Another Query Draft

Dear Agent Person,

 Varick withdrew to silent southern South Dakota to discern the mysteries of his dreams. He doesn’t know he is on a murderous errand for a local tribe. Mia crashes, literally, into his life, and he starts to wonder if it really was by chance. But, to hell with it, he finally has some purpose.

Together, they drive west. Mia spends most of her time asleep in the cab of Varick's old pick-up. It is there that she can communicate with her parasite, Amelia. Amelia traveled through a water portal into Mia’s mind and is controlling and pervading Mia through her memories. Mia must keep herself separate from Amelia while becoming obsessed with protecting the memory of a lost child.

         As Amelia fully forms within Mia’s mind, the journey is laid out before her. Mia fears what will happen once they reach the sacred Cathedral Spires, but going there is the only way to rid herself of Amelia. While the trio near the Black Hills, the Chief waits for his revenge against his own soil and takes charge against Varick to prevent him from fulfilling his mission.

Please consider my novel, Water and Stone. It is complete at 92,000 words. This novel should appeal to those who enjoy sci-fi works like those of Margaret Atwood and the psychological horror of Stephen King.

The first chapter of Water and Stone was chosen for awards for the Agnes Hyde writing contest, and it was published in the Spring 2014 edition of the literary journal Prairie Winds.

         I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Kind Regards, 


Amber R. Hiles 

@hiles_amber

www.linkedin.com/in/amberhiles/

http://amberhilesdesign.blogspot.com

Setting Type- Art form and a Science

The following are some Q&A concerning typesetting... especially for blocks of text. Information from:

1. Discuss why line length is important when setting type.

            - If the line is too short, there will be too many hyphenated words. This forces the readers to jump to the new lines so often that it affects reading comprehension. Conversely, a long line length is cumbersome and confusing. A general guide is to have 45-75 characters per line depending on type and x-height.

2.  Should the default leading the best choice for lengthy text?

            It can be used, but each typesetter should pay close attention to the line spacing according to what they are trying to achieve. Different typefaces have different x-heights, and sometimes the leading needs to be adjusted. For example, I have been setting the text for my novel in InDesign, and I found that 140% of the point size is actually preferable for readability. Careful attention should be paid to the leading of any body of text. Additionally, all caps text begs to be leaded closer that upper and lower case type. Because there are no descenders, the block looks good with negative leading.

3. Discuss the different types of alignment.

            -Flush left- this is the default setting. It aligns text to the left margin and allows the right margin to rag. I found that this is a very bad alignment choice for novels!

            -Flush right- this style aligns to the right and rags to the left. It is difficult to read, and should only be used intentionally for artistic style. 

            -Justified- both the right and left margins align. This results in a geometric block of text. You have to be careful when using this alignment tool, because it can result in characters and words that are too compressed or too expanded. This looks very messy and amateurish. You can adjust this alignment setting in your paragraph settings to achieve a better look.

            -Centered- this alignment method centers the text. It is good for titles and headlines, but is hard to follow with larger blocks of text.

            -Wrap-Around- text that wraps around an object. It is a useful tool when setting type with images, but careful attention must be paid to make sure there are no widows hanging about.

            -Countoured- Contoured type is arranged in a particular shape or to fit a particular shape. This is used for aesthetic reasons.

4. Discuss different ways to create separation of thought.

            -First line indents are the most common. The indent can be adjusted, and for stylistic purposes, the first line should be not be indented. There is nothing to separate it from.

            -Extreme indents are sometimes to the depth of half of the column width. It is used on the first few paragraphs for a classy and interesting look.

            -Hanging indents are also known as an outdent. It is the opposite of an indent in that the first line hangs out of the left of the paragraph.

            -Dingbats can be used to separate text. It is a graphic element that is placed between the last sentence of a paragraph and the first word of the new paragraph.

5. When should extra line space in paragraphs be used?

            -It is most appropriately used in e-mail and print correspondence and in short pieces like advertisements and intro copy on the web.

Book Shout Out

Check them out! 

I am ordering The Cabinet or Curiosities right now.

Dies the Fire hooked me right away. It fills me full of that uncertain fear... the cold neck sweat... the feeling that someone is behind you as you crane your neck trying to find a comfortable reading position.

