Links & Lit: Big News
Hello!
I hope your week is off to a great start. I woke up early today, grabbed my coffee and checked the backyard which is something I always do before taking Vinny outside (there’s always 4-5 bunnies) and there were two baby deer sleeping in the middle of our yard! Needless to say, I took Vinny out the front door and the babies continued sleeping until their mom came by later. What a special start to the day:) Ok, I promise I have books and great tv to share but first
Big news before we get to books...
Over the past few months, I’ve been hard at work learning the ins and outs of book coaching and I’m excited to finally share that I’m now officially a Certified Book Coach through Author Accelerator. A more detailed post about my book coaching mission, packages etc is coming but if you’d like to read about what a book coach is and why we’re so valuable to writers, click here or the above link.
After spending the past ten years immersed in the publishing world—reading hundreds of novels each year, interviewing authors, studying story structure, and now completing book coaching certification, I’m excited to help writers strengthen their manuscripts and navigate pitching and the world of publishing.
If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know how much I love talking about what makes a novel unforgettable….the opening pages that immediately hook me, characters who stay with me because they feel like real people, and stories I can’t stop thinking about days or even years later. Book coaching is a natural expansion of that work.
I value the trust you've given me to help you discover books worth reading, and I'll continue doing just that. In addition, I'm excited to help writers create unputdownable novels and give those novels the best possible chance of landing in the hands of the right literary agent.
As you may or may not know, today’s literary agents receive an overwhelming number of book submissions, which means many are looking for manuscripts that are already highly polished before offering representation. A book coach helps bridge that gap by identifying opportunities to strengthen a manuscript (and pitch materials like queries) before it reaches an agent’s inbox. This helps writers save valuable time by helping them avoid common pitfalls and giving them greater confidence when they begin querying literary agents.
I’ll be working with writers pursuing traditional publication in:
Upmarket - Contemporary and Historical Fiction
Literary Fiction
Mystery & Thrillers
Because you’re already part of the ItsBookTalk community, I wanted you to hear about this first. Before I make a broader public announcement, I’m offering a few introductory packages to my first group of coaching clients.
My initial coaching offers include:
Are Your First 20 Pages Agent Ready?
A big picture editorial evaluation of your opening pages including:
A written editorial critique with clear, actionable next steps
A 50-minute strategy call
Is Your Query Letter Agent Ready?
An editorial evaluation of your query letter including:
In line editorial comments
A written editorial critique with clear, actionable next steps
A Full Pitch Strategy Package – I’m currently developing this 6 week package which will benefit writers who want high level help with their opening pages, query, synopsis, agent research, and strategy for pitching agents, if you’re interested please note this in your email. Full details coming soon
If you’re interested in working together, simply email me at itsbooktalk@gmail.com with BOOK COACHING in the subject line. I’ll send you a short intake questionnaire so I can learn more about your project, and if it looks like we’re a good fit, we’ll schedule a complimentary discovery call.
Now, let’s get to books and more...
Recent Read
The Housewives Underground: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the JFK Assassination Our Most Enduring Mystery by Kaitlyn Tiffany
I’m not sure why I’m not seeing this excellent nonfiction around the book space, it was such a fascinating read/listen!
It’s the untold story of the women who debunked the Warren Report. In the winter of 1967, the official account of the Kennedy assassination was beginning to unravel. A scattered group of Americans had pointed to major problems with the report prepared by President Johnson’s handpicked Warren Commission. Many of the most serious criticisms of the government’s work came from a source that surprised some: women who, within the community of critics, outnumbered the men two to one. This is the incredibly well researched story of Maggie Field, Shirley Martin, and Sylvia Meagher, whose collaboration and friendship reshaped both their own lives and our national memory
I did a combination print and audio, the audio narration is excellent but you’ll want to be able to look at photos in the book. I thought Kaitlyn Tiffany did a great job of pulling me right into the story with a prologue that had me wanting to know all the details. I didn’t know much about The Warren Report and this opened my eyes to not only what was happening behind the scenes, but also to the people who questioned it. Come for the engaging writing and juicy details, stay for the incredible women whose obsession had a huge impact on what we know about the JFK assassination. I loved it! Thanks to Kaitlyn Tiffany and Crown Publishing for my complimentary copy
What I’ve Been Watching
We saw The Odyssey movie the day it was released (not on IMAX) and I thought it was hugely entertaining. I like Matt Damon but I wasn’t sure it was a “me” movie. I went with my husband and two sons and we all enjoyed it. The production was incredible. And the popcorn was overpriced yet delicious as usual:)
The Hawk (Netflix) - We started this Saturday night and have already watched 8 out of 10 episodes. This stars Will Ferrall as Lonnie Hawkins, a once great golfer who’s attempting to make a comeback. Add in plenty of family drama- his wife is Molly Shannon and she’s fantastic in her role- and plenty of golf drama and what can I say, this is so funny and easily bingeable. The lady who plays Lonnie’s caddy steals the show!
Links Worth Reading
The Booker Prize Longlist is announced - I’ve read this one (I liked didn’t love) but several others are on my tbr. This is probably my favorite award list, I’m excited to check out a couple I haven’t heard of
And speaking of The Booker….20 of the Best Summer Reads Nominated for the Booker Prize The Booker Prizes
What to Read While We Wait for Widow’s Bay S2 Mother Horror
28 5-Minute Tasks That Help Me Make Better Use of My Time Wit & Delight
10 New Books Coming Out This Week Crimereads
The Perfect Books for the Beach … picked by Freida McFadden, Mick Herron, Robert Harris and more - some interesting recs here, I love seeing what authors love reading The Guardian
The 40 Best Beauty Products Under $30 Harper’s Bazaar
I loved this conversation on Sara’s recent Books That Matter will definitely be reading ’s new book Middlemen: Literary Agents and the Making of American Fiction - and The Wife! FictionMatters
That’s it for me, what books and/or tv shows have you been enjoying lately?
