Comments on: Reynald’s Rap: Lance Reynald, Shawn Decker http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/ where writers come to play Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:34:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Shawn Decker http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-304 Shawn Decker Thu, 28 Sep 2006 22:24:43 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-304 Lance, thanks for the interview! Was great meeting you in NYC in person. You're a very stylish young man, Mr. Reynald. (Gwenn concurred!) Thanks for the comments, really enjoyed reading them and I promise I'll continue shaking those hands. As for the virus protection for computers, I have felt strange putting the title of my book in subject lines on emails... I'm afraid no one will open it! Am doing a lot of handshaking on this book tour, and all is going as goo as I could hope for. Susan, I sold the book with most of it written. of course, there was a lot of work to be done, but the bulk of the writing was done. I started in 2001, would write for a few months and then take off. I remember in 2002 sending out queries to 3 agents, getting rejected, and cursing their existences for not understanding my genius. (In their defense, what I sent kind of sucked.) In 2005 my goal was to find an agent and publisher and really send it out to anyone whom I thought would take interest. using the Writer's Market, I sent to agents who represented "Memoirs" "Humorous" "Gay/Lesbian" "Health" and a couple others. Iw as fortunate that the agent I sent to had read my work in POZ Magazine. Then it took about 5 months to find a suitable publisher. There was interest in the book on an editor level, but I got shot down by some big wigs at a couple of top publishers because "AIDS books don't sell." But, of course, I saw my memoir as something different and more than that. Anyone looking for an AIDS book will probably not like My Pet Virus. When it got to Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, I found a receptive home. And really, they've been great about promoting the book and letting it be what it is, whatever that may be. Lance, I can't to read your book. It sounds great, and you're going to put me to shame. Hope all are well! Positively Your's, Shawn Lance, thanks for the interview! Was great meeting you in NYC in person. You’re a very stylish young man, Mr. Reynald. (Gwenn concurred!)

Thanks for the comments, really enjoyed reading them and I promise I’ll continue shaking those hands. As for the virus protection for computers, I have felt strange putting the title of my book in subject lines on emails… I’m afraid no one will open it!

Am doing a lot of handshaking on this book tour, and all is going as goo as I could hope for.

Susan, I sold the book with most of it written. of course, there was a lot of work to be done, but the bulk of the writing was done. I started in 2001, would write for a few months and then take off. I remember in 2002 sending out queries to 3 agents, getting rejected, and cursing their existences for not understanding my genius. (In their defense, what I sent kind of sucked.)

In 2005 my goal was to find an agent and publisher and really send it out to anyone whom I thought would take interest. using the Writer’s Market, I sent to agents who represented “Memoirs” “Humorous” “Gay/Lesbian” “Health” and a couple others. Iw as fortunate that the agent I sent to had read my work in POZ Magazine.

Then it took about 5 months to find a suitable publisher. There was interest in the book on an editor level, but I got shot down by some big wigs at a couple of top publishers because “AIDS books don’t sell.” But, of course, I saw my memoir as something different and more than that. Anyone looking for an AIDS book will probably not like My Pet Virus.

When it got to Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, I found a receptive home. And really, they’ve been great about promoting the book and letting it be what it is, whatever that may be.

Lance, I can’t to read your book. It sounds great, and you’re going to put me to shame.

Hope all are well!
Positively Your’s,
Shawn

]]> By: lance http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-275 lance Tue, 26 Sep 2006 04:57:11 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-275 great reading Sean. now I'm off to bed, that NY pavement is pretty hard. xo-LR great reading Sean.

now I’m off to bed, that NY pavement is pretty hard.

xo-LR

]]> By: Frank Daniels http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-258 Frank Daniels Mon, 25 Sep 2006 13:36:41 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-258 Yep, preaching to the choir, Lance my man. But I like the cut of your jib. And this Shawn guy's a total badass. I mean, just coming out the gate and he already has a full front-page endorsement from the memoirists. Can't wait to read his stuff. Yep, preaching to the choir, Lance my man. But I like the cut of your jib. And this Shawn guy’s a total badass. I mean, just coming out the gate and he already has a full front-page endorsement from the memoirists. Can’t wait to read his stuff.

]]> By: Susan Henderson http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-254 Susan Henderson Sun, 24 Sep 2006 11:14:57 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-254 Thanks, Greg, Sarah, Carolyn, and Lance. Shawn - I'll pick up your book next stop I make at my local indie bookstore. I have a publication question for you if don't mind popping in for a bit: Did you sell your book on the concept or write it first? And if you wrote it first, what was the time span between writing it and selling it? Just curious about that whole process for you. Last thing, who's your publisher so we can give proper kudos? Thanks, Greg, Sarah, Carolyn, and Lance.

