Queries, Qualms, & Quirks

Romance Author Charish Reid joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss writing with ADHD, getting an agent and publication offer at the same time, reading reviews, putting things in perspective, the benefit of series in romance, preparing for the next book contract, writing bad poetry, and the need for external validation. ✦  Charish Reid is the author of three contemporary romance novels: The Write Escape, Hearts on Hold, and (Trust) Falling for You. She and her husband currently live in Sweden, teaching and exploring their new town. ✦  Charish: Query | Website | Twitter | Amazon | IndieBound | Libro FM ✦ QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon ✦ If links aren't clickable, find them here: https://bit.ly/qqqcharish ✦ This page includes affiliate links. Please use them if you’d like to support the show.

Young Adult Author Kyrie McCauley joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss finding a supportive community early on, sobbing at her first edit letter, writing about tough topics, writing at the zoo, Pitch Wars, the mountains and valleys of publishing, and what she misses about querying. ✦  Kyrie McCauley is the author of If These Wings Could Fly and We Can Be Heroes. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her family, three rescue cats, and a dog that eats books and is never sorry. ✦  Kyrie: Query | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound | Libro FM ✦  QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon ✦  If links aren't clickable, find them here: https://bit.ly/qqqkyrie ✦  This page includes affiliate links. Please use them if you’d like to support the show. ✦ 

Mystery Author Leslie Budewitz joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss the lawyer to writer pipeline, Sisters in Crime, when the struggle was finding publishing information instead of curating it, the pre-internet writing community, writing fiction feeling too daunting at first, publishing as a business, and not having a linear path. ✦  Leslie Budewitz is a three-time Agatha Award winner and the best-selling author of the Spice Shop mysteries, set in Seattle, and the Food Lovers’ Village mysteries, set in NW Montana, where she lives. As Alicia Beckman, she writes moody suspense. Leslie is a Mystery Writers of America board member and a past president of Sisters in Crime. ✦  Leslie: Query | Website | Facebook | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound  ✦  If links aren't clickable, find them here: https://bit.ly/qqqbudewitz ✦  This page includes affiliate links. Please use them if you’d like to support the show.

Young Adult Author Dante Medema joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss having a massive earthquake the day your book goes to auction, being overwhelmed by writers conferences, knowing when a book is the one, the non-glamorous life of an author, ten years to overnight success, debuting during a pandemic, and separating the business from your ego. ✦  Dante Medema is the author of THE TRUTH PROJECT and MESSAGE NOT FOUND. When she isn’t writing she can be found chasing her dogs and four daughters around Alaska, obsessing over aliens, or embarrassing herself on Tiktok. ✦  Dante: Query | Website | Twitter | TikTok | Instagram | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound | Libro FM ✦  QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon ✦  If links aren't clickable, find them here: https://bit.ly/qqqdante ✦  This page includes affiliate links. Please use them if you’d like to support the show.

Romance Author Farah Heron joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss the benefits of being a joiner, the problem with being Canadian, DVPit, finding your genre, the important of publicists, deciding if writing is worth the stress, the danger of self-rejection, being a chapter President during the RWA implosion, and nothing being more important than the writing. ✦  Farah Heron is a critically acclaimed author of romance and romcoms.. Her recent release, Accidentally Engaged, was praised in Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, NPR, Glamour magazine, and has been named one of the year's best romances by Vulture. Her YA debut, Tahira in Bloom, will be out November 1, 2021. ✦  Farah: Query | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound | LibroFM ✦  QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon ✦  If links aren't clickable, find them here: https://bit.ly/qqqfarah ✦  This page includes affiliate links. Please use them if you’d like to support the show. ✦ 

Horror Author Jessica Lewis joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss going from self-insert fanfiction to original fiction, the support of NaNoWriMo buddies, entering all the publishing contests, Pitch Wars, the pressure of writing for money, mental health, and trouble coming up with titles. ✦  Jessica Lewis is a Black author and receptionist. She lives with her way-funnier-than-her grandmother in Alabama. When she isn't writing or working, she enjoys watching cooking or HGTV-type home shows and playing farming sims. ✦  Jessica: Query | Website | Twitter | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound | Libro FM ✦  If links aren't clickable, find them here: https://bit.ly/qqqjessicalewis ✦  This page includes affiliate links. Please use them if you’d like to support the show. ✦ 

Young Adult Author Annie Sullivan joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss getting two requests out of a hundred queries, why “write something new” and “don’t give up on a book you love” are not contradictory, learning about publishing rights and contracts, the migration of goalposts, leaving Easter Eggs for her readers, and not putting time limits on your self. ✦  Annie Sullivan is the author of three young adult fantasy novels A Touch of Gold, A Curse of Gold, and Tiger Queen. She lives in Indiana but loves to travel the world. She has a passion for all things fairytales and Jane Austen and loves interacting with fans. ✦  Annie: Query | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound | LibroFM ✦  QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon ✦  PubTalk Live: Ask the Agents: Contract Terms If links aren't clickable, find them here: https://bit.ly/qqqannies  ✦  This page includes affiliate links. Please use them if you’d like to support the show. ✦ 

