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Welcome back to another edition of Author's Corner. This week, I completed an eight day tour in Virginia, beginning in Glen Allen and ending in Christiansburg. The Barnes and Noble CR Managers in Glen Allen, Lynchburg and Christiansburg were fantastic and I'd like to thank them for their support. I'd also like to thank Chris Rourke, as well as Jeff and Tim of Waldenbooks in Roanoke for having me there as well. It's a pleasure to visit the stores and meet people like these.
One of the highlights of my trip was the Va. Book Festival. This was quite an experience for me. I had a table on Saturday at the Vendor's Hall in the Omni Hotel for Crime Day. Despite being a science fiction author, I met quite a few people and had an enjoyable time. In addition, I met two very talented authors in Frankie Bailey and Melissa Walker.
Frankie Bailey is the author of the Lizzie Stuart series of crime novels. Besides writing, she is also a criminal justice professor at SUNY. She is promoting her latest novel, Old Murders.
Melissa Walker is the author of Living on Wilderness Time: 200 Days in America's Wild Places. She has led a very exciting life, particularly since she began writing. Her experiences in the wilderness were very interesting and are a must read for anyone who loves the outdoors. She is very active in the environmental community and has some impressive credentials.
During my visit to Christiansburg Barnes and Noble, I had the opportunity to share in a forum with these two talented ladies. We had several interesting discussions with some of the attendees as well as with each other. They were a real pleasure to meet. For me, it was a chance to hear from authors of a different genre. It's also nice to share experiences and learn from others as well. I look forward to reading their novels in the future.
My next trip will be to San Jose from May 23rd to 27th. At this time, I have signings set up at Waldenbooks stores in the following locations:
May 23rd at 341 Eastridge Mall in San Jose. I don't have a time yet for this but it will be in the evening.
May 24th at 150 S. 1st St. in San Jose. This will be from 2-4.
I'm hoping to add two more signings for the 25th and 26th. I'll list those as they become available. Other signings will be scheduled beginning in June. I hope to have many of those dates and locations by next edition.
This month's writers' tips will involve pursuing movie interests. Before you query the development people at a film company, you should research that company to see what types of film credits they have. For instance, a company that does comedies wouldn't be interested in science fiction. Once you've selected a company or more for query, you need to tailor a short letter. To do this, imagine the person receiving your letter or e-mail. They will sort through tons of correspondence every day, looking for something to catch their eye. When I sent e-mails, I first gave a brief introduction of myself and my book. Then I detailed why I thought it would be a profitable project for them to undertake. In addition, I used examples of previous successful motion picture projects in the science fiction field. This isn't the time to go into a full synopsis of the story. I've had very good luck with development people because of this method.
Another thing to keep in mind is that many of the film companies will not accept submissions or queries unless an agent submits them or if requested directly from the company personally. Much of my information was gathered from The Hollywood Creative Directory for Producers. This is available through most book stores and it has proved to be a valuable tool. In addition, the Writers' Market is another powerful reference book. I strongly recommend them if you intend to pursue a motion picture company.
It's also good to review contracts regarding authors and movie companies. You should understand what rights you intend to sell and which ones you need to keep. Each person's situation is different so I can't tell you what to keep and what to bargain with. I'll have a section describing rights in a future Author's Corner. Thank you again for joining me and I hope you'll come back next month for another edition of Author's Corner.
- Michael D'Ambrosio
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