Shawn - I’ll pick up your book next stop I make at my local indie bookstore. I have a publication question for you if don’t mind popping in for a bit:

Did you sell your book on the concept or write it first? And if you wrote it first, what was the time span between writing it and selling it? Just curious about that whole process for you. Last thing, who’s your publisher so we can give proper kudos?

]]> By: Lance Reynald http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-252 Lance Reynald Sun, 24 Sep 2006 01:09:42 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-252 Buckster- thanks for the encouragement. one of these days we'll have to chat about ernest....and next time I'll put the coffee on earlier. Susan- I think you're the awesome one here. Thanks for everything. Greg- thanks. and yeah the book is a winner! Sarah- thanks for that, you're always welcome in Lance-land. Carolyn- well said. Funny thing about those handshakes; I keep reading articles about HIV's continued transmission in odd demographics. Retirement communities and such. Maybe if the world shook a few more hands they could talk openly and change things. Thank you all for participating in this chat; and do take the time to visit Shawn's website. I hope to see anyone who can make it at the NYC reading. xo-LR Buckster- thanks for the encouragement. one of these days we’ll have to chat about ernest….and next time I’ll put the coffee on earlier.

Susan- I think you’re the awesome one here. Thanks for everything.

Greg- thanks. and yeah the book is a winner!

Sarah- thanks for that, you’re always welcome in Lance-land.

Carolyn- well said.

Funny thing about those handshakes; I keep reading articles about HIV’s continued transmission in odd demographics. Retirement communities and such. Maybe if the world shook a few more hands they could talk openly and change things.

Thank you all for participating in this chat; and do take the time to visit Shawn’s website. I hope to see anyone who can make it at the NYC reading.

xo-LR

]]> By: Carolyn Burns Bass http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-250 Carolyn Burns Bass Sat, 23 Sep 2006 18:46:41 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-250 Sadly, the world still holds back handshakes to those with HIV/AIDs. Shawn Decker's story extends yet another hand. It's up to individuals to accept the gesture; the world will eventually follow. Sadly, the world still holds back handshakes to those with HIV/AIDs. Shawn Decker’s story extends yet another hand. It’s up to individuals to accept the gesture; the world will eventually follow.

]]> By: Sarah Roundell http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-249 Sarah Roundell Sat, 23 Sep 2006 17:24:46 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-249 ~Lance, Well done with the interview! You covered the bases well and as usual infused your writing with that great sense of humour of yours. Shawn's book sounds like a must read for this girl. ~Shawn, Keep up the good work. The world needs more people to share their stories like you have so that kids today(and grownups too) can gain awareness and compassion. Looking forward to reading your book! ~Lance, Well done with the interview! You covered the bases well and as usual infused your writing with that great sense of humour of yours. Shawn’s book sounds like a must read for this girl.
~Shawn, Keep up the good work. The world needs more people to share their stories like you have so that kids today(and grownups too) can gain awareness and compassion. Looking forward to reading your book!

]]> By: Greg http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-247 Greg Sat, 23 Sep 2006 15:32:01 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-247 Lance - nice interview. I had heard the title of Decker's book about a month ago in passing, and I thought it was going to be about computer protection. I was way off base. This sounds like an incredible reading. Rock on, Shawn. Lance - nice interview. I had heard the title of Decker’s book about a month ago in passing, and I thought it was going to be about computer protection.

I was way off base. This sounds like an incredible reading. Rock on, Shawn.

]]> By: Susan Henderson http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-246 Susan Henderson Sat, 23 Sep 2006 15:03:18 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-246 Lance and Shawn - You two are awesome. Buckster - Glad you're here! But don't you think Ernest Hemingway had hairier fingers? Lance and Shawn - You two are awesome.

Buckster - Glad you’re here! But don’t you think Ernest Hemingway had hairier fingers?

]]> By: Buckster http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-245 Buckster Sat, 23 Sep 2006 12:22:31 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/09/23/shawn-decker/#comment-245 Lance, The black & white picture of you looks exactly like a young Ernest Hemingway...I think you should finish the book soon--big things are coming down the pike for you. I've read excerpts of your guest's book and, although the subject is a serious one, his humour is what makes it more than palitable. See, now what kind of friend am I? I am the first one to be here and you forgot the coffee. xo-buck Lance,
The black & white picture of you looks exactly like a young Ernest Hemingway…I think you should finish the book soon–big things are coming down the pike for you. I’ve read excerpts of your guest’s book and, although the subject is a serious one, his humour is what makes it more than palitable. See, now what kind of friend am I? I am the first one to be here and you forgot the coffee.

xo-buck

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