Comments on Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent: NYC!

You know I have a feeling the vampire trend is sti...

2009-11-04T18:27:13.661-08:00

You know I have a feeling the vampire trend is still in for awhile at least. Many writers and readers I come into contact with mostly enjoy vampires, at least the ones who actually like fantasy or paranormal stories. There may be debate about the way they should be portrayed, but most can't get enough of those stories.

I'm 18 and some of my friends who rarely EVER picked up books seem to find the whole vampire thing well mesmerizing I suppose. If it's about vampires they'll read it. My friend won't read my manuscript since it doesn't have vampires...go figure?

Nona - Oooops, I'm wrong. His book will be publi...

2009-11-04T12:37:25.641-08:00

Nona -

Oooops, I'm wrong. His book will be published through the self-publishing company, Aventine Press. It was George Obama, another half-brother of Obama, who got the six-figure book deal with Simon and Schuster.

Nona – He’s already landed a publishing deal wit...

2009-11-04T08:38:14.040-08:00

Nona –

He’s already landed a publishing deal with Simon & Schuster, reportedly a six-figure deal, and the book comes out in 2010. :)

I'll be at Magnolia Bakery around noon today...lol...

2009-11-04T08:15:31.221-08:00

I'll be at Magnolia Bakery around noon today...lol

This guy needs an agent . . . http://news.aol.co...

2009-11-04T07:25:57.679-08:00

This guy needs an agent . . .

http://news.aol.com/article/obamas-half-brother-mark-ndesandjo/751417

P. Grier: Well said. I was getting my jacket and...

2009-11-04T06:27:13.145-08:00

P. Grier: Well said.

I was getting my jacket and tie ready to attend the funeral of the Imagination.

For an industry where creativity is supposed to reign supreme, I wonder why so many people are championing recycled concepts.

Carol, During my first and only trip to NYC I wa...

2009-11-04T05:09:26.324-08:00

Carol,
During my first and only trip to NYC I was nearly killed by a cat sized rat.

I am not joking.

My first 30 seconds in NYC entailed stepping out the door of the airport, startling at an enormous white furred creature scuttling across the street, tripping off the curb, falling into the street and nearly being mowed down by a taxicab.

The rest of the trip couldn't help being flavored by that, but was in fact fun.

I haven't been back.

:)

I for one has never bitten the vampire bug. I find...

2009-11-04T03:32:24.332-08:00

I for one has never bitten the vampire bug. I find it a pain in the neck when people go on about the virtues of these vampire tales.

Don't get it.

NYC Great place if you're a literary agent. Went t...

2009-11-04T01:07:20.540-08:00

NYC Great place if you're a literary agent. Went there once and my special memories are all about the cat size rats, running around all over the place after dark. You have the best blog for keeping up with what's going on in publishing, but your enthusiasm for NYC is overwhelming to a county girl like me.

They're right. Vampire is still the new vampire. A...

2009-11-04T00:46:49.384-08:00

They're right. Vampire is still the new vampire. Although I hear fallen angels are the next big thing.

Marilyn Peake: Ha! I sooo can relate to your book...

2009-11-03T20:35:15.156-08:00

Marilyn Peake:
Ha! I sooo can relate to your book-buying spree! Seems like I always get busy, don't make it to a bookstore for ages, then finally get to one and end up going home with 5-10 books.
I always feel like a binge drinker carting home a case of vodka... I usually even stay up all night reading after one of my trips to the bookstore.
Geez... now that I write that out, maybe I DO need help ;-P
It doesn't help matters that I live in Portland and work blocks away from Powell's City of Books.

Word Ver.: vorthless... as in, publishers think any book vithout a vampire is vorthless...

I'm hoping Japanese historical fantasy fiction is ...

2009-11-03T19:55:51.189-08:00

I'm hoping Japanese historical fantasy fiction is the new vampire... ;-)
Seriously though, since I am writing YA, it is great to hear that the children's list folks are riding high!
Thanks for the dose of good news, Nathan!!

I'm hoping that "middle-aged techno-geek" is the n...

2009-11-03T19:55:45.129-08:00

I'm hoping that "middle-aged techno-geek" is the new vampire as that phrase describes both me and the central figure of my WIP.

