The Jennifer (Author) Diaries

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Cover Reveal: Fallen Angel by Molly Snow

Today I'm excited to participate in Molly Snow's "Cover Reveal" blog tour for her newest novel, Fallen Angel.

Fallen Angel will be released Saturday, May 18th, through Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

Keep scrolling to see the hot new cover...

Authorlife: A Tale of Two Queries

Agents reject manuscripts--not people. This query for my YA paranormal novel Dead Girls Don't Cry was rejected by every agent I sent it to. I followed all the "rules" for queries. I researched agents' genres of representation, followed their submission guidelines, and addressed my queries to them personally. Truth is, the book fell at the end of a trend (undead teens), it lacked tension, and it wasn't marketable.

Authorlife: Signing the Contract

I've spent most of my writer-life hurtling queries through the universe hoping to attract an agent or a publisher. Solving the puzzle of how to "break through" required five novels, twenty years, and more than a thimble-full of tears.

The day I signed with my agent, Jacqueline Flynn, I leaped from one step to another, like a salmon climbing a dam. I hadn't arrived, I had only moved closer to my goal. It was not a time to rest.

New Release: Deep Betrayal by Anne Greenwood Brown

Who is afraid to go into the water?

Deep Betrayal, Anne Greenwood Brown's highly anticipated sequel to Lies Beneath was released today.

March Magic Book Giveaway!

Enter to win three paperbacks--The Pet Washer, Beswitched, and The Serpent in the Glass.

The Giveaway ends March 31, 2013

Life After a Book Deal: Blue Skies and Champagne Lunches

I won't lie, life after a book deal is....fattening!

Me at my fifth champagne celebration lunch with friends:


Francis Ford Coppola Winery--in February! I'm the one in white short-sleeves.

New Release, Dreamwalkers (Part One), by author D.M. Andrews

Today I have the pleasure of announcing the newest release from the talented and prolific author, D.M. Andrews. Dreamwalkers is an installment novel. Part One was released on January 30, 2013 and can be purchased for .99 cents. Part Two is scheduled for release later this year.

The Most Popular Twitter Hashtags for Writers

Hashtags make the big world of Twitter small. If you follow others on Twitter, then you probably receive hundreds of tweets per hour. Sometimes I receive a hundred or more in a minute. I can't keep up and I've stopped trying. Instead, I follow hashtags.

A hashtag begins with a #. Enter any of the hashtags below and follow the ones you like on a regular basis. You will soon recognize recurring names and meet others in the writing industry. Add to the conversation with your own meaningful and applicable tweets and links. Don't forget to hashtag your tweets so they show up in the applicable category.

A lot of professionals in the publishing industry watch these hashtags, so make sure you understand Twitter etiquette. (Here is an article by author Jeff Goins with 20 quick tips.) I can't stress enough how important this is if you want a career in this industry. Stay positive, re-tweet others, be helpful, and the Twitterverse will reward you.

Without further ado, here are the most popular Hashtags for writers and publishers.

How Long Should a Chapter Be?

This is the question I googled today: How long should a chapter be?

The concurring answer I received is, "The length of a string."

But is that really the answer? I don't think so. I visited many articles today and heard of 40,000 word chapters and one sentence chapters. Writers can do what they want, but should they?