O! The travails of publishing!
Random House has officially passed on Letter Off Dead. And, might I add, dammit.
According to my editor, the still-esteemed Abigail Samoun, they passed on nearly the entire Tricycle catalogue, which is a bummer for everyone, because the Trike folks consistently had high standards and delivered great books.
The only lining on this black cloud is that they’re paying me the rest of my advance. And Abigail has promised to shop the book around a bit, assuming RH gives her permission.
This is drag, to be sure, but it’s the most common status in the publishing industry and I’ve been there before. My plan is to keep plugging away on promoting this book and keep plugging away on writing the next one.
In the mean time, I’ve got a fully-edited book based on a popular blog that has been carefully edited by a talented, meticulous editor. It’s ready to go to galleys. If anyone’s interested in publishing it, let me know.
And, might I add, dammit.
Tom
December 7 – That’s when the fate of Letter Off Dead is decided.
On December 7, the list of proposed Fall 2011 books by the now defunct RH imprint, Tricycle Press, will be decided upon by Random House. “Letter Off Dead” is among that list. So on 12/7, it will either go forward with another Random House Children’s Books imprint, or go back into limbo, which may be appropriate, considering the subject matter, but dang.
In the email I received from my editor, the esteemed Abigail Samoun, she said: “Ugh. Makes my stomach twist up in a knot.”
That pretty much sums it up.
I’ve been reading and rereading the list of these imprints to figure out where I might possibly fit in. Here’s the rundown, from my ridiculously uninformed opinion:
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers – This is cream-of-the-crop stuff. Bestsellers like Carl Hiaasen (who I love and who doubles as a best-selling crime novelist), Christopher Paolini (“Eragon,” which my son Abel loves) and Marc Brown (“Arthur,” about which my youngest daughter and I got into an argument–what kind of animal IS Arthur, anyway?). It seems highly unlikely I’d jump up to that level. I rate this one an unrealistic longshot.
Bantam Books publishes highly commercial paperbacks with a focus on movie and television properties as well as original paperback series. – Not a possibility, based on what I know about the way paperbacks work.
David Fickling Books - dedicated to bringing the very best of England’s children’s books to the young readers of America. To make this list I’d have to travel back in time a few years, move to England, and change all “cookie” references to “biscuits.”
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers – Another collection of seemingly bestsellers, such as R.L. Stine of “Goosebumps” fame and Louis Sachar, who wrote “Holes,” one of the greatest middle reader novels in the history of the universe. Maybe slightly less of a longshot than Knopf, but not by much.
Delacorte Press Trade Paperbacks – I should admit that I don’t really understand the whole paperback thing. I’m guessing you have to sell a bunch of hardbacks first to make this list, so I’m guessing this one isn’t gonna happen.
Dragonfly introduces children to talented and award-winning artists and writers through affordable paperback picture books. This isn’t me. I don’t do picture books.
Yearling Books – more paperbacks. Not gonna happen, as far as I understand it.
Laurel-Leaf is another paperback imprint that focuses on reprints. I’m not at the reprint phase yet, so not gonna happen.
Disney Books for Young Readers is based solely on Disney properties. Since there is, as of yet, no Letter Off Dead ride in Fantasy Land, this one is not a possibility.
Doubleday Books for Young Readers – the country’s oldest children’s book publisher, which, as far as I can tell, does only picture books and coffee table books. So no go.
Golden Books – In 1942, the launch of Little Golden Books revolutionized children’s book publishing by making high-quality picture books available at affordable prices. But since the titles include The Saggy Baggy Elephant and The Poky Little Puppy, it’s pretty unlikely Letter Off Dead will fit in there.
Knopf Trade Paperbacks publishes paperback editions of novels for middle and young adult readers originally published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers in hardcover. So first I’d have to make the Knopf hardcover list.
Random House Books for Young Readers does Dr. Seuss, Babar, the Magic Tree House, Junie B Jones. But it also includes middle reader and young adult. It seems like a long shot to go from a small independent like Tricycle right up to the mothership, so I’m gonna list this one as a stretch as well.
Robin Corey Books only does pop-up books. Could be cool, but not gonna happen.
Schwartz and Wade Books is a small little imprint, so maybe a possibility. When I see their list online, though, I only see maybe two middle reader books a year and no Young Adult. I’m pretty sure LOD fits in the YA category, so this will be a stretch, too.
Wendy Lamb Books says they focus on innovative middle-grade and young adult fiction by award-winning writers such as Christopher Paul Curtis, Peter Dickinson, Patricia Reilly Giff, Gary Paulsen, and Graham Salisbury. The imprint also seeks new talent and publishes many first novels. Hey, I’m a new talent! And my first book was a Junior Library Guild selection! They even sent me a certificate and a gold pin, so you could say I’m award-winning! Of all the imprints on the list, this seems like the best fit for Letter Off Dead. Wendy, if you’re reading this, I love you. Can I get you a coffee? And have you lost weight?
Then there’s Tricycle Press, which is still listed on their site, but is now officially closing it’s doors. Fare thee well, Tricycle. Your three-wheeling days are over, but may the words your brought into the world live on forever.
So there you have it: One good possibility, a handful of total long shots and a few not-gonna-happens. Say a prayer, would you?
I’ve seen the cover and it is wonderful.
Abigail sent me a rough version of the book cover for Letter Off Dead, as done by renowned illustrator Bagram Ibatoulline. It is stunning. I can’t show it here, but it does a remarkable job of capturing the longing that I hope exists between the characters.
I will tell you that it shows limited views of Dad, Trevor and The Boat, as well as a distant shot of the seaside village Dad is stuck in. It may sound like a lot going on in a single cover, but Bagram pulls it off beautifully. It also has a strong dose of eeriness, which I want to be a part of the book. I’ll share it with you all as soon as I’m allowed. In the mean time, the cover was sent, along with the manuscript, to Random House, hoping it will help to convince them to keep the project alive in a post-Tricycle Press world.
Filed under Uncategorized | Tags: Bagram Ibatoulline, random house | Comment (0)See what a crazy classroom of kids did with my first book
I’ve been doing a lot of author talks surrounding my first book, The Tilting House, which is a middle reader novel (9-12 age range). I greatly prefer to do these talks to students after they have read the book. While nearly all the students I’ve spoken to have done some sort of associated projects, such as illustrating a chapter or writing a letter to me, none have taken it as far as the following group of over-achievers, as you’ll see from the email I received a few days ago:
Hi Tom,
The 3rd-5th grade community at University Child Development School
would like to tell you how much we enjoyed reading The Tilting House.
The content was so rich that we were able to extend it into our weekly
math problems. Our students created their own geo-block tilting
houses, found the surface area and scaled them to full size.
Furthermore, we solved “writing on the wall” math problems dealing
with Platonic and Archemedian solids. Finally, once we finished the
book, we had a Tilting House celebration with grow powder doughnuts,
dress up the Daga family, decorate your tilting house and The Tilting
House trivia. Our students could barely handle the suspense at the
end and were sad when it was over.
We would love to host you at our elementary school in Seattle. Please
let us know if you are interested!
Sincerely,
UCDS 3-5th grade team
Grow powder doughnuts? I’m interested.
Tom
Filed under Uncategorized | Tags: author talk, the tilting house | Comment (1)Final round of revisions, then off to Random House
My editor at Tricycle Press, the esteemed Abigail Samoun, has sent the “complete” book package to Random House to see if another imprint will pick it up for their fall 2011 line-up. With the sad demise of Tricycle, it is now finger-crossing time.
I spent the weekend on a frantic final round of revisions. Even though we’re to the fine-tuning phase of the book, revisions can still be pretty extensive. Want to see how much? Below is Abigail’s Saturday email to me. I had to complete these changes and turn the manuscript back around to her by Monday:
Hi, Tom
I haven’t had a chance to do a thorough edit on this draft. I think it’s reading well and you did an excellent job on this last revision. Since time is short and we only have until the 30th to get this draft to Random House, I thought we should focus on a few fairly easy fixes:
General:
CARL
-Let’s hear Carl’s dialogue early on in dad’s letters.
-It still feels like Carl should be the one who keeps trying to get on the boat but can never quite do it—and when he finally does, he wants to bring his suitcase with him. That would strengthen his character arc. After he’s turned away from the boat, he could then retreat to his cabin, crushed. And when Dad talks him into going into the woods, Carl is already somewhat broken. As is, there’s no definitive event that breaks him. Doing this would also weave Carl in more at the beginning of the book. As is, Gordon is more present than Carl is and it feels like we need a stronger set-up for losing Carl in the woods. Gordon could be more on periphery before the woods section and then come more to the foreground once Carl is gone.
MUDGETT/MISTY
Perhaps Mudgett shouldn’t ask Misty out the first time—kind of dilutes the tension around his asking her out the second time.
SOCCER TRY-OUTS
Try to emphasize more Trevor’s chickening out of the try-outs and Donnie’s disappointment in this.
Page specific:
Page 30: Letter ends a bit abruptly
37: Dad mentions Trevor not going to school—confusing because at this point, Trevor is going to school again.
37: Uncle Floyd: why is Dad particularly worried about him? Has Uncle Floyd wasted his life?
50: Add some dialogue from Carl
61: Extend this entry—more about the lead-up to Trevor’s chickening out. Ramp up the tension here—will he or won’t he? Maybe mention the kids all gathering behind the gym for the fight. His running out of the school in this draft is a bit cartoon-y. Perhaps he should simply find himself turning left instead of right, toward the parking lot instead of toward the gym. Maybe he sees Donnie, watching him go.
69: “And death seemed pretty natural until it came to my own”–what about Meredith?
70: ‘Chicken dude’ nickname works but cut two lines after “these guys are such dorks”—high fives feel kind of cliche. Try to mention the rest of Trevor’s class—girls and guys—staring at him, pointing, whispering. Give the sense that he’s been shamed before the entire school.
75: Mention that Trevor is keeping up his boxing practice a couple of times between page 75 and 130.
77: Mention of Carl’s wife “disapproving” is confusing. Is Carl losing his grip on reality?
85: Should Dad start letter by addressing Trevor’s question about basketball?
86: Have Brandy laugh at Trevor? Or does that happen later?
93: Trevor seems pretty worried about Dad going into the woods at beginning of letter but then tells him to go ahead by the end. How does he get from one point-of-view to the other?
100: Bring in Misty more into this section. What’s her reaction to “chicken dude”? Does Trevor still like her? Set-up Trevor’s asking her out after fight.
119: “You old sinner!” Gordon sounds like Carl here.
128: Feels like we need to keep boxing specifics between Carl and Dad—maybe conversation about clinches should come during boxing training section. As is, Gordon’s knowledge of boxing is too similar to Carl’s.Characters blend together.
130: Have Trevor get a couple of punches in on Mudgett? Have Mudgett mention Trevor’s running away from earlier fight?
132: What’s Rhett’s reaction to Trevor’s fight?
142, 144: Where are Dad’s letters?
153: Isn’t Trevor worried about Dad’s recent letters?
205: “You’re clearly brave enough”–dialogue doesn’t sound like Rhett.
I wish we had more time to work on this but the manuscript is in strong shape and I think it only needs a couple of small rounds of edits. If you have any questions or want to run anything by me in the next few days—particularly regarding Carl’s character arc– please call me. I’m sad to think this may well be the last time I work on this book. Though I hope with all my heart that Random House moves forward with the book, it still hard to stomach the idea of another editor taking over the project. But perhaps they’ll bring a fresh eye to it and make it better than I could have at this point. I guess, like Gordon, I’m double-minded about this one. If Random House doesn’t want to move forward with it, I do know a couple of other editors at other houses we could send it to—of course, that’s entirely up to you. But I’d like to help you get the book out there any way I can.
I should have the cover comp to show you on Monday.
Best,
Abi
Filed under Uncategorized | Tags: abigail samoun, edits, random house | Comment (0)