Using Comparative Titles in Your Query Letter by Mary Kole and Book Giveaway

Happy Wednesday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Mary Kole here to share a fantastic guest post about using comparative titles in your query letter. Agents want writers to include comp titles, but it can be challenging to come up with the right ones. I know I struggle with this.

Mary shares some great tips on how to come up with them. I’m hosting a giveaway of one of her books to say thanks to her for sharing her great advice today.

Now here’s Mary!

Using Comparative Titles in Your Query Letter

Comparative titles—or comp titles—are an important part of the query and submission process for writers in any category, from fiction to picture book to memoir to nonfiction (where deep analysis of your competition is actually expected!). A lot of writers put a great deal of attention on this element—and it generates a lot of anxiety. I’m here to put comp titles into perspective and offer some suggested best practices.

 First, if you don’t have comparative titles for your project, I would recommend generating at least one or two. You can do the “meets” comparison or you can just talk about them. You’ll see some examples below. Generally speaking, what makes for a great comp title? The books you choose should be: 

·       Recent: Curate books that have been published within the last three or four years. If you choose one classic book in your comparison, balance that with a recent release.

·       Aligned: The comp should represent your book in some way, whether with a character or plot element, voice or writing style, premise, genre, or audience. That being said, it’s not unheard of to pull from a different realm—like film and TV.

·       Within Reach: Avoid naming obvious bestsellers, as your comparison of your work to Harry Potter will communicate distorted expectations of the market to the agent or publisher. If you do end up choosing a very familiar comp title, balance it with something more niche or obscure.

Yes, comp titles have gained focus in publishing circles. But they don’t have to be intimidating. You’re allowed to have fun with them. You can also choose certain elements of books, even if the title is not in the same genre or written for the same audience. For example, if you have written a science fiction story featuring an unreliable narrator who is building battle mechs on Mars, you might call it “The Iron Widow meets Before Mars”. Both books are recent. The former is a YA smash-the-patriarchy blowout, the latter is a story for adult readers with an element of psychological suspense. This hits upon the sci-fi mechs element, a psychological suspense plot, as well as the Mars setting.

Is this hypothetical mash-up of the two projects a perfect portrait of the book I’m pitching? No. The perfect comp title combination that hits upon each element of your project doesn’t exist. You should use comparative titles to get as close to approximating your project as possible.

Sometimes, that means highlighting elements from works if your comps aren’t exact. For example, you can pitch a sapphic contemporary romance with a snappy voice and real-world issues at its heart as having “the self-sabotaging romantic tension of The Falling in Love Montage combined with the poignant emotional exploration of We Are Okay.” Here, I’ve chosen specific elements from each of the two novels to call attention to. As I do so, I am pitching that the project has romantic tension and is emotional, rather than a light and breezy rom com.

You can also identify authors whose styles are similar to yours. For example, if you have a nonfiction project that explores the hidden economies of the food chain, you might pitch it as “a work for fans of Malcolm Gladwell and Michael Pollan.”

Think of using this sentence in your query—and yes, that’s really all it is … one sentence in a one-page cover letter—to send a signal to the agent or publisher. That signal is that you have done your research, you understand where your project might fit, and you have clear eyes when it comes to how you see yourself and your work.

To be perfectly honest, there’s a chance that the agent or publisher reviewing your query hasn’t been reading current releases. They might not even understand the references you’re making. You cannot anticipate all reactions to your story, your query, and your comps. Therefore, you need to do the best you can and use this element to bolster your query. But don’t stress over it or give it too much of your focus.

Comparative titles, when done thoughtfully and intentionally, will communicate the elements of your project that you believe are important to highlight. That is the real point behind this exercise. Solid comps can also demonstrate that you have a sense of the market and that you are well-versed in what’s happening on shelves today. However, it’s very unlikely that comparative titles will make or break your query letter.

Happy submitting, and happy reading—let your comp title research be a fun reminder to read in and outside of your category and keep an eye on the current market. It’s all part of being a writer on submission!

Former literary agent Mary Kole founded Mary Kole Editorial in 2013 and provides consulting and developmental editing services to writers of all categories and genres, working on children’s book projects from picture book to young adult, and all kinds of trade market literature, including fantasy, sci-fi, romance, and memoir. She founded Good Story Company in 2019 with the aim of providing valuable content—like the Good Story Podcast, Story Mastermind, and Good Story Learning—to writers of all categories and ability levels. In 2020, she partnered with literary agent John Cusick to create Upswell Media, an intellectual property company which develops compelling modern middle grade and young adult properties for today’s diverse and dynamic publishing marketplace. She also provides select ghostwriting and done-for-you revision services at Manuscript Studio.

She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and has worked at Chronicle Books, the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, and Movable Type Management. She has been blogging at Kidlit.com since 2009. Her book, Writing Irresistible Kidlit, a writing reference guide for middle grade and young adult writers, is available from Writer's Digest Books/Penguin Random House. Mary has appeared at regional, national, and international SCBWI conferences, as well as independent conferences including Writer's Digest, Penn Writers, Writer's League of Texas, San Francisco Writers Conference, WIFYR, Writing Day, and dozens of others. She has guest lectured at Harvard Extension, the Ringling College of Art and Design, the Highlights Foundation, and the Loft, and her classes can be found online at Writing Mastery Academy, Writing Blueprints, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning.

You can find Mary at:

Company: https://goodstorycompany.com

Editing: https://marykole.com

Blog: https://kidlit.com

Facebook: https://facebook.com/goodstoryco

Facebook: https://facebook.com/marykoleeditorial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/goodstoryco

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kid_lit

Instagram: https://instagram.com/goodstorycompany

YouTube: http://bit.ly/ytgoodstory

Podcast: https://goodstorypodcast.com

Book: http://bit.ly/kolekidlit

Upswell Media: https://upswellmedia.com

Giveaway Details

Mary is offering followers of Literary Rambles a $25 discount of $400 or more of services.

I’m offering a giveaway of one of Mary’s books: Writing Irresistible Kidlit or Successful Query Letters, winner’s choice. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment telling me which book you want by April 30th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This giveaway is U.S.

Upcoming Interviews and Giveaways

Saturday, April 16th I’m participating in the Raindrops on Roses Giveaway Hop

Monday, April 18th I have an agent/debut author guest post with Andrea Somberg and Carolyn Tara O’Neil and a giveaway of Carolyn’s YA historical fiction Daughters of a Dead Empire and a query critique by Andrea

Monday, April 25th I have a guest post by debut author Christina Matula with a giveaway of her MG contemporary The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei

Wednesday, May 4th I have an interview with debut author Betty Yee and a giveaway of her YA historical Gold Mountain

Monday, May 9th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jennifer Unter and a query critique giveaway

Hope to see you on Saturday!

 

 

 

 

 

Agent Interview: Kari Sutherland and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Kari Sutherland here. She is a literary agent at kt literary.

Hi­ Kari! Thanks so much for joining us.

Thanks so much for having me!

About Kari:

1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent.

I began in publishing on the editorial side—first at Disney Press and then at HarperCollins Children’s before moving cross-country to CA and freelancing. But I missed the longer-term connection to authors, so I became an agent. This is my sixth year on the agenting side and I love the variety and flexibility I have as an agent to sign clients whose work I’m passionate about, to explore new genres and formats, and to work the hours I choose (which are sometimes very late at night).

About the Agency:

2. Share a bit about your agency and what it offers to its authors.

KT Literary is a terrific group of agents who are very collaborative and approach the industry with a positive attitude. For us, it’s about finding talented authors and championing their voices. We work directly with co-agents to place foreign, and film/TV rights and we’re always on the lookout for opportunities for our clients and ways to boost their backlist as well as upcoming titles. We have our own podcast: kt literary podcast on Apple Podcasts and Instagram: KT Literary Agency (@ktliterary) • Instagram photos and videos and offer office hours to our clients for questions.

What She’s Looking For:

3. What age groups do you represent—picture books, MG, and/or YA? What genres do you represent and what are you looking for in submissions for these genres?

The focus of my list is middle grade and YA across all genres, but I also represent picture books, select chapter books, and graphic novels. In picture books right now my primary goal is to sign author/illustrators with unique perspectives and styles. In middle grade, I’m drawn to fantasy, light horror, and contemporary realistic with a lot of heart. For YA, I’m very open across genres—from contemporary realistic to fantasy to speculative to thrillers and everything in between.

What I look for in a submission first and foremost is voice—a character who sweeps me away or fully engages my attention. Beyond that, I love stories with layers—where themes are explored in new ways or woven together organically and that sift through human emotions and relationship dynamics with depth and heart. I am also a fan of stories that are compulsively entertaining with unexpected twists or loads of humor.

4.  Is there anything you would be especially excited to seeing in the genres you are interested in?

In the YA space, I’d love a thriller or horror novel that grapples with a real-world issue teens face today, explored either metaphorically or literally.

I would love to find a funny middle grade fantasy story with a female or nonbinary main character going on adventures with supportive, but snarky friends.

In nonfiction, I enjoy quirky topics and would love a Mary Roach-style project for middle grade readers or teens! I’d also love a nonfiction teen or upper MG project that digs into standards of beauty and celebrates all styles and looks, but also examines the economic, social, and psychological costs of the beauty industry.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

5. What types of submissions are you not interested in?

I don’t like to say I’m closed to anything as sometimes I’m surprised by something I thought I wouldn’t enjoy. In general, though, I’m not the best match for sports-centered stories (unless there’s an additional layer to it, like a women’s team at a high school protesting the uniforms they’re forced to wear) or books that are sci-fi and plot-driven as opposed to character-driven.

I love reading novels-in-verse for pleasure, but I’m not the best match for them as an agent. I likewise am not usually the best fit for rhyming picture book texts.

Agent Philosophy:

6. What is your philosophy as an agent both in terms of the authors you want to work with and the books you want to represent?

My aim is to work with authors whose stories inspire emotion—whether that’s feelings of coziness, rebelliousness, dread, hilarity, romance or something else—and whose voices are compelling. I’m eager to champion books that break the rules, explore universal truths through a specific lens, encourage readers to think in new ways and embrace who they are, and are books you can’t stop thinking about and just have to recommend to everyone you know so you can talk about it with someone!  

Editorial Agent:

7. Are you an editorial agent? If so, what is your process like when you’re working with your authors before submitting to editors?

Yes! Very much so, given my background. I will usually go through two rounds, sometimes more, with an author before doing a light line edit. I start with bigger notes that get at the crux of the story, pull out its heart and make sure we’re mapping out the character arc and plot beats, then a round or two of minor in-scene changes/tweaks. I aim to submit polished work, something that I consider “acquisition-ready,” but I don’t want to over-work projects as editors will have their own visions and will definitely be doing rounds of editing as well!

All my feedback are suggestions only and I always work with my clients to ensure that their story is the one being told.

Query Methods and Submission Guidelines: (Always verify before submitting)

8. How should authors query you and what do you want to see with the query letter?

The best way to query me is through Query Manager (Query Submission (querymanager.com). I like to see a query letter, a short synopsis (spoilers are okay! Sometimes I need to know how it ends), and the first chapter.

If Query Manager provides an accessibility issue, KT Literary’s general query inbox is queries@ktliterary.com and you can address the email to my attention. But I tend to review my Query Manager submissions more frequently.

9.  Do you have any specific dislikes in query letters or the first pages submitted to you?

Please start at the beginning of your book, don’t choose a chapter from the middle and make sure to specify your genre and age range in the query letter.

Response Time:

10. What’s your response time to queries and requests for more pages of a manuscript?

Longer than I’d like. I aim to respond to queries within 4-6 weeks. Partials and fulls take another month or two beyond when I receive them.

Self-Published and Small Press Authors:

11.  Are you open to representing authors who have self-published or been published by smaller presses? What advice do you have for them if they want to try to find an agent to represent them?

I’m happy to look at work that hasn’t been published before, so if someone has self-published or released through a smaller press, my advice is to query with your next project (that is not a sequel to the published one). You may want to indicate whether you’re willing to use a different name with your new project to separate from any existing sales track. I’ve had authors go from smaller presses to large publishers in the past, especially in a new format.

