Harlequin Starts Imprint for Young Adult Fiction

Tez Miller's blog reports Harlequin is starting a new imprint for teens and looking for manuscripts. They accept unagented submissions, so looks like a wide open new market.

Romance category sales are up 83%, and fantasy books are doing well, so they're a frigging publishing spotlight in an otherwise inky economic cave.

How to Land an Agent Online Seminar

On January 15, 2009, the Writer's Digest company is offering a one hour online seminar on How to Land an Agent in the new year. The cost is $199. Just FYI. I've never participated in one, so I can't say if it's worth $199 for an hour.

Top 7 Awesome Things About Being A Writer In a Bad Economy

Ramen, My Ramen by Tricia Grissom

7.  We already consider ramen noodles a food group.

6. We understand life is unfair. After all, Joe the Plumber has a book deal.

5. Words are free and can earn us money.

4. Auto company bailouts, bank failures, Barak Obama's funny eyebrows - it's all just writing material.

3. My memoir on being broke and evicted that nets me a spot on the New York Times bestseller list.

2. What do you mean everything's hopelessly difficult in the publishing industry economy, and we'll never get published another job? You've shocked our delicate sensibilities.
 
1. We've already been laid off, rejected, and underpaid. Bring it on.

Writers Market and Get Known Before the Book Deal for 50% Off

You can get any Writer's Digest writing book from F+W Publications for 50% off with coupon code WD1224. The code is good until December 24, 2008.

That means you can get the 2009 Writer's Market for $15.50 + S&H or Writer's Market Deluxe, which includes a book plus a one year subscription to the Writer's Market website, for $25.00 + S&H. Not bad. A one year subscription to just the website is $29.99. I tried out the coupon and it worked just fine. It's $30.31 with shipping and tax - about a buck cheaper than Amazon with their free shipping over $25. If you're ordering a book that costs under the Amazon $25 total, it's a much better deal.

I also recommend Christina Katz's Get Known Before the Book Deal which you can pick up for the bargain price of $8.50 + S&H. (It's $11.55 on Amazon). I'm currently reading it and she has great advice for building the all important author platform. Writers will need to be even more marketable than ever in the current economy, so I'm studying up. You can watch Christina's YouTube Promo below for more information.

Reporter Wanted for O'Fallon/Dardenne Prairie

Nick's Gingerbread House

Here is a Craigslist ad looking for a reporter to cover the O'Fallon/Dardenne Prairie Area in Missouri. You have to snail mail your resume and writing sample - no email applications.

Snow Day and Facebook

Tessa's Gingerbread House

Actually it was an ice day, but I'm not complaining. I'm going to make sugar cookies now. Something I only do once a year because let's face it. I've got no sucrose biscuit self-control.

Nothing really significant to report today. I'm actually starting to use facebook, so if you wanna be my friend (she whines) I am there under my alias Tricia Grissom. My posts may be spotty until Christmas. Today is the last week of class and then the Christmas Dance ensues.

Blogs With Insider Info on the Publishing World

Fat Snowman From My Tree by Tricia Grissom

O.K. Sick child at home. So rather than writing a blog today, I'm totally glomming onto Nathan Bransford's excellent post rounding up the week in publishing. He lists lots of insider blogs and other great articles for writers. So check it out if you want to stay on top of what's going on in the biz.