Locus Award nominations for 2013 are in!

Congratulations to clients in the following categories…

Fantasy Novel:
Glamour in Glass, Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)

First Novel:
Throne of the Crescent Moon, Saladin Ahmed (DAW; Gollancz ’13)

Novella:
In the House of Aryaman, a Lonely Signal Burns”, Elizabeth Bear (Asimov’s 1/12)
The Stars Do Not Lie”, Jay Lake (Asimov’s 10-11/12)

Novelette:
Faster Gun”, Elizabeth Bear (Tor.com 8/12)
The Lady Astronaut of Mars”, Mary Robinette Kowal (Rip-Off!)

Short Story:
The Deeps of the Sky”, Elizabeth Bear (Edge of Infinity)

Collection:
Shoggoths in Bloom, Elizabeth Bear (Prime)

Full list of nominations here.

letters from the query wars 5.3.2013

Catching up the query stats…

# of queries responded to week ending 3.15.2013: 104
# of partials/manuscripts requested: 0
genre of partials/manuscripts requested: n/a

# of queries responded to week ending 3.22.2013: 141
# of partials/manuscripts requested: 1
genre of partials/manuscripts requested: fantasy

# of queries responded to week ending 3.29.2013: 112
# of partials/manuscripts requested: 0
genre of partials/manuscripts requested: n/a

# of queries responded to week ending 4.5.2013: 153
# of partials/manuscripts requested: 0
genre of partials/manuscripts requested: n/a

# of queries responded to week ending 4.12.2013: 102
# of partials/manuscripts requested: 0
genre of partials/manuscripts requested: n/a

# of queries responded to week ending 4.19.2013: 0
# of partials/manuscripts requested: 0
genre of partials/manuscripts requested: n/a
[Attended the London Book Fair this week and did not respond to any queries.]

# of queries responded to week ending 4.26.2013: 203
# of partials/manuscripts requested: 2
genre of partials/manuscripts requested: YA speculative fiction, YA fantasy

# of queries responded to week ending 5.3.2013: 144
# of partials/manuscripts requested: 1
genre of partials/manuscripts requested: YA speculative fiction

oldest query in the queue: April 29th (note: this only applies to those sent to the specified query email address query.jjackson@maassagency.com )

Of the last 10 queries I reviewed:

2 were in a genre I don’t represent

1 of them didn’t include the name of the author anywhere in the submission

1 was for a collaborative novel in which the querying author never mentioned the name of their co-author

1 was a re-query dated only 5 days after my response to the initial query

1 didn’t follow my guidelines despite specifically mentioning a site that clearly lists those same guidelines

3 had sample pages but no synopsis

4 followed the guidelines including a query letter, the first five pages, and a synopsis and were in a genre I represent

happy release day!

Today is the official release day for Without a Summer by Mary Robinette Kowal.

“Readers will appreciate the realistically warm and loving romance between Jane and Vincent all the more for their flaws and foibles, as their relationship is tested by internal and external forces.” –Publishers Weekly

“The third in Kowal’s stellar fantasy series, Without a Summer is, without a doubt, the best yet of the Glamourist Histories. Setting her tale in the notoriously cold summer of 1816, Kowal imaginatively blends historical fact with her own elaborate metaphysics of glamour. Add to that a well-developed hero and heroine who have become more flawed and yet more likable; the welcome reappearance of the charming Melody; and an emotionally involving story that culminates in a genuinely thrilling climax. With each entry, Kowal’s worldbuilding has only gotten more confident and the series better and better.” —Romantic Times, 4 1/2 Stars, Top Pick!

“Kowal’s third historical fantasy title (after Shades of Milk and Honey and Glamour in Glass) will delight series fans as they reconnect with favorite characters in new situations. The underlying fantastical nature of this Regency England continues to flourish, making a unique backdrop for discussing complex topics of social inequality, superstition obscuring scientific fact, and political corruption. Even as the intricate natural and social elements engage readers, it is the sweet, strong emotional connections that draw them back for more.” –Library Journal

Also available:
Shades of Milk and Honey
Glamour in Glass

* * *

Also out today – Martha Wells’ YA debut, Emilie and the Hollow World.

While running away from home for reasons that are eminently defensible, Emilie’s plans to stow away on the steamship Merry Bell and reach her cousin in the big city go awry, landing her on the wrong ship and at the beginning of a fantastic adventure. Taken under the protection of Lady Marlende, Emilie learns that the crew hopes to use the aether currents and an experimental engine, and with the assistance of Lord Engal, journey to the interior of the planet in search of Marlende’s missing father. With the ship damaged on arrival, they attempt to traverse the strange lands on their quest. But when evidence points to sabotage and they encounter the treacherous Lord Ivers, along with the strange races of the sea-lands, Emilie has to make some challenging decisions and take daring action if they are ever to reach the surface world again.

“A rollicking adventure yarn with plenty of heart – Emilie & the Hollow World shouldn’t be missed.” -USA Today bestselling author Ann Aguirre

“Emilie is the best kind of adventurer — curious, courageous, stubborn, resourceful, and quick to make friends. I can’t wait to see where she goes exploring next.” -Sharon Shinn, author of the Twelve Houses series

“Martha Wells’ Emilie and the Hollow World is a lovely little adventure story that brings a modern sensibility to a classic pulp trope, re-enlivening and re-envisioning it for a contemporary audience. The hollow world, the accidental stowaway, steamships, airships, the gentleman or gentlewoman adventurer–these are elements that would be at home in a story told in the thirties. The clever and competent young heroine on the other hand–well that’s another story entirely, and one that Martha Wells handles beautifully. Unlike those thirties pulps, this a book you wouldn’t be embarrassed to give a thirteen year old soccer player who can’t see any reason she won’t grow up to be a physicist and the next president of the United States. Deft writing and consummate storytelling make a classic story fresh again for a new audience. All in all, Emilie and the Hollow World is a ripping yarn for a modern audience.” -Kelly McCullough, author of the WebMage and Fallen Blade series

Read the first chapter.

happy release day!

Today is the official release date for Shattered Pillars by Elizabeth Bear

Bear’s astonishing world building is in full swing here, and she builds the arcs of her two major characters into what hopes to be a brilliant whole in the forthcoming final book. Temur and Samarkar still search for Edene, captured by the leader of the Uthman cult, who are bent on sowing war in the lands of the Celadon Highway. Edene, escaped, travels under the deadly sky of a vanished empire. The wizards’ city is besieged, a sickness felling the population. Tsering is at the heart of studying it, and she is a tremendous force despite never having developed the wizard’s power. Temur and Samarkar’s journey, under the skies of many people, is epic. But Bear maintains the nuance she is so capable of, in the way characters interact with and respond to new places, not quite subverting genre but pointing out how much more it should be. This is a novel with no padding: everything is necessary and linked, and the politics that run through the various empires are rooted solidly in believable human motivation. — Booklist

Also available: Range of Ghosts, the first book in the Eternal Sky.

letters from the query wars 3.8.2013

# of queries responded to week ending 2.15.2013: 171
# of partials/manuscripts requested: 2
genre of partials/manuscripts requested: YA fantasy; YA contemporary

# of queries responded to week ending 2.22.2013: 143
# of partials/manuscripts requested: 0
genre of partials/manuscripts requested: n/a

# of queries responded to week ending 3.1.2013: 164
# of partials/manuscripts requested: 1
genre of partials/manuscripts requested: speculative thriller

# of queries responded to week ending 3.8.2013: 118
# of partials/manuscripts requested: 1
genre of partials/manuscripts requested: fantasy

oldest query in the queue: March 1st (note: this only applies to those sent to the specified query email address query.jjackson@maassagency.com)

Of the last 10 queries I reviewed:

3 of them did not include the first five sample pages requested in my submission guidelines

1 was a sample only but included no letter or synopsis

1 of them was nonfiction, which I do not represent

1 of them was a repeat query that was declined a few weeks ago

1 was via a business emailer distribution list

1 had a full manuscript attached (query guidelines specify no attachments)

3 followed guidelines and were for a genre I represent

Just a quick look into some first impressions of queries….