Good morning from the Writing Cave. For me it’s been a month of travel, writing conferences, meetings and research, and while it was fun, I’m happy to be back at my desk spending some time with you.
The most exciting bit of news I have to share this month is that the proof pages of my forthcoming novel The Puzzle Master have arrived! Aren’t they beautiful? I love the design of the first page!
If you read last month’s newsletter, you know I was in Paris. It’s my favorite city in the world, not least because I always run into old friends there…
I’ve always wanted to visit the Catacombs of Paris, but for some reason or another, I never did. And so in August, when the air was hot and humid, my friend Julie and I decided it would be the perfect time to explore subterranean Paris. The Catacombs de Paris is in the 14th arrondissement and, as we walked in, there was an announcement: “Arrête! C’est l’empire de la mort!”
We followed a narrow spiral staircase down into the earth for what felt like miles. Finally, we were deposited in a cool, slightly damp space that, as I looked through the dim corridors, felt like a Roman ruin.
Only with the bones of over six million people, including Robespierre.
I don’t frighten easily, but I went through the catacombs without lingering, only glancing at the caverns and vaults before climbing back up to fresh air.
My other travels took me to Bouchercon in Minneapolis, where I spoke on a panel about mixing genres (which is something I apparently do) and then on to Lenox, MA, where the Authors Guild had their first WIT Festival.
One of the highlights of the WIT Festival for me was seeing Dan Brown’s Wild Symphony. Of course, we all know Dan Brown’s thrillers, but I had no idea that he was also a composer. Wild Symphony is a children’s book meant to be accompanied by music. Dan Brown wrote the book and composed the music.
Reader of the Month
I’m excited to announce that I’m adding a new feature to my newsletter: The Reader of the Month. Each month I’ll feature one of my extraordinary readers. If you’d like to be featured as a Reader of the Month, please write to me at danielle@danielletrussoni.com.
Everyone, please meet Darian Bianco-Charles! She lives in Kentucky, USA and works as an adjunct professor, teaching first-year English courses. Darian is married to her high school sweetheart of over eight years, and they have a pittie-terrier mix named Ellie.
I asked Darian a few bookish questions.
Q) What are your favorite kinds of books to read?
A) I've always been an avid genre reader, and horror was my first love, followed by fantasy, sci-fi, and magical realism. I enjoy anything that has a darker, grittier edge, and have a few favorite classic and literary works that I return to from time to time.
Q) What are some of your hobbies and interests?
A) My dream is to be an author myself someday, so I'm constantly trying to learn from what I read and improve my craft. For fun, I enjoy listening to music, watching documentaries, trying new coffee shops, and cuddling with my dog!
Q) Why do you love to read? Where do you enjoy reading?
A) For me, reading is less escapism and more inspiration. The joy I get from well-written characters, exciting adventures, and heart-rending plotlines is enough to keep me going for the rest of my life—after all, the world will never run out of stories. I tend to read anywhere I can, since I usually bring a book with me wherever I go, but my favorite place to read is my living room couch, with a candle lit and a cup of coffee.
Darian, it was such a pleasure meeting you! Thank you so much for being my first ROTM. You were the perfect person to kick off this new newsletter feature.
Further Reading
Readers and writing students often ask me about what I’m reading about books and literature. I’m excited to share a few recent articles to check out. Let me know what you think…
An in-depth look at violence and how we handle it in fiction…
I recommend plenty myself, so here’s someone else’s favorites…
“The Best Horror Novels of 2022 (So Far)”
For a foray into television…
“Sins of Our Mother’ Review: American Gothic Weirdness”
This was a fun way to find my next read…
“Quiz: Build A Survival Plan And Get Your Next Survival Thriller Read”
Ranging from horror to romance…
“10 of the Best LGBTQ+ Books to Read This Fall”
Submission Opportunities
I am part of the incredible low residency writing program at Salve Regina. As such, I’m always on the lookout for submission opportunities for emerging writers. I know many of you are writers, and might be interested in sending out your work. Check out these select opportunities for getting your work published.
Literary agency actively seeking new and/or established authors in a variety of genres and categories of both fiction and non-fiction.
Length: finished novels or nonfiction book proposals
Payment: Upon sale to publisher
Deadline: Rolling
Stories that investigate how place shapes identity, imagination, and understanding through our print and digital publications and events.
Length: Varies by category
Payment: $25
Deadline: Before May 15th and after Aug 15th
See full list of agents here.
Length: finished novels or nonfiction book proposals
Payment: Upon sale to publisher
Deadline: Rolling
Stories based on a provided first line.
Length: 300 to 5,000 words
Payment: varies from $5 to $50
Deadline: Varies by issue.
Only the finest in fiction, poetry, and non-fiction….very interested in less experienced or unpublished writers with exceptional promise.
Length: up to 8,000 words
Payment: varies $50 to $300
Deadline: opens November 1st and closes May 1st
Q&A
Finally, I opened the floor to my friends on social media again this month to take any questions about my new books or the writing/reading/publishing world at large.
How do you handle the pressure of book reviews?
The short answer to this: I don’t. I really can’t do anything about the reviews my books receive. Some authors read their reviews. They celebrate when they are good and feel anguish when they’re bad. But I don’t read reviews. I never go to my Amazon or Goodreads pages. And I try not to read professional reviews (although sometimes, when my editor or agent sends one and tells me to read it, I will). My feeling is that if you believe the good reviews, you also have to believe the bad ones. My choice is to stay clear of all of them.
Thoughts on indie vs. traditional publishing and how to choose?
That’s a tough call. It really depends on what kind of book you're publishing. If, for example, you’re a literary writer and you need the imprimatur of a literary publishing house, I would definitely go the traditional route. If you’re a horror writer, or a romance writer, you might find that you can reach your audience directly by publishing with an indie press that specializes in that genre (and that fans go to for recommendations). You may also want to consider your own ability to reach readers. Do you have a strong social media presence? Do you like reaching out to readers yourself? If you do, then perhaps you don’t need the muscle of a traditional publisher, and you have the freedom to choose an independent one.
As always, a big thank you to everyone for spending the time with me here, on my website, and across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. My books wouldn’t be possible without your support! Please stay in touch and let me know how you’re doing.
Yours,
Danielle