Book Babble: Fire Study

Hurray, it’s out!

Fire Study, the final chapter of the Study series by Maria V. Snyder, is finally out. I can begin another slow process of torture as I buy the book and then drive myself crazy by waiting to read it. Why do I wait? Because I learned after Poison Study that her stories are addictive in the forget to eat, forget to sleep, finally finish and look up to go, “Ah, geez… it’s 5 am?? And what happened to Saturday?!” kind of addictive.

Of course, that’s the very best kind of story, but I have to set aside a full day (and possibly night) for nothing but reading, which isn’t easy with two jobs and a writing schedule to keep. I had to wait to read the second, Magic Study, until I came down with a nasty case of the flu before I had enough time, and the book was the only good thing about being sick. Kinda made up for the lost time at work and the small fortune paid for Kleenex, chicken soup, and Tylenol.

But a good story’s always worth the trouble.

(And another “Hurray!” for me for finally figuring out how to wrap text around an image. Ah, the wonderful world of possibilities that now opens before me!)

Friday Feature

Evil Editor

 

If you haven’t checked out Evil Editor then for shame. Every aspiring author should check out all available editor/agent blogs at least once. (Read and discard if you want, but at least check them out. You never know what useful information you may come across.) Yes, you’re better off getting industry news and advice from other sources, like Kristin Nelson’s Pub Rants or the BookEnds Literary Agency blog, but Evil Editor may help you get your foot in the door.

He deals mostly with queries and the first few paragraphs of your manuscript, and from what I understand, most editors and agents have an idea of whether or not they’re willing to take on your work after just a few paragraphs. Not that you can neglect the remainder of your manuscript, of course, but Evil Editor offers a professional opinion on what part of your pitch is the weakest, and knowing what you lack in the beginning can help you strengthen your writing as a whole. 

Beyond just dispensing advice and offering fresh viewpoints, Evil Editor is downright entertaining. His “Guess the Plots” often have me laughing, and I’m thoroughly engrossed in what seems to be an ongoing battle of wits (though I’m giving the opposition much more credit than they likely deserve by using the term “wits” without the “nit” in front of it) with some e-mail scammers.

Not to mention, he’s got a secret identity. How wicked awesome is that?