Middle Grade Author Sarah McGuire joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss shelving a book after six years, being orphaned by your publisher, the revelation courtesy of her opera-singer sister, creating Egmont’s Last List, learning who to take which critiques from, and imposter syndrome. ✦  Sarah McGuire is math teacher who sailed around the world aboard a floating college campus. She writes fairy tales and fun fantasy and would love to open a wardrobe and stumble into another world. She wishes Florida had mountains, but she lives there anyways with her husband and their family. ✦  Sarah: Query | Website | Twitter | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound  ✦ QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon ✦ If links aren't clickable, find them here: https://bit.ly/qqqsarahm

Historical Crime Author John Copenhaver joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss getting an MFA, querying via snail mail, changes in the mystery genre landscape, what happens if you never get published, and the importance of forming relationships in the industry. ✦  John Copenhaver’s historical crime novel, Dodging and Burning, won the 2019 Macavity Award for Best First Mystery Novel and garnered Anthony, Strand Critics, Barry, and Lambda Award nominations. His second novel, The Savage Kind, was just released. He writes a crime fiction review column for Lambda called “Blacklight,” and cohosts on the House of Mystery Radio Show. He lives in Richmond, VA. ✦  John: Query | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Bookshop | LibroFM | IndieBound ✦  QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon ✦  If links aren't clickable, find them here: https://bit.ly/qqqcopenhaver

Science Fiction author AJ Super joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss not getting into Pitch Wars, how far kindness can take you, a successful query letter that is not perfect, how long it takes to put out a good book, mental health challenges, and taking measured risks. ✦  Angela/AJ Super is a 2021 debut author. Her space opera, Erebus Dawning and its sequel, A Star Reborn have recently released from Aethon Books. She lives in Kansas with her husband and fuzz-brained kitties. ✦  AJ: Query | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Bookshop | LibroFM | IndieBound ✦  QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon ✦  If links aren't clickable, find them here: https://bit.ly/qqqajsuper

Picture Book Author Kira Bigwood joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss querying for eight years, how many picture books you should have ready before submitting, the process of writing a picture book without an illustrator, querying too soon, the importance of making connections, and how making a picture book is truly a team effort. ✦  Kira Bigwood is an advertising copywriter turned children’s author. Her debut picture book, Secret, Secret Agent Guy, illustrated by Celia Krampien, released this spring from Atheneum Books for Young Readers, and received starred reviews from Kirkus and School Library Journal. Kira is a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, and lives in Chicago with her husband, three children and their pandemic puppy. ✦  Kira: Query | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound ✦  12 x 12 Challenge ✦  QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon ✦  If links aren't clickable, find them here: https://bit.ly/qqqkirabigwood

Mystery Author Kellye Garrett joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss getting an agent offer at a bar, Pitch Wars, when your publisher abruptly shuts down, writing a book because of a headline, selling a book after a year versus five days, waiting ten months to announce a book deal, and never winning NaNoWriMo. ✦  Kellye Garrett is the author of the upcoming suspense novel Like A Sister and the Detective by Day lightweight mysteries. The first, Hollywood Homicide, won the Anthony, Agatha, Lefty, and IPPY for best first novel. She serves on Sisters in Crime’s national board, is a former Pitch Wars Managing Director and is a co-founder of Crime Writers of Color. ✦  Kellye: Query Text | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Bookshop | Libro.fm | Amazon | Indiebound ✦  QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon ✦  If links aren't clickable, find them here: https://bit.ly/qqqkellye

Middle Grade author Deva Fagan joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss having a contract cancelled, leaving multiple agents, feeling like a failure despite selling three books, how referrals aren’t a golden ticket, when your fears come to pass, and asking for what you need.  ✦ Deva Fagan is the author of middle grade fantasy novels Nightingale, Rival Magic and more. She lives in Maine with her husband and her dog. When she’s not writing she spends her time reading, playing video games, doing geometry, and drinking copious amounts of tea.  ✦  Deva: Query Text | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Bookshop: Nightingale -- Rival Magic | Libro.fm | IndieBound  ✦  QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon  ✦  If links aren't clickable, find them here: https://bit.ly/qqqdeva

Speculative Fiction author EJ Wenstrom joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss taking a chance on a small press, not being too precious with your work, the zero draft method, not staying with an agent who’s not a good fit, writing off trend, and positive ADHD representation. ✦  E. J. Wenstrom believes in complicated heroes, horrifying monsters, purple hair dye and standing to the right on escalators so the left side can walk. She writes dark speculative fiction for adults and teens, including her new release, the young adult dystopian novel Departures. ✦  EJ: Query | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Amazon | IndieBound | Bookshop ✦  QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon ✦  If links aren't clickable, find them here: https://bit.ly/qqqejwenstrom

Science Fiction Author Mike Chen  joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss resurrecting shelved novels, querying transitioning from paper to digital, going to acquisitions five times in 20 months, releasing a pandemic book just before a pandemic started, acquisitions nerves, drafting in layers, and getting better with every attempt.  ✦ Mike Chen is the author of We Could Be Heroes, Here And Now And Then, and A Beginning At The End. He has contributed to Star Wars: From A Certain Point Of View and covered geek culture for sites such as Tor.com, The Mary Sue, and StarTrek.com. In previous lives, he has been a musician, DJ, aerospace engineer, and credentialed NHL reporter. Mike lives in the Bay Area with his wife, daughter, and rescue animals.  ✦ Mike: Query | Website | Twitter | Amazon | Bookshop | Libro FM | IndieBound  ✦ Links from Mike: What Happens After You Get a Literary Agent An In-Depth Look at His Query Letter A Post About His Book Deal QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon  ✦ If links aren't clickable, find them here:  https://bit.ly/qqqmikechen