@jillsted
Active 3 years, 9 months ago-
Hilary posted an update 1 year, 5 months ago
Hello Denizens,
If anyone would like an invitation to the launch of Sea Defences, please send me a message. It’s on Thursday January 12th at 6 pm in Sudbury, Suffolk. -
Hilary replied to the topic Prize and novel publication in the forum Podium 1 year, 5 months ago
<p style=”text-align: right;”>Thanks for ordering, Libby.</p>
Bridport don’t publish online because they publish an anthology – even the ebook is not cheap! -
Hilary replied to the topic Free book in the forum Podium 1 year, 5 months ago
Congratulations, Thea! I can empathise with the heartfelt ‘At long last…’ Well done!
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Hilary started the topic Prize and novel publication in the forum Podium 1 year, 5 months ago
Some of you will already know this if you hang out on twitter. My debut novel, Sea Defences, is coming out in January and can be pre-ordered from http://www.eye-books.com/books/sea-defences. It started life as a short story in one of the winter challenges on the old Cloud – I think it was the last one that AlanP did. There will be a Book Launch in…[Read more]
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Wow, double congratulations, Hilary! I remember Sea Defences from the Winter Challenge – such a powerful story. Sorry I won’t be able to make it to Suffolk, but I will be raising a glass to your success. Well done! 🙂
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Brilliant news, Hillary.
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oops, not admin, me 🙂
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Brilliant news. Congratulations, Hilary!
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Hilary replied to the topic The Future of the Den (again) in the forum Blogs 1 year, 8 months ago
Hello. Long time no see, everyone. I’m posting this to say I do occasionally pop in to see what’s going on, but haven’t actually logged in for a Very Long Time. So, apologies. And also, thanks to you faithful few, and especially Ath and any other admin (?) for keeping it going. Yes, other things going on for me too, but the other day I was feeling…[Read more]
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Hi Hilary, lovely to see you here! Hope all’s going well with the book. x
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Thanks, Thea. Yes, all is well with the book, thanks. Publication date January next year. So excited! Hope all’s well with you.
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Oh, that’s fab, Hilary ! Please post an update when the book comes out. Looking forward to reading it 🙂
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Hilary replied to the topic My ride so far on the rollercoaster that is publishing in the forum Blogs 4 years, 1 month ago
I will say congratulations again on here, Laure! Absolutely brilliant. Well done!
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Hilary replied to the topic Good news this time – finally! in the forum Podium 4 years, 1 month ago
Just caught up with this. What brilliant news, Janette. So very, very pleased for you. Congratulations! Well done. (News like this always gives me hope!!!) x
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Hilary replied to the topic Recent agent experience in the forum Blogs 4 years, 1 month ago
Thanks, Squidge! Don’t worry – I’m not giving up. Thanks for the vote of confidence!
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Hilary replied to the topic Recent agent experience in the forum Blogs 4 years, 1 month ago
Thanks, Jill and Philippa. I’m getting over the experience! But I still want to find a balanced overview about 1) whether book club fiction is a thing, and 2) whether age matters. I’m prepared to accept that it isn’t (as far as pitching to editors is concerned) and it does, but I’d still want an agent who said ‘We’ll show them …’ rather than…[Read more]
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I think if Debi says Book Club/Reading Group fiction is a thing and other agents identify it as something they’re looking for, you can be 100% sure it exists. For the age, maybe it does make a difference to some editors/agents (although I haven’t seen any examples of it and I am MUCH older than you) but, if so, they are not the sort of people I…[Read more]
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Hilary replied to the topic Recent agent experience in the forum Blogs 4 years, 1 month ago
Thank you for the beta read offers. I’m not sure I’m ready yet, but I will keep you in mind, and return the offer. Swapsies!
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Hilary replied to the topic Monthly competition – February 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 1 month ago
Congratulations, John! Well done to all – and thanks to Libby for the comp and the perceptive comments.
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Hilary replied to the topic Recent agent experience in the forum Blogs 4 years, 1 month ago
And thank you for your comments too, Mad Iguana.
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Hilary replied to the topic Recent agent experience in the forum Blogs 4 years, 1 month ago
Debi thank you for this. Yes, I do think you’re right about the agent giving her time and it’s true that my disappointment is down to my expectations and hopes more than anything else. As I say, she was perfectly ‘nice’ and of course her prime motivation is going to be can she sell it. But in the meeting, I felt her doubt about this came across…[Read more]
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Hilary replied to the topic Recent agent experience in the forum Blogs 4 years, 1 month ago
Thank you everyone for your solidarity and kind comments about my writing, and for the encouragement to realise all the positives in this tale as well. And, @janette, for someone not to reply properly having suggested revisions – that is, indeed, unprofessional.
I am taking a step back from that experience and that novel, and working on the…[Read more]
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Hilary replied to the topic Recent agent experience in the forum Blogs 4 years, 1 month ago
To be fair, she didn’t say it was about representation. I just thought/hoped it would be. She said it was to discuss suggested revisions and how we might work together. As well as the thing about commercial/literary, there were so many aspects of the book that she thought didn’t work, I even asked her why she had wanted to meet me and she said…[Read more]
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Hilary replied to the topic Monthly competition – February 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 1 month ago
Rachel agreed, in the end, to a bath.
The water was hot. There were bubbles. The scent made her think of purple.
She closed her eyes. Lowered herself, let her hands float, slid down until her head was under water. She let the breath go out of her and waited. Slowly, she pushed herself back up. Water dripped from her face, her hair. Steam…[Read more]
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Hilary started the topic Recent agent experience in the forum Blogs 4 years, 1 month ago
I’ve been thinking of posting something about this for a while, and have been prompted to do so by Sandra’s link to the Bookouture post about commercial fiction.
I began submitting my novel to agents in July last year. I had my first full request the next day, even though it was the weekend, so you can imagine my excitement. I received two more…[Read more]
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Sorry – the spreadtheword post with bookouture editors.
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Your post has made me rage! Well done on getting all those requests for the full. But why on God’s green earth would an agent drag you all the way to London for a chat, without first making it clear that she was not going to represent you. You may have wanted to take advantage of the rare opportunity for a face to face anyway, but could she not…[Read more]
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Thanks for your rage! It was an expensive journey, too. Not off peak so I could not even use my SENIOR railcard!!
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To be fair, she did say the meeting was to discuss suggested revisions and talk about how we might work together.
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Gosh @hilary, I am raging on your behalf too! This all sounds so demoralising, and I do admire your fortitude in picking yourself up and starting a new book. I hope you’ll focus on the fact that you had lots of requests for a full ms – even on a weekend!! – and take Raine’s advice and submit again. As you rightly say, many agents have book club…[Read more]
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Hilary replied to the topic Lost my group! in the forum Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 4 years, 2 months ago
Yes me too.
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Hilary replied to the topic Class 3: Writing Exercise, Raine. in the forum Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 4 years, 2 months ago
Amazing piece, Raine. A wonderful example of writing a character through the eyes of another one. Very sad.
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Hilary replied to the topic Class 3 writing exercise "I don't remember", Sandra in the forum Andrew Wille's DIY MA course 4 years, 2 months ago
I wonder if he will end up getting away with the misbehaviour? Interesting piece.
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