WRITERS: How Do YOU Cope with Waiting? Toot Your Horn Friday!

Waiting, waiting, waiting! It feels like life is one big line at Starbucks, everyone grumbling under their breath, fiddling with their cell phones, and waiting patiently for their Mocha-Chi-Skinny-Venti-Lattes.  As writers, that line seems even longer! Whether you're waiting on agents to read your hottest query revision, waiting for a publisher to read your latest and greatest manuscript, or waiting for your book to debut--WE ALL MUST WAIT and WAIT and WAIT! YUCK!



I'm waiting right now on a couple things, hoping and praying for awesome news! So, my Toot Your Horn Friday question...How do YOU cope with the waiting? Do you bite your nails down to mealy, jagged nubs, refresh your poor weary inbox for the 900th time, or perhaps sink your angst in the bottom of a key lime pie? I may have done that last one myself recently... ;)


So let's have it! How have you dealt with the endless waiting we writers must endure?
Hit me!

xoxo -- Hilary

Teaser Tuesday! Excerpt from BILLYCAN: Book Two of Nightshade City

So, I've finished Part I of Nightshade City's sequel, BILLYCAN. It's being read right now and I'm waiting not so patiently for feedback! In an effort to keep myself off the ledge, I've posted a short excerpt from Part I, of course with no spoilers! In this excerpt, my wicked rat Billycan is mad hungry for a little pork...you'll get the idea!

Happy Reading & Writing!

xoxo -- Hilary

Billycan looked out past the front gates of the manor. The moon had all but disappeared behind the thick fog, which had swiftly blown into the swamp, as though heralding in bad tidings. Other than the wind whispering through the cypress, the swamp was still. The calm was welcoming. The horde slept in back, their snores and sputtering too far away to hear. The temporary feeling of solitude was quite agreeable.

Ears perking, Billycan watched anxiously as the light from the fire pit, kept lit through the night, bounced with tall shadows. There it appeared--the boar. Billycan observed from the parlor window as the mud caked razorback scraped its great back against the bark of the ancient willow. The thing had been wondering for days now, lost from its clan. It had torn up large mats of earth from the swamp's floor, looking for roots, mushrooms, and insects, whatever it could consume. Feeding on both beast and vegetation, boars greedily devoured anything and everything which they measured digestible. The black boar was now perilously close to the horde. It would only be a matter of time before it sniffed them out through its muck encrusted snout, plucking them off the ground and crushing them with its decaying teeth. The sooner it was killed, the better.


Billycan had commanded the horde to dig a hole, big enough for the razorback to fall into, but small enough where it could not turn about or clamber its way to freedom, leaving the mighty beast powerless. Once confined in the pit, it would be an easy slaughter, one that Billycan was looking forward to. Size was of no consequence to the white rat. A few lethal gashes to the jugular and the hog would be dead.


Billycan jumped up from the sill. The boar had found the hole. Now inspecting the pit, it walked along its edge. "Go on then, go on." he said. "Fall pig, fall!"


The razorback teetered, just on the brink of falling in. It had spotted a fleshy root growing out from the wall. It stuck its massive head in the hole. Kneeling down on its front legs, it stretched for the root. "That's it, that's it," coaxed Billycan. "Just one more inch, boar, one tiny inch and that juicy root will be yours and you will be mine!"


The boar finally neared close enough to the root. It pulled delicately at it with the tips of its teeth. The root loosened from the wall and fell towards the boar. "No!" yelled Billycan, banging on the window with his fist. The hog grabbed a firm hold on the root and tugged it out with ease, returning quickly to safe ground. Billycan cursed the air, letting out a baleful shriek. His stomach had been grumbling and growling for days. He needed meat. His entire body ached for it.


Hearing Billycan's wrath, Montague came rushing into the parlor. Billycan kicked the window, putting a crack in it, as he glared out into the swamp.


"Sir, are you all right?" asked Montague from below.


Still seething, Billycan remained silent. He slowly turned to Montague, his eyes churning odd shades of cherry and crimson.


"Sir," said Montague again, "are you all right?"


"They'll eat anything, won't they?" asked Billycan dryly.


"Who sir?"


"The boars, the boars, they'll eat anything, yes?"


"Yes, sir, they'll eat anything in site, grass, beasts and everything in between."


Billycan tapped on his lips with a claw, thinking. "Has the horde had any deaths lately?"


"Well," said Montague, a bit discomfited by the inquiry, "one of the old ones, Argus, he didn't wake up about two days past, died in his sleep."


Billycan's sneer widened into a grin. "Where is the body now?"

WRITERS: Are You a Trendsetter or a Trend Forgetter?

Toot Your Horn Friday!

It wasn't until I started looking for an agent, that I realized a lot of writers follow trends. I had no idea that was even done! I always thought writers just wrote about what they wanted to write about...hence my first novel about rats! Ha, ha!

Now following trends is not a bad thing and sometimes I don't think writers are actually following trends. I think they just start reading about vampires, start loving the vampire genre and then naturally, as a writer, they want to write a vampire book! Actually makes perfect sense to me!
 Do you follow trends? Do you think it's bad to follow, or bad not to follow them? I'm a non-trend follower simply because I can't write about something I'm not in love with. If middle grade novels about super intelligent rats become as trendy as vampires, well, then... Yeah, that probably won't happen!
What are your thoughts! Trendsetter or Trend Forgetter???


xoxo -- Hilary

Is Your Agent Search Making You Blue?

Query & Agent Questions from You Answered!

If anyone knows how hard it is to find an agent it's me. There are about 9 zillion writers out there and oh, I don't know, 3 agents! Okay, that's an exaggeration, but you know what I mean. It's tough out there, so I'd like to help if I can!

There must be something in the air, because in the last few months, I've been emailed by a number of writers asking advice on finding an agent. Given my own experience on the matter, I feel I've become a bit of specialist on Do's & Don'ts. Keep in mind these are my thoughts and every question can (and most likely does) have more than one answer. I've already emailed everyone back who's asked me these questions, but I thought it might be helpful to post for others! We are all in this together! So use what might help you and pay no heed to the rest! I've limited this to 5 questions, but if you have one of your own please feel free to ask in the comment section. I will do my best to be helpful! :)

1.If an agent requested material and I have not heard back in months, is it all right to call or email them asking for an update?
Simple answer: Email = Yes, Call = Big Fat NO.

Calling an agency in my estimation is a big no-no. Agents may find it intrusive and presumptuous. Most agents have hundreds, some thousands, of queries to go through and it's just not wise to call and ask for feedback. They simply don't have time and you're putting them on the spot, which makes people very uncomfortable.

Email, on the other hand, is a safe bet if they've already contacted you asking for more. A quick, polite one or two-liner asking if they'd had a chance to read the full or partial they requested will not get you rejected. If you get a rejection shortly thereafter it's not because you emailed them, most likely it's just a coincidence or your email reminded them they needed to reject it. Either way, at least you'll know! Of note: My requested full was out at NG for around 4 or 5 months, I emailed looking for an update. I got no response, but months later I got a call from them and got my agent! So, if you do email, and don't get a response, don't put too much stock into it! It may not be a rejection!

2. An agent wants my full! How should I prepare it?
I just spoke with a friend of mine over email yesterday who was wondering about this. The four people she emailed (including me) all pretty much had the same answer. Keep it simple! It's about the writing, not what it comes in! I sent mine in a yellow or white (whichever was handy) envelope, 9 X 12 should suffice, or whatever size will hold your MS snugly without having to fold it. I put a rubber band around the MS (no staples!) and a simple cover letter reminding them who I was. It's okay to add a personal line or a bit of humor. You don't have to be stuffy. Agents are people too!

3.I'm not getting any positive responses on my query? What should I do?
This is an easy one! I say read it to every poor soul you know until they too know your query by heart! Tell them not to be nice; you want the truth! Join an online group or writer's forum where you can throw your query to other writers and get their take. Absolute Write is a great resource for that. Warning: Some members can be well...ummm...harsh! Take it with a grain of salt. Don't get defensive, most people are very nice, and even the more prickly critics are trying to help in their not so gentle way. Not all critiques will be helpful, but gather all your feedback and use the comments that make sense. You will get some good ones! I was lucky enough to have my husband as a query letter guinea pig (or rat in my case) and I got a great response for fulls and partials.

4. What do I say if an agent calls me???
First off, it's okay to freak out! I did! (In fact, I screamed in my agent's ear!) They know you'll be excited, terrified, nervous and everything in between. Tell them that! Give them even more reason to be excited about you and your amazing writing! Don't get so excited that you forget all the questions you might have though! Since most of us our glued to our laptops these days, it makes sense to compile a short list of important questions you might have for the agent and save them on your laptop. Agents understand most writers don't know the industry like they do, so no question is too simple or crazy! Remember you're the talent! Agents don't expect us to be publishing masterminds, just to write amazing books! After a while the publishing knowledge will come too!

5. Should I get a lawyer to read the agency contract before I sign?
Well, I'd say this question is up for debate. If you've done your research on the agency and they have vetted sales with no complaints most likely their contract will be a good one, but if you feel you need a lawyer to look at the contract for whatever reason, then for goodness sake, go ahead and get one. A good agency will have nothing to hide. Most contracts are standard. %15 goes to the agent/agency; the rest goes to you, 20% goes to the agency in some cases, such as foreign sales, etc. My agency's contract was straightforward, so straightforward in fact, even I understood it! Yes, me! I did not get a lawyer. That's what little brothers in law school are for! If you can't afford to pay a lawyer (who can) there are a lot of lawyers who offer free advice to people in the arts, so check online and in your local area.

So there you have it! I hope this helps a little. This stuff seems so obvious to me now, but when I started my 13 month query road, I was an enormous dummy! In fact, if there was a book entitled, Querying for Dummies, my picture would have been on the cover!

Good luck to those sending off queries and happy writing to all!

xoxo -- Hilary

Nancy Gallt Literary Agency Coming To You Live From Cyberspace!!!

Hurray! My 'old school' agency has hurled themselves feet first into 2010! What a beautiful website they've created! As promised and without further ado...THE NANCY GALLT LITERARY AGENCY WEBSITE IS HERE!!!! You will find all the info you need on exactly how to query, what's new with the agency, and oh yeah, thier super cool clients who write about ratties and dead dudes!

Good luck to all and enjoy!! Click on that fancy "g" to go to the site!

xoxo -- Hilary

ONE GOOD RAT BLOG AWARDS!!! YAY!

I love blog awards! I think they are encouraging to all writers/bloggers to keep on blogging, keep on writing and gives us that much needed push to keep going!

So, I decided it's time for me to give out my own version of a blog award. As writers, our own work is near and dear to our hearts. My debut novel, Nightshade City, is about rats (as you may have noticed), but it's also very much about family and not letting a few decide the fate of many. It's about standing up for yourself and deciding you can make a difference, you can succeed even when the odds all point to failure.

Therefore, in the spirit of Nightshade City, I've created my own blog award, which I'm very excited about! The One Good Rat Award! I thought of the heroes of my book and what they had to accomplish and the monumental odds they were up against to do so. These writers I've named for this award are on the road to publishing or already there and just life loving writers who deserve to be blogged about! If you don't already, please check out their blogs and follow, follow, follow, you'll be so glad you did!

As for the receivers of this award, please pass it along to whoever you feel has inspired you or others or keep it only to yourselves! So, without further ado, here are the winners of the 2010 ONE GOOD RAT AWARD!

Sharon Mayhew Sharon is a former teacher, turned children's writer, and someone who clearly wants to make a difference in the world, and as far as I can read from her wonderful blog, is!

Sara McClung Sara is inspirational. She is one of those happy bloggers that makes you feel good after you read her thoughts! Can't wait to see this girl in print!

Anita Saxena Anita is funny and clever. She has a wit about her that I just love to read! Stop by her blog if only to read her ode to 2010!

Casey McCormick Casey is a priceless blogger! Her blog is a wealth of information regarding major agents and what they are looking for. No matter how many more followers she gets (and it's a lot) she continues to be warm, open and truly a helping hand to all writers. I found Casey's blog just after I signed with my agent. Man, I wish I'd have found it 13 months earlier!

Natalie Murphy Natalie is an up and coming writer full of sizzle and energy. As this lovely lady makes her way through school, I see big things coming her way! She is a slave to writing and reading her blog is like having a great cup of coffee! It wakes you up and you just want more!

Tartitude Ah, where do I begin with this feisty, blogging wonder? The Tart (as I like to call her) is, well, how do I describe The Tart? She is spirited, fiery, funny, impertinent (in a good way), sweet, genuine and positively dear to my heart! She a fantastic writer and smart as a whip, I highly recommend the Tart! Someday when I brave the journey to Canada I will hopefully meet The Tart and revel in all her Tartitude, which by the way, is a great word!

Jen K Blom Although my dear friend Jen is now in Germany, the moment we met we hit it off like two warped peas in a warped little pod! In other words, she's just as weird as me! Jen is just a fantastic writer and this summer I may be going to Berlin to finally give my friend and her soon to be daughter a long overdue hug, while our husbands go out and "taste test" some German beer, all for quality control purposes of course!

Teresa Frohock Last, but certainly not least I must bring Teresa to your attention. Teresa is a mild mannered librarian by day and a super cool, dark fantasy & horror writing, boot wearing, author interviewing, novelist by night! Her and The Tart, also serve as moderators for the rat vs. possum wars going on between myself and Jen Blom! Don't ask! They may have to go to Berlin too, if only to referee the vermin throw down!

I hope to give more of these out in the coming months, once I get to know my new blogging friends better! Please take a moment to check out all these wonderful writers who blog! They are amazing individuals and all GOOD RATS!

xoxo -- Hilary

Agent and Editor Advice from Debut Author Jill Myles!

As promised, here is my interview with the fabulous Jill Myles! Her debut novel, Gentlemen Prefer Succubi, released December 29th from Pocket and is selling like hotcakes!! I got a chance to sit down with Jill and talk about her road to finding an agent, dealing with rejection (yucky) and what it's like to work with a real editor! Her debut novel is a Paranormal Romance, but never fear YA and Middle Grade writers, her advice applies to us all. And if you love a sharp, racy romance, then trust me, this is the book you've been waiting for!

Just for commenting on this post, Jill has a special surprise for you! Once your comment is posted today, you will be entered to win a personalized critique from Jill's uber awesome agent, Holly Root of Waxman Literary!! Holly is actively seeking upmarket and commercial fiction, including women's fiction, mystery, urban fantasy, romance, and YA, and voice-driven nonfiction projects, with particular areas of interest in narrative nonfiction, lifestyle, psychology, self-help/relationships, science, and practical spirituality and religion. For more chances to win, follow the rest of the tour!

Next stop on the tour: Jill will be speaking with YA writer Chandler Craig! Chandler is pretty, perky and one great writer, so be sure to stop by Chandler's blog tomorrow to find out more about Jill's career and how to bypass common career mistakes!

Jill, first off, congrats!!! In a nutshell, can you tell us what your novel is about?

Here's the happy summary from my website: *Jackie was an ordinary museum docent until a mysterious vampire and a fallen angel made her into a succubus. Now a sexy immortal, she’s caught between an age-old war between angels, demons, and the immortals exiled to earth. When everyone else is choosing sides, which will she pick? The good guy or the bad boy? Maybe she wants both…

Was it hard to get an agent to bite on the concept and what was the toughest part about finding an agent for you--any advice you can give un-agented writers?

I tried to get an agent for a year and a half and with two different manuscripts. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with my writing - my query letters were good, my synopsis was tight, and people would read a few chapters and tell me "Thanks but no thanks." One agent got a query for my succubus novel, requested the full, and read it overnight. He came back to me the next day and said he was really disappointed, because my story wasn't quite there. It was "antic". I will never forget that, because I had no idea what he meant by my story being antic! So I printed out the whole thing and began to read again...and I got it. My characters overreacted. Everyone seemed to scream everything. Jokes flew left and right. Moods swung from happy to sad to happy again, all within the space of a page.

It was really bad. But I could see why no one wanted to rep it! So I took a few weeks off to rewrite, and toned down everyone's reactions. I was convinced it was going to make my manuscript boring...but at the end of the day, it worked. And when I sent out a few more query letters, one agent offered representation.

As for advice? Gosh...print out your book and read it AGAIN with an eye for character reactions. They're easy to get wrong.

How did you handle rejection from agents and/or editors? What made you keep going?

I took rejections personally...for all of five minutes. Then I figured that it was a lot like a job. I was applying, but there was something on my resume that wasn't getting me callbacks. So I worked on it, and worked on it, until I started getting responses. And then I worked until I got personalized responses. And then I worked on it until I got an agent. You just can't give up.

When you first started working with your editor what did you expect and what advice can you give others who are working with an editor for the first time?

Well, I think the thing that I learned is that every editor works differently! I was worried as heck when I first signed because I hadn't talked to my editor at all, and I was terrified to email her for fear I'd be a bothersome client. I've gotten over that fear, but I also don't pick at her with small stuff. I go to my agent for that. I do know that because I was bumped out on the schedule, it took me a long time to get my edit letter. My editor (bless her heart) is constantly working on projects and when one runs late, whoever is lower priority gets bumped a little. There's only so much you can get done in a day, you know? If something can be pushed out, it will be. But if it needs to get done, she has never let me down. I really enjoy working with her, too. She's got a great sense of humor.

In the sum total of your road to publishing experience what is the most important thing you learned along the way?

Ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Seriously. It will save you hours and hours of worry. Your agent is a partner, and you shouldn't be scared to go to them and ask for status updates or asking how things work. :)

Thanks, Jill! I'm sure this advice has helped a lot of writers out there, who really appreciate your words of wisdom!

Dear Readers, be on the look out this Friday when I post my blog awards! This is a new award that I can't wait to give out to some much deserving bloggers!

xoxo -- Hilary

To Outline or Not to Outline! Your Thoughts???

My mind is a buzz this week! I'm writing Nightshade City's sequel, BILLYCAN: BOOK TWO OF NIGHTSHADE CITY, and I'm trying to decide with unwavering certainty how the 2nd half will pan out! I'm not an outline girl, not by far! My idea of an outline is blurbs on crumpled napkins and ideas that strike me literally in the middle night, from a dead sleep, that I have to jump up and write down, not even remembering doing it, but still happy I did!

What kind of writer are you? Outline or no outline? It's a hot topic! I would call myself a "seat of my pants" writer! I live on the edge! Let me know your thoughts!

My baddie rat, Billycan, does not outline either! Thanks to me, he's far too busy being sinister to take the time!

xoxo -- Hilary

Excerpt from Billycan: Book Two of Nightshade City + My friend's debut release!

Wow! The New Year is almost here! Along with the new year, I'd like to give a quick shout out to Jill Myles! Her debut novel, GENTLEMEN PREFER SUCCUBI, released today through Pocket Star! She will be visiting my blog on January 12th, so be on the look out for that! So happy for you Jill!

With the new year on its merry way, I've started back to work on Nightshade's sequel, Billycan: Book Two of Nightshade City! I wanted to post an excerpt, but nothing that will give anything away! The excerpt below is a flashback of sorts, which happens before the story of Nightshade City. How two friends met, a rat and a bat.

xoxo -- Hilary

Juniper was glad to see Dresden. It was a cold night in Trillium City, colder than usual, the night they met.

Dresden and his colony had lived on the outskirts of Trillium in Lex County, a farming community. While on a hunt for insects, the thunder had grown so frequent and deafening Dresden had lost his bearings, his sonar useless. The blurring storm and never ending lightening had rendered the bat temporarily blind. He was lost in the Battery, the epicenter of Trillium City. Barely able to navigate through the skyscrapers, he ended up in an alley behind the colossal Brimstone Building.

Hearing a high pitched siren in the distance, he thought it was a member of his colony calling. Following the sound, he jerked his head around and crashed straight into a street sign. He was lucky the flimsy sign was all he hit. Anything harder surely would have been his end. Dresden's limp body slapped the wet pavement of the alley, landing directly at the feet of Juniper Belancort.

The brown bat was knocked out cold. Juniper had never seen a bat up close. He had always wondered why humans referred to them as "flying rats", now he knew why. Other than the obvious differences, the resemblance was uncanny. He knew he couldn't leave it lying in the street. He could never leave a fellow rat, nor could he leave the flying creature that so closely resembled one. Growing up, he'd heard rumors of their kinship and rumors that rats and bats weren't kin at all, but family or not, the injured bat would not be left to die.

Juniper, thickly built, had little trouble carting the bat back to his home, just a few blocks away. Back then, Nightshade City did not exist, in fact it had not even become an idea. Juniper was just starting to feel like himself again, finally getting used to the idea of having only one eye, his face nearly healed from Billycan's brutal attack, the night of the Bloody Coup.

Juniper and his Council had been living in an abandoned textile warehouse. He carried the bat through a broken window, being sure not to nick its wings, one of which steadily bled. Juniper called out for help upon arrival. Cole and the others came to his aid, gently setting the bat on a mound of soft fabric. They dried him off and cleaned his wound, covering it with a makeshift bandage, made from scraps of cloth.

The small group of rats sat around the bat, patiently waiting for it to wake up, all entranced by the similarities it possessed, its face so similar to their own. Finally, the bat awoke and slowly stretched out its wings. The first thing it noticed was its awkward position. Sleeping on the ground, as a bat would never do, it started to squirm.

"Now don't be frightened," Juniper said reassuringly. "You're among friends. You've been injured. I found you in the alley and brought you back here, so we could fix up that wing of yours."

Dresden looked blearily at Juniper. His hazy vision had him thinking he was speaking to another bat. Seeing the plain, gray walls of the warehouse, he realized he was not in his Lex County colony. "What colony am I in? What type of bat are you?" he said, straining to focus on Juniper's face. The other rats stared blankly at Juniper, wondering what to do. The bat clearly did not have his full wits. As he lay helpless, the bat craned his short neck as far as it would reach, still trying to make out a face.

"Now friend," said Juniper, "I don't want to worry you. You are among allies. You are among rats."

Dresden was a practical bat, afraid of very little. He knew of rats. He also knew of their proclivities for meat. He narrowed his miniature eyes, finally able to make out Juniper's face. He could see there was something not quite right with it, as Juniper's fur had not grown back yet on the one side, still bare and wounded from Billycan's attack, not to mention the patch over his eye. "Are you going to eat me?" Dresden asked directly.

Juniper chuckled. "No, of course not, if we were going to eat you why on earth would we have bandaged your wing? I know certain rats can be cruel, but that's a bit much, even for us."

Dresden looked over at his wing. "Oh dear, I see," he said, raising it slightly as he examined the dressing. "Thank you for coming to my aid. I'm Dresden," he said weakly, "leader of the Lex County, Brown Bat Colony, First Chapter..." His voice tapered off. The wounded bat could stay awake no longer.

In the weeks it took the brown bat to recover, he and Juniper became close. Dresden learned all about the takeover, the Bloody Coup it was called, brought on by Killdeer and the infamous white rat, Billycan--the one who carved out Juniper's eye. Juniper learned all about the bats trouble in Lex County and how the exasperated farmers were trying to smoke them out with pesticides and other means. It seemed the two had a lot in common. Juniper had lost his home and it looked as though Dresden would soon lose his.

The two stayed loyal, meeting quarterly each year in the same alley where their friendship started. Each knew if the other did not show up they were most likely dead.

New HobGobble Excerpt and the Return of My Hijacked Blog!

Hello Everyone!

I want to thank all who participated in Marietta's recent open Q & A and I know she thanks you too! Hopefully everyone's questions were answered! I certainly know firsthand all the obstacles attached to finding an agent, so I'm glad this took a little of the mystery out of what Marietta is looking for and how to query her! As soon as the agency's website goes live next month, I'll be sure to post the link! I know Marietta had great fun answering everyone's questions, not to mention hijacking my blog! Never have I seen so many comments on one post! It was around 70 some! Lots of fantastic info for everyone to go through before they query! :)

In celebration of the return of my beloved blog, I've posted a new excerpt to my hobgoblins of HobGobble, or hobgobbies as I so lovingly call them!

Happy Friday and enjoy!

"More!" barked Scrod.

Two servants dashed over, each gripping a handle of an immense cooper pot overflowing with dead hagfish. Slimy eels dropped to the floor as they heaved the pot onto the table, plunked it down between Mox and his father, and scuttled out of sight.

"Eat," said Scrod, nodding at the pot. He grabbed a handful of reeking fish and flung them into his mouth, grunting contentedly as he chomped them into mush. Bits of chewed flesh sprayed from his jaws as he spoke. "You want to look like a hobgoblin, you must eat like one." He pushed the hagfish towards Mox. "C'mon then."

Mox eyeballed a rotted eel, whose gray, eyeless head peeked over the lip of the pot. He'd rather starve than eat more oily hagfish or oily anything for that matter. Hobgoblins lived off fat, oil and grease, and in Mox's estimation, all things disgusting.

A long while back there'd been a food shortage in HobGobble. London was under lockdown, the whole city blanketed in piles of snow. The hobgoblins did their best to procure food, anything to keep HobGobble from starving. Mox remembered one night quite clearly.

He sat hungrily at the long table, waiting with his forty-two brothers and sisters. The servants came round, plopping an open tin can in front of each child. Mox was expecting pickled pig ears, deviled ham or perhaps greasy canned hash, but instead, the can contained something bright and yellow. To that day, Mox didn't know food came in such a cheerful color. He cautiously took a spoonful--little bits of sweet golden heaven popped in his mouth with each chew. He read the can's label under his breath, "Royal Crown Vegetables, Extra Sweet Whole Kernel Corn Niblets."

Mox's brothers and sisters got up from the table in disgust at their dinners. Mox's oldest brother, Gash, took his can and flung it at a servant bashing him upside the head, corn spraying everywhere. The others followed suit--a food fight like no other. Mox smartly crawled under his chair, taking two of his sisters' unwanted cans with him. He laughed as niblets flew through the air around him, whipping past his head, his brothers and sisters so incensed by the sight of the crisp, yellow morsels. Niblets fell like rain. Mox happily gathered them up and ate and ate until he could eat no more.

That night his belly was full. He never saw the words 'vegetable' or 'corn' on a can in HobGobble again and to this day has never seen food of such a vibrant hue. The food set before him was brown, tan or gray, all slippery with grease, sodden with fat, rancid to be sure, and far from cheerful.

Scrod stared at his son. "Why do you have such a disheartened look on your face, Mox? You must eat to be strong--to one day be strapping like your brothers--to be like Gash. Your eldest brother is the strongest hobgoblin in all of HobGobble."

Mox crinkled his nose. "Father, what if I'm not like Gash or the others? What if I can't be big and strong like them?"

Scrod's baggy lips stretched into a hint of a smile. "Mox, attention to my children has been lacking in many ways. HobGobble had been my responsibility well before you little ones were ever even a glimmer, and without HobGobble my family--my children would not be safe." Scrod motioned to the torch lit caves around him. "So in order to look after all of you, all this had to come first, my duty as Lord Hob." Scrod sighed. "Even with my obligations to HobGobble, I've always managed to keep an eye on my children--especially you, Mox. To be sure, you are distinctly different than your siblings, and I'm not just speaking of your looks."

Mox knew he was different without his father telling him so, but the fact that his father noticed anything at all, other than his unusual features, was a revelation.

Scrod pushed the pot to the side. "I know you're not particularly fond of hagfish. For years I've spied you mashing it up on your plate, hoping it would look eaten." He chuckled softly. "Don't think I haven't seen your elbow edging over ever so slowly towards your fish, silently knocking it to the floor when you thought no one was looking."

Mox's face flushed with heat. No one ever paid him mind or so he thought. "Sorry, father."

"It's all right. In that way, you are very much like your mother."

Mox raised his eyebrows. "You mean mother didn't like hagfish either?"

"Your mother loathed the slippery eels. She despised the food we steal from up top, always in their greasy bags, soaked with butter and cooked in fat. I told her she was crazy for it! Why hobgoblins love the oily aftertaste of fish and chips, the scent of a greasy hamburger, the thick fried potatoes soaked in oil!" He laughed. "Yes, your mother was very much like you. She too was slight in frame, her features small, her stature leggy. Some hobgoblins might even have whispered among themselves that she was not a fetching specimen of hobgoblin. Luckily, no one ever said it to me. A benefit of being the Lord Hob, I suppose. Wouldn't have mattered in any case, I thought your mother was beautiful--perfect even."

A shiver ran down Mox's spine and his skin rose in goose bumps. His mother was just like him, was it even possible? He tried to hide his smile, but didn't succeed.

"Ah," said Scrod, "for once a happy look on my youngest son's face."

"Why do you think mother and I aren't like the other hobgoblins? I don't want to be different...I just am."

Welcome to HobGobble...Hope You Like Ick! Teaser Tuesday!

So, I've decided...green is my new favorite color...at least until this new venture is finished! This is going to be one of those whirlwind stories. I can feel it coming! Welcome to HobGobble! As always, blame the hobgoblins for any and all first draft typos. They're crafty little fellows!

xoxo -- Hilary

The ancient hobgoblin slogged passed him. His father's once emerald skin now a sallow brown, like the greasy fish and chips bags they pilfered from the veiled alleys of London.

Old Scrod flopped into his throne and slumped down, wrapping himself in his tattered cloak. He looked tired--tired of ruling, tired of worrying, tired of even breathing it seemed. His wooden staff hung limply from his gnarled claws. Scrod slowly lifted his head and looked at his son.

"What is it that you want, son?"

"I don't want anything, father," said Mox.

Scrod gave his son the once over. "You've grown, Mox. You're much taller than your brothers and sisters--and so skinny." He looked up. "More like them."

"Yes," said Mox, his skin bristling. "I hear it ever day. I'm built like them, I know, but I'm hobgoblin through and through."

"And don't you forget it," said Scrod. "Now, why have you come? Your siblings only come to see me when they want something, so out with it, boy. What do you want?"

Mox looked at his feet. He loathed his brothers and sisters all forty-two of them, gruesome crew--always griping and sniping over who would take over the throne when their father finally had the good manners to die. "I suppose I just want to spend some time with you, nothing more." Mox knew his father would not be the Lord Hob much longer. He didn't care about the throne. Unlike his siblings, to rule over HobGobble was the last thing he desired. He shifted uncomfortably. It just didn't feel right--not knowing your father at least a little before he passed on. "You're always so occupied...I only wanted a moment to talk."

Scrod's drooping ears suddenly straightened. His spine uncurled, as he propped his wilted body up with his staff. "Well, why didn't you say so straightaway?" He snapped two slippery fingers. "Servant, bring a chair for my son." A stubby hobgoblin with arms longer than his entire body skittered out from the shadows carrying a wooden chair high over his head. He slapped it down on the dank ground, sloshing water as he did so, and ran off into the dark as quickly as he'd arrived.

Mox sat. He smiled halfheartedly at his father. Growing up, he was in awe of Scrod, the great Lord Hob, so incredibly commanding and noble--now so frail. His once robust arms and legs had all but withered down to bone. His brawny chest, stained with liver spots, had caved inward, leading down to a bulbous round belly. Scrod's dominant jaw had decayed into a sagging sack of rotted teeth. Once so feared, now so feeble, it saddened Mox to look at him.

Scrod patted Mox's knee. "So, my boy, what would you like to discuss?"

Stiffening, Mox took a deep breath. Even in his father's delicate state, Mox still got the jitters when he addressed him. "Well, father, there is something I've been wondering about."

Cocking his head, Scrod leaned on his staff. "Oh? And what might that be?"

Mox cringed as he spoke, unsure how his father might react. "Well..." Hesitantly, he pointed a slender finger at the cavernous ceiling. "I've been wondering about them."

Scrod did not move. He sat firm and silent. The last time Mox had seen his father sit so still it did not end well. The unlucky hobgoblin sitting before him received the lashing of a lifetime. Mox should have known better than to ask. "I'm sorry father," he blurted. "I'm just curious about them, the hu--"

Scrod held up his hand for silence. Mox obeyed. Scrod leaned in, closely studying his son's strangely angular face, his slight curl of a mouth, and his short rounded ears. He spoke slowly.

"You know the tragedy that befell our family the night you were born, don't you?"

"Yes," said Mox, swallowing. "My mother died."

"Yes," said Scrod. "She died. It was awful and terrible and a dark day for HobGobble. A day no hobgoblin will ever forget, least of all me. But do you know what she told me before she died? Do you?"

"No."

"Your mother held you in her arms and kissed your small forehead." Scrod chuckled. "My word, you were a tiny thing. As a child, I thought you'd pass away just as your mother had, too weak to survive in our world. Now look at you, still scrawny as a fish bone, but taller than all of us. In any case, you're mother looked me square in the eyes and told me your name was to be Mox, her father's name, the first Lord Hob, and you would one day rule."

"Rule?"

"Yes, Mox, that is what she claimed. My latest string of wives are as softheaded as a heap of three eyed potatoes, but your mother...she was a smart one." Scrod smiled. "When she said you would rule--she meant it--she believed."

"You mean rule, as in rule HobGobble--become the mighty Lord Hob?" Mox bolted from his chair and began to pace before his father. "But I don't want to rule! Leave that for one of my brothers or sisters. They'll do whatever it takes to keep hold of the throne. Moreover, I'm not fit to rule." Mox flung his arms up in disbelief. "I don't even look the part. You said so yourself. I'm tall and gangly, my jaw is undersized and my teeth dull. I loathe scaring children and I certainly don't want to eat them! That's all my brothers speak of--when one day they can eat the fleshy, pink children that live above us! I'm unfit to rule and no reasonable hobgoblin would listen to me anyway!" Mox suddenly froze in his tracks. Here he was ranting in front of his all powerful father, the Lord Hob, telling him everything he hated about being a hobgoblin--about ruling over HobGobble--about taking his great father's place. His eyes widened in fear.

The Lord Hob stared flintily at his son. He looked about to lose his temper. Mox's green hue drained to gray. Suddenly, Scrod roared with wild laughter, nearly tumbling onto the floor. Mox seized his father by his shoulders and helped him back into his seat.

His father's laugh had turned into a coughing wheeze as he tried to catch his breath. "It's high time we had this talk," Scrod huffed, as his shriveled lungs settled. "Sit down, Mox. There is much you don't know--much indeed."

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Agent Marietta Zacker!

ATTN: Scroll to the bottom of this post. Marietta will be answering any and all questions until Dec. 16th!! So writers and illustrators, ask away!!!!

Okay, not everything, but I had to get your attention! And isn't she just lovely in blue?

So many great writers have emailed me lately wondering if it's okay to ask me about my agent. Yes, it's okay! I too was once in that same creaky, unstable, agonizing boat and I'm happy to help if I can. Here are some basics about the amazing Marietta Zacker.

What the heck does she want? Marietta is looking for great writing for children and fantastic storytelling, plain and simple. She doesn't want to give a blanket 'no' to anything. She's interested in everything from miraculous picture books to chapter books and novels about the world's unique ethnicities to cutting edge YA. She believes you should write what moves you! In other words, don't write about vampires and werewolves just because you think they're hot! In my opinion, that's kind of crazy anyway! By the time you finish your book and actually get it to agents/editors a hot trend will most likely not be so hot anymore, right? So, write what YOU love, not what you think everybody else will! Case in point, I love rats, rats got agent, rats got published! Passion about what you're writing is so very key!

What on earth is she like? I feel so blessed and lucky to have Marietta as an agent. She is everything I could have hoped for and more! She's wildly intelligent, funny, creative and dedicated to her job and all her clients. She answers all my emails (and there are plenty of them mind you) and calls me as needed, sometimes just to say, "Hey, how are you doing? Wanted to see what you've been up to." Lots of agents don't do that. She has schooled me on the publishing industry and really helped me understand how the "other side" of this crazy business works, like the agent/editor relationship, contracts, offers, etc. And I still have so much to learn from her. Marietta is a great person to have in your corner. She sincerely wants the best for you and wants you to succeed. She cares about her clients for more than just their writing. She is my friend! What more could you ask for in someone who is helping to shape your writing career?

How long does it take to get a response? I was just talking to Marietta this week actually and we were discussing the number of queries in her inbox. Holy cow, there is a lot! Please be patient. She will get to your query. When I sent my submittal package to the Nancy Gallt Agency way back when it took about 4-5 months to get the request for my full--in other words, be very, very patient! What's the old adage? Good things come to those who wait (and wait, and wait)!

If you don't hear back should you assume that's a rejection? I honestly don't know how Marietta addresses that. I'd think she'd let you know once she had the opportunity to read your query, but like I said, her inbox is a traffic jam--think of a number around 1000 give or take.

In summation: Well, I hope I've given you a bit more information on this lovely little lady! The basics to remember: Write what YOU love! Be very patient! And for all that's good and holy in this world keep writing!!!

xoxo -- Hilary

NEWS FLASH! From the woman herself! Marietta Speaks!!

MBZacker said...
This may be unorthodox, but since my wonderfully, talented client sends new ideas without warning all the time (brilliant ones, I might add) and dedicates one of her postings to information about me (also without warning or even a heads-up), I thought I would surprise her with a posting on her blog!And, since I don't feel it's necessarily fair to Hilary to have her speak for me, I think it only makes sense to use this forum and open up the "floor" for questions.So... from now until December 16, I will check Hilary's blog daily to answer questions from those who want to ask. I am not as mysterious as Hilary's characters, so if you have a question, by all means, feel free to ask. I will do my best to be as thorough as possible with my answers.A shout out to all in the blogging world! Marietta