Author: kath1960

A lover of words who writes from the heart. Welcome to my site! I’m a refugee from the corporate world, a lover of books, dogs, and 1940’s/1950’s vintage clothing (not necessarily in that order!), a wife and a mom . . . and, oh yeah, a novelist! My first novel, a lighthearted romance set in the world of stand-up comedy, was published by Moonshine Cove in April 2018. My second novel, the story of a middle-aged woman's struggle to survive in the corporate world, will be published by Legacy Book Press in May 2024.

Let’s Hear from new LBP author, Kathleen Jones

 

(Published on the Legacy Book Press website on April 1, 2024: https://legacybookpress.com/hear-from-new-lbp-author-kathleen-jones/)

“The War on Sarah Morris, the story of a middle-aged woman struggling to stay employed when the company she has faithfully served for twenty-one years tries to bully her out of a job, will be released by Legacy Book Press in May. It’s been a long journey.

I got the idea for the novel in 2016, but I didn’t start writing it until October 2017. Why? Because I had just sold my first novel, Love Is the Punch Line, to Moonshine Cove Publishing, and I had to spend my time completing that novel and publicizing it. In other words, I was juggling two novels at the same time! In fact, since my time was so limited, I couldn’t finish writing the first draft of Sarah Morris until the fall of 2018.

By the fall of 2020, I had completed two more drafts. I wasn’t happy with them, so I decided to seek help. I thought of taking a creative writing course, but I couldn’t; the pandemic had shut down most public spaces. Then I discovered an email-based course, Online Mentor, offered by The University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies. I took the course in early 2021. My online mentor was Marina Endicott, an award-winning Canadian novelist. It was a wise move; Marina’s feedback was very helpful, and she helped me craft a more polished novel.

In September 2021, I started working on my fourth draft with editor Glenda MacFarlane. Glenda did a very thoughtful and detailed substantive edit, followed by a line edit. Once again, I rewrote the entire novel. We worked together for five months—from September 2021 to January 2022—and I learned a lot from her. In early 2022, I hired Britanie Wilson to proofread the latest draft. I began submitting the manuscript in May 2022, and I signed a contract with Jodie Toohey of Legacy Book Press in December 2022.

The novel published in April 2024 was the fifteenth draft. This novel has been a lot of work, but I’m so glad that I stuck with it. For one thing, it helped me hang onto my sanity during the pandemic; it kept my mind occupied during those long months during lockdown when I couldn’t shop, socialize with friends, or eat at a restaurant. And it also served as an outlet for my anger about a number of issues: economic inequality, sexism, age discrimination, bullying in the workplace.

As I said before, it’s been a long journey, and a journey well worth taking.”

The War on Sarah Morris will be published by Legacy Book Press on April 11, 2024. The paperback and ebook will be available from Amazon, Ingram Book Company, Barnes & Noble, and Indigo Books and Music.

 

 

 

Booklife’s Rave Review of The War On Sarah Morris!

 

 Booklife, Publishers Weekly, February 26, 2024, page 89: https://www.digitalpw.com/digitalpw/20240226/MobilePagedReplica.action?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=TXPUB0240224002&utm_content=gtxcel&pm=2&folio=88#pg90

In this tense, funny novel, Sarah Morris, a 49-year-old editor, faces upheaval at the publishing company, Quill Pen Press, where she’s worked for the past 21 years. Though there is no change in her job title or pay, all of her job responsibilities are now different and she is forced to do overtime without pay for new daily tasks that she hates. With a recession ravaging hopes of economic stability, and finding herself her family’s sole income-earner following her husband’s dismissal from his banking job, Sarah must decide what steps she needs to take in her career to find her way back to being happy in the workplace. Does she dare a job search, as she puts it, “In middle age. In a crappy job market … that’s hostile to older people like me”?

Sarah exemplifies the emotional turmoil many feel when facing discontent in the workplace as Jones delves into self-doubt, the fear of starting over, and being complacent in a dead-end job. With wit, snark, and a striking sense of all-too-real realism, Jones writes a relatable and personable narrative about being pigeon-holed and feeling stuck with work that is no longer fulfilling or providing the space or opportunity for advancement. Exploring toxic work cultures, micromanagers, and workplace favoritism, The War on Sarah Morris is punchy and pained, outraged and comic, offering much that readers—especially women working in troubled industries—will find resonant. While set in 2011, the novel feels pointedly of the moment.

Jones convincingly captures the inner workings of a publisher and the ever-increasing responsibilities that fall onto lower level staffers, plus the indignities of a job search, from “biographical resumes” to pop-quiz writing assignments in job interviews. In this, Jones blends the engagingly dishy with sharp-elbowed analysis of power dynamics. Readers who have ever worked under tyrannical managers or for companies who only care about how much money is coming in will be impacted and feel a personal connection to Sarah’s struggle.

Takeaway: Sharp-elbowed novel of a woman facing a job hunt after 20 years in publishing.

Comparable Titles: Lisa Owens’s Not Working, Liz Talley’s Adulting.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

The War on Sarah Morris will be released on April 11, 2024 by Legacy Book Press. Available in trade paperback and ebook from Amazon, Ingram Book Company, Indigo Books and Music, and Barnes & Noble. For more information, please visit the Media Room at site: https://kathleenjones.org/

How Authors Can Keep Track of Queries

<a href=”https://www.vecteezy.com/free-photos/post-it-note”>Post It Note Stock photos by Vecteezy</a>

By Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist. Please sign up for free updates at ‪http://eepurl.com/ceSobT

Black binder clips spread with yellow post-it note on cork board

The querying process can be overwhelming. Most authors follow a two-step process when querying: first agents, then (if they can’t land an agent) publishers who accept unagented manuscripts. It’s not uncommon for authors to approach 80-100 agents and 50-80 publishers. How can they keep track of all these queries?

Some ideas:

Agents

  • Start by creating a new Word file containing the names of agents and contact information.
  • Find the agents who represent your genre. Good sources include QueryTracker (https://querytracker.net) and the Poets & Writers Literary Agent Database (https://www.pw.org/literary_agents) 
  • List entries by the agencies’ names, not by the agents’ names. Also, place the agency names in alphabetical order. Most agencies don’t want authors to query more than one of their agents. Consequently, this is the best way to avoid sending multiple queries to an agency. Include a link to the agency’s website, contact information (such as email addresses), and submission requirements. If you get any feedback from an agent, be sure to include it.
  • Before you send a query, check the agency’s website to see if the agent is currently open to queries.
  • Try to query at least 80 agents.
  • After you’ve finished working on the Word file, create a corresponding list of agencies on an Excel spreadsheet. Referring to your Word file, list the agencies in alphabetical order; beside the agency’s name list the agent’s name and the date you made the submission to her or him. If that agent rejects you, note the relevant date on the same line. Also, be sure to note the dates of any follow-up queries.

Publishers

  • If you can’t find an agent, create a Word file listing publishers who accept submissions from unagented authors. 
  • Start by creating a new Word file containing the names of publishers, editors, and contact information.
  • Where can you find publishers who accept manuscripts in your genre from unagented authors? Try QueryTracker (https://querytracker.net) and The Writer’s Center (https://www.writer.org/publishers-that-accept-unagented-submissions/). 
  • List entries by the publishers’ names, in alphabetical order. This method makes it easier to keep track of the publishers you’ve queried, and it also helps you avoid sending multiple queries to publishers. Include a link to the publisher’s website, contact information (such as email addresses), and submission requirements. 
  • Always check the publisher’s website to see if they’re currently open to queries before you approach them.
  • Try to query at least 50 publishers.
  • After you’ve created the list of publishers in Word, create a corresponding list of publishers on an Excel spreadsheet. Referring to your Word file, list each publisher’s name (in alphabetical order), then the name of the editor you’ve queried and the date you made the submission to her or him. If that editor rejects you, note the date; also note the dates of any follow-up queries you’ve sent.

Querying is a tedious, stressful, and, above all, time-consuming process. However, if you make some effort to organize yourself, you can (hopefully) get through this ordeal without losing your mind.

Visit Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist, online at https://kathleenjones.org/ or on Twitter athttps://twitter.com/joneslepidas and sign up for free updates at ‪http://eepurl.com/ceSobT  Kathleen’s first novel, Love Is the Punch Line, a midlife romance set in the world of stand-up comedy, is available NOW, in trade paperback and ebook from Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Love-Punch-Line-Kathleen-Jones-ebook/dp/B0BY3RTNZG/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=love+is+the+punch+line&qid=1681409156&sr=8-1). 

How Authors Can Use Twitter to Find Followers

<a href=”https://www.vecteezy.com/free-photos”>Free Stock photos by Vecteezy</a>

 By Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist. Please sign up for free updates at‪http://eepurl.com/ceSobT 

 One of the best ways for a new author to build a large online following is through a dedicated Twitter account. Creating and maintaining an account is simple and straightforward; it’s more of a habit than anything else.

 There is no charge to create a Twitter account. You can sign up by following these instructions: https://help.twitter.com/en/using-twitter/create-twitter-account

Once you have created your author Twitter account:

  1. Decide on a theme for your account. If you’re an author, your account should probably be based around books and/or writing. My own Twitter account, Kathleen Jones, deals largely with the craft of creative writing.
  2. Write some articles related to your theme. Try to post one of them each month. Be sure to include images with credits; articles with images get more attention.
  3. Repost articles related to your theme from other authors, editors, readers, book publishers. etc. Always include the source(s) of these articles.
  4. Try to post/repost a certain number of articles every week. I try to post 12 of them.
  5. Build up your list of followers by following a certain number of new people daily. I try to follow 12-15 new people each day.
  6. Check your list of new followers daily and send a message thanking them for following you.
  7. Respond promptly to messages (as long as they’re courteous) that you receive from others.

Building a large following on Twitter takes time, but it’s easy, once you get into the habit of doing it on a regular basis. And you’ll probably connect with some very interesting people!

 Visit Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist, online at https://kathleenjones.org/ or on Twitter athttps://twitter.com/joneslepidas and sign up for free updates at ‪http://eepurl.com/ceSobT Kathleen’s first novel, Love Is the Punch Line, a midlife romance set in the world of stand-up comedy, is available NOW, in trade paperback and ebook from Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Love-Punch-Line-Kathleen-Jones-ebook/dp/B0BY3RTNZG/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=love+is+the+punch+line&qid=1681409156&sr=8-1). Visit the Love Is the Punch Line Media Room at https://kathleenjones.org/media-room/

New 5-Star Review for Love Is the Punch Line!

<a href=”https://www.vecteezy.com/free-photos”>Free Stock photos by Vecteezy</a>

Posted by H K Carlton on Goodreads on April 12, 2023 (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5346700486)

A washed-up actor come Rodney Dangerfield-esk, stand-up comedian Josh Steinberg meets businesswoman Holly Brannigan. Their first interaction ends with Holly tossing a drink in Josh’s face. And there were several instances throughout the book where I wished she’d do it again!

Josh doesn’t leave the self-deprecating schtick on the stage. He carries it in life and wears it just like he does his navy wool suit. Though, I guess a lot of comedians do draw from a place of misery or tragedy for their act—the proverbial sad clowns. 

Throughout the book, Josh battles with depression and his insecurities. However, Holly does her level best to build Josh up and encourages him to fulfill his dreams. She believes in his ability, talent, and vision, even when he doesn’t believe in himself. Yet, Josh’s insulting brand of comedy leads to many misunderstandings and turmoil between the two—he self-sabotages the tenuous relationship at every turn. Often making Holly the butt of his jokes. For the sake of the act, of course. Holly is a saint for hanging in. 

Love Is the Punch Line is not a cookie-cutter romance, which is refreshing. Yes, this book has some romance, and Josh performs stand-up, but it is hardly a romantic comedy. It’s a turbulent, unconventional, and offbeat read yet original and full of ups and downs. Holly and Josh never seem quite in sync with each other, leaving the reader guessing, right to the bitter end, if the relationship can ever really work.

A strong debut! I look forward to this author’s next project.

 

 

 

Vintage microphone on stage with red curtains. Moody stage lighting creates drama and suspense.

New 5-Star Review for Love Is the Punch Line!

Posted by Gabriel Constans on Amazon.com and Goodreads on May 4, 2023

Comedy, Movies, Romance All in One

5 Stars

 As a screenwriter or romcoms (and other genres), married to a short woman, it seemed like this book was taken from part of my life. I don’t pretend to be a stand-up comic, but Love Is the Punch Line is a great romantic dramedy. Josh and Holly seem to be like oil and water but turn out to be quite complimentary. The story has a lot of insight into the movie business, looks closely at self-esteem and depression, and the ways we can hurt and support one another. Don’t hesitate to read this script (novel).

Looking for Feedback On Your Novel?

<a href=”https://www.vecteezy.com/free-photos”>Free Stock photos by Vecteezy</a>

By Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist. Please sign up for free updates at http://eepurl.com/ceSobT 

Have you finished writing the first two or three drafts of your novel? Do you want feedback on your manuscript before you start working on your next draft?

I found myself in this situation back in August 2020. I had just completed the third draft of my novel and wanted to know how to improve it. I didn’t belong to a writing group, and I didn’t have beta readers, either. So I looked online for help.

An Online Mentor Was the Answer

A number of institutions offer creative writing courses; however, most of these courses weren’t suited to me, as I was an experienced author who had already published a novel. What I needed was a course offering feedback on the manuscript I had already written. And that course needed to be online because Covid had made in-class learning dangerous.

After a bit of searching, I found the answer: the Online Mentor course offered by the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies Creative Writing Program. I decided to enroll for Winter 2021.

How Does the Online Mentor Course Work?

The course is email-based. Once the student is enrolled, she or he chooses an online mentor (usually an established Canadian author) from a list. If the mentor agrees to work with the student, the mentor contacts her or him by email; the student then submits some chapters to the mentor; the mentor provides feedback on the student’s writing. Students have up to 12 weeks, including time for rewrites, to work on up to a maximum of 25,000 words of a manuscript, 40 pages of poetry, or 90 pages of a drama or screenplay.

Is This Course Worth Your Time?

It definitely is! My mentor, Marina Endicott, a Canadian novelist and short story writer, provided valuable feedback on my manuscript. With her help, I was able to rethink the characters, cut out unnecessary details, and balance out the plot, which was a bit on the gloomy side. We worked on the first four chapters together; I then completed the rewrite using the insights I got from Marina.

How Do You Enroll?

Apply online at https://learn.utoronto.ca/programs-courses/courses/1686-online-mentor You’ll also need to submit a 10-page excerpt from the manuscript you wish to workshop to scs.writing@utoronto.ca, along with the name of your mentor-of-choice from the list of Creative Writing program instructors.

 

Visit Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist, online at https://kathleenjones.org/ or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/joneslepidas and sign up for free updates at ‪http://eepurl.com/ceSobT  Kathleen’s first novel, Love Is the Punch Line, a midlife romance set in the world of stand-up comedy, is available NOW, in trade paperback and ebook from Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Love-Punch-Line-Kathleen-Jones-ebook/dp/B07BYNX7BM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1525812415&sr=1-1&keywords=love+is+the+punch+line) and Indigo Books and Music (https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/love-is-the-punch-line/9781945181337-item.html?ikwid=love+is+the+punch+line&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0) Visit the Love Is the Punch Line Media Room at https://kathleenjones.org/media-room/