tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post7905080393254718828..comments2023-04-12T06:15:02.968-04:00Comments on Fantasy Debut: Tor's Ten Recent DebutsTia Nevitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05489109929908389257noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-56513239168735171402008-01-10T14:09:00.000-05:002008-01-10T14:09:00.000-05:00Oh, and -- squeal! -- I'm going to meet Sandra McD...Oh, and -- squeal! -- I'm going to meet Sandra McDonald!Tia Nevitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05489109929908389257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-68259669533153490012008-01-10T14:08:00.000-05:002008-01-10T14:08:00.000-05:00Paula, I'm delighted that you dropped by to give a...Paula, I'm delighted that you dropped by to give a much more educated analysis! <BR/><BR/>1) My "highly typical" statement was based on my experience on what I've seen over the past eight months. When I started this blog, I didn't expect as many debuts as I have per month. It seemed to me that many publishers were putting debuts out almost every month. I could be mistaken. I'll try to get a better sense for it over the next year.<BR/><BR/>2) Certainly not! :)<BR/><BR/>3) I was trying to discern which authors appeared to be complete newcomers, vs. not. As I said in the entry on Mark Ferrari, it did not appear to be very useful in his case; he had a long struggle to get his novel published.<BR/><BR/>4) I think unpublished novelists everywhere will find encouragement in this statement.<BR/><BR/>5) SFWA provided a convenient list of major houses. Locus Magazine has a similar list, which they divide into "major" and "specialty" houses. I have every confidence that Juno will soon be on SFWA's list.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the list! All of these novels are already on my debut calendar! <BR/><BR/>(BTW, I'm thinking of putting my calendar on my blog.)<BR/><BR/>I never mind being set straight, so thanks again for stopping by! Thanks for spending so much time on this!Tia Nevitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05489109929908389257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-24252897557459689462008-01-10T13:02:00.000-05:002008-01-10T13:02:00.000-05:00Hi Tia --Allow me to jump in with some points - an...Hi Tia --<BR/><BR/>Allow me to jump in with some points - and pardon my length!<BR/><BR/>I don't have the press release, so I don't know the raw data, but my guess is it is, as Patrick mentioned, merely a list of recent debut novelists. (Although Scalzi is hardly "recent" in comparison to the rest.)<BR/><BR/>1) On what do you base your assumption that this is "highly typical for major publishing houses"? Have you seen similar lists? Does it take into account that Tor is really the only New York publisher specializing in sf/f to the extent they do?<BR/><BR/>2) Surely you don't think books published in 2007 were submitted "last year"? ;-)<BR/><BR/>3) A debut novel is just that -- the first novel published by a given author. Jay Lake, for example, is not included on this list. MAINSPRING, pubbed by Tor in 2007, was not his first novel, although it was the first from a New York publisher. Whether an author is well-published in the short form or an award winner or a long-established professional non-fictionalist (like Scalzi) -- they are all debut novelists. <BR/><BR/>So what does it matter whether they were "established" in the field or not? It is a list of recent debut novelists.<BR/><BR/>4) Of course it is possible for a complete unknown to be published. Happens all the time in genre and out. The sf field, however, has a different history and community than other genres. Modern sf novels initially "grew" from shorter works published in magazines. At one time that was the primary route to becoming a novelist: establish yourself in short fiction, build a name. This is still one route, but one route only. <BR/><BR/>Being professionally involved in or knowledgeable about the field is not necessarily a "connection". I can "connect" till doomsday, but I can't write a publishable science fiction novel. :-) Sure, any door helps -- back, front, and side -- but you still have to have the chops to be invited in.<BR/><BR/>Further: Folks, publishing is a business. If you can't sell enough books you don't stay in business. Decisions about what to publish have to be made with this in mind.<BR/><BR/>5) Final quibble (and probably the only one that really concerns me): First, thanks for the positive plug for Juno Books. However...<BR/><BR/>SFWA, like any writers organization sets certain rules in an effort to qualify members. As a professional writers organization it has a duty to encourage what is seen as a professional rate of pay. SFWA has yet to deal with a lot of modern publishing issues because they haven't needed to. (For instance in the romance field some writers have earned a great deal more than $2000 from ebooks, but with zero advance. Surely earning $20,000 for one's work is a better rate than earning $2000. But this has yet to become an issue SFWA needs to consider.)<BR/><BR/>One of SFWA's qualifications is: *All* works of fiction published from a venue must receive at least a $2000 advance (or .05 per word.)<BR/><BR/>I don't know HWA's current determination of pro rate is, but back when I was a member it was also a $2000 advance for a novel -- except it was on a case by case basis. This seemed more reasonable to me because, if nothing else, it was more easily provable.<BR/><BR/>I really don't know how you determine if *every* advance is $2000. <BR/><BR/>SFWA, for example, accepts Dorchester/Leisure as a qualifying venue. I don't know about now, but I do know that not very long ago they did NOT pay a $2000 advance for every novel. Maybe they do now.<BR/><BR/>I personally saw, in 2007, a contract from a publisher on that list that offered less than $2000 as an advance. <BR/><BR/>Like I said: How do you know?<BR/><BR/>Moreover, on the form used they ask that the venue "Is NOT a small press, self-publication, or vanity press". Uh. What exactly IS a small press? There sure are a lot of SFWA qualified venues I would call small presses. I definitely do NOT see 29 "major publishers" on their list, though. <BR/><BR/>ANYWAY -- the point here is that SFWA is doing its job the way it sees fit. <BR/><BR/>In the case of Juno Books, I don't know if anyone has ever tried to qualify us. With the exception of the advance amount, we probably qualify and have all along. RWA, with different measurements, considers us an imprint of a press that has been in business for more than a year and has published more than ten authors. So SFWA might see that, too. And, if not, we've NOW met those criteria.<BR/><BR/>And we have authors that can, if they wish, show them a contract for at least a $2000 advance. But no one can prove we have paid that for *every* book. I'm sure not going to give anyone copies of my author's contracts without permission and even with permission I am not sure I would. <BR/><BR/>I'd like to pay at least $2000 for every novel. NOT paying $2000 may mean I can publish a certain book. <BR/><BR/>These are Juno Books Debut Novelists:<BR/><BR/>2006<BR/>Jade Tiger by Jenn Reese<BR/><BR/>2007<BR/>The Bone Whistle, Eva Swan <BR/>Wind Follower, Carole McDonnell <BR/>Dark Maiden, Norma Lehr <BR/>Master of Shadows, Janet Lorimer <BR/>Blood Magic, Matthew Cook <BR/><BR/>2008 (forthcoming)<BR/>Apricot Brandy, Lynn Cesar <BR/>Clockwork Heart, Dru Pagliasotti <BR/>Personal Demons, Stacia Kane <BR/>Seaborn, Chris Howard <BR/><BR/>Additionally, Chasing Silver by Jamie Craig is a first PRINT novel; Rags and Old Iron by Lorelei Shannon and Matters of the Blood by Maria Lima are both first novels they were (sort of) previously published.<BR/><BR/>Oh! One more thing...Sandra's THE OUTBACK STARS is an excellent book. A mix of sf, romance, and thriller/mystery. There's to be a sequel out this year, I think.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-16703112427178973522008-01-10T08:05:00.000-05:002008-01-10T08:05:00.000-05:00Maria, I will read it tonight -- thanks for the he...Maria, I will read it tonight -- thanks for the head's up! I am rapidly becoming more acquanted with Sandra. Look for more on her here in the future.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-20663866174179554072008-01-09T20:32:00.000-05:002008-01-09T20:32:00.000-05:00Tia said: --I had not yet heard of Sandra McDonald...Tia said: --I had not yet heard of Sandra McDonald. <BR/><BR/>I can't speak for the other authors, but I'm doing an author interview with Sandra McDonald on the OWW Newsletter in March. <BR/><BR/>http://sff.onlinewritingworkshop.com/<BR/>index_newsletter.html <BR/><BR/>(copy and paste the string above with no extra spaces)<BR/><BR/>I'm looking forward to hearing the story about her road to publication.<BR/><BR/>--the other Maria<BR/>LOL!Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-84067669198067664402008-01-09T16:48:00.000-05:002008-01-09T16:48:00.000-05:00Wow; maybe I ought to put up a post asking everyon...Wow; maybe I ought to put up a post asking everyone for their favorite small press recommendations.Tia Nevitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05489109929908389257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-36089821648815385612008-01-09T10:41:00.000-05:002008-01-09T10:41:00.000-05:00uhmmmm, maybe when Paula, our hard-working editor,...uhmmmm, maybe when Paula, our hard-working editor, isn't so busy I could ply her for information.Carole McDonnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15443401088634718848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-39708575060997675102008-01-09T10:04:00.000-05:002008-01-09T10:04:00.000-05:00One thing I love about either of their websites is...One thing I love about either of their websites is that you can see what's coming up well in advance. Definitely check out Medallion when you get a chance. :)Kimberly Swanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128123542611005280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-87300076898879700832008-01-08T20:53:00.000-05:002008-01-08T20:53:00.000-05:00Kimberly, I've announced 4 or 5 Juno books and I k...Kimberly, I've announced 4 or 5 Juno books and I know I have 2 or 3 more on my debut calendar for 2008, so they definitely have a lot. I'll have to look into Medallion; I've never covered them.<BR/><BR/>Thanks, Maria and Katie!Tia Nevitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05489109929908389257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-26856647550351003802008-01-08T19:56:00.000-05:002008-01-08T19:56:00.000-05:00Wow Tia, that's a very informative bit of informat...Wow Tia, that's a very informative bit of information! It does make you wonder which of the pubs welcomes the highest percentage of newcomers each year. (The smaller presses like Juno and Medallion definitely have some amazing fantasy and paranormal authors published with them)Kimberly Swanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128123542611005280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-22465658270162229712008-01-08T19:49:00.000-05:002008-01-08T19:49:00.000-05:00Great post. I enjoyed it.Great post. I enjoyed it.Mariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11234907275906877802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-2584653809425836902008-01-08T14:11:00.000-05:002008-01-08T14:11:00.000-05:00Really interesting! And I, too, would love to see ...Really interesting! And I, too, would love to see another analysis like this one, if it's possible. That would be neat.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-40401070736252585192008-01-08T12:49:00.000-05:002008-01-08T12:49:00.000-05:00I apologize for the misconception. I will fix the ...I apologize for the misconception. I will fix the post.Tia Nevitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05489109929908389257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-29385065346769893372008-01-08T11:13:00.000-05:002008-01-08T11:13:00.000-05:00Our newsletter didn't say it was a list of debuts ...Our newsletter didn't say it was a list of debuts from 2007. It said it was a list of ten "recent" debuts.Patrick Nielsen Haydenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13675127319737095559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-10121591413083918622008-01-08T10:24:00.000-05:002008-01-08T10:24:00.000-05:00Matt, thanks for the correction!Carole, that's why...Matt, thanks for the correction!<BR/><BR/>Carole, that's why I have another blog. I'm actually thinking of starting a third to showcase my calligraphy.<BR/><BR/>To answer your question: if someone will provide me with the raw data, like Tor did, I'll happily do another analysis. But I would shudder at the thought of having to gather the data.<BR/><BR/>I have not heard of Dark Hart; I'll have to check it out.Tia Nevitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05489109929908389257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-63181681851045664232008-01-08T09:45:00.000-05:002008-01-08T09:45:00.000-05:00Hi Tia:I swear, I had to giggle. Your mind is so a...Hi Tia:<BR/><BR/>I swear, I had to giggle. Your mind is so analytical. You really do completely commit to the idea of debuts.<BR/><BR/>My question is: Is there another spec-fic publishing company we could examine/analyse? A large company like Baen or Ace? A smaller company like Juno or Dark Hart? Wonder how many of these tor debuts were agented or from the slush pile? <BR/>-CCarole McDonnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15443401088634718848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-50318578053360061002008-01-08T08:43:00.000-05:002008-01-08T08:43:00.000-05:00That's an interesting analysis. If I could help o...That's an interesting analysis. If I could help out the cause by being a woman, you know I would. But a small correction: I guess I wasn't completely single minded in my career. I did have a few short stories published in the digest mags before selling RADIO FREEFALL. All but the last one sank without a ripple, but I still can't call myself a newcomer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com