Tuesday From the Trenches: Finley Turner

Hello lovely readers! Happy Tuesday! I hope you are all safe and well after major storms and other troubles. While I am safely tucked away in Arizona, I know many of you are dealing with flooding and distress. Please stay well and I hope that you find peace after the storm.

I am excited to invite my first suspense author to Tuesday From The Trenches! So join me in giving a very warm welcome to Finley Turner!

Thank you so much for joining us today, Finley! I’m thrilled to share your story with my readers!

This is so exciting! It’s great that you’re making the foggy world of publishing a bit more clear and less lonely. My publishing story is a bit messy, so some of my answers are a bit complicated.

I'm just so grateful that you're sharing the journey. I think so many people feel like things have to be perfectly ordered and it's so nice to learn that the path to publication can actually be quite messy. Can you share your query stats with us?

Time Spent in the Query Trenches: 4 months

Number of Agents Queried: 76

Number of Requests for Additional Work/Full Manuscript: 21

Number of Twitter Pitch “Likes”: 43

Number of R&Rs: 1

Number of Rejections: 64

Number of Offers: 2

Agent and Agency: Katie Shea Boutillier at Donald Maass Literary Agency

Wow! Those 43 Twitter pitch likes are especially calling out to me. I'm excited to hear about that soon. But first... how did you keep track of it all? What was your method for organizing queries? Spread sheet? Query Tracker? Etc.

I had a spreadsheet and also used Query Tracker. I liked both, but the spreadsheet allowed me to have everything on the page all at once. I had a tab where I planned and kept track of my query rounds, which was ever-changing. I get a dopamine hit every time I check something off a list, which is why the spreadsheet was my favorite.

I'm also a big believer in the spread sheet method. And I'd say about 90% of my interviewees are in the same boat. It's a good boat to me in ;) So as that spreadsheet filled in, how did you handle rejections? Did any sting more than others?

The first few rejections were extremely hard. Querying made me feel very vulnerable—hello, stranger, here is my life’s work. Please love me—and while 99% of agents don’t make rejections personal, the first few still felt that way. I initially had a running joke with my husband where I’d take a shot for each rejection, but quickly gave up on that for the sake of my liver.

Hahaha! So so true about it feeling personal. And I'm glad you cared for your liver as well! ha! How did you find agents to query/how did you decide who to query?

I did so much research. Some of it was casual, like paying attention to book twitter, and some of it was more structured, like reading all the comments and stats from Query Tracker or any writer blogs that talk about both good and bad agents. I also began paying more attention to the acknowledgements in the suspense novels I was reading, because there are usually nice call-outs to agents and editors there.

Oh, that's a really great idea that I hadn't thought about before. The acknowledgement section I'm sure is a great place to look! I think that's a new one in these interviews, so thank you so much for bringing that up. So after all that research, how did you ultimately connect with Katie? Did you cold query? Participate in a twitter pitch event? Or connect in some other way?

My querying story is pretty messy. I participated in PitMad in March 2020 and got an amazing response from agents. I’ve had two agents and both of them liked the same pitch. I sent out fulls to everyone who requested and quickly got an offer from my first agent. Unfortunately, I parted ways with them only a month later. Luckily, my current agent, Katie, was interested in having a chat, so I didn’t have to fully re-enter the query trenches. It was an exclusive R&R offer, which made a lot of sense in my specific situation since I had just left my agent and hadn’t started querying again.

Wow! I bet that was a really emotional journey. I am so glad that Katie was still interested and that you had that experience. What an amazing story of huge success in a Twitter Pitch contest. I also connected with my agent in a PitMad event, so I'm a big believer there. Can you tell us a bit more about how much time passed between querying your now agent to getting “the call”?

After Katie liked my March 2020 Pitmad pitch, I sent her a query March 5th and then the full later that night when requested. I ended up accepting an offer from another agency on April 8 and then breaking the contract a month later. After a brief break from all things publishing, I contacted Katie and we had a call about an R&R on June 10. I revised until August and the official offer call came on September 21st.

I'm glad that you took that break to get your head in the right space again. I think that is really important and something that we don't always talk about in this industry... the entire experience is super emotional and sometimes I think we're just expected to keep pushing on when things have hurt and been really intense. So good for you for taking that brief break and then coming back into it in fully force. So once you jumped back in, how was “the call”? How did you know Katie was the right choice?

I technically had two big calls with Katie, one for an R&R, and then one later with the offer. For the R&R call, I had a chance to ask a lot of the questions most writers ask during The Call. Katie was so complimentary of the book and clearly expressed all the edits she envisioned, so I felt like I was in good hands already. We kept in touch while I revised and then when I got an email to set up another call, I figured this is it! It’s The Call! When she told me she loved the edits and wanted to continue working together, I think I remember saying something along the lines of, “I would be stupid to not accept.” It was a no-brainer!

That's so amazing! I love a great working relationship that makes a book better and feels so right! And it sounds like the R&R was a great experience for you. Could you tell us a little about that book?

Sure! My manuscript, Behind Borrowed Walls, and is an adult domestic suspense novel about a couple who rents an AirBnB in a small Southern town. While the couple struggles to settle the estate of a dead relative, they begin to notice that not only are their neighbors watching them, but so is someone inside the house. Here is my PitMad pitch, which I’m fond of for getting me my agent:

Small-town Airbnb for rent in a quaint unwelcoming neighborhood. 2 bedrooms w/ inaccessible upper floor. Hidden cameras, repressed family trauma, & destroyed marriages included. 5/5 star rating. Our previous guests loved it so much that they could never leave #PitMad #A#T #S

Oh my goodness, that pitch!! I love it so much. I can't wait to see where it lands!

So with your journey in mind, if you could give querying authors a piece of advice, what would that be?

When you think your book is ready to query, take a step back, because it’s most likely not. Do another edit after you take a break from it. My biggest regret is querying too early and I shame myself every once in a while for my messy manuscript. That being said, don’t put all your “dream agents” in your first few rounds. If you get agent feedback early on and make changes, you don’t want to regret missing your shot because your query or first few pages needed tweaking.

That is stellar advice. I also queried too soon and regretted it. Once I was truly ready, things fell right into place. Before I let you go, where can we connect with you online?

I’m on Twitter: @finleywrites and my website is www.finleyturner.com

Wonderful! Thanks so much for joining us today, Finley! I’ve had a blast chatting and learning more about your journey. Best of luck to you! I can’t wait to see your books in the world.

Thank you so much for the opportunity and for making this available for other writers! If you’re reading this while in the query trenches, don’t give up!

GIVEAWAY OPPOTUNITY!

Finley has generously offered to give away a query critique! If the winner has a twitter pitch already created for the same book, she can look at that as well. To enter, retweet THIS tweet and follow Finley and Kailei on Twitter.

About Finley Turner

Finley Turner is a debut suspense author. She made a career change to become an archivist at a university after leaving academia, where she studied cults and new religious movements. When not producing and consuming all things morbid and dark, Finley can typically be found playing video games with her husband, and occasionally pausing to interrogate her rescue animals about what they're chewing on. She is represented by Katie Shea Boutillier at Donald Maass Literary Agency.

About Kailei Pew

Kailei Pew is a wife, mother, and children's book author represented by the amazing Emily Forney of Bookends Literary. Kailei's debut Middle Grade Book, KID MADE will be coming to you from Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan Summer 2023

Tuesday From The Trenches: Annabelle Estrada

Hello wonderful readers! And welcome back to Tuesday From the Trenches! I was sorry to miss two weeks of interviews due to some scheduling conflicts, but it actually ended up being perfect. I was on deadline for my Nonfiction MG, and I needed the time. I officially sent the manuscript to my editor around noon today, and I feel so excited to see where it goes from here.

Anyways... I digress. I am so excited to share Annabelle Estrada's query journey with you. Annabelle reached out to me a few months back with a slightly unconventional story about her connection to Tuesday From The Trenches. I won't spoil it, but you definitely want to hear this one, so read all the way through! And now... join me in welcoming Annabelle to the blog!

Hi, Annabelle!! I am SO excited you are here!

Thanks for having me! When querying, I read Tuesday From The Trenches religiously and it really gave me hope to keep going. Although I wasn’t in the trenches for too long, I came in hard for those months that I was querying.

I love to hear that these interviews helped! I know your journey will inspire so many... so let's just jump right in with your stats! Because you really did go at it hard!

Time Spent in the Query Trenches: 4 months

Number of Agents Queried: 67, but one was the day before my offer, so it didn’t give them a real chance to consider+ 2 straight to editor queries after a Twitter pitch

Number of Requests for Additional Work/Full Manuscript: 4

Number of Twitter Pitch “Likes”: 5

Number of R&Rs: 2

Number of Rejections: 65

Number of Offers: 2

Agent and Agency: Joyce Sweeney at The Seymour Agency

That is amazing, Annabelle! Especially that you were able to send 67 queries plus 2 submissions in only 4 months. You really did throw yourself into it completely! Way to go. How did you keep track of it all? What was your method for organizing queries? Spread sheet? Query Tracker? Etc.

One of the first things I did was a little unconventional. I was so eager to break into the biz, I wanted to know THE SECOND I got an agent reply, so I got my first Apple Watch. Having an Apple Watch made it easier to hear notifications instead of freakishly checking my phone constantly.

For the bulk of the information, I kept a Google spreadsheet with the agent name, agency, date sent, and, in the beginning, when I “should” hear back if they chose to disclose when they respond (I stopped doing that eventually because I realized sometimes you still don’t hear back at all, but who knows, maybe I will get their response next year).

Also, although I kept a list of everyone I queried, I still managed to query a couple of agents twice. I felt awful for clogging up their inbox, but the query trenches are no joke, and I must have been weary.

I'm sure you were with how many queries you got out there! But absolutely understandable and agents really are such lovely people, I'm sure they understood. I also love your need to know right away. I also love my Apple watch to make sure I don't miss a call from my agent! haha. So when they did come in, how did you handle rejections? Did any sting more than others?

The rejections in the beginning were fine and expected, but when they kept coming, I started to think that maybe it wasn’t going to happen for me. The rejections after pitch contests likes and requests for more work hurt the most, because you get your hopes up. Other rejections that hurt a lot were ones in which I had a good feeling about the agent being a great fit. I was wrong…EVERY…SINGLE…TIME.

As for it all being such a subjective industry, you hear it all the time, but it is nearly impossible to NOT take it personally. I finally understood the fact that it REALLY WAS subjective while doing my picture book research. My husband and I would read the picture books I was researching or using as mentor texts as nightly bedtime stories to our daughter. He loved some of the ones I hated, and vice versa. That really drove home the message about subjectivity — especially since I thought we had similar tastes.

That really is such a good reminder. Because I know exactly what you mean about it being so hard to not take rejection personally. How did you find agents to query/how did you decide who to query?

Twitter, #MSWL, Google searches, and the PB Chat list of agents.

Those are all wonderful resources! Did you partake in any other unconventional strategies?

Yes! I am a firm believer in visualization and manifestation, so one of the things I did was prematurely fill out a mock interview of your TUESDAY FROM THE TRENCHES as if I was one of your interviews! So this interview was already more than halfway done by the time it became reality. In addition, I would put a daily 10:00 PM reminder on my phone to visualize getting representation and published every night before going to sleep. The last thoughts I had before sleep were of my dream coming true.

I also signed up for some paid consultations with agents and editors from the Manuscript Academy. It is reasonably priced, and they have helpful agents and editors that can really help you get closer to your goal.

I love this so much!! When you first told me that you already completed the interview, I was SO excited to read and I loved that you believed in yourself so completely. Readers, if any of you want to do the same, I'd love to share your story WHEN you land your agent. Because again, I firmly believe there is room for all of us!

Annabelle, can you tell us more about “the call” with Joyce? How did you know she was the right choice?

I knew Joyce was the one for many reasons. First, she was a writing coach and published author, so I knew she would be a great writing mentor. Also, the fact that a literary agent, Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez, had her as her agent, was a good sign. In addition, I had read all her clients’ comments about her on Twitter, and that made me feel good about her character. It was clear that Joyce was a caring person, and that is super important to me.

“The call” was actually a zoom meeting, and it happened after an R&R. She pushed me to make my manuscript stronger, and for that I was very grateful.

She sounds absolutely lovely. And I always love to hear about a great working relationship where an agent pushes for the very best. Love that so much! You know you will be in good hands. If you could give querying authors a piece of advice, what would that be?

Oh man, I have too much advice!

First, make the first line of your query letter strong. Just like the first line of your book is super important, so is the first line of your query.

Second, set up a separate email for querying and keep using it for when you go on submission. It is annoying to get excited for an email notification, only for it to be a shoe sale.

Also, accept that you will likely be ghosted at some point, whether by agents or editors. I had an agent ghost me after requesting more material and even after I notified her of my offer of rep, which I did not expect.

Last, if you continue to commit to learning more, the manuscripts you are writing now are likely stronger than the ones you wrote in the past. If you are not getting any bites, take a deep dive into learning more about craft, then write new ones. I obsessively sign up for writing webinars, read blogs and writing books, and listen to publishing podcasts. So much of this is free or low-cost and it has been invaluable to me.

That is all such fabulous advice. Thank you!

Before I let you go, where can we connect with you online?

Twitter: @AnnabelleMyBell

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY!!

Annabelle is offering a PB MS Critique to one lucky reader!! To enter: Retweet THIS tweet and Follow Annabelle and Kailei on Twitter. Winner will be announced on Twitter on Monday.

About Annabelle Estrada

Annabelle Estrada is a Mexican American writer and poet from the desert city of El Paso. A former advertising and public relations professional, she now concentrates on increasing the visibility of Latinos, whether by writing picture books, establishing El Paso Day, or proposing a change to the time frame of Hispanic Heritage Month for it to have greater impact. She's been a guest columnist for the online news publication El Paso Matters and has had poetry featured in The Ice Colony's Latinx Anthology. You can usually find her eating queso and listening to classic rock with her husband and daughter in Dallas.

Annabelle Estrada is represented by Joyce Sweeney at The Seymour Agency.

About Kailei Pew

Kailei Pew is a wife, mother, and children's book author represented by the amazing Emily Forney of Bookends Literary. She is an active member of SCBWI, a 2019 Write Mentor Mentee, and a finalist in Susanna Leonard Hill's 2019 Holiday Writing Contest. She loves writing picture books that help kids see they can do anything they set their minds to.

Kailei's debut Middle Grade Book, KID MADE will be coming to you from Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan Summer 2023

Tuesday From The Trenches: Janelle Harper

Hello wonderful readers! How are we all doing today? I know many of you are deep in the query trenches. Some might be about to hop out. Others might feel like you'll be there forever... But it last week's interview with Allen taught us nothing else, we learned that years of "no" can become "yes" from one day to the next! So keep trudging, friends! You will make it.

And not to be a Debby Downer... but the waiting truly never ends. So to those of you who are agented and now on submission, I see you. That wait doesn't actually ever end if you are looking to be a career author. You sell one book and celebrate with complete JOY, and then it's right back out on sub with the second... then the third... then the fourth... and I'm sure very experienced authors will tell us that the waiting still doesn't stop. 30 years from now when I'm ready to retire, I'll let you know ;)

But what I'm trying to say is this... the waiting will never end. So just enjoy each and every moment of the process. Control what you can control... write another story. Send another query (or pre another submission). Research a new idea. Try a new genre. And let the waiting take a backseat to the work you are putting in. I have said it before and I will say it again... I fully, 100% believe that there is room for each and every one of us in this industry. And that the world needs our stories. All of them. So don't stop writing.

Anyways... I have babbled enough now. So please join me as I now welcome Janelle Harper to Tuesday From The Trenches!

Thank you so much for joining us today, Janelle! I’m thrilled to share your story with my readers! So let's jump right in.

Can you share your query stats with us?

Time Spent in the Query Trenches: 4 months

Number of Agents Queried: 29 (5 of which I queried twice with a different manuscript)

Number of Requests for Additional Work/Full Manuscript: 10

Number of Twitter Pitch “Likes”: I’ve participated in Twitter Pitches in the past with little to no luck. Mindy Alyse Weiss’ #PBParty contest is where I received the most interest: 11 agents and 7 editors

Number of R&Rs: 0

Number of Rejections: 18 Passes, 5 No Responses, 3 Stepped Aside after Notice of Offer of Rep

Number of Offers: 5

Agent and Agency: Lindsay Auld, Writers House

WOW! That is so amazing!! Huge congrats on the 5 offers!! And I love hearing these PBParty success stories. What a wonderful opportunity that you had. And I know those PBParty spots are hard to get. High competition. So please take my deep congratulations on making that. I am sure your story was amazing. So how did you keep track of it all? What was your method for organizing queries? Spread sheet? Query Tracker? Etc.

I started with a Spreadsheet but they intimidate me so I transferred all my data into a table in Google Doc. I created a column for the Agent Name, Agency, Query Submission Date, Query Return Date, Agent Response and Additional Information.

Google docs really is so wonderful and user friendly. I know you had a faster experience than some in the trenches, but how did you handle rejections? Did any sting more than others?

My experience in the field of dance has given me tough skin and lots of experience with rejections but I’m still human. Passes from dream agents or after requests for additional manuscripts stung a little more than other rejections. If needed, I allowed myself to feel whatever emotions I was feeling for the day then dusted myself off, dove back into writing and the query trenches. Ice cream and wine may have been involved.

Ha! I love that. My ice cream consumption was way up during my time in the query trenches as well. So outside of PBParty, how did you find agents to query/how did you decide who to query?

Twitter was a huge help in getting a sense of agents’ personalities, interests, open vs closed to queries, etc. I also used Publishers Marketplace, Manuscript Wish List, and the websites of literacy agencies to do more extensive research. I decided who I would query based on personalities I thought I would gel with, reputation, track record, a commitment to BIPOC authors and a passion for #OWN voice stories.

That is wonderful! It sounds like you really did your research, which is so important to the process. And I love the resources that are out there. How did you ultimately connect with your agent? Did you cold query? Participate in a twitter pitch event? Or connect in some other way?