Nathan, Should I move my three children's books f...

2009-11-03T19:39:57.346-08:00

Nathan,

Should I move my three children's books from the back burner to the front burner?

With teeth like theeth, the only thing I forethee ...

2009-11-03T18:24:20.785-08:00

With teeth like theeth, the only thing I forethee thurpathing Vampireth ith good dental care.

Blank is the new vampire, eh? Half my manuscrip...

2009-11-03T18:24:13.719-08:00

Blank is the new vampire, eh?

Half my manuscript is blank--where's my check?

(I'M SORRY...I have to get all my bad writing out somewhere so it doesn't find its way *into* my manuscript)

Oooops, Barbara Kingsolver’s new novel is titled T...

2009-11-03T18:18:02.763-08:00

Oooops, Barbara Kingsolver’s new novel is titled THE LACUNA, not LACUNA.

Sounds like you're having a stimulating time in th...

2009-11-03T18:17:07.572-08:00

Sounds like you're having a stimulating time in those shiny new buildings. Photos..?

I laughed when I read that vampires are still hot.

Not. Over. Here.

In Australia the few publishing houses - and agents - mostly won't even look at fantasy stories. The focus is on mainstream fiction, literary fiction, women's fiction and crime fiction.

Well, I did my part to help adult literature the p...

2009-11-03T18:13:03.678-08:00

Well, I did my part to help adult literature the past couple of days. I promised myself I wouldn’t buy any more books until I made it further through my To Be Read piles OR some really, really, really intriguing books came out. Wellllllll ... I received an email yesterday, notifying me that my favorite author, BARBARA KINGSOLVER, has a brand new novel, LACUNA - her first novel in nine years!! that can be pre-ordered. No way! Way! OK, I pre-ordered it. Discovered while pre-ordering it that Michael Crichton’s posthumously published novel, PIRATE LATITUDES, being developed as a film by Steven Spielberg, can also be pre-ordered. No way! Way! OK, I pre-ordered both books for a special $10 each pre-order price. Ummmm, I then noticed HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY by Audrey Niffenegger which I put off buying earlier. Bought it. Phew, stopped purchasing. Then today stopped in a bookstore to buy a mocha latte and some greeting cards, saw A MERCY by Toni Morrison ... Bought it. I now have a lot of reading to do!!

Space pirates are the new vampires... Just sayin'...

2009-11-03T16:41:08.535-08:00

Space pirates are the new vampires...

Just sayin'...
:-)

Nathan, Welcome to my hood. If you need any shoppi...

2009-11-03T16:25:07.713-08:00

Nathan,
Welcome to my hood. If you need any shopping suggestions, I'm your go to lurker.

@ P. Grier We had that rule in my classroom too. ...

2009-11-03T16:19:34.248-08:00

@ P. Grier

We had that rule in my classroom too. What IS it with 7th grade?

I prefer the sunset district to broadway, the fog ...

2009-11-03T16:17:21.046-08:00

I prefer the sunset district to broadway, the fog to the rainy days, and fog horns to the honking horns, any day.

While you're in NYC, come over to Hell's Kitchen (...

2009-11-03T16:14:45.101-08:00

While you're in NYC, come over to Hell's Kitchen (Ninth Avenue betweeen 42and and 55th Streets hosts every cuisine under the sun--and then some).

Latest NYC trend is the wine bar (second only to the Asian sandwich craze), of which there are several in the HK neighborhood: Xai Xai is a South African wine bar on 51st right off Ninth Avenue. Explore the neighborhood, you'll be glad you did.

Day or night, Hibernia Pub, on 50th Street off Ninth, reigns. Nice mix of regulars, new tourists, and returnees. Good drink, good food, good adult conversation, good crac. No one's a stranger. Tell Sean, Mark, or Aidan I sent you.

Have fun.

REESHA: Re Children's Vampire books See Bunnicula...

2009-11-03T15:28:40.401-08:00

REESHA:
Re Children's Vampire books
See Bunnicula, a vampire bunny for the under 5 set

NATHAN: Enjoy NYC, though I always feel a little gypped when I go to New York and don't find a body like all the other tourist on Law and Order...