12. With all the changes in publishing—self-publishing, hybrid authors, more small publishers—do you see the role of agents changing at all? Why?

An agent’s role is still to advise and guide an author’s career so while there are new avenues opening up, agents can discuss which pathways are best for an author’s particular publishing goals and then advocate for them whether it’s with a small, independent publisher, an app designer, an IP project, etc.

Clients:

13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

I’m very lucky to represent a slew of talented people! Some of my authors whose titles have released include: Saadia Faruqi (the Yasmin series, A Thousand Questions, Yusuf Azeem is Not a Hero, and co-author of A Place at the Table); Laura Pohl (author of the New York Times bestseller The Grimrose Girls and the Last 8 duology); Kelly Coon (the Gravemaidens duology); PJ Gardner (the Horace and Bunwinkle series); and Dr. Amitha Jagannath Knight (Usha and the Big Digger). I’ve got two authors debuting this year: Isabel Cañas (The Hacienda – on sale May 3) and Rimma Onoseta (How You Grow Wings – on sale August 9^th).

Interviews and Guest Posts:

14. Please share the links to any interviews, guest posts, and podcasts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.

My manuscript wishlist is posted here and I try to update it every few months. You can find my KT Literary podcast interview here.

8/22/2022: Agent/Author Guest Post With Debut Author Rimma Onoseta Getting Revise and Submit Requests at Literary Rambles on 8/3/2022

Links and Contact Info:

15. Please share how writers should contact you to submit a query and your links on the Web.

You can find my Query Manager page here: (Query Submission (querymanager.com)

From time to time, I will close to catch up or close to certain genres/formats if I’m focusing on a different direction. You can also find more information about me on the KT Literary website: www.ktliterary.com.

Additional Advice:

16. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?

You’ve heard it before—read widely! Both in the genre/format you write in and also in other arenas to help you hone your craft. Remember when composing your pitch (that oh-so-dreaded, but valuable x meets y line) that you can refer to characters from TV shows/movies or use podcasts or songs to help convey the vibes/content/themes of your project. Build an online presence based on positive energy. Evaluate what your particular writing/publishing goals are and don’t compare your journey to others’. Everyone’s path is different! Find willing and helpful beta readers and return the favor. Learning to critique others’ writing can help you analyze your own. Remember that at the end of the day, your writing should bring you joy as that will shine through in your manuscript.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Kari.

­Kari is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment through April 23rd. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. If you do not want to enter the contest, that's okay. Just let me know in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is an international giveaway.

Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com

Note: These agent profiles and interviews presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found here is subject to change.

Debut Author Interview: Dannie Olgiun on Creating Realistic Characters and Between Safe and Real Giveaway and IWSG Post

Happy Wednesday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have debut author Dannie Olgiun here to share about her YA contemporary Between Safe and Real. It sounds like a gripping story with a protagonist you can’t help sympathizing with. I’m excited to read it.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

Fifteen-year-old Zoe Wilkes has ninety-nine problems, and a boring life ain't one. With two hungry siblings, an empty fridge, and a violent mother to tip-toe around, Zoe can't slow down enough to catch a breath. When she discovers Mama’s been reading her diary, Zoe realizes she has to stop writing in it. Trouble is, if she stops, Mama’s sure to think she’s hiding something, and will tear through her room like a tornado—again—to find out what. Her solution: write Mama-safe entries in the first diary, while writing her real thoughts in a plain-old composition book.

The more entries she makes, the fuzzier the line between safe lies and terrifying truths becomes, and it’s not long before Zoe fears she’s just as unstable as Mama. After all, the apple never falls too far from the tree. If there’s even a shred of truth to her safe journal, then maybe her real journal’s just a hot mess of made-up horrors. When things at home escalate, Zoe must face reality in order to keep herself and siblings safe. But facing reality means taking steps that could shatter her family. Can her friends, Cheryl and Nate, help her understand that love shouldn’t hurt and blood doesn’t make a family?

Before I get to my interview with Dannie, I have my IWSG Post.

