Thanks, Fred, for your insight. I've read a couple of Elizabeth's books and enjoyed them immensely! I certainly will check out her website.
Actually, I disagree that the western is dead. I've been to some writing workshops and hear differently. With television shows like Deadwood, and movies like 3:10 to Yuma, the western is making a slow, but sure comeback, when treated sensitively. Working in the west and with western themes, my task is to show the west as it really was, not as Hollywood always wanted to portray it. It was really much more exciting than Hollywood wanted to make it, believe me. In my manuscript, The Executions, I discuss about modern issues that all of us in historical archaeology find near and dear to our hearts...things like forensics, gender issues, ethnicity, and, in this case, the fact that Hispanic soldiers fought alongside Anglo soldiers against the Apache on the plains of New Mexico. I even go so far as to question the assumption that the federal government should automatically repatriate every set of human remains that appears to have some Native American characteristics...without DNA analysis and historic research to make sure those remains aren't actually Hispanic.
And we all know that changing the title is the name of the game. Working titles are just a way to identify a work in progress. I've published enough non-fiction that little things like titles don't get in my way. SIN AND GRACE, my latest published book, is about the fourth title to the book.
Ron May's comments were interesting a couple of days ago, but not germane. I'm not writing a screenplay and I'm not sinking a bunch of money into ploys meant to exploit people desperate to become career writers. I have a completed manuscript and am simply searching for either a small publisher or an agent. Writer's Market is useless, as I'm sure your wife found a few years ago, and as I found with SIN AND GRACE. We've all heard the stories of the famous writers who took ten years to publish their first novel and are now publishing one every few months. That will be me, once I find that agent who will give me a second read (she says, hopefully).
Thank you for looking at my site. I appreciate it!
Cathy
Catherine H. Spude, PhD
Montana Dawn, Enterprises
7 Avenida Vista Grande #145
Santa Fe, NM 87508
505-466-1476 home
505-913-1326 cell
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"Life is not tried, it is merely survived if you're standing outside the fire." Jenny Yates and Garth Brooks.
----- Original Message -----
From: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, September 23, 2007 10:11 AM
Subject: Re: an archaeological mystery
In a message dated 9/21/2007 4:51:09 P.M. Central Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> writes:
and clicking on "The Executions" for me? Let me know what you think. Would YOU read that book? And if you know an agent or publisher who you think might take a look, let me know.
Cathy,
Yes, I'd read it. I suspect that most publishers will view the manuscript as a Western, and say that Westerns are dead, dead, and did they say dead. Also, when published the editor or publisher will change the title, too. Getting an agent and getting published are almost as difficult as getting a decent job in archaeology (someone had to say that). My spouse (pseudonyms Elizabeth Hoyt and Julia Harper) started writing in 2000, got an agent in 2004, and sold her first manuscript in 2005 to Warner Books. I don't want to comment about what she went through during 2000-2004. But by 2005 she other completed manuscripts, etc., and now her publisher wants a new manuscript every three months. Check out www.elizabethhoyt.com<http://www.elizabethhoyt.com/> and www.juliaharper.com<http://www.juliaharper.com/>. Showing a sense of humor, she discusses getting an agent in New York City and making the first sale: http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2007/09/07/my-first-sale-elizabeth-hoyt-middle-aged-ditherer-makes-good/<http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2007/09/07/my-first-sale-elizabeth-hoyt-middle-aged-ditherer-makes-good/>. I'm convinced that the numerous blogs she writes help the book sales: http://www.romancevagabonds.com/?p=1260<http://www.romancevagabonds.com/?p=1260>. Good luck and keep at it, like archaeology that seems to be a long term method for success.
Fred
Fred A. Finney, PhD, RPA
Upper Midwest Archaeology LLP
PO Box 106
St. Joseph, IL 61873
cell 217-778-0348
fax 217-469-0106
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