With hesitation, I submitted to Mindy Alyse Weiss’ #PBParty contest in March. I was skeptical to submit because I already cold queried many of the participating agents. To my disbelief, my entry received a lot of interest: 11 agents and 7 editors.

That is so amazing. HUGE congratulations on that accomplishment! I'm so glad that you decided to put yourself out there despite the worry.

How much time passed between querying your Lindsay to getting “the call”?

Two days after Lindsay’s #PBParty request, I emailed my query letter and full manuscript. Within two hours, I received a response and a request to have “the call”. Two days later, we had “the call” and Lindsay offered representation.

WOW! What a whirlwind. I love that so much. Two hours! I bet you were feeling all sorts of emotions. Can you tell us more about “the call”? How did you know Lindsay was the right choice?

Prior to “the call”, I created a list of questions to ask. This helped a lot with anxiety and nervousness. During “the call”, Lindsay expressed passion not only for my manuscript but for my overall career. I asked LOTS of questions and Lindsay was meticulous with answering each one. After “the call”, I spoke with several clients. I strongly suggest this for all writers! In a matter of 2 weeks, I had 5 agent calls and offers of representation. It was exciting but also very overwhelming. Lindsay understood the importance of my decision and encouraged me to take all the time I needed. She wanted me to be comfortable and confident with my decision. With offers from 5 amazing agents, it was important that I made the right choice for me. Over those 2 weeks, I prayed, analyzed my notes from the calls and I trusted my gut. Based on her passion, commitment to being my advocate, communication style, experience, support from her mentor, and Writers House’s prestigious history, I knew Lindsay was the one. Truly, there would have not been a bad choice but Lindsay was the best choice for me and I am beyond ecstatic with my decision.

Wow. I can't imagine juggling 5 offers to choose from. But I can tell that you really took the time and made the effort to make the right choice for you. I love what you said about no bad choice, but finding the best fit for you personally. It sounds like Lindsay is going to be an amazing advocate for your work.

Could you tell us a little about your book that landed your agent?

This is the pitch that generated a lot of interest from #PBParty contest and helped to land my agent.

“This is a love letter. To the hustle. To the bustle. To the grit of those who sparkle under street lamps. Bodegas, subways and Hip Hop are some of the hidden gems that bring this New York City neighborhood to life. The Bronx! Take a lyrical journey through the coolest place I’ve ever been.”

Ooooh! That sounds absolutely amazing. I will have my eyes peeled for when you can share some good news on that one!

If you could give querying authors a piece of advice, what would that be?

Be kind to yourself! Find non-writing things to recharge and reinspire you. Take a long walk, break out the crayons and coloring books, go for brunch with friends. Whatever it is, do it! Then come back and keep going! Keep going until you get that agent! Keep going until you get that book deal! Keep going as you check off all your writing goals! Your journey is your own and is waiting for you to continue down the path.

That is beautiful, Janelle! Thank you so much for that inspiration and for the reminder to take breaks, recharge, and then hustle again.

Where can we connect with you online?

Twitter and IG: @BXStoryteller

Website: https://www.janelleharperauthor.com

Thanks so much for joining us today! I’ve had a blast chatting and learning more about your journey. Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers before I let you go?

Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of Tuesday from the Trenches. Your blog encouraged me and provided so many insights during my querying process. I am so happy to have the chance to give back to the writing community.

Aww... thank you so much, Janelle! I love hearing that and hope that others feel the same through these interviews. And thank YOU for your generosity. I wish you all the best on submission and can't wait to see your books out in the world!!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY!!

Janelle is offering one lucky reader a non-rhyming fiction PB manuscript critique. After 5 offers of rep, I think we can all agree that she will have some very valuable advice, so don't miss your change to enter! Just retweet THIS tweet and follow both Janelle and Kailei on twitter.

About Janelle Harper

Janelle Harper is a Bronx native who proudly carries her New York accent anywhere she goes. Janelle is passionate about representation. She hopes to create stories that make children fall more in love with themselves. She finds inspiration in life’s rhythms, city living, and the diverse experiences of the African Diaspora. When she’s not thinking about her next story, Janelle is enthusiastically playing along with TV game shows.

About Kailei Pew

Kailei Pew is a wife, mother, and children's book author represented by the amazing Emily Forney of Bookends Literary. She is an active member of SCBWI, a 2019 Write Mentor Mentee, and a finalist in Susanna Leonard Hill's 2019 Holiday Writing Contest. She loves writing picture books that help kids see they can do anything they set their minds to.

Kailei's debut Middle Grade Book, KID MADE will be coming to you from Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan Summer 2023