Posting: The first Wednesday is officially Insecure Writer's Support Group Day.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

The awesome co-hosts this month are Joylene Nowell Butler, Jemima Pett, Patricia Josephine, Louise - Fundy Blue, and Kim Lajevardi!

I'm going to skip the optional question because it doesn't apply to me. I want to share my exciting news instead. Literary Rambles was just selected as one of Feedspot's Top 25 Literary Agent Blogs and Websites. I'm so honored and happy to have been included in their list. And I'm hoping that the exposure will help me reach more writers who I can help on their journey to publication. 

Here's a new tool you might find helpful. Kindlepreneur created a new free hashtag generator for Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Tiktok. You might want to checknit out.

Interview with Dannie Olgiun

Hi Dannie! Thanks so much for joining us.

Thank you! I’ve been a loyal Literary Rambles reader for years, so I’m thrilled to finally be here!

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

In second grade, I discovered my love of storytelling when our teacher had us do a semester-long project. Each week, we’d write a story about a classic monster, like King Kong or Godzilla. There were only two rules. Our monsters couldn’t be mean or hurt people, and anyone who didn’t finish that week’s story on time had to skip P.E. to finish. Needless to say, I missed P.E. every week for a semester!

It wasn’t until I was a month from my thirteenth birthday that I realized being an author was something I could actually achieve. I read Lightning by Dean Koontz and saw a character who reminded me a lot of myself achieve her lifelong dream of becoming a published author and I thought, if she can do it, so can I!

I wrote my first novel that summer. When I was fifteen, I got a typewriter for Christmas and taught myself how to type by revising that manuscript. I sent it, unsolicited, to some poor editor at a publishing company I no longer recall. Months later, I received my very first personalized rejection letter. Looking back, it was such a kind and encouraging thing for them to do. They told me I had promise and I had a way with words, but I needed to learn a lot before they could publish me. They finished off by saying they’d look forward to seeing my manuscripts in the future. At the time, I didn’t realize what a gift that was. All I saw was a letter telling me I wasn’t good enough. Instead of nailing it to the wall to stoke my writing fires, I threw it away, cried for a solid month, and vowed never to write again. That was an awful month and I realized when I’m not writing, I feel like I can’t breathe. Writing is a part of me and since I can’t give it up any more than I can give up swallowing when I drink water, I might as well work hard at it and make it my career. I wish I knew who sent me that letter so I could thank them.

2. That’s great that you were already writing as a kid. Where did you get the idea for Between Safe and Real?

We were at Ikea the day Mama lost her mind.

That sentence, spoken by a girl with a Texan accent, popped into my head one day while my husband and were walking our dogs. I had no context, no name, no idea what that meant, but the voice just repeated that sentence over and over for months. Eventually, I pulled out a notebook and asked who the voice belonged to. Zoe Wilkes introduced herself and told me she had a story we needed to tell. I asked her a few more questions and then opened a new document and let her tell me her story.

I’m a pantser, so I really didn’t know exactly what kind of story this would turn out to be, but I quickly realized that Zoe and I had similar stories. Not the same, but similar enough that it made sense she’d choose me to tell hers.

On Creating Realistic Characters

3. Your story has been described as gritty and very realistic. What research, if any, did you do on how a character like Zoe would relate to having an abusive mother and neglectful father? How did you know you could portray her situation so realistically?

As I said earlier, Zoe and I have similar stories. Like Zoe, my mother was abusive and my father was a doormat who didn’t do anything to protect me or my brother. Because of my upbringing, I’ve spent my entire adult life learning and reading books to help me better understand why my mother and father did the things they did. I’ve read countless books on mental health. One book, which I’m uncomfortable naming, has been a source of validation and education since about 2005, and I referenced this book frequently as I drafted Between Safe and Real. It was important to me that I portray Mama accurately, and that book helped.

For Zoe, I did a lot of journaling and remembering. I dug into my own memories and relived some of my experiences to get at the root of how going through those things felt emotionally. I drew a lot on my own reactions to stress and trauma for authenticity. I never questioned whether or not I could portray an abused kid accurately because I am a child abuse survivor.

