Comments on: Question of the Week: Out-of-the-Box http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/ where writers come to play Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:37:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: litpark » LitPark will re-open in September http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-54187 litpark » LitPark will re-open in September Thu, 23 Aug 2007 22:12:15 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-54187 [...] * The Book Tour * Snippets * Telling Mom * Setting * High School Secrets * Your Hidden Side * Out-of-the-Box * Aliases * Obsession * Self-Doubt * Risks of Truth-Telling * 9-11 * Your [...] […] * The Book Tour * Snippets * Telling Mom * Setting * High School Secrets * Your Hidden Side * Out-of-the-Box * Aliases * Obsession * Self-Doubt * Risks of Truth-Telling * 9-11 * Your […]

]]> By: Keith http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-792 Keith Thu, 26 Oct 2006 01:09:27 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-792 I love that review. I love that review.

]]> By: Susan Henderson http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-765 Susan Henderson Tue, 24 Oct 2006 10:20:07 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-765 Thanks, Keith. I'll put the PW review up because the book sounds intriguing: From Publishers Weekly Quirky, whimsical and musical, this fourth Jason Keltner mystery (after 2001's Trouble Comes Back) weaves past, present and passages from a fictitious book into more of a magical mystery tour than a mystery. The friendships forged in the fires of youth are often strongest, and those formed by Jason and Roberto and Martin, three California boys, have survived into adulthood. A call from a gay friend whose newly opened Brooklyn music store has been vandalized spurs Jason to action. And the likelihood that it was a hate crime calls to mind the events that caused three very different high schoolers to bond years ago. With an assist from Roberto, who flies in from the west coast, Jason embarks on a bizarre quest to find out who was behind the vandalism and determine the meaning of a strange Web site that uses the name of the music shop. The original adventure that brought the boys together and their current challenge are told in tandem with readings from a pulp novel of great importance to them. The resulting search for the mysterious Inscrutable Whom, the restoration of the Magic Music Shop and the resolution of the vandalism make for a "coming of maturity" tale that complements the coming-of-age story of their first meeting. Snyder's approach to the mystery is highly original, and both his characters and the setting he creates are engaging and effective. This is a title that needs help finding its audience, but it might win cult status when it does. Agent, Curtis Brown. Thanks, Keith. I’ll put the PW review up because the book sounds intriguing:

From Publishers Weekly
Quirky, whimsical and musical, this fourth Jason Keltner mystery (after 2001’s Trouble Comes Back) weaves past, present and passages from a fictitious book into more of a magical mystery tour than a mystery. The friendships forged in the fires of youth are often strongest, and those formed by Jason and Roberto and Martin, three California boys, have survived into adulthood. A call from a gay friend whose newly opened Brooklyn music store has been vandalized spurs Jason to action. And the likelihood that it was a hate crime calls to mind the events that caused three very different high schoolers to bond years ago. With an assist from Roberto, who flies in from the west coast, Jason embarks on a bizarre quest to find out who was behind the vandalism and determine the meaning of a strange Web site that uses the name of the music shop. The original adventure that brought the boys together and their current challenge are told in tandem with readings from a pulp novel of great importance to them. The resulting search for the mysterious Inscrutable Whom, the restoration of the Magic Music Shop and the resolution of the vandalism make for a “coming of maturity” tale that complements the coming-of-age story of their first meeting. Snyder’s approach to the mystery is highly original, and both his characters and the setting he creates are engaging and effective. This is a title that needs help finding its audience, but it might win cult status when it does. Agent, Curtis Brown.

]]> By: Keith http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-763 Keith Tue, 24 Oct 2006 03:39:27 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-763 Thanks for the invitation. Rather than post all of them, here's just the most recent (which is my favorite anyway): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802733700/ref=sr_11_1/104-0665156-3577547?ie=UTF8 Nice place you got here. Thanks for the invitation. Rather than post all of them, here’s just the most recent (which is my favorite anyway):

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802733700/ref=sr_11_1/104-0665156-3577547?ie=UTF8

Nice place you got here.

]]> By: Susan Henderson http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-691 Susan Henderson Thu, 19 Oct 2006 18:49:19 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-691 Keith - So nice to see you here! And congratulations to you, too! I think that's everyone's dream, to write what they want to write and then find an editor who believes in them. Why don't you post a link to your books so folks can check them out? Keith - So nice to see you here! And congratulations to you, too! I think that’s everyone’s dream, to write what they want to write and then find an editor who believes in them. Why don’t you post a link to your books so folks can check them out?

]]> By: Keith http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-689 Keith Thu, 19 Oct 2006 03:19:33 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-689 Congrats to Mr. Henderson from here, too! And hello, since this is my first time posting. My books don't fit neatly into the mystery genre, but I found an editor who loved them and figured he might be able to sell them to mystery readers anyway. Congrats to Mr. Henderson from here, too! And hello, since this is my first time posting.

My books don’t fit neatly into the mystery genre, but I found an editor who loved them and figured he might be able to sell them to mystery readers anyway.

]]> By: Betsy http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-675 Betsy Wed, 18 Oct 2006 13:44:36 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-675 Thanks, Susan! I gave up on trying to write a novel a while back. Not that I might not one day - but I'm not going to worry about it. Noria - ha! Thanks, Susan! I gave up on trying to write a novel a while back. Not that I might not one day - but I’m not going to worry about it. Noria - ha!

