Queries, Qualms, & Quirks

Middle Grade Author Sarah McGuire joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss shelving a book after six years, being orphaned by your publisher, the revelation courtesy of her opera-singer sister, creating Egmont’s Last List, learning who to take which critiques from, and imposter syndrome. ✦ 

Sarah McGuire is math teacher who sailed around the world aboard a floating college campus. She writes fairy tales and fun fantasy and would love to open a wardrobe and stumble into another world. She wishes Florida had mountains, but she lives there anyways with her husband and their family. ✦ 

Historical Crime Author John Copenhaver joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss getting an MFA, querying via snail mail, changes in the mystery genre landscape, what happens if you never get published, and the importance of forming relationships in the industry. ✦ 

John Copenhaver’s historical crime novel, Dodging and Burning, won the 2019 Macavity Award for Best First Mystery Novel and garnered Anthony, Strand Critics, Barry, and Lambda Award nominations. His second novel, The Savage Kind, was just released. He writes a crime fiction review column for Lambda called “Blacklight,” and cohosts on the House of Mystery Radio Show. He lives in Richmond, VA. ✦ 

Science Fiction author AJ Super joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss not getting into Pitch Wars, how far kindness can take you, a successful query letter that is not perfect, how long it takes to put out a good book, mental health challenges, and taking measured risks. ✦ 

Angela/AJ Super is a 2021 debut author. Her space opera, Erebus Dawning and its sequel, A Star Reborn have recently released from Aethon Books. She lives in Kansas with her husband and fuzz-brained kitties. ✦ 

Picture Book Author Kira Bigwood joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss querying for eight years, how many picture books you should have ready before submitting, the process of writing a picture book without an illustrator, querying too soon, the importance of making connections, and how making a picture book is truly a team effort. ✦ 

Kira Bigwood is an advertising copywriter turned children’s author. Her debut picture book, Secret, Secret Agent Guy, illustrated by Celia Krampien, released this spring from Atheneum Books for Young Readers, and received starred reviews from Kirkus and School Library Journal. Kira is a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, and lives in Chicago with her husband, three children and their pandemic puppy. ✦ 

Mystery Author Kellye Garrett joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss getting an agent offer at a bar, Pitch Wars, when your publisher abruptly shuts down, writing a book because of a headline, selling a book after a year versus five days, waiting ten months to announce a book deal, and never winning NaNoWriMo. ✦ 

Kellye Garrett is the author of the upcoming suspense novel Like A Sister and the Detective by Day lightweight mysteries. The first, Hollywood Homicide, won the Anthony, Agatha, Lefty, and IPPY for best first novel. She serves on Sisters in Crime’s national board, is a former Pitch Wars Managing Director and is a co-founder of Crime Writers of Color. ✦