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Bianca Marais
Omg. Have you seen the Deep Dive Virtual retreat lineup for the 1st and 2nd of February? It's incredible. Gatekeepers galore. As well as the authors who managed to get past them, we've got the editors and agents who worked on phenomenal projects like Station 11, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Crazy Rich Asians, the Flight Attendant, Maame Wayward, the Wife Upstairs, the Tinder Swindler, Big Little Lies, the Perfect Couple, the Other Black Girl, and so much more. The presentation topics are brilliant, so practical and valuable regardless of where you are in your writing journey. One of our speakers, the brilliant Annabel Monaghan, who wrote the best selling Nora Goes Off Script, was a delegate at the very first Deep Dive retreat and now she's kicking butt all over the place. Coming back to present. That could be you one day. Those of you who take part in the Thousand Words of Summer will also be super excited to see the fabulous Jami Attenberg in the lineup as well. Trust me, you do not want to miss this. Head to our website, theshitaboutwriting.com go to the deep Dive page to see more information and and to register. We hope to see you there. Hi there and welcome to our show, the Shit no one tells you about Writing. I'm Bianca Marais and I'm joined by Carly Waters and Cece Leera from PS Literary Agency. Welcome to our October comps segment in which the fabulous Emily Summer joins us again from East City Bookshop to answer all your comp questions. Emily, welcome.
Emily Summer
Thank you for having me. Always great to be here.
Bianca Marais
Always lovely seeing you. And a reminder for our listeners, if you want to get your own comp requests in for next month, please make sure you do it before the 10th of the month so that Emily can get to it. We got one in late today and I wasn't able to give it to Emily, so now it's going to have to wait for November, so get them in as early as you can, okay? Emily, here is our first one.
Carly Waters
Bard blackjack dealer Nikki Scholz is an.
Bianca Marais
Opportunist who cannot resist the kind of.
Carly Waters
Easy scores she learned from her con artist mother. Even as she dreads ending up like her, she steals a Rolex from a one night stand which she learns is a fake. When she takes it to her local pawnbreaker, a furious Nicky turns on the man's phone she also lifted and hears a voicemail revealing he is a pit boss who helped his girlfriend, a judge, get away with killing a blackmailer who saw her flee a hit and run. The pawnbroker who has a fatherly soft spot for Nikki, tracks her down to find out what made her steal the fake watch.
Bianca Marais
A three way scramble ensues as the.
Carly Waters
Pit boss pursues Nikki to get the phone back.
Bianca Marais
She is just as determined to use.
Carly Waters
The voicemail for blackmail while the pawn breaker is determined to bring the judge and pit boss to justice.
Emily Summer
Okay, I love a grifter. I love. Well, I mean, not actually I don't love a grifter. I like to read about grifters. So I am always excited about some sort of grifter action novel. And for this one, the first book I thought of, and Bianca, you might have thought of it as well after hearing the description is Lucky by Marissa Stapley. I know you've had Marissa on the show before and that is a book about the family legacy of being a con artist and extricating yourself. Or maybe not. So in terms of like a con artist grifter book, I would go for that one and it did very well. It was a Reese pick if I'm not mistaken. I also thought about Counterfeit by Kirsten Chin, which is about women who go in on a counterfeit purse scheme. So that is new. That has done very, very well for us, but it's not so big that I think it wouldn't work for a comp. So I think that could be one to consider and then any longtime listeners will know I've got my favorites. And so if something deals with like the criminal underbelly and maybe seems like it's action packed and kind of gritty, I will recommend Jordan Harper. I'm a huge Jordan Harper fan and for this one I think maybe his novel Everybody Knows might work. The premise is different. It's more like just a general ne'er do well crime family than like a mother daughter con artist team. But lots of action, very plot driven and just an excellent book. So I would look at those.
Bianca Marais
Okay, here's number two.
Emily Summer
Hello, I'm looking for comp advice for.
Carly Waters
My adult fantasy novel. It's a portal fantasy with a 68 year old main character who's transported into the world of her novels and has to go on a quest to guide the champion to confront the kingdom's tyrannical usurper.
Emily Summer
I can comp the character arc of.
Carly Waters
The main character to Nina George's little Paris bookshop, but the best comps I can think of for the fantasy quest aspect are the Neverending Story and the Chronicles of Prydain, which are far too old. My writing style leans towards lyrical. Any advice you can Provide would be great. Thank you.
Emily Summer
Okay, I should say we only had 10 requests this month, which is not a lