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Inklings Issue 3.15
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i n k l i n g s
Inkspot's newsletter for Writers on the Net
Issue 3.15 July 23, 1997
================================================================
<http://www.inkspot.com/pub/inklings/ink0315.html>
* Over 15,000 subscribers! *
This issue features an interview with James Robert Parish, author
of ROSIE: ROSIE O'DONNELL'S STORY and a column about publishing
poetry books (ASK THE POET) by Dr. David Breeden.
This issue sponsored in part by:
================================================================
ON SPEC Magazine - Premiere Canadian Quarterly of Speculative
Writing...the best in Canadian SF, Fantasy, Horror and Magic
Realism. $2 off your subscription if you mention Inklings.
Email: onspec@earthling.net
================================================================
THE WRITER'S SOFTWARE COMPANION: multimedia software by Writer's
Digest's Nancy Kress. Uses advanced learning tech. and total
immersion to bypass years of trial-and-error, dramatically
accelerating a writer's progress. http://www.novalearn.com
================================================================
WRITERS WRITE (TM) http://writerswrite.com. Searchable database
of online publications with submission guidelines, daily news,
job board, chat, message boards, research links, writer's groups,
contest info, submission tracking and writer's homepages.
================================================================
* Samurai Consulting * http://www.samurai.com
Services include internet consulting, WWW page design, electro-
nic newsletters, mailing lists, FTP sites, system maintenance,
training. Email: Bryan Fullerton <bryanf@samurai.com>
================================================================
ISSN 1205-6413. Copyright 1995-1997 Debbie Ridpath Ohi. For more
info about Inklings (how to subscribe/unsubscribe, change your
address, submit material, copyright, etc.) send any email message
to infoinklings@inkspot.com. For info on how you can become an
Inklings sponsor, send any email to ratecard@inkspot.com. No
attachments, please. Send comments to editor@inkspot.com (please
use a meaningful subject header!).
================================================================
| CONTENTS THIS ISSUE: |
| From The Editor's Desk |
| Fresh Ink and Market Information |
| Ask The Poet |
| Interview with James Robert Parish |
| Writers' Classifieds |
================================================================
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK:
=======================
Inklings has a new ftp site for stored back issues, located at:
ftp://www.inkspot.com/pub/inklings/
The HTML version of Inklings is now available in the Internet
Resources library of the Compuserve Writers forum, for those
interested. Many thanks to Eldon Garlock for doing the HTMLizing.
Thanks to Sandra L. Toney for mentioning Inkspot in her article
for the July/August issue of WRITER'S JOURNAL, "Wandering for
Writing Sites on the Net". Thanks also to NETSURFER DIGEST for
the mention in their July 12 issue, and to LIBRARY JOURNAL for
recommending Inkspot ("Writing For Profit", July/97).
Thanks to those who applied for the administrative position at
Inkspot/Inklings...over a hundred people expressed interest. I
will get back to each of you, but please be patient; I hadn't
realized I would get so many responses. :-)
Last issue I asked for recommendations for good writing resource
books to add to the Inkspot Online Bookstore/Recommended Reading
List (http://www.inkspot.com/bookstore/) but neglected to give an
email address. Please note that this list is not meant to
be a comprehensive list of all books for writers, only books that
have been recommended by users and staff of Inklings/Inkspot.
You can send your recommendations to: bookstore@inkspot.com.
Congratulations to Sheryl Kersmarki <Leaxe777@Aol.com>
whose name
was randomly chosen to win YOU CAN WRITE A ROMANCE...AND GET IT
PUBLISHED by Yvonne MacManus (Toad Hall Press, 1996).
FRESH INK
=========
Support the Centrum children's writer program
---------------------------------------------
The Port Townsend Writers' Conference is in danger of losing its
children's writing program...see website below for information on
how you can help, or write mkw@eskimo.com.
http://www.inkspot.com/admin/centrum.html
Overcoming writer's block
-------------------------
Results from the very first Inklings poll, with a huge number of
suggestions on how to overcome the dreaded Writer's Block (some
suggestions more practical than others :-) ).
http://www.inkspot.com/poll/poll1results.html
Anne Hart's Fiction Writing Handbook for the Digital Media
----------------------------------------------------------
Also includes links to other articles and online workshops.
Warning: main page is over 140k.
http://home.pacbell.net/annehart/index.htm
misc.writing website
--------------------
The official website of the misc.writing newsgroup. Crammed
with useful resources, networking opportunities and info.
http://www.scalar.com/mw/
Victory Page
------------
Victory Crayne's resource for writers. Articles, workshop for
sf writers, motivational newsletter, other resources.
http://www.webcom.com/~victory/
Lars Eighner writers' page
--------------------------
Includes writers' error checklist, sample of a one-page summary
that sold a novel, writers' links.
http://www.io.com/~eighner/wrtrmain.html
================================================================
MARKET INFORMATION
==================
Please note: Inklings does its best to print only accurate market
info. However, it cannot be held responsible for lost postage,
time, etc. that you may incur due to inaccuracies. Do not send
submissions by email before inquiring first. You should get
current, detailed guidelines before submitting. Include SASE for
snailmail replies. More market info at:
http://www.inkspot.com/market/.
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING MARKET SOURCES:
SCAVENGER'S NEWSLETTER
Monthly market info letter for sf/f/h/m writers & artists.
More info at: http://users.aol.com/Lemarchand/scavenger.html
THE GILA QUEEN'S GUIDE TO MARKETS
POB 97, Newton, NJ 07860-0097 Email:GilaQueen@aol.com
http://www.pacifier.com/~alecwest/gila/index.html
THE WRITE MARKETS REPORT
Markets magazine for writers. 1006 S. Country Club,
Shoreacres, TX 77571. Email: dvrg19d@prodigy.com.
==-----------------------------------------------------==
"FNASR" = First North American Serial Rights, "SASE" =
self-addressed, stamped envelope, "simsubs" = simultaneous
submissions, "mss" = manuscript, "RT" = response time, "GL" =
guidelines, "wds" = words, "cc" = contributor's copy.
***If you are a *paying* market and would like your guidelines
included in a future issue of Inklings, please fill out the form
at: http://www.inkspot.com/market/mktpayform.html
Editor's note re: using Inklings market listings
------------------------------------------------
Several people have contacted me asking for permission to reprint
one or two listings from the market info section. I don't mind
this, but it would be appreciated if you could include a credit
somewhere in your publication for the source (e.g. The Gila
Queen's Guide To Markets, The Write Markets Report, etc.) If
there is no source listed at the end of a market listing, then
Inklings is the source. Thanks kindly.
Spilled Candy - seeks articles, promotion tips
----------------------------------------------
SPILLED CANDY, P O Box 5202, Niceville, FL 32578.
Editor/Publisher: Lorna Tedder. Established: 1995. Purpose:
BiMonthly newsletter covering book promotion tips for the
self-published, the subsidy-published, and the under-advertised
author. Tone is informal and informative, a must for any author
who hasn't yet hit the NYTimes bestseller list. Pays on
acceptance. Byline given as well as mention of writer's upcoming
book. Complete manuscripts only. Reports in two months if SASE is
included with manuscript. Sample copy available for $5. No
fiction. Buys promotion tips: 25-100 words, pays $5-15 each tip,
depending on length and merit. Buys one "focus" article per
issue: 250-500 words, pays $25-50 per article; will to go to 1000
words and higher payment if subject is extremely valuable to
readers; examples of focus articles include booksignings, quotes,
advance review copies, press kits, and public speaking. Helpful
hints: "We teach guerilla marketing techniques to new and
established writers. We're a friendly but small business, so you
really need to include SASE with your submission so that we can
afford to pay our writers instead of our postman. Our newsletter
has a unique tone and approach, so we encourage you to borrow a
back issue from a friend or library, or order a sample copy.
Concentrate on innovative but inexpensive ways to promote books."
HINTS: "I'm looking only for self-promotion tips/articles so I
don't have room for the wonderful articles I receive on how to
decorate your home office or where to sell poetry. The best way
to know what I'm buying is to look at recent issues or at my home
page, which offers a sampler of recent promotion tips." Email
queries/submissions okay. (Confirmed July 16/97)
Email: spillcandy@aol.com
GL: http://members.aol.com/spillcandy/wgl.html
LP Literary Reader - seeks short fiction
----------------------------------------
Brandon Toropov, 167 Essex Street, Middleton, MA 01949. Monthly
publication. "I'm looking for COMPELLING, PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED
SHORT-FORM FICTION from talented writers. Send your short story
w/SASE!" PAYMENT: $50 for one-time reprint rights of selected
pieces. LENGTH: 1000-6000 wds. Subscription: $69.95/yr. "We're
looking for good fiction that doesn't rely on sex or language for
its effects." (Confirmed July 16/97)
E-mail: cszl12a@prodigy.com
Hellnotes - seeks articles, interviews, profiles
------------------------------------------------
Hellnotes, 27780 Donkey Mine Rd., Oak Run, CA USA 96069. Editors:
David B. Silva, Paul F. Olson. Weekly. "Hellnotes is a weekly NL
dedicated to the horror genre, its professionals and its fans.
Published in 3 distinct forms (E-mail, fax and H/C), the NL
strives to provide readers with the current most-up-to-date
information about the genre and its trends. In our pages, you'll
find book reviews; market reports, author profiles, interviews
with editors and agents, publishers, writers, artists,
wholesalers, retailers and book dealers, updates on the British
scene, movie news, bestseller lists, and much much more." "We're
looking for articles, interviews and profiles that shed light on
current events within the horror genre. For example: an interview
with an editor starting up a new horror line; a profile with an
agent who foresees a new trend rising within the genre; an
article ono a publishing house shifting its emphasis toward or
away from horror; a profile with up-and-coming writerse; a
late-breaking story about the genre which no one else has.
Because of the nature of the NL, timeliness is everything. So is
space. For interviews or profiles which may require more depth,
we
will generally limit the length to 1000 words and run the piece
over 2 or 3 issues. We want our stories to be concise and to the
point, informational, and enlightening. The best approach is to
contact 1 of the editors through an E-mail message beforehand.
Present a rough concept for your article, interview or profile,
and await approval or denial (which will usually come within
24-48 hours)." LENGTH: 300-500 wds preferred. PAYMENT: pays 5c/wd
for 1st time rights. "It should be noted, as well, that we
archive all our articles, profiles, etc. on the Hellnotes website
at some time within 90 days of the material's first appearance in
the NL. Material will remain on the site indefinitely. The
quickest, most efficient way to submit is through E-mail. If
you're unable to use E-mail, the best alternative is to send a
disk with the article placed in an ASCII file (no hard returns,
please!). And finally, if urgency is involved, please feel free
to fax material." FAX: (916) 472-1050. Subscription: $25
(E-mail), $55 (fax), $40 (US mail). (Source: The Gila Queen's
Guide To Markets, #87)
Email: dbsilva@shasta.com, pfolson@up.net
URL: http://www.horrornet.com/hellnotes.htm
The American Cottage Gardener - seeks articles
----------------------------------------------
The American Cottage Gardener, Rand B. Lee, Acquisitions Editor,
P.O. Box 22232, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502-2232. Quarterly
literary gardening quarterly devoted to exploring the pan-global
cottage gardening style for North American climate conditions,
native plants, and cultivars. Query first. "We are a copyrighted
publication, but we buy one-time rights only. Full rights revert
to author upon publication." PAYMENT: $25 per published page
(approximately 750 words per page). "We are seeking articles of
high literary quality by practicing gardeners familiar with the
cottage gardening style, which mixes ornamental plants and edible
plants. Length of articles varies from 375 words to 1500. Query
first. If we like your query, we will ask you to submit a first
draft of your article on speculation. If we like your first
draft, we will send you a contract outlining your rights and ours
in detail, including payment, which is $25 per published page
(approximately 750 words per page), on publication." (Info
rec'd June 27/97)
Email: randbear@nets.com (queries only)
URL: http://trine.com/GardenNets/ACG/
Monsters From Memphis - seeks sf/f/h short stories
--------------------------------------------------
Monsters From Memphis, ed. Beecher Smith. Anthology of SF/F/H
short stories from 1k to 10k wds. Story must be either set in
Memphis or have strong connections with it. Pays 1/2 to 6¢/wd.
DL: 9/30/97; fee: $10 reading fee (applicant will receive copy of
book whether or not submission is accepted); fee waived for
certified HWA, SFWA, Tenn. Writers Alliance, & Mid-South Writers
Assoc. 44 N Second St, Ste 1000, Memphis TN 38103-2220.
Submissions deadline is still September 30, but could be moved up
to August 31. (Source: Heliocentric NE-WORK/FLASHNET newsletter.
For free subscription, write Lbothell@wolfenet.com, more info at
http://www.wolfenet.com/~lbothell)
NewsGroup - seeks articles
--------------------------
NewsGroup, ed. Elaine Burkhardt. Quarterly for legal information
specialists (secretaries, paralegals, office administrators).
Needs articles on all subjects of law office management, human
resource issues in the law office, lifestyle issues relating to
professional life: ie. stress, career juggling, etc. and articles
specifically on legal issues which are very current in legal
information management. 800-2000 wds, pays $200-500/article.
Query by email, followed by fax of writing samples. 2622 E. 21st.
St., Suite 10, Tulsa, OK 74114, NewsGroupA@aol.com. (Source:
Heliocentric NE-WORK/FLASHNET)
L.A. Parent magazine - seeks articles
-------------------------------------
L.A. Parent magazine, POB 3204, Burbank, CA 91504. Jack Bierman,
Editor-in-Chief; Christina Elston, Woman's Pages/Health; Janis
Hashe, Travel. 90% freelance. A service-oriented publication that
offers expert advice on parenting issues. Pays on acceptance.
Buys 1st N.A. print rights. Reprints accepted. Sample copy for
SASE. Subscription $15. Guidelines available by mail with SASE.
NEEDS: Expert advice for parents. Does not generally run
first-person essays. Pays $300 for features. Pays $20 for shorter
pieces. Submit complete mss or query. PHOTOS: 35mm prints,
negatives or slides, color or b/w. HINTS: "If you want to write
an article on dealing with diaper rash, we would prefer quotes
from experts over your own personal advice as a parent." (Source:
The Write Markets Report)
Email: laparent@family.com
URL: http://www.laparent.com
CORRECTION
==========
The "Written By" market listing from last issue was courtesy
THE WRITE MARKETS REPORT (email dvrg19d@prodigy.com for info
on how to subscribe).
================================================================
Writer's resource book highlight: EVERY PAGE PERFECT
----------------------------------------------------------------
by Debbie Ridpath Ohi
<editor@inkspot.com>
TITLE: Every Page Perfect
AUTHOR: Mary Lynn
SUBJECT: Writer's manual for submission format and protocol
PUBLISHER: Toad Hall Press, 1997 (revised), ISBN 0-9637498-2-X,
paperback, email: ToadHallCo@aol.com or phone (717) 869-2942.
PRICE: US$14.95, Cdn$16.95.
EVERY PAGE PERFECT is a full-size writer's manual with
information on how to submit your manuscript and queries to
editors/publishers. Its pages are packed with useful examples of
query letters, cover sheets, manuscript submission formats, and
covers a wide range of situations and mss types including short
non-fiction, short fiction, poetry and verse, book-length fiction
and non-fiction, series fiction, greeting cards, dedications,
acknowledgements, credits, waiver forms, news releases,
permissions, releases, and affadavits. Nicely organized with many
useful how-to tips and recommendations. This book is going on my
reference shelf; I highly recommend it.
(To order, contact ToadHallCo@aol.com)
================================================================
Ask The Experts
---------------
*** Please put "inklings question" in the subject header. ***
Judith Bowen (ROMANCE WRITER) jbowen@max-net.com
David Breeden (POET) drpoetry@ktc.com
Charles Deemer (SCREENWRITER) cdeemer@teleport.com
Mark Fowler (LAWYER) askthelawyer@inkspot.com
Susan Graham (AGENT) slgraham@mindspring.com
Paula Guran (HORROR WRITER) DarkEcho@aol.com
Carol Henson (BOOK DOCTOR) UBKX12C@Prodigy.com
Ken Jenks (ELECTRONIC PUBLISHER) MindsEye@tale.com
David Leit (LAWYER) askthelawyer@inkspot.com
Bob Sablatura (JOURNALIST) bob.sablatura@reporters.net
Michelle Sagara (SF/FANTASY WRITER) Michelle.Sagara@sff.net
Lee Wardlaw (CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITER) Katknip2@aol.com
Marcia Yudkin (FREELANCE WRITER) send to yudkin@inkspot.com
Sharon Zukowski (MYSTERY/SPY WRITER) 76372.2252@CompuServe.COM
Columnists may be unable to reply privately to every message,
but will answer selected questions in future issues of Inklings.
================================================================
ASK THE POET
----------------------------------------------------------------
by David Breeden
<drpoetry@ktc.com>
Q: How can I publish a book of poems?
-------------------------------------
A: How to get a book of poems published is one of the most asked
of all questions, among both beginning and practicing poets.
The simplest answer is: Get really, really famous. Then
publishers will come looking for you. Barring that, well, all
poets have a problem, from the beginner to the veteran.
That problem is called low sales. Books of poetry don't tend to
hit the best seller lists. And, especially at a time when public
funding for the arts is in decline, sales figures matter. A lot.
So the large, diversified publishers aren't looking for poetry.
Self-help books sell more copies. Therefore, if we see the
publishing industry as tiered, the top tier is effectively closed
to most poets until they achieve prominence or win a widely known
prize.
The second tier of publishers, which includes university presses
and private niche firms such as Copper Canyon Press or Story Line
Press, are much more open to lesser known poets. Many of these,
especially the university presses, only publish winners of a
yearly contest, but some read manuscripts year-round. Because
they have clout, however, they are inundated with manuscripts.
The key to success at these presses is a strong publication
record in major literary magazines.
The third tier can also be called niche-marketers, but they tend
to be much smaller, often individuals funding publication out of
their own grocery money. These people do it for the love of
poetry. They don't expect large returns on investment--usually
they hope only to break even. Since these presses are small,
individual operations, however, the tastes tend to be eclectic
and the publication schedules erratic. Submitting to them,
therefore, can be an exercise in frustration, as one sinks in a
world of whim and fancy. Still, they are the best hope for most
poets.
The business aspects of these presses tend to vary also. Some of
them market well and expect the author to hit the reading circuit
with a vengeance. Others are cooperatives in which authors
promise to work on the production to help defray costs. Still
others require that the author guarantee a sales figure which
will recoup the up-front costs. Though the author must always
beware when going into a venture which requires money
out-of-pocket, these are legitimate publishers who care about
their product and about poetry. These presses will be known by
their sincerity.
The next tier is the lower rung of the inferno: vanity houses
which charge not only printing costs of the book but also for
vague promises about reviews and advertising. Avoiding these
publishers is doing yourself and literature in general a favor.
Never, under any circumstances, pay a publisher for any more than
the printing costs of your book. This amount can be easily
discovered by giving a printer a call. Never use a vanity
publisher. They can only embarrass you.
If all else fails, don't be afraid to publish the book yourself.
Yes, it costs money up front, but with hard work you will make
back the initial investment and then some. With the burgeoning
coffee house circuit, the audience for poetry continues to
expand. And the readiness of people to buy a book has never been
greater.
A poet needn't go blindly into the dark night of publishing.
Poet's Market, Directory of Poetry Publishers, and several other
directories list publishers and describe their operations.
Always think big, but don't despair. With determination you will
get those poems out into the world.
==-------------------------------------------==
David Breeden's poetry and essays have appeared in numerous
magazines, including Mississippi Review, North Atlantic Review,
Paragraph, Pikestaff Forum, Turnstile, and The Quarterly and four
books. In addition to editing the literary magazine Context South
and the Press of the Guadalupe, he is working on a novel and
screenplay. You can see his other poetry column at:
http://www.on-net.net/~cca/Dr.Poetry/DPMAIN.html
Copyright (c) 1997 David Breeden.
================================================================
INTERVIEW WITH JAMES ROBERT PARISH
----------------------------------------------------------------
by Debbie Ridpath Ohi
<editor@inkspot.com>
James Robert Parish is the author of 88 books on the
entertainment industry and is a frequent contributor to the arts
sections of major national newspapers and entertainment trade
papers. His most recent publications include WHOOPI GOLDBERG
(Carol Publishing, 1997) and ROSIE: ROSIE O'DONNELL'S STORY
(Carroll & Graf, 1997).
How did you make your first sale?
---------------------------------
When I had been to Los Angeles in the mid-1960s I went to several
movie still shops on Hd. Boulevard. One had a sign out sheet
asking if there were movie stars you were interested in getting
stills on. I put down Kay Francis who had intrigued me since
childhood when I saw her Warner Bros films over Boston TV. I gave
my address as the Cape Playhouse on Cape Cod. A few weeks later,
when I was working at the Playhouse - prop master - I got a
letter from Gene Ringgold in LA responding to my note at the
movie still shop and telling me that Kay Francis was staying at a
resort only a few miles from where I worked. I eventually tracked
her down, spoke to her on the phone and made a surprise visit to
meet her in person.
The next year, while still in law school I worked with Gene
Ringgold on a career article on Kay Francis for Films in Review -
later we did one on Dorothy McGuire.
Thereafter, while living in NYC and operating my own
entertainment research co., I answered an ad in Films in Review
that the author of a contracted book project needed someone to
help with the book. I answered same. It turned out to be Paul
Michaels who had been contracted to do a reference book for
Prentice Hall. I helped him reshape the concept, hire the staff,
and coordinate the project besides also helping with the
research. The book was the American Movies Ref. Book, which did a
lot to change how film reference books were done. I was billed as
associate editor. Michael got most of the credit and almost all
of the money. Thereafter, he was hired to do a Pictorial History
of the Emmy Awards - this time I was listed as co-author, did all
the work, and got half the money (although I frequently had to
pressure him to provide royalty statements and payments).
Thereafter, I'd had enough of such a co-author and struck out on
my own. At the time A.S. Barnes in NJ was doing a lot of
(pictorial) film history books. I ended up doing 4 for them,
including my first, THE GREAT MOVIE SERIES. Meanwhile, I started
writing other publishers and came in touch with Arlington House
Press which was owned by the Movie Book Club. My first book for
them was THE FOX GIRLS (1971) which led to 18 others over the
years.
What was THE FOX GIRLS about?
----------------------------------------------------------
This was the first of several books I did on studios and the
representative female stars of that particular film company. THE
FOX GIRLS covered from Theda Bara up to Raquel Welch and included
such Fox leading ladies as Janet Gaynor, Shirley Temple,
Loretta Young, Alice Faye, Linda Darnell, Betty Grable, Marilyn
Monroe, etc. Followed by PARAMOUNT PRETTIES, RKO GALS.
Do you find your legal background useful in your writing?
---------------------------------------------------------
It contributed, perhaps and at most, to greater clarity of
thought and organization of book projects.
How do you organize your book projects? What preparation is
involved before you actually start to write?
------------------------------------------------------------
If the book project is a biography, I (1) xerox all appropriate
materials from the major archives (Academy Library, Lincoln
Center, Museum of TV and Radio), network on the internet user
groups for special interest groups re the subject, check out
relevant web sites, write each/every person who worked with the
subject who is still alive. If the project is a film genre study,
for example, I would additionally contact those people who
specialize in the subject matter both here and abroad.
What was your approach when you wrote to people who worked with
the subject? Were most people willing to cooperate?
---------------------------------------------------------------
In today's marketplace, book writing is such a publicized venture
that very often people contacted to assist re an unauthorized
biography refuse because (1) they love and/or still depend on the
subject, so they don't want to help; (2) they have a bias against
unauthorized biographies, (3) they are fearful of offending the
subject, (4) they want to do their own books.
Are Whoopi Goldberg's and Rosie O'Donnell's biographies
"authorized"?
-------------------------------------------------------
Neither the Rosie O'Donnell nor Whoopi Goldberg biographies are
authorized. At the time the Rosie book was contracted, O'Donnell
was planning to write her own book (either a memoirs or an
observational book); she later postponed doing any sort of book
(beyond her kids puns joke book). At the time the Goldberg tome
was contracted, she had signed for $6 million to write her own
book of observations. Thus neither subject was in a position to
cooperate.
Did either try to stop you from doing the biography?
----------------------------------------------------
Never heard a word from Rosie O'Donnell or her people. However,
did receive a snide letter from Whoopi's lawyers who had received
copies of my query/networking letters from people I had
contacted. Then too, every time I contacted someone who knew
Whoopi and asked for their cooperation, they would say, "I'll
have to ask Whoopi if it's okay to help." That would be the last
I'd ever hear from them.
What did Whoopi's lawyers say? And how did you work around the
problem of the unwilling contacts?
--------------------------------------------------------------
Goldberg's attorneys essentially wanted to make quadruple sure
that no one could possibly assume that Goldberg had in any way
sanctioned my book. My networking letters never remotely
suggested that. I am too ethical.
As the universe of possible helpers with inside information about
Whoopi over the years narrowed down because of their lack of
cooperation, I had to network to further levels of people who
knew/worked with the subject, hoping that by repeated contacts,
thoughtfulness and sensitivity they would respond to my queries
to some degree.
What percentage of these networking letters resulted in personal
interviews? How did you decide whether a particular person would
make a good interviewee?
----------------------------------------------------------------
I sent out over 350 letter queries, faxes, e-mails, phone calls,
personal referrals, etc. I got about a 10% response. One only
knows if a person has much valid to say on a subject AFTER
interviewing/chatting with them.
Could you describe a typical interview? (type of meeting place,
method, approach, etc.)
---------------------------------------------------------------
In today's busy world--dependent on electronics, most interviews
were either on the phone or by e-mail. A few were done in person,
using a tape recorder as back-up to my notes; sometimes at the
subject's business office; sometimes at my home. My method is
usually once having introduced the subject and areas of
interest, to let them talk freely and then backtrack to fill in
gaps or seeming contradictions.
What was your favorite interview and why? What was your least
favorite?
---------------------------------------------------------------
One of my favorite was film actress Jane Greer for a book
entitled THE RKO GALS (1973). She was exceedingly open, helpful
and detailed - much of the interviewing occurred via mail as, at
the time we lived on different coasts.
One of my sadder interviews was with the late radio/film/stage
star/comedienne, Judy Canova, for a book entitled SLAPSTICK
QUEENS
(1973). I lived in New York, sent her questions in LA and she
answered in detail. I used same in her chapter. I sent her a copy
of the book and then I received a letter saying "You have gall
and I do NOT mean intestinal fortitude." She tried to deny she
had said any of the quotes. I told her I still had her
hand-written answers and I'd be glad to send her a copy if she
wished. I never heard further from her. Years later, my townhouse
neighbor was a good friend of Judy's actress daughter, Diana, who
belatedly apologized for her late mother (and actually helped
with Judy's chapter in a book I was then doing, Hollywood
Songsters (1992)).
What are your daily work habits?
--------------------------------
When I am working on a book, usually start around 4-5 AM daily on
those days devoted to book projects. Usually work right through
till
3-4; take a break for errands/supper, and then go through trade
mags
and publications for tear sheets/articles for my files, answer
correspondence. There are some periods where this daily activity
goes on DAILY for many weeks at a stretch. Naturally, with
reference/biography book writing, not all activity is creative
composition - a lot is searching out research materials,
networking (esp. on the Internet), doing interviews, finding
illustrations. doing proposals for future projects, etc.
What are your favorite Internet networking and research
sites/tools?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
----
For each project it differs, depending what web sites are
available on a given personality and or films and or a genre. For
the Broadway material, Playbill online is very good. Mr. Showbiz
and E! Online and Pathfinder are excellent for show biz
info/gossip. Posting notices to user/news groups (keeping in mind
that the same approx. notice needs to be replaced every 2-3 days
since most news groups drop off "old" postings after 2-3 days) is
an excellent way to network.
What is your favorite search engine?
-------------------------------------
Search.com (presently)
What tips do you have for authors promoting their books?
--------------------------------------------------------
One needs to be persistent with the publisher to follow up on
what is being done. If the publisher hasn't, the author should
consider subscribing to one or more of the several companies,
which for a low monthly fee ($5-$10 usually) will add your name,
your book, and your expertise category to its monthly newsletter
which goes to bookers of radio and TV talk shows.
Getting local press is very good and easy because you have the
hook that this is your "hometown" media. Such clippings and/or
TV/radio appearance tapes are useful for the publisher because it
helps/encourages the publisher to follow suit in other parts of
the country.
How did you get booked for appearances on television shows like
Hard Copy and Entertainment Tonight?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Often the publisher's publicity person will automatically contact
such "magazine" TV shows if your book is on a hot topic and/or
personality, and frequently the TV show itself does round-up of
new such books on hot topics or such categories as "Latest
Unauthorized biogs," "Books on Country Music Stars", etc.
If the author has a press release and/or mini promotional kit,
he/she can send it to sources that the publisher's p.r. dept.
might not have contacted.
What are you working on now?
----------------------------
I am currently entering the final copy-edits on WHOOPI GOLDBERG,
an unauthorized biography to be published in September 1997. (My
THE UNOFFICIAL, "MURDER, SHE WROTE" CASEBOOK is due out in
September 1997). Also presenting working on a proposal for a book
on a major stand-up comic.
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