Rejection... stings.

This is my latest rejection on an urban fantasy I wrote.  This one was sent out about a month ago with the usual synposis/three chapter combo.  I was thinking the same thing this editor was, that the first chapter has a wee info dump feel to it.  I was thinking about expanding into two and easing into some things.  Since my character had immediate contact with more than one race, it does mean I have to get the reader into those right of the get go, but with an extra chapter I can ease them into some of the backstory first.  I do not like rejections, but this one does give an excellent critisism which I will then use and hopefully improve the feel of those first chapters.

Although I think you have some great ideas, your world is very complicated and has a lot of specialized characters -- and you throw us right into it. This means you are either spending time explaining things in infodumps or losing us here and there. It is a little like reading the fourth book in a series that you've tried to force explanation into. :-)

You might want to consider why most popular fantasy series start with a book that gradually introduce the reader to all these aspects of a world and its characters?
Congratulations on your imagination, but let us poor readers in on it in smaller doses? :-)

Yep, sent out a submission...

I sent out a submission to a small publisher who handles Urban Fantasy on a book I have titled 'White Witch Where Art Thou?'  I have trouble with titles.  It was just 'Fae' for awhile.  Anyway, response time is from 90-120 days, so not bad.  I have another lined up after to try. 

So now onto the second novel in the series which I am calling 'All drugged up and nowhere to go.'  I have the plotline for this one all worked out.  I have a sketchy plot for the third which will be called 'Where is me of I?'  I am going to stick to writing these for a bit, even though I do have another urban fantasy idea whirling around my head... let it stir for a bit.

Women sink their teeth into urban fantasy... including me for sure.

Women sink their teeth into urban fantasy novels


By Solvej Schou

HEADSTRONG Bella is in love with a vampire. Zoey has a crescent moon seared onto her forehead, the mark of a fledgling bloodsucker. Sixteen-year-old Ever can hear people’s thoughts. Calliope is, reluctantly, Death’s daughter.

All are modern female heroes written by women, read by women and not only obsessed over by teenagers but also their older sisters and mothers.

The economy may be deeply troubled, but urban fantasy novels about vampires, were-wolves, zombies, supernatural creatures, blood and romance are booming, and women are sinking their teeth into them in ravenous numbers.

“We’re living in a frightening time. I don’t know if it’s an escapism as in there’s scary stuff out there so let me control it through the medium of reading,” says Amy Clarke, a lecturer at the University of California, Davis who teaches science fiction literature.......

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2009072744892

My urban fantasy book

I am polishing up this urban fantasy book I have, thinking I will send it to a publisher when I am done. The world I created though has inspired possibilities for new plot lines within that world and my character. So I am starting to write the next one. Unlike an epic fantasy story that has an extended plot, I find urban fantasy to be more light, but engaging, as it goes into more detail on the protagonist and mini-plots.

There is another appeal to the urban fantasy genre and that is you are writing about our world, or a alternate reality of our world, but with magic in it. Every fantasy reader wishes there could be real magic in our world. I am the same way. What fasinates me about our world are the great mysteries in it, are the unexplained phenomena and the faint wish that some things are possible.

Urban fantasy

I am kinda liking writing urban fantasy these days. I like the themes and the mixture of now with alternate realities. I enjoy reading it as well, so it is only natural I would enjoy writing it. I never was an epic fantasy writer to begin with... I have loads of respect for people that pull of excellent epic fantasy, becuase that is depth... depth to characters, to plot and to world-building. I have always been more focused on one character, one plot per book that maybe leads into another storyline, but not always. And Urban fantasy is set up that way. You got your main character, with one plot per book, but then you can continue with that character and world with a different event. Often it follows along with the characters occupation, like a dectective in a mystery. I like that they are faster paced as well.

Nora Roberts

I admit that while I love fantasy and write fantasy... I do like a good romance. Mostly because they are light, entertaining and easy to read when my brain is bogged down by a migraine. And since I gorge on books regularly... because of aformentioned migraines pretty much preventing any other activity, I read a great deal of them, and anything really.

So my boss gave me a bag load of Nora Roberts books to read. And I am half way through that bag of books and then some others in between. She is a diverse writer, that I can say. Mystery, fantasy, and general romance. And since I like a good sub-plot to the romance some of them are quite good. Then there are these ones that are just so not good. The ones where it is literally about a relationship and its normal progression, which just makes it boring. If that is your plot alone, then I seriously expect some sort of trouble to be stirred, some serious misunderstandings, but not so much. Found that a little wierd. But anyway I am getting all Nora Roberted out. I do like the ones with a fantasy twist to them. Still, not sure I would buy one of her books of my own accord. Since generally I look for paranormal fantasy romances, which kick azz. But if I go for straight up romance I want either light and funny or drop dead rockin sexy.

Drag...

First rejection on this latest bunch of queries to agents... I still wonder how an agent is to choose from one query on one specific novel. This one was the only one I sent out for a urban fantasy genre and not sure if I will send out more or not, might be a nice one to self -publish. I think my other urban fantasy, which is now complete but letting sit for a bit before I do a final edit, is better than the other one, plot wise, so maybe if I do send out for urban fantasy I will go for the second.

Anyway this short but to the point rejection was 'appriciate your submission... careful considation... not a good fit for us at this time'. I should reply and say 'well, how bout this one then'

I have had a very bad migraine week.... very, very bad and it would certainly make my year to have one agent say they would take me on. Just not sure how to find that one agent. Of course, I can always send to publishers that do not require an agent, which I might soon... just thought it would be nice to do things in the proper order and hope for the best. i think, at the very least, my queries are getting better. practice makes perfect, eh?