Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Just One More Book interview

The fine folks over at Just One More Book interviewed me a while ago, and I just found out that the interview is now up and posted on their site. Even though I did some radio in college, it's weird for me to hear my own voice in a podcast (and I feel like I was mumbling throughout!). The interview is mainly about Sound of Colors by Jimmy Liao which they gave such a wonderful, glowing review for, but it also dips into the role of an editor, how many risks publishers take, and my path to publishing.

The interview is about 25 minutes long, so don't worry, I won't be offended if you don't listen to the whole thing. Heck, I won't be offended if you don't listen to it at all. But check out their website, it's filled with countless treasures, great interviews and reviews.

The interview is here.

Thank you, Mark and Andrea! Hope to see you in Toronto next month.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

BRG used to post an email addy, but I can't find it today. I have a question I'd like to ask the group, but especially you, and so you're getting this random comment on your personal blog. Sorry.

Say an agentless writer has a friendly professional rapport with an editor. It began because the editor commented on the writer's work and invited further submissions. Several submissions later (okay, more than several), the communication is still friendly, but none of the writer's manuscripts are leading to contracts. While still complimenting various aspects of them, there is always a reason (usually subjective--or does that go without saying?) to not pursue the project.

At what point should the writer stop submitting? Editors don't like saying "forget it, it's hopeless, we're not the match I thought we might be," and the writer doesn't want to be a nuisance. Still, to have an open line of communication with an editor is not something a writer wants to relinquish. Then again, does the hopeful and persistent writer become pathetic in the editor's eyes at some point, skewing her opinions so that she *expects* to not like what this writer submits, even before reading it? And what if the writer thinks she might have better luck with someone else in the same publishing house, even if she doesn't have the open line she currently has.

When should someone pull the plug, Alvina (and Grace, and Anna, and Meghan, and Libby, and Elaine)? It's so hard for an outsider to make any connection in this industry, yet as you said in this interview, it's about making that personal connection through our work, and it's either right or it isn't.

Well what do you know? I tied this in with your JOMB interview post, after all!

Anonymous said...

And thank you, Alvina.

alvina said...

Well, this is an easy question for me to answer, but I'll pass it on to my fellow BRGs as well. I say, you NEVER stop submitting! Especially if the editor is saying encouraging things, and is still asking to see more. A recent example of when it can pay off is author Chris Barton. As he says here, he had been submitting to me for over five years, and I finally was able to bite on something! So don't give up.

Anonymous said...

Well all righty then!

How accustomed did you get to Chris's name over the 5 years? Any recollection how many mss there were in that time?

Just curious.

Thanks again.
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