kt literary » thanks

Giving Thanks

Kate — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:10:47 +0000

As I mentioned yesterday, it’s a short week here at kt literary, and though that means a couple of days off from the blog, that’s no excuse to start slacking on Monday, right? Right!

So, I figured I’d take a moment today, in the spirit of the upcoming holiday, and say THANKS to you guys. Not just for reading and commenting on the blog, which means a lot to me, but also for you as writers. It may seem like we agents complain a lot about the contents of our inboxes, and the quality of the queries we receive, but underneath all that is the hopeful expectation every time we open a new message that this is the one that’s going to blow our socks off. So thanks for keeping me in a state of anticipation.

I think we’ve built a nice little community here, and for that, I’m grateful to YOU. And to show it, I’m going to give away one of the new mass market paperback editions of Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle. All you have to do to enter is comment here and say one thing you’re thankful for. I’d love to have some of the lurkers out there pop in with a comment as well — you might say I’d be especially thankful.

Next week, after the holiday, I’ll do a little random number generator thingie to pick one commenter and email them for their address. If the winner already has a copy of this book, I’ll happily mail it to the person of your choosing, already wrapped in your choice of holiday paper. How’s that for a full service agency?

Don’t believe I’m full-service? Check out this YouTube video direct from a series of conversations I’ve had with MJ.

Suddenly, it’s the holidays!

Kate — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:03:33 +0000

Rexroth woke me very suddenly this morning, from a pleasant dream of cashmere hoodies and comfortable peep-toe pumps, in order to announce a blizzard moving across the land. Well, ok, not “the land” in general, but more specifically, where we’re trying to get for Christmas. So, in order to avoid any holiday movie moments such as being stuck in a dingy roadside motel for four days, celebrating the holidays with a gasoline-scented Christmas tree and a motel clerk named “Otis,” we may be heading out early. Which gives today, my last day in the office for two weeks, a sense of urgency. In the sense of “oh my god I have so much to do, how am I ever going to get it done?!?!?!”
So, we may not have the full breath of robo posts I’d hoped for in the next two weeks, but I can at least give you some of the news that I’ve been collecting. As there’s a theme here about blizzards, let’s talk about Let It Snow, shall we?
Fyrefly’s Book Blog reports

What is that strange sensation? Ah yes, that must be the melting of the frozen cockles of my cold, dead heart. Because: Aww! Let it Snow was a wonderful quick little post-finals, pre-Christmas read; a perfect mix of humor and charm and realistic teenagers and snappy dialogue and romance that is heartwarming without being cloying or saccharine.

And YALSA, which had previously posted a longer review, adds Let it Snow to a list of must-have collections and anthologies.
But wait! There’s more! Parenthetical.net blogs

The authors managed to make this generic suburban town (in which the main settings are people’s homes and cars, a Waffle House, and a Starbucks) feel as quirky and lovingly created as something out of Garrison Keillor.

Finally, don’t miss Books With Wings’ post about Let it Snow. It’s actually snowing ON THE PAGE!
And that’s it for me for the year. Thanks to all my authors, readers, and commenters for making this year such a brilliant kickoff for kt literary. Happy Holidays to you and all of yours. Stay warm and safe inside, with a great book.
Cheers!

Ask Daphne! Special Turkey Day Edition

Kate — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 17:12:56 +0000

This is, according to Google, Trevor the Turkey, who loves shoes almost as much as I do. And so, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, a list of things I’m thankful for:

Shoes. Although I must remember to pack some sort of mid-sized heel or walking shoe next time I’m going to be gallivanting around NYC for a week.
Purple shoes. This deserves a special list entry all its own because it took me months of searching to find a pair for my wedding in April, and now stores everywhere are selling them, in case I need extras.
My wonderful clients, new (Welcome Karen Hamilton and Ransom Riggs) and old (Maureen Johnson — yes, I called you old, although I’m sure you’d just point out that you are, in fact, two days younger than me) and everywhere in between. I love reading all of your books, and I’m thrilled that, even though I work alone, I work with some of the best people I know.
Rexroth and Trixie, who, after a long day of my working alone, never fail to make me smile, keep me perky, and are happy to let me babble away with all the words I didn’t get out in my working hours.
Facebook. I’m grateful to have yet another way of keeping in touch with editors, clients, friends, and family, and seeing what they’re up to all day. I’m also happy that is the complete and inclusive list of people whose friend invites I will accept.
Manuscripts that keep me up too late. The lack of sleep is so worth it.
My fantastic subagents, who’ve helped me close deals in Germany, Spain, Italy, and France already this year, and who go to such great efforts for my list. I can’t wait to see you in Bologna in the Spring.
Bologna in the Spring. Whee!
My kindle, which has changed the way I work and read.
Bloggers everywhere who talk about books and keep a literary conversation alive.

What are you thankful for?

Remembering Crichton

Kate — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:19:46 +0000

It’s late, I know, but I only just heard the news that Michael Crichton passed away Tuesday of cancer. You can read more about his life, his works, and other details here, here, or here, but I wanted to share my own memories of the man.
I had the pleasure of working on his foreign rights for almost ten years at my previous agency, and though his email messages were always short and to the point, the man himself was a towering wordsmith. I remember sitting at my cubicle one day when he came by the office, and realized that he was leaning down on the top of the cubicle wall, resting his elbows at the height of my eyeballs. The man was tall, people.
And so talented — say what you will about the movies made from some of his books, but the books themselves are the kind of smart pageturners James Patterson wishes he were writing. Jurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain, The Great Train Robbery, Sphere, Eaters of the Dead, Congo, State of Fear — I defy you to pick up any one of them and put them down without finishing them.
I have a special memory about Timeline. At the time it came out, I was studying stage combat pretty ambitiously, and in hearing that there was a character named Kate in Crichton’s new book, AND she got to fight with a sword, I remember saying something about it to Crichton’s assistant, who I was in frequent contact with about foreign deals with my boss. The next time Crichton came to the office, I got a signed first edition of the newly released book, with a personal note: “To Kate, the only sword fighter I know.”
I’ve worked on a lot of books in my more than a dozen years in the business, but that copy of that book has always been a treasured possession. Today, it feels a little more so.
Thank you, Michael Crichton, for countless thrills.

Open for business!

Kate — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 22:01:55 +0000

Sound the trumpets! Ring the bells! kt literary is open for business!
And already swamped with queries, of course. Before I get too far behind, I’m reminding myself that I pledged to respond to all queries within two weeks (those of you who’ve sent emails early know I’ve been burning the midnight oil already). And I’ve already seen some interesting stuff out there, so woot!
And before I get too busy to say it, or forget it in the rush of work to do, thanks to everyone I spoke to about making this transition. You know who you are. Your advice, encouragement, offers of help, and all around fabulousness helped me make this wonderful decision.