Uncertainty....

Enjoy

Queries, Agents, Publishing, OH MY!

A year ago, after my finishing my first novel, I thought that the hard part was over. I had some friends at the university, so I had everyone in the English department in on the project. It was reviewed, edited, and reviewed and edited again. Then, I killed my darlings (30,000) of them, and had it reviewed and edited yet again.

It was ready, right? Finished. Finito. Now, all I had to do was write a query and get picked up by an agent.

Ha. Ha. Ha.

I have been through at least 59 versions of my query letter. When I first finished the novel, I thought compressing the novel down to a couple short paragraphs was the most impossible task. I'm getting better at it. Actually, I just submitted what I feel is my final version to query shark. I know I have a lot to learn, but I am researching like an obsessed teacher's pet.

There are a lot of things I am finding out about the publishing world and myself.

I figured, after a bunch of rejections, that I could self-publish. Not only do I have a Creative Writing degree, but I also have a Digital Media and Design degree. (I thought they went hand in hand!) Knowing how to create my own cover art and format the entire look of the novel is going to save me a lot of money. I can do that all by myself, so why do I need an agent?

Well, maybe I don't. But, do I want one? Hell yes, I do.

It's not that I'm not up for the task of marketing. I can handle websites (hell, I can create websites myself). I can sell door to door. I can travel all around to bookstores. I can start book clubs. I can do press releases and volunteer work. I can promote my book, no problem. I am great with branding and I am an entrepreneur at heart. I'm not intimidated by the road of self-publishing, and I get to keep all my cash, right? Well, I guess it depends on who I have publish for me. I need to do more research! Typing. Clicking. AhHa

There are a gazillion publishers out there. Some are closing down, some are just starting up. I don't want just any publisher. Bagging one of the big names would be AWESOME, but we'll see how it goes. I was checking out a publisher last night, and in the submission guidelines, it said,

"WE DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE."

Hmmmm. I want a better relationship with my publisher than that. But, I guess the bonding can come later.

Then I see all these agents in social media space lamenting their full inboxes and telling tales of how terrible the queries are. Why do they do what they do if they don't enjoy it? Are they really so bogged down with terrible queries that they are just shutting down from the inside?

Then comes that moment... you finally find the perfect agent... one you think you can connect with and the relationship will be great. He/she doesn't want you back. Again, and again, and again.

Back to the query. Make it better. Sharper. Hook that baby.

What is the best way for me? Right now, I don't really know. I feel like I can build myself up and prove my sales. The most important thing for me is to get my book out there. I'm ready to work, and I work HARD. I am anal-retentive and I am obsessed with excellence. I am going to work my A** off to get my book out there into hands.

So, let's do it.

How do I do this?

Sir Stephen King

By: Dark Tower Writing and Design- Amber R. Hiles

Sia

By: Dark Tower Writing and Design-Amber R. Hiles

My Query Letter-

Agent Person

Some street number

Some town, Some Country

Agent Person,

I know that I’m not meant to be alive. It runs in my family. It’s nothing you can convince me otherwise because it is my truth. No amount of talk or therapy or prescriptions are going to change that.

            You got a truth? I know you do. Every family does. But, the difference between you and me is not everyone knows your family secrets. Everyone knows mine, and if they forget, they can check the papers.

     You got it on your mind now. I can see it in your eyes. My family isn't any more messed up than yours… than anyone’s. It’s all about phases, energy, and those goddamned generation curses. But, hey, look at the bright side; maybe your curse can be broken. I can respect that. But, not mine. Mine’s stone. It’s not going to change.

Please consider my novel, Water and Stone. Complete at 92,000 words, one reader has referred to my manuscript as Kafka-esque. This novel will find readership among those who enjoy sci-fi works like those of Margaret Atwood and the psychological horror of Stephen King.

            The first chapter of Water and Stone was chosen for awards for the Agnes Hyde writing contest, and it was published in the Spring 2014 edition of the literary journal, Prairie Winds. I have a double major in Creative Writing and Web/Graphic Design. My second novel is entitled, Tickets to See the Sun. 



 I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your valuable time and consideration. 



 Kind Regards, 


Amber R. Hiles

amberrhiles@gmail.com
@hiles_amber

www.linkedin.com/in/amberhiles/