It's terrifying to admit that simple truth, and I actually seriously considered saying this book is one-hundred percent fiction and that my childhood was all rainbows and ice cream, but that’s not the case. Being authentic and honest with myself and others has been a guiding principle for my life and I decided I didn’t want to start by published career off with inauthenticity and lies.

4. It sounds like you did a lot of research and pulling from your own experiences in writing your story. Share a bit about your process of creating Zoe as a character. What advice do you have for other writers who struggles with character development?

Although I’m a pantser and I never know what I’m going to write before I actually sit down to write, I always do a lot of journaling and interview questions with my main characters during the drafting stages. Zoe Wilkes was no different. I asked her questions about what she likes, what she’s afraid of, and what she wants to say. I asked her to tell me her favorite memory and a memory she wishes she could forget. With each revision, and there were many, I learned new things that made Zoe feel like a real person instead of a cardboard cutout.

5. What did you learn about deepening Zoe as a character and your plot from working with your editor?

I knew when I was on the first draft that I’d have a lot of work to do in order to deepen the plot of Between Safe and Real. That original draft was much, much shorter, and far more graphic. That was okay, though, because I knew Zoe just had to tell me her story in her own way and that I’d be able to add layers in and fill in the gaps in subsequent drafts. By the time my editor got her hands on it, it was a much deeper story, but there was still a lot of work to do. Sybelle helped me identify holes I could fill with world and character building, but ultimately, I learned that no character is ever done. Just as I never stop learning and growing, neither do my characters. At a certain point, you just have to recognize when you’ve developed a character or plot as much as you can and then stop mussing around with it.

6. It’s great that your editor helped you fill in the holes in your story. What was the biggest challenge in writing your story? How did you overcome it?

Without a doubt, my biggest challenge was keeping my own mental health intact while telling an incredibly painful and triggering story. There were days when writing upset me so much I cried or lashed out at my family. The things that got me through were the belief that I was working on something that had potential to help adults and kids in or from similar situations. I leaned heavily on long walks, taking breaks when necessary, yoga, and jogging. I also powered through by reminding myself that whatever situation Zoe was in when I stopped writing, she’d be stuck there until I got her out. That guilt alone was usually enough to get me fire up my laptop again.

On Your Road to Publication and Marketing Your Book

7. Your agent is Tina Schwartz. How did she become your agent and what was your road to publication like?

I pitched the concept of Between Safe and Real at Dallas Fort-Worth Writers Conference in 2018. She loved the concept and told me to send the full as soon as I felt it was ready. A year later, in June 2019, I sent her the full and started my querying journey for this book. It felt like Tina had my manuscript for a million years, but I kept myself busy querying and living life. In March 2020 I got offers of representation from Tina and one other agent. I went with Tina because I liked her and she made me feel safe, which was incredibly important to me considering how scary and painful this book was to write! We got to work on revisions right away and in, I believe, July 2020 we went on submission. I signed my publishing contract in November 2020.

8. It’s cool that you met your agent at a conference. What have you done pre-release to promote your book? Would you have done anything differently in retrospect?

I’ve done my best to build buzz on social media by sharing things like unboxing videos and cover reveals. I also plugged into my 2022 Debut group and learned so much about marketing from them. Marketing is not my strong suit and my debut group was and continues to be invaluable. Plus, it’s really, really fun to watch and cheer on my debut year siblings as they release and succeed.

I did have one local indie bookstore who agreed to host an author event for my launch, but I never heard back from them and after several attempts, I scratched them off my list.

One of the coolest things I’ve done is help develop a panel with four other authors. The four of us who debut in 2022 are the panelists and the 2016 debut author is the moderator for our discussion about how to reach and engage at-risk youth through kidlit. On March 4, we presented our panel at the Association of Independent School Librarians’ virtual conference and at the end of June, we’ll present our panel at the American Library Association’s in-person conference in Washington D.C

This is a dream come true for me because I’ve always measured writing success not by hitting bestseller lists or making six-figure advances (though I wouldn’t sniff at those!), but by having my books in libraries so the kids who need them can access them for free. Because my publisher for this book is small, they don’t have the resources to help me market or get me on librarians’ radars, so the AISL and ALA conferences are my best shot at getting any attention from librarians.

9. It’s great how the 2022 Debut Group has helped you. What did you do to market your book when it was released in March? What plans do you have for promoting it in the upcoming months?

Between Safe and Real actually released a month earlier than I expected and I had a lot of personal things going on that kept me from being able to give it the marketing it deserved, and I feel so bad about that.

But as I said above, I’ve put a ton of work into our panel for the AISL and ALA. I also created a press release. Oh, and I talk about my book constantly at my day job. I work retail and I’ve had a surprising number of people ask for my card. I don’t know if chatting with people in person is translating into sales, but word of mouth is a marketing strategy, right?

10. What are you working on now?

I have a completed first draft of a YA horror that’s screaming for my attention, but I’ve been so consumed with personal stuff, work, and launching that I haven’t had time to look at it in what feels like seventy-three years. It’s still too rough for me to describe the plot, but it’s basically about trauma, sibling love, and learning to forgive yourself. Right now, I’m calling it The Devil’s Woods, but who knows if I’ll change the title in the next draft.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Dannie.

Thank you, Natalie! It’s been a pleasure! You can find Dannie at

https://www.dmolguin.com/

https://twitter.com/DannieMOlguin

https://www.facebook.com/DannieMOlguin

Giveaway Details

Donnie has generously offered a paperback of Between Safe and Real for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by April 23rd. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This giveaway is U.S.

Upcoming Interviews and Giveaways

Monday, April 11th I have and agent spotlight interview with Kari Sutherland and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, April 13th I have a guest post by editor Mary Kole with a giveaway of one of her books

Saturday, April 16th I’m participating in the Raindrops on Roses Giveaway Hop

Monday, April 18th I have an agent/debut author guest post with Andrea Somberg and Carolyn Tara O’Neil and a giveaway of Carolyn’s YA historical fiction Daughters of a Dead Empire and a query critique by Andrea

Monday, April 25th I have a guest post by debut author Christina Matula with a giveaway of her MG contemporary The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei

Wednesday, May 4th I have an interview with debut author Betty Yee and a giveaway of her YA historical Gold Mountain

Monday, May 9th I have an agent spotlight interview with Jennifer Unter and a query critique giveaway

Hope to see you on Monday!

 

 

 

April Showers Giveaway Hop

Happy Tuesday Everyone! Today I'm thrilled to be participating in the Life’s a Beach Giveaway Hop hosted by The Mommy Island and The Kids Did It. I'm so excited it's April. It's finally getting in the 40's and 50's in Michigan, which means it's warm enough for my dog and I to enjoy walking outside. I don't mind the winter, but I always feel more upbeat when it's sunnier and warmer. And it's my daughter's and her boyfriend's birthdays in April, which will be fun to celebrate. Hope you're all enjoyng better weather and good times too.

Here are the newly released MG and YA books I'm offering in this giveaway hop. You can also choose another book in the series by these authors. You can find descriptions of these books on Goodreads. Here are your choices:

 

If you haven't found a book you want, you can win a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

Giveaway Details

One lucky entrant selected by the entry form will receive a book of their choice listed above or a $10 Amazon Gift Card. Open to entrants internationally as long as Book Depository ships to you for free, 13 years and older. Open for entry from 4/05 – 4/19/2022 at 11:59 pm EST. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. The selected winner will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email to claim this prize or a new winner will be selected.

Please note that you must be a blog follower and leave a blog comment to enter the contest. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Upcoming Interviews and Giveaways

Wednesday, April 6th I have an interview with debut author Dannie Olgiun with a giveaway of her YA contemporary Between Safe and Real and my IWSG Post

Monday, April 11th I have and agent spotlight interview with Kari Sutherland and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, April 13th I have a guest post by editor Mary Kole with a giveaway of one of her books

Monday, April 18th I have an agent/author guest post with Andrea Somberg and Carolyn Tara O’Neil and a giveaway of Carolyn’s YA historical fiction Daughters of a Dead Empire and a query critique by Andrea

Hope to see you tomorrow!

And here are all the other blogs participating in this blog hop: