot re-enter material that Deidre has already read/reviewed in our last contest, “She’s Just That Into You.” Re-entered material will be considered void. We will not pull a new entry to fill the spot.
- Corrections are not allowed. What you send in the first time is what Deidre and Pamela will judge. No exceptions.
- Do not send more pages than we ask for at any time. If we ask for 10 pages and you send 20, your entry will be deleted without notice.
- If another Knight agent is actively considering your query, you are not eligible for the contest (active means an agent has informed you that they are considering your manuscript and would like to review more material)
- If we have previously rejected your manuscript, please do not enter this contest unless your work has undergone a substantial rewrite
- The only genres that will NOT be accepted, are those that are outlined in our submission guidelines. Here is an excerpt from our guidelines page regarding what we do not represent:

Due to the wide range of tastes and preferences that exist among The Knight Agency's six acquiring agents, we are currently looking for material in a wide spectrum of genres. Please reference the list below for the types of submissions we are NOT currently accepting.

- Screen Plays
- Short Story Collections
- Poetry Collections
- Essay Collections
- Photography
- Film Treatments
- Picture Books (although graphic novels will be accepted)
- Children's Books (although young adult and middle grade titles will be accepted)
- Biographies
- Non-fiction Historical Treatments"

- Entries should be double-spaced
- Only full manuscripts can be entered.
- Contest is open to both unpublished and published authors.
- We will use the timestamp issued by Blogger to determine who is entered into the initial lottery. We are not responsible if your comment is delayed, deleted or otherwise impaired by the Blogger interface.
-We will check our spam filters to make sure no one’s email gets caught there throughout the process of contestants sending in entries via email; however, if your email becomes otherwise delayed, deleted or falls through a black hole in cyberspace – your entry will be declared void. We are not responsible for lost entries.
- Your materials must be sent in by the deadlines outlined above. Late submissions will result in forfeiture of your entry. We are not responsible for technical problems related to email delivery.
- Everyone, and we mean EVERYONE, will receive the same generic “yay” or “nay” reply letting them know whether or not they have advanced to the next round. Please don’t ask us for any additional explanation or feedback of any kind. Deidre and Pamela are reading these entries as fast as they can while maintaining a busy schedule – so there’s no time for hand-holding.
- Do not send your entry to any other email address besides Contests@KnightAgency.net. Failure to follow this instruction will result in deletion of your entry.
- The only information that we will ever reveal about you publicly is the name you provide. The only places we will post your name is on our company blog, Twitter, and possibly in the company newsletter.
- The winner(s) must claim their prize via email to Contests@KnightAgency.net 30 days from notification of their win or the prize will be declared void. Another winner will not be chosen.
- All entrants will be opted in to The Knight Agency newsletter. The newsletter contains a link that allows you to easily opt out at any time.
If you have any further questions about this contest, please email Contests@KnightAgency.net.

March First Impressions with Melissa Jeglinski

2011-03-02T08:06:00.001-05:00

Well, it's March (ALREADY????) and time for a new First Impressions. Every month we draw a one page submission to critique. We invite everyone to add their own helpful impressions in the comments section. (My notes are in red.) This month's selection is:

"Inner Demons"

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Author: Gloria Oliver

One moment I was in my apartment, about to relax after a long day at work, then the next I found myself on a dark street with a set of headlights coming right at me. (I like the immediacy of this first sentence. Though I do think it reads a bit abrupt.)

I froze, my breath catching at my throat, my brain refusing to acknowledge the impossible change. (I would like a bit more. After the first short sentence this reads a bit choppy. Again, the sense of danger is here but a bit more description could help to set the scene better.)

The car swerved at the last moment, the screech and pronounced beeping of a pressed horn crashing (I don't think of sound as "crashing" and it becomes confusing as the car did not crash into this person.) into my ears. As if in ~~the middle of a~~ slow motion ~~picture~~ , I noticed the dark blue color of the Oldsmobile (Can this person recognize it's an Oldsmobile so readily? Perhaps a sedan or SUV or something more generic?) as it missed me by mere inches, the glow of streetlights reflecting from its sides. Humid wind brushed over me ~~trying to pull me along~~ as the car rushed past. I smelled the stench of the exhaust as it coiled about me, and I half spun around to see the ~~trailing~~ red ~~ridding~~ tail lights shrink into the night as the car never even slowed (maybe: as the car kept going, never even slowing down).

The echo of yelled curses trailed behind it as a white arm shot out the window, the middle finger held up for viewing.

This was real. I was here.

Other pairs of headlights were coming my way and fear spiked through me, ~~yelling~~ (You used yelled just two sentences before.) at warning me to get the hell out of there. I almost tripped when I took my first panicked step, the shoes on my feet feeling strange and awkward. I glanced down and saw I was wearing white boots with six inch heels. Worse, it looked like I was also wearing a dark sequined dress that only went down far enough to cover but a small part of my thighs. (overly wordy descriptions here. Something more lke, high-heeled boots and a very short sequined dress. She's in danger and out of her element--there's not time to really have her think about how short her dress is.)

Disorientation swept through me. I wasn’t a prude, but I had taste, dammit, and these things just weren’t me. (Is this really the point for this though? Seems like the need to flee from the middle of the road should be her first priority.) I stumbled toward the sidewalk to my right, ~~still only too~~ (dont' use still twice in one sentence) aware of the traffic still heading my way.

There is something interesting to this opening. I like the protagonist's sudden change of venue although a little more setup could be helpful. I didn't really get enough sense of who she was as a character although I suspect that will come across soon enough.

There's enough her to grab my attention and keep me reading.

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To enter First Impressions, email your first page (300 words or less) to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net with “First Impressions” in the subject line. Include the title and genre in the email, as well as the name you wish us to use when referring to you publicly. All genres are welcome. Do not send your entry as an attachment; it must be within the body of the email. Winners are randomly selected using http://www.random.org/.

**Disclaimers, Rules, Stipulations, What Not, and All That Jazz: By emailing your entry to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net, you agree to have your first page posted on our blog for critique. Entrants will remain in the selection queue indefinitely, so your number could come up tomorrow or two years from now. Such is life. We will drop you a line if your email is pulled out of the hat. Maybe. It’s best to just swing by our blog often and check things out, no? Winning a first page critique does not in any way indicate an interest or offer of representation by The Knight Agency, and we reserve the right to delete any material that we find improper or offensive. Though we encourage blog readers to offer positive, thoughtful feedback, we cannot control their opinions with Imperius Curses. However, we will promptly banish nasty, mean-spirited comments to the outer limits of cyberspace. Dontcha wish you could do that with people in real life? Addendum (11/03/2010): In order to give everyone a fair chance, only one entry is allowed per person. If you've submitted more than one first page, your initial email will be added to the queue; however, subsequent emails have been deleted

Happy Release Day to Don Piper and Cecil Murphey

2011-03-01T13:27:00.000-05:00

Happy Release Day to Don Piper and Cecil Murphey of 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN fame! GETTING TO HEAVEN: INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR LIFE NOW is Don's first book in four years (Berkley, March 2011). This new book helps readers figure out how to live a happy and fulfilling, heaven-bound existence in their daily lives. Don's first book 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN, co-authored with Cecil, has spent 181 weeks on the New York Times list so far.

TKA's New Intern

2011-02-28T13:26:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone! My name is Whitney, and I am a new intern at The Knight Agency. This will be my first season working with TKA. This is also my first time formally blogging about myself, and I would like to take this opportunity to tell you more of who I am and how I ended up at this agency.

I am a junior (one more year left!) at the University of Georgia in Athens. I am an English major, and have known I wanted to pursue a career in the publishing industry since I began college. I could tell you why this career path “called” to me, but everyone in this industry began for the same reason, a passion to read, which I no doubt possess. While growing up in Atlanta, Ga, my family called me Belle (from Beauty and the Beast) because I would walk around the house with my nose in a book. Reading is something I have always loved, but I never considered this path as a career until I started applying to colleges. I had this gut feeling that English would bring me to do something I love. I never before thought of reading as a potential career path, but English was placed on all of my applications. Looking back, I have to say I am happy I made that decision.

After a “major” crisis my freshman year I realized, regardless of career choice, I would need to gain experience and build a resume in order to gain a basic understanding of publishing since there were no classes offered at UGA to teach me about this business. As an English major you learn to read and write A LOT, which is helpful, but it doesn’t teach you what publishing industry jobs are, or what professionals within the business actually do. So I started to research and apply potential opportunities to help further my understanding of the field. I am in a sorority at the UGA, and I quickly realized what great networking opportunities it provides, and it was a great place to start my internship hunt.

Through our list serve I found a position as a blogger for an international Greek magazine. In all honesty, I was simply eager to add something to my resume, and I took the opportunity to apply. This internship was the perfect position to ease me into the world of interning. I simply wrote every few days about the sorority events that were occurring on campus and how they turned out. It was done on my own time and there was no one checking up on me. I realize now how leisurely this program was compared to my more recent internships. This internship became tedious VERY quickly. I understood that blogging was not teaching me anything about the industry I craved to learn about. There was no editor making comments and really no communication with the magazine itself. It was kind of just a volunteer status, and taught me nothing whatsoever. I didn’t even receive feed back to improve my writing. It was a start though, and this seemingly unhelpful internship opened up my next opportunity.

If I have learned one thing in the competitive field of interning, it is to take what you can get. The magazine internship seemed unhelpful in reaching my aspirations, but that simple position on my resume landed me an AMAZING internship with The Global Text Project (an organization on the UGA campus). The internship coordinator was interested in me simply because that magazine, which I had been writing for, held an international audience. It is surprising how one thing will lead you to the next. This unexpected and positive transition taught me to appreciate every opportunity I am given to improve myself because you never know how you will find the next one. I truly believe that life always leads you to where you need to be, and that simple addition to my resume allowed me to work at a much more educational program. The Global Text Project dealt with solely with college textbooks. We reformatted, edited and internationalized each individual text in order to upload those books to our website for free access across the world. It is a non for profit organization trying to give 3rd world countries equal access to education. I worked there for a year and headed acquisitions, which gave me some insight into speaking and communication with authors of the textbooks. This job title made me realize how much I enjoyed this type of work. I have always considered myself a “people person” and communicating with authors was something that naturally appealed to me. This role within GTP gave me what I needed most—practices an area I would potentially consider as a career. It made me realize all the possibilities that were available in this area, and helped me realize how much I enjoyed communicating with authors. The program was amazing, and the small group allowed us to become close quickly and work as an intimate team. I learned that I love that type of working environment because of the casual yet motivated atmosphere.
As I began to understand more of what appealed to me, I decided I should immerse myself in the publishing industry itself. My desire to see the publishing process firsthand was satisfied through a short, but sweet summer internship at Peachtree Publishing, a children’s book publishing company. After a hardworking year, I finally made it inside the publishing industry. This internship really opened my eyes because it showed me how a publishing company functions. There are lots of tedious, but important, jobs that I never even thought of all wrapped up in the business.

JUST SO YOU KNOW: interns read slush. I knew this was part of the process, but I guess I imagined there were so many books being published that the slush was not a priority. I quickly realized there was a lot more work to finding a book to publish then I initially realized. Authors do not come and place a perfectly edited piece on your desk. I was just really shocked by how much there was. I will not lie and say everything I read was interesting. There were a lot of unusual stories, and it was almost like looking for a needle in a haystack for a publishable query. Slush was not all I did while interning though! When I needed a break I would go to the warehouse and fold book jackets to put on the hardback books that needed to be shipped. You would think someone created a machine to do that, but every book with a jacket was folded by hand. Weird, huh? But before all you aspiring interns sigh in annoyance, let me tell you this: EVERYONE there was doing the same thing. No matter what your position at the company, you would fold jackets and read slush. It is just a part of the business, and I never really thought about the importance of such seemingly small jobs. You have to read queries to find books to publish, and the covers of the books have to be put on for the bookstores to sell. Just being in a publishing company helped me learn how it functions and the process in acquiring books. This introduction helped me tremendously and showed me the reality of the business I was striving to enter.

During that summer, I was talking with my uncle about my publishing internship and what I was learning. He gave me a contact of an old friend who used to work at WW & Norton and is now retired. I spoke with him about the industry and he gave me helpful advice, but one thing that caught my attention was when he mentioned his wife used to be a literary agent. A what? I had no idea what that even was. When I got back to school, I emailed one of the women I worked with at Peachtree Publishing and asked them if they worked with literary agents (at this point I was still hazy on how they exactly fit between author and publisher). She told me they did, but did not go into great of detail about how they worked together.

My curiosity, as always, was piqued and like any good researcher I Googled “literary agency”. I found many agencies through my search and began to look at their websites to try and find a better idea of what this division of publishing did. To my surprise , I stumbled upon one in my own backyard, The Knight Agency…located in Madison, GA…30 minutes from Athens. Wow. Call it fate or luck or anything else, but I immediately knew I needed to jump at this opportunity. This brings me to my current position, two months working at The Knight Agency. I am now here as an intern learning LOTS of new stuff. Each of my previous internships has helped me come closer to finding a career I love. So far, The Knight Agency has been the most educational internship in which I have participated. After taking all those internship had to offer, I realized I wanted more. The more I learned the more I realized how much more there was to know. Here I am working directly with authors and aiding in the publication of books. My two favorite things have come together through the Knight Agency. My goal is to learn as much as I can, and from there find somewhere I am successful and happy. I think that loving what you do is the most important thing, and so far I am loving it.

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-02-25T19:36:00.002-05:00

UPDATE: The winner of INVITATION TO RUIN by Bronwen Evans is Stephanie. Please email your physical addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net.

CLIENT NEWS: The LA Weekly covered pie blogger Beth Howard's newly signed book deal for MAKING PIECE: A MEMOIR ABOUT LOVE, LOSS AND PIE - LA Weekly

Report from Cyberspace:

Is any publicity good publicity? Well, if you're a lesser-known author, apparently you shouldn't be scared of the skeletons in your closet or tackling extremely controversial subject matter - GalleyCat

Barnes & Noble is welcoming self-pubbed authors with open arms. PubIt!, the company's self publishing program, will have it's own bestseller list and be added into the "Read In Store" feature. In its first four months, PubIt! has published more than 65,000 e-books - GalleyCat

An interview with the firm hired to oversee the closings of 200 Borders locations says more store shutdowns are likely in the future of the retail chain -- Chain Store Age via Publishers Lunch
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Leave a comment to win a copy of INVITATION TO RUIN by Bronwen Evans. The winner will be announced tomorrow morning.

The 411: Anthony James Craven, the Earl of Wickham, is dubbed Lord of Wicked for good reason. He lives and breathes seduction - until he mistakenly beds the wrong woman and is forced to marry the sensible, reserved Melissa Goodly. He intends to offer Melissa security and position, nothing more. Once they marry, Melissa cannot understand why her devastatingly attractive husband does not come to her bed. The more he pushes her away, the more she is resolved to turn the tables and open her shuttered heart to love. And though Anthony tries to resist the sensual siren that his wife has become, his plans for a companionable relationship are unravelling in the most pleasurable way...

Winners of the ON THE HUNT Contest

2011-02-23T09:16:00.000-05:00

Last week we announced the iPod Nano multi-touch and signed copy of ON THE HUNT grand prize winner -- Jennifer Beyer. BIG congrats to her! The second prize winner of 10 books from Signet Eclipse was Miraim Uggs. More contests coming soon, so stay tuned! Thanks to everyone who participated!!

Happy Freebie Friday!

2011-02-18T15:20:00.003-05:00

UPDATE: The winner of STORM OF RECKONING by Doranna Durgin is donnas! Congrats! Please email your physical addy to contests (AT)knightagency.net.

