Lifestyle Agent

….but I’m not really a fan of romance.   Or so I thought before I started my agenting* work.

Then I remembered that I secretly watch Jerry Maguire EVERY time it’s on TV.  I still get teary eyed when the “You complete me” moment comes and I usually find myself silently mouthing, all breathy and full of emotion, “You had me at hello.”

You had me at hello.

Mr. Maguire was on this morning and it had me thinking about my favorite pieces of romantic fiction.  My absolute favorite? Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters.  Lesbian historical romance at its best.  I’ve got to work so no time to write a synopsis that will do justice to the novel, so I’ll just link away and trust that you’ll look it up.  I’d really like to see more queer historical romance in my inbox.

*It’s the internet, so yes, I can use agent as a verb.

This weekend’s  NJ Romance Writers’ Conference was the first I’ve ever attended and despite a rocky start, I had a blast.  There was some communication mix-up that had the organizers thinking I might not attend, but once we got that all settled, they were so quick to bounce back, I was impressed.

Despite the mix-up, I had a steady stream of writers ready to pitch their stories to me during Saturday morning’s agent appointments.  I’ve spent 90% of my agent time interacting with writers via phone or email, so getting a live query was definitely a nice change of pace.  My two favorite pitches involved work that doesn’t fall within the genres that I usually represent but that, if the writing turns out to be strong, I’d love to take on.  I am very ready to expand my guidelines for the right project.  (Don’t get jealous, my beloved Erotica, you must have known that my eye would wander).  If you’re wondering, the right project tends to include strong females, not matter the age.  Both of my fave pitches from the conference had interesting, empowered women at the center of the story.

I walked away from the conference with some awesome goodies.  I got a plush white RWA towel, four free books and a mini-bottle of Woodbridge chardonnay.  These women know how to throw a conference.

Random bit of trivia: During lunch, I sat with a group of women who’ve been married for longer than I’ve been alive.  I asked for their secret (I definitely had something to learn, I can’t even commit to an exercise regimen) and walked away with this gold nugget: If you find something worth being committed to, you have to work everyday to maintain that commitment.  Who knew that romance writers from Rhode Island would remind me of lyrics from a Common song?  “Anything worth having you work at annually.” /digression

Circlet Press is making a cool offer to inspire donations to the political cause of your choice.  Read below.

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Erotica For Change!

I’m not a huge fan of Halle Berry or her body of work, but this picture of her gracing the cover of Esquire stopped me dead in my tracks at the grocery store today.

Hmmm…let’s see.  How can I turn my blatant gawking into something related to my work as an agent….?

Well, her “speech” on being named Esquire’s 2008 Sexiest Woman Alive is forgettable.  But she gives us this gem:

“Sexy is not about wearing sexy clothes or shaking your booty until you damn near get hip dysplasia; it’s about knowing that sexiness is a state of mind — a comfortable state of being.”

For once, I agree with Ms. Berry.  Sexy is a state of being.   Sexy is being so comfortable with your sexuality that it can freely ooze into every aspect of your life. (How many times can I say “sexy” in one post?)

The erotica that I tend to represent works off of that definition of sexy.  I get turned off by stories where characters are ashamed of their desires.  Unsure I can take.  Shame, nope.  So no “coming of age” novels where Johnny hates himself for being gay and then learns to love himself.  Give me something like a new mom posing with a tie hanging between her breasts, looking straight into the camera, unapologetically hot.  Give me Halle Berry.

Here’s a glimpse into the type of work that gets me going.  I am currently in love with Sinclair Sexsmith’s blog Sugarbutch.  She’s a brillant erotica writer and also, in my opinion, a brillant gender theorist.  Her posts range from smart, brain-tingling erotica to thought-provoking essays on the butch/femme dynamic, being queer, and her developing definition of butch.  She also has a fun short story contest going where readers submit story ideas and she writes erotica based on the submitted concepts.

My favorite post thus far? Upon Leaving Mexico

My favorite Sugarbutch fantasy?  Finding a query from Sinclair in my inbox.

Read below for an opportunity to have your story in a Ravenous Romance anthology.

Please DO NOT contact me with submissions for this anthology.  The contact information is included in the call.

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I am looking for kinky erotic stories in the contemporary milieu (not sf/f, not historical, though I might sneak one or two in). Bondage, SM, dominance and submission games, pony training, power exchange, fetishes, spanking, this is what I need. I can take one or two queer or genderqueer stories, but the vast majority must be heterosexual. I’m fond of hot kinky stories that feature Established Relationships, but not every story needs that. I’m especially fond of stories that explore the inside of the submissive’s head, and female inner strength.

3000 – 6250 words is a good length, up to 10K words. I like longer stories where more plot and characterization can take place, I like stories I can sink my teeth into. Graphic sexuality a must, positive female characters, too. If the characters are interesting, the sex will be interesting. Stories will pay $1 per “page” (i.e. $1 per 250 words) in advance, plus a share of royalties. Submit your story by email to “ctan.editor” (at Gmail.com). Be sure your name, address, and email address are ON YOUR MANUSCRIPT. (You won’t believe how many attachments we get with no info on them at all.) No reprints. Original stories only.

DEADLINE: October 15th. Email submissions to my personal submissions address: ctan.editor(@)gmail.com.

Cecilia Tan, writer & editor
Mobile: (617) 290-9043