]]> By: Susan Henderson http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-668 Susan Henderson Wed, 18 Oct 2006 02:19:26 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-668 Betsy - I'm looking forward to your book and I'm so pleased you've had luck (and talent!) on your side so far. Don't feel pressured to write a novel if your heart's into shorter work. There are plenty of us here who love love love short stories. Juliet - There's nothing like the experience of being on both sides of a rejection letter. I don't know which is worse. Oh wait, yes I do. Julie - Here's a link to Jennifer Prado's site for those who want to catch the interview you mentioned: http://jenniferprado.blogspot.com/ Frank - The contest was over as soon as I had to post the link myself. It was a mindreading contest. (I like to play this with Mr. Henderson, too!) But don't worry, I'll have another! By the way, I wanted to say here that I love the odd but completely organic and satisfying structure of your book Futureproof. It was really refreshing to see something different for a change. Patry - I feel like I'm way past due in linking your wonderful blog: http://simplywait.blogspot.com/ Myfanwy - Thanks, Myf! EminemsRevenge - Nice to see you here! I admire your bravery in posting the good and the bad reviews. And I agree that it's a particularly bad time in history for experimental writers. Have you ever tried excerpting a piece at Madhatter's Review?They're very receptive to Joyce-like writing and non-tradional work. Sarah - Thank you! Jordan - Your story breaks me. (But it's going to happen. I believe in your book!) Pia - I'll bring a copy of the movie to AWP. You'll be there, right? Marta - Welcome! For years I kept my writing in a box under my bed. Now most of it is in a drawer or on my hard drive. It feels safer there. Noria - I love these rare happy endings! All of you will be on Friday's Weekly Wrap. Betsy - I’m looking forward to your book and I’m so pleased you’ve had luck (and talent!) on your side so far. Don’t feel pressured to write a novel if your heart’s into shorter work. There are plenty of us here who love love love short stories.

Juliet - There’s nothing like the experience of being on both sides of a rejection letter. I don’t know which is worse. Oh wait, yes I do.

Julie - Here’s a link to Jennifer Prado’s site for those who want to catch the interview you mentioned: http://jenniferprado.blogspot.com/

Frank - The contest was over as soon as I had to post the link myself. It was a mindreading contest. (I like to play this with Mr. Henderson, too!) But don’t worry, I’ll have another! By the way, I wanted to say here that I love the odd but completely organic and satisfying structure of your book Futureproof. It was really refreshing to see something different for a change.

Patry - I feel like I’m way past due in linking your wonderful blog:
http://simplywait.blogspot.com/

Myfanwy - Thanks, Myf!

EminemsRevenge - Nice to see you here! I admire your bravery in posting the good and the bad reviews. And I agree that it’s a particularly bad time in history for experimental writers. Have you ever tried excerpting a piece at Madhatter’s Review?They’re very receptive to Joyce-like writing and non-tradional work.

Sarah - Thank you!

Jordan - Your story breaks me. (But it’s going to happen. I believe in your book!)

Pia - I’ll bring a copy of the movie to AWP. You’ll be there, right?

Marta - Welcome! For years I kept my writing in a box under my bed. Now most of it is in a drawer or on my hard drive. It feels safer there.

Noria - I love these rare happy endings! All of you will be on Friday’s Weekly Wrap.

]]> By: Noria http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-667 Noria Wed, 18 Oct 2006 01:29:31 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-667 Like Betsy, I write short stories, but more than that I write stories that are, in the words of one editor who rejected my collection, "...too weird to market effectively." I got lucky--after 20 plus rejections, someone finally said, "Marketing be damned." And then (surprise, surprise) my too-weird-to-market-effectively story collection was selected as a Seventeen Magazine summer must-read--you can't get much more in-the-box that that. Recently, a YA editor approached me with an idea for a book she wanted me to write, and my initial gut-response was: But I'm not a YA author! I'm edgy and transgressive! I'm too weird to market effectively! And then I thought: I am such a snob. So now I'm about to embark on a deliberately in-the-box endeavor, but inside my head I'm secretly chanting: Crossover appeal, crossover appeal. Like Betsy, I write short stories, but more than that I write stories that are, in the words of one editor who rejected my collection, “…too weird to market effectively.” I got lucky–after 20 plus rejections, someone finally said, “Marketing be damned.” And then (surprise, surprise) my too-weird-to-market-effectively story collection was selected as a Seventeen Magazine summer must-read–you can’t get much more in-the-box that that. Recently, a YA editor approached me with an idea for a book she wanted me to write, and my initial gut-response was: But I’m not a YA author! I’m edgy and transgressive! I’m too weird to market effectively! And then I thought: I am such a snob. So now I’m about to embark on a deliberately in-the-box endeavor, but inside my head I’m secretly chanting: Crossover appeal, crossover appeal.

]]> By: marta http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-666 marta Tue, 17 Oct 2006 23:11:15 +0000 http://litpark.com/2006/10/16/question-of-the-week-out-of-the-box/#comment-666 This isn't meant to sound pathetic, but I just keep my art and my writing in a box. I know my friends love my stuff because they love me--but strangers wary of plunking down hard earned dollars on any of it? No. I keep my stuff at home. This isn’t meant to sound pathetic, but I just keep my art and my writing in a box. I know my friends love my stuff because they love me–but strangers wary of plunking down hard earned dollars on any of it? No. I keep my stuff at home.

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