Last night, we had quite the memorable chat with ON THE HUNT authors Gena Showalter, Shannon K. Butcher, Jessica Andersen and Deidre Knight. Thanks to everyone who made it a great event! Next month, author Katherine Garbera, author of the Miami Nights series, will be our featured guest on March 24th @ 9pm ET. Set your calendar reminders now!

CLIENT NEWS: ON THE HUNT remained on the New York Times extended list for a second week at #35.

Report from Cyberspace:

To the surprise of no one inside the industry, Borders filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week and will undergo significant restructuring. Two hundred stores will close, with "Going Out of Business" signs posting today across the country.

Though it's hopeful that the company is not go completely out of business, our thoughts are definitely with those amazing booksellers who will now find themselves jobless during this already tough economic time. Borders has created website to inform everyone about the filing and future plans - Borders Reorganization Website

So what does the Borders filing mean for authors? Well mid-listers, especially, have an uphill battle ahead fighting less exposure, smaller advances and just plan falling through the cracks - Pimp My Novel

The Tools of Change conference, which examines the swiftly changing digital front in the publishing industry, took place in NYC this week. Here's a rundown of their most popular topics, including whether or not your e-books would survive an elecromagnetic pulse (who knew we needed to worry about THAT) - Galley Cat

Agent Lucienne Diver wrote an super informative wrap up of an Authors' Guild/AAR panel, "Selling Book-to-Multimedia Rights: A Walk Through Process" that she recently attended - Varkat

Are you a Knight Agency newsletter member? If not, what's the hold up? Check out Pamela Harty's inspirational February article about how to effectively set and attain your writing goals - The Knight Agency Newsletter

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Leave a comment to win a signed copy of STORM OF RECKONING by Doranna Durgin. The winner will be announced on Monday.

The 411: Lisa "Garrie" McGarrity is young woman once mentored by a ghost who now leads a ghostbuster team--all of whom are recently entangled with Trevarr, a fiercely driven demon-hunter from a different dimension. After tumultuous adventures in San Jose, the team finds themselves much changed and struggling to adjust, while Trevarr returns to this world--and to Garrie--a battered exile.

But Garrie and her team don't head for home; Quinn Rossiter has a lady friend in Sedona who needs their help. There, in that area of power convergence, Garrie is astonished to find the ethereal breezes quiet, the earth's activity so diminished as to be nonexistent...if you don't count those oddball surges that don't taste like our world at all. Soon enough, Quinn's skeptical friend soon goes missing...soon enough, their efforts to contain the situation go amazingly awry. With Trevarr wary and alert, his opinionated not-cat bond partner dropping dire hints of trouble on their trail, Sedona ghosts rising to act out against Garrie wherever she goes, and one living Keharian ethereal breeze detector gone completely amuck and on the loose, she has only just so much time to figure out what's going on before the power plays are too much even for this one-of-a-kind reckoner and her otherworldly partner.

Valentine's Day Afterglow Chat with the ON THE HUNT Authors

2011-02-16T15:18:00.003-05:00

Don't forget to join Gena Showalter, Shannon K. Butcher, Jessica Andersen and Deidre Knight for the Valentine's Day Afterglow chat ~~tomorrow~~ TONIGHT @ 9pm ET. The authors of the New York Times bestselling ON THE HUNT anthology will be on hand to dish about their books, share insight on the publishing experience, and give away tons of prizes -- including annoncing the winner of an iPod Nano and 10 hot releases from Signet Eclipse. The iPod Nano contest is a part of our ten-day scavenger hunt and ends at 3pm on Feb. 17th, more details on how to enter here.

WHAT: Valentine's Afterglow Chat with Gena Showalter, Shannon K. Butcher, Jessica Andersen and Deidre Knight

WHEN: Thursday, February 17th at 9pm ET

WHERE: The Knight Agency Chat Room, http://client1.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=115545

HOW TO CHAT: Enter any combination of username and password. Login. Your computer must be Java enabled to chat.