Saying no

By Pamela

I'm not sure if you're like me, but I have a hard time saying no. I tend to be a people-pleaser and hate to disappoint others. But the other day, I said no and it felt great. I decided then to be better at determining what I can handle and what needs to be turned down.

I had accepted a freelance assignment I felt was fine--the money was okay, the deadline was reasonable and the scope of the work seemed fair. Then that changed. The two experts I was told to contact grew to eight and I began to panic. I had other assignments. School was already out and that meant even less time with my girl. I mulled it over for a bit and then called the editor and politely asked him to reassign the story. I briefly mentioned my going out of town for the weekend, and he said, "Oh, so you don't have time." I started to give in and then reconsidered. "I am leaving, but I'm really not willing to do the assignment now given the number of people you need me to contact," I said. Before calling him, I decided that even double the pay wouldn't entice me to keep the story. It simply felt overwhelming, and I knew with that many people weighing in, it would be difficult to write a cohesive article.

I did worry that I might possibly get fewer assignments in the future, but ultimately decided if future assignments were of a similar caliber, it was worth the risk. And maybe the editor would respect my desire to be treated fairly.

So, when should you say no to writing work?

• if the compensation isn't fair--the pay, the reward, etc.
• if it compromises your beliefs, ethics or principles
• if you're not qualified to produce the end piece (a tough one to admit!)
• if you don't have time to produce your best work
• if taking on the job causes you undue stress
• if you have to neglect other, more pressing projects to complete the work

I recently had a friend message me with a similar dilemma. She had submitted a fee for a writing project for a new client, and then realized the workload was more than what she anticipated and she had underbid the work. My advice to her was to reach out to the client ASAP and explain. I've yet to hear how that turned out for her, but I hope she was able to renegotiate the contract.

Whether you've taken on contract work or been asked to edit the family cookbook, write the neighborhood newsletter or proofread a friend's manuscript, you should speak up if you feel overextended. I think few people realize the time involved in writing or editing. You need to be fair to yourself and to those who have to live with your cranky self whenever you get stressed out.

Just say, 'No!'

Or, 'No, thank you.'



Image by Christian Guthier, Flickr Creative Commons.

A Writer's Worth

By Pamela

Over the past ... oh, wow ... many, many years, I now realize, I've procured a decent, steady income writing and editing as a freelancer. I'm a 1099 vs. a W2. Recently several new doors have opened, and I've found myself staring down the barrel of the what-do-you-charge dilemma.

Like any professional getting paid to perform a service, freelance writers and editors need to get comfortable with setting a fee for their work. Some publications offer a standard rate--you don't get to say what you charge; they tell you what they'll pay. You either agree to their rates or step aside and let them find someone else who does. Other clients might agree to a per-word fee, an hourly rate or expect you to bid on the project as a whole.

Before you establish your rates, here are some things to consider:

1. Have you worked with this client before? If so, you should have some idea as to how much work will be involved, how receptive they'll be to your suggestions and how much time might be spent rewriting.
2. Will you be expected to handle revisions and, if so, how many rounds of edits are you willing to do? Make sure you factor this into your rate.
3. Will you give up your rights to the work? If you submit a story to a publication, are you giving them permission to use it in other pieces, post it online or reprint without your permission? 
4. Will this open the door to future opportunities? If you foresee a client being someone you'd like to work with long-term, allow some wiggle room with your fee BUT keep in mind it might be hard to command more for your work later on.

What is your time worth? 

Like a tony resort in a coastal town, I've even been tempted to quote seasonal rates during school holidays. It's going to cost someone a bit more to get work from me when my precious child is sitting wide-eyed across the table from me--glaring holes into the back of my laptop, sighing, grunting and occasionally whining about how bored she is. Hazardous pay? You betcha! So far this summer, I've been a bit more choosy and, as hard as this has been for me, said "not this time" and let a couple projects go to someone else.

Most of all, you should decide what your time and talents are worth, factoring in what you're willing to sacrifice to get a foot in the door. If it's a client you really want to work with, you might be willing to write something on spec or offer up a one-time discount so they can view your skills. Just remember your value and what you have to offer. Writing might be easy, but writing well is a rare commodity. If it wasn't, there would be fewer people out there looking for someone like you to compose a piece for them.

Excuses, Excuses

By Pamela

Lance Armstrong photo by JoeMac1.

For two evenings this week, the television at our home was set to the OWN channel and, intermittently, I watched Lance Armstrong's three-hour attempt to come clean, so to speak. To set the record straight, to admit to cheating, lying, doping, bullying, etc. while I wondered if it's possible to ever really believe someone who has made millions and millions of dollars off his foibles. He had excuses, of course. Among the most common was: everyone else was doing it. I kept waiting for Oprah to say, "If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you do it?" But being a professional, I don't think she asked that. Then again, maybe she did. I'll admit I didn't watch every minute of it. I'm a mother of three; I know a real apology when I see it.

This week, I had three conversations with people regarding my lack of working on my novel. At our retreat in December, I immersed myself in my story, excited about where the characters were headed and spurred on by positive comments from my friends. But thrown back into my everyday world--one of chores and commitments--the momentum was lost.

Like Lance, I have a list of excuses. The newest one I thought up--and think probably has the most merit--is that I spend my working hours writing my freelance gigs. This morning I did my annual assessment of how much I actually wrote for work last year. In 2012, I wrote and published 152 articles. I figured these averaged about 700 words, so that's a little over 106K--a decent-sized novel and then some. Add into that word count 24 blog posts and a handful of other writing projects I picked up, and I can sorta justify why the well seems dry at times.

Lest you roll your eyes and chastise me for complaining about my workload, let me assure you of one thing: I never take for granted how fortunate I am for steady, writing work that I'm able to do from home. It's a rare gig and I work hard to keep it. But sometimes, when I start to open the file of my WIP, it feels more like more work than an outlet for my creative energy. I feel a little parched.

So, I'm going to work on it. Work on finding ways to make writing on my novel feel a little less like a chore and more like something I WANT to do. Suggestions?

A Writer's Words

By Pamela

As writers, we have limited avenues in which to express ourselves. Unlike an architect who can be remembered by his or her buildings or an artist whose paintings can be admired and displayed, writers are known and judged by the pages they produce. How we choose to be remembered is up to what we put out for public consumption.

Several years ago at the urging of Susan, I read Jantsen's Gift--a story of a mother's grief and her channeling it as a champion for child slaves. Although the story belongs to Pam Cope, Aimee Molloy is credited with putting the words on the page as her co-author.

Image by Josef.Stuefer, Flickr, Creative Commons.

Writing someone else's story isn't a rare concept. In fact, even some volumes of fiction begin with an author's creation of characters (e.g. Nancy Drew, The Boxcar Children, Goosebumps) and then other writers step in to help turn out books to meet reader demand--a concept also embraced by James Patterson who lends his name to brand books by lesser-known authors. But ghostwriting (or co-authoring, if the author gets cover credit) likely prevails most often when a celebrity, politician or person has a story to tell and not the skills to put it into a marketable account. In steps the ghostwriter.

After reading Jantsen's Gift and other memoirs, I became curious about whether or not I might be able to try my hand at ghostwriting. I was already making a decent work-from-home income as a freelance writer but thought this might be an opportunity worth pursuing. So, a little over two years ago, I picked up the phone and called a literary agency with an impressive list of self-help books and personal memoirs. When I asked if they hired ghostwriters, to my delight the receptionist said yes and to please submit my resume. To my shock, a few months later, an agent called and asked if I would like to talk to one of their clients who was interviewing ghostwriters for her memoir.

A few days later, I found myself being interviewed, by the agent and client, to write a book proposal. The following day, the client hired me. Over the next few months, we talked on the phone and I traveled to meet with her in person, compiling pages of notes transcribed from hours of taped conversations. Eventually, I completed a 60+ page proposal everyone seemed to be pleased with. And then I waited. And waited.

Knowing that the publishing business moves slowly, this didn't surprise me. But finally, nine months later, the agent let me know that the client decided to shift her focus back on her career and was no longer seeking publication. Sure I was disappointed, but fortunately I hadn't given up on my freelance work, so I was minimally affected by her decision.

Then yesterday I got an email alert about this client; I had set alerts a couple years ago and neglected to remove them from my account. My client had resigned from her job after admitting to sexual misconduct--a sad ending to a career that had been wrought with overcoming adversity.

I wasn't shocked so much as saddened by the news. And then, to be honest, I was a little relieved--relieved that the project I worked so hard on never came to fruition. Because, as a writer, I'm judged by the words I put to the page. My words, even if it's someone else's story. The story she told me didn't include the news I heard yesterday, even though the incident happened long before I met her. Her story, the one I was hired to tell, wouldn't have been completely honest.

As I put my head to my pillow last night, images of her in the news flashed before me and I pictured this never-released book being part of the story. What if my name was on the cover next to hers? What if a news venue called me and asked did I know? What if ... ?

Today, I sit at my computer with a stack of assignments at my elbow, grateful that my quiet, unassuming life as a freelance writer and wanna-be novelist goes on without much fanfare. It certainly makes me take stock in my work and what my name is associated with. Because, as a writer, my words are all I have.

Writing for Work

By Pamela

We devote a lot of space on this blog to promoting authors and the craft of writing fiction. Today I thought I’d detour a bit and talk about writing nonfiction—articles, Web content, features—as a means of building a name for yourself, getting bylines, making a little money, or for whatever motivation you choose.

For the past dozen years or so, I’ve worked from home as a freelance writer/editor. I have a degree in marketing but no formal writing education other than some wonderful English teachers and professors who encouraged me along the way. If you’ve wondered how to get articles published, I’ll share how I got started.

CLASSIFIEDS I happened to be reading the want ads in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch one Sunday morning and found a listing for a stringer. Part-time, work from home, covering the Illinois county where I lived. I sent off a résumé and assumed I’d never hear anything since I didn’t have journalism credits. But someone called and, for the next two years, I wrote the High School Focus page and wound up with about four published articles a week plus photos—a decent income and hundreds of bylines to my credit.

VOLUNTEERING It’s not hard to find volunteer work as a writer. After my newspaper stint dried up due to budget cuts, I found myself helping out at church, writing the weekly bulletin. After a few weeks, the church started to pay me. A few weeks after that, a member of the pastoral staff approached me about a religious paper in need of an interim editor, and that became my job for nearly two years. From volunteer to paid position in about a month plus editing credits now on my résumé. I’ve also been paid to write a school district newsletter and some education promotional pieces. Sometimes, you just have to ask if there’s a need.

REGIONALS After moving from Illinois to Texas, I spent a few months solely writing fiction before deciding it was time to contribute financially to the family coffers and began poking around for venues. I sent off some essays and ideas to some regional parenting magazines, but came up dry except for a couple that didn’t pay much. (You can find a listing of these here and, if you get in with some of the bigger ones, you can make a little bit of money; submit the same article to many, as long as you retain reprint rights, and you can end up with a decent return on your time.) I also contributed to a local women’s magazine for a short time before it went out of business. And I started a personal blog as a means to keep an online journal and found it a great outlet for trying out essays.

Then I found a regional lifestyle magazine delivered to my house each month that looked as though freelance writers contributed to its content. So, I emailed the editor to inquire about submitting. No response. I followed up with a phone call. This time I had better success and, after sending her some writing samples and my résumé, she gave me an assignment. Now, in my fourth year of regular assignments, I’m also editing for the magazine as well.

So many times we’re cautioned not to pick up the phone but, had I not followed through on my initial inquiry, I wouldn’t have found this awesome job that I continue to enjoy. Nor would I have met some wonderful people—some of whom have hired me to write marketing pieces for them.

ELSEWHERE Although I’ve yet to explore these options, I have had friends pass along writing opportunities they’ve seen posted on Craig’s List and other sites. I’ve known people who’ve gotten leads via Facebook and other social networking sites as well. I mentioned volunteering and, although I know your time is precious, you can accept small projects and you never know what might spring from those. Also, it’s good to offer your expertise to nonprofits. Even if you never make a dime, it’s great to give back.

The Story of your Life

By Susan

Today, I am thinking about my story.

I’m not talking about my work in progress, I’m talking about my story. The story of my life, the story of your life.

I just finished Donald Miller’s A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. He talks about your life as a story, with the same character arcs, growth and development as you would see in a screenplay or a novel. What are you doing? he asks. Are you leaning toward comfort and ease in your life, or are you taking on challenges that stretch your comfort zone, making you a different person at the end than you were at the beginning?

It made me think about my story. Right now, my story is busy- busy running children hither and yon, busy working, volunteering, busy avoiding swine flu. I’d like to think that it’s getting me somewhere, taking this protagonist of mine (Susan) from point A to point B. I’m trying to make it a story that I would like to read one day and say, “nice story” and not say, “Whoa, boring. What’s the point of this?” As Miller says, no one wants to read about a man striving to buy a Volvo, then buying the Volvo and driving off the lot. The reader wants some action, some conflict, and some resolution. Are we giving that to our own lives?

We make our characters go through all kinds of machinations. They get their hearts broken, experience loss, and experience triumph. Sometimes we "kill our darlings" as Stephen King says. Sometimes, we map out their entire lives and then, when we sit down to write about them, they have other plans. They veer off and do crazy things we didn’t expect or want. Sometimes they are right, yet sometimes we, as the god of their creation, are right all along and truly do know what’s best for them.

Look at your protagonist: your protagonist must want something deeply, and overcome conflict to achieve it. They must be willing to sacrifice something great for this thing that they want, the greater the sacrifice the better the story, in a way. They must change throughout the story, from cruel to compassionate, or from angry to accepting.

I changed some things about my WIP this week, taking 30,000 words and deciding that as much as I love the characters I have drawn, they are my back story. My true protagonist is emerging. She is someone that I saw early on as a side character yet now it is her story that is capturing me- her struggles, her conflict, how she will change as the story progresses. I see greater things for her than she sees for herself. I have decided that she is the story now. I, as her creator, am smiling on her.

And I am going to take her places that she never imagined. She will tell this story now, and she will live it. Will she fight me? Or will she dance along willingly on her new journey? Just as our lives take us unexpected places, I imagine she will go somewhat reluctantly as I throw things at her she is not prepared for. But will it make a better story? I think so.

At the same time, I am looking at my life, as a mother and as a writer. I don’t want to seek the path of least resistance, I want to push forward through things that may be uncomfortable but that will make me a better lead character in my own life. When you think about it, there is no other way.

Why I Freelance

My writing career has taken many paths, from local parenting magazine publisher to newspaper features writer to Christian newspaper interim editor. Currently I am pursuing fiction projects (including short stories, essays and two novels) while freelance writing and editing for a regional magazine. And raising a family.

Why freelance? Well, I have several motivations. First, writing for area publications gives me a little extra cash. Not a lot, but a little. An added bonus is being able to deduct writing expenses (such as conferences and professional memberships) on my taxes. According to my accountant, you can claim expenses for only a limited time before you have to show revenue. It’s not big revenue, but I have the 1099s to show for it.

Another great perk to freelance writing is building rapport with local editors and publishers. Right now I have an audience of over 700,000 people reading my articles in any given month—from Dallas to Houston and beyond. Some time in the near future, I’d like to be able to add to my byline: and her first novel will be published next year. Not bad publicity.

Along with schmoozing—well, emailing—those in the publishing business, I am also building an enviable list of experts in my Rolodex. One week I might interview an interior designer, a plastic surgeon or a pastor. Today I talked to a neuro/orthopaedic spine surgeon. Who knows what next week will bring? Why should this matter to me? The next time I’m working on my novel and need to know what a guy would do if he shattered the bones in his face or broke his neck, I know who to call for expert info. Can’t beat that!

So, if you are contemplating a freelance career, some free pointers:

Be proficient
Spellcheck everything from emails to articles before submitting. If you have a willing critique partner, let them double check your writing prior to sending it to the editor.

Be prompt
Never, ever miss a deadline. If you are calling it close, let your editor know why and when she can expect it.

Be professional
Submit invoices that look professional and follow up if you don’t get paid in a timely manner. Sometimes this happens and it’s usually just a slip-up. If it persists, then turn down future assignments from the client. Don’t allow them to take advantage of you.

Be proactive
Don’t wait for an editor to come looking for you. If you have a blog, great, but chances are you’ll have to go after your gigs. It’s pretty rare for an unknown writer to be discovered through her blog. Pay attention to local and regional publications. Once you have some bylines established, you can try for national publications.

Be persistent
My current account didn’t respond to my first email query about freelance opportunities. I had to take the old-fashioned approach and pick up the phone. I also get more assignments if I come up with ideas to pitch instead of waiting for my editor to call me.

Be patient
You might have to accept some less-than-thrilling assignments before you find someone willing to publish what you want to write. Essays and columns (the fun stuff) are usually given to staff writers, in my experience. News articles are easier to farm out.

If you have experience as a freelance writer and have any helpful advice I missed, feel free to leave a comment here. I find I learn something new every day.

Q&A with Jamie Ford

by Joan

In February, fellow What Women Write blogger Julie Kibler invited me to join her at Jamie Ford's author talk and signing at Dallas’ Crow Collection of Asian Art. It was an intimate gathering for an as-yet unknown author, but I figured, if I didn’t like him, I’d get a peek at some fantastic art. Little did I know, the next month his novel would make the New York Times Bestseller list. As it happened, Jamie thoughtfully answered our questions and enthralled us with a short reading from his debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

Since then, I’ve been reading his Bittersweet Blog and following him on Facebook. He’s a genuinely nice person and kindly agreed to answer some questions.

From his publisher:

In the opening pages of Jamie Ford’s stunning debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Henry Lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the Panama Hotel, once the gateway to Seattle’s Japantown. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made an incredible discovery: the belongings of Japanese families, left when they were rounded up and sent to internment camps during World War II. As Henry looks on, the owner opens a Japanese parasol.

This simple act takes old Henry Lee back to the 1940s, at the height of the war, when young Henry’s world is a jumble of confusion and excitement, and to his father, who is obsessed with the war in China and having Henry grow up American. While “scholarshipping” at the exclusive Rainier Elementary, where the white kids ignore him, Henry meets Keiko Okabe, a young Japanese American student. Amid the chaos of blackouts, curfews, and FBI raids, Henry and Keiko forge a bond of friendship–and innocent love–that transcends the long-standing prejudices of their Old World ancestors. And after Keiko and her family are swept up in the evacuations to the internment camps, she and Henry are left only with the hope that the war will end, and that their promise to each other will be kept.

Forty years later, Henry Lee is certain that the parasol belonged to Keiko. In the hotel’s dark dusty basement he begins looking for signs of the Okabe family’s belongings and for a long-lost object whose value he cannot begin to measure. Now a widower, Henry is still trying to find his voice–words that might explain the actions of his father; words that might bridge the gap between him and his modern, Chinese American son; words that might help him confront the choices he made many years ago.

Set during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in American history, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is an extraordinary story of commitment and enduring hope. In Henry and Keiko, Jamie Ford has created an unforgettable duo whose story teaches us of the power of forgiveness and the human heart.

Joan: Jamie, thanks for agreeing to answer a few questions here. Success has come quickly for you. If you weren’t such a nice guy—we might be stabbing pins into a Jamie Ford voodoo doll. What’s been the biggest surprise for you?

Jamie: Aside from someone actually paying me to write? Hmmm…let’s see, the most surprising moment would probably be a group of ESL students that were reading Hotel in their classroom—students from all over the world: Ethiopia, Sudan, Thailand, Iran, just to name a few. They could all relate to the challenge of trying to assimilate into another culture while retaining their unique identities. They also gave me these really cool hand-made cards, which were lovely.

Joan: That must have been a wonderful moment—knowing your book reached other cultures and touched them in such a way. Hotel is a moving novel—did you really write it in two months? If yes, stabbed voodoo doll will be mailed to you.

Jamie: Well, yes and no. (Hold onto that voodoo doll). I’d actually been researching 1940s Seattle for another book when I wrote the short story that would later become the Hotel. So I’d spent a lot of time––probably six months––researching and ruminating on the time period, the neighborhood, the jazz scene, etc. But when an editor read the short story and encouraged me to write the book, I wrote like a madman—about three months, with a week or two of non-writing in the middle where I flew to Seattle for more research, toured the Panama Hotel and met with historian Doug Chin.

Joan: Okay, we’ll save the voodoo doll for someone else. But what’s the latest on Hollywood? Are you negotiating a bit part into the contract? Will you write the screenplay?

Jamie: Hollywood is strange. Creatively, I’m sure there are incredible screenplays collecting dust while Dumb & Dumberer III gets made. Because of that I’m morbidly curious about the whole process (read: frightened). So far we’ve turned down two small offers on the film option. Both were intriguing, but not intriguing enough, I guess. Hotel is a difficult story to finance from a Hollywood perspective since the three main characters are Chinese, Japanese, and Black—not exactly a vehicle for your chisel-jawed Caucasian movie star, but we’re hoping that the success of Slumdog Millionaire has changed that mindset a bit. And no bit part for moi. I think the Hollywood version of that these days is an Executive Producer credit. I’d probably be better off with the walk-on. And as far as writing the screenplay, I love the control I have when writing novels. A screenplay on the other hand is like a sandbox where all the kids take turns getting dirty. I’m not sure I’d be able to share my toys in that environment.

Joan: I’m sure you’re right about the screenplays collecting dust. Executive Producer sounds good. No bit part, but at least you read your audio book, right?

Jamie: Oh, actually the audio version is read by actor Feodor Chin, but thanks—he has a far better voice than I do, trust me. Back in the day I think there was something sexy about having the author read, but then, some authors are terrible readers, so professional voice talent is used these days––a much better proposition than listening to some drunken, slurring, crowd-shy, Tourrette’s-addled writer who’s better off staying behind a keyboard. I listen to a LOT of audio books, and a great voice can make a book come alive. Mine would probably make dogs howl.

Joan: Hotel visits two time periods—something I’m writing as well. What was the biggest challenge for you? How much cutting and pasting did you do? Not as much as I’ve done, I’ll bet.

Jamie: Not so much really. I found that the narrative ebbed and flowed as my short-attention span waned. What was the question again?

Joan: Well, it worked. I couldn’t put your book down. It truly was a sweet love story. You’ve been fairly close-mouthed on your next book. What can you tell us about it?

Jamie: The juicy good news is that I’ve just agreed to a new contract with Random House, so my new book, tentatively titled WHISPERS OF A THUNDER GOD, is slated for release in early 2011. It’s about a failed Kamikaze pilot, now in his 70s who’s still searching for a noble death—one that will allow his spirit to be reunited with that of his late wife. It’s another historical, multi-cultural love story. Shhh…but don’t tell anyone.

Joan: I love it! But I don’t want to wait until 2011. I’ll never understand this crazy business. What advice can you give an aspiring author in this strange and uncertain publishing market? What do you think of the publishing industry’s current crisis?

Jamie: The best advice I can give to aspiring authors is this: Allow yourself a healthy margin for self-improvement. Keep writing. Consider everything to be good practice. You wouldn’t expect to sit down at a piano and play Mozart the first time. The same rule applies to writing. It just takes practice. As far as the publishing industry’s crisis, I think it’s rooted in an inward self-reflecting style of literary writing mistakenly aimed at other writers (and critics) rather than readers who are looking to be entertained and perhaps educated a bit. If publishers focused more on storytelling and less on performance writing, I think they wouldn’t be losing their battles with television and cinema.

Joan: Great advice and an interesting take on the industry. For self-improvement, do you have favorite books on writing? Tell us a little about Orson Scott Card’s boot camp. Did you have to run ten miles before breakfast?

Jamie: Scott Card’s Characters & Viewpoint was a godsend. It’s a terribly practical read, but really helped break some bad habits of mine leftover from writing for the camera. I stopped writing from the outside in and started writing from the inside out. And his Literary Boot Camp was amazing––and exhausting. With most writers conferences, you bring something you’ve already written, you workshop it, you sit through panels and basically hang out in some resort-like setting with a glass of merlot in your hand. At Boot Camp you start with a blank screen and you write. No show, all go. Then you go through a blood and guts workshop of those stories. It’s tough love at its finest. There were writers there who wrote 9,000-word short stories in two days that were AMAZING (and later published).

Joan: I’m not big on blood and guts, but I’d love to attend one day. You’ve traveled quite a bit since then. How many cities did you visit on your book tour? For your next book, imagine the budget is tight so you’re asked to sleep on friends’ sofas to save money. How many states can you visit if you employ this tactic?

Jamie: Hmmm…(counting)…I think I did 22 events in 16 cities. The funny thing is, I had friends (or relatives), in almost every city, which was fun but exhausting, because we usually ended up going out every night for dessert or a late dinner. And if I did the couch tour I’d probably have a place to rest my head in every city but Chicago. Hello, Chicago?

Joan: Our blog audience will want me to ask this question: How did you snag the wonderful Kristin Nelson as your agent? I love her blog, but I skip over the “what’s playing on the iPod right now.” If I don’t, the songs follow me around all day. And did you really turn down four New York agents?

Jamie: You know, honestly I think Kristin was surprised that I chose Kristin––because it seems that most newbie authors equate New York with success. But I’d always looked at Sandra Dijkstra in California as one of the premier agents in the industry, so the distance/geography thing was really a non-factor. In the end I did turn down those other agents, because Kristin truly understood the book, she understood what I wanted to do with my career, and she’s a well-respected up-and-comer in the industry. I describe her as “relentlessly nice.” She knows her stuff, and don’t be fooled, she’s a strong negotiator, but she doesn’t make you feel like you’ve been in a hockey fight afterwards. Plus she has an insanely diverse taste in music.

Joan: She sounds like a dream. Okay, what’s a question you’d love to answer but no one ever asks?

Jamie: “How did you get so strikingly handsome? Are you single? Is your wife here?” I keep waiting for stalkers, but they just don’t seem to show up at book events.

Thank you so much for joining us, Jamie. We wish you great success and will anxiously await your next novel. Readers, the paperback of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet will be out in October. And if you’d like to leave a comment here, we’ll enter you in a drawing for an autographed copy of the hardback. But hurry; we’ll only take entries from people who comment before midnight on Thursday, August 6, so check back on Friday to see if you’ve won. Be sure your comment links us to contact info for you or contact us at wwwtx6 (at) yahoo (dot) com. Also, unless you're willing to spring for postage, winner must live in the U.S.

UPDATE: The winner of the autographed book is C. I will email you today for your address. Thanks everyone!