lightning + lightning bugs

I’ve been away from the city dealing with some personal stuff since early May (nothing bad, thank goodness!), and previously, went through three conferences and some contracts, etc., so a lot has been backlogged. Sorry to keep you waiting, whether your manuscript or your query. I’ve looked at a tiny, tiny handful of stuff in the past two months, and I’m looking forward to getting back on top of stuff after BEA. You’ll hear from me soon.

I’m closing to unsolicited queries, for an unknown length of time, a week from today — June 7.

Exceptions: attendees of Pikes Peak, NETWO, LDStorymakers; writers sending revised manuscripts or querying a new/second project, at my request; referrals from clients or editors. If you’re not sure, leave a question here.

If anyone’s in town for BEA, and plans to head over to the Day of Dialog (registration is only $40/day, less if you’re an LJ subscriber), be sure to check out the debut author panel, which includes my client Max Gladstone, who’ll be talking about his kick-butt debut from Tor, Three Parts Dead (out this October).

11:15-12:30 PM PANEL II: WHO’S ON FIRST? DEBUT GENRE FICTION WITH BUZZ
Hear about some hot first genre novels from the authors themselves.

Moderator: Barbara Hoffert, Editor, Prepub Alert

Panelists:
Karen Engelmann, The Stockholm Octavo (HarperCollins)
Max Gladstone, Three Parts Dead (Tor)
Eleanor Kuhns, A Simple Murder (Minotaur)
Beatriz Williams, Overseas (Putnam)
Ariel S. Winter, The Twenty-Year Death (Hard Case Crime)

Further details here!

From here:

Author of 24 novels and books of non-fiction for adults, young adults, and children Jacquelyn Mitchard will run a new young adult imprint for F+W Media called Merit Press Books. They plan five titles for 2012 and 12 releases for 2013. Publisher Karen Cooper says: “The mission of the line is to provide an abundance of intensely readable, highly suspenseful and unforgettable fiction for readers aged thirteen and up, with a particular emphasis on strong, savvy, female heroes rising to conquer sometimes stunning challenges thrown at them by a very real contemporary world.”

Best known for writing the inaugural Oprah’s Book Club selection The Deep End of the Ocean, Mitchard says in the announcement: “I’d wanted to be an editor for years, but didn’t see myself in a huge box in Manhattan. F+W made me an offer I couldn’t refuse: the chance to work with new authors and established authors on something so important. It’s exactly where I want to be at this point in my career. Something in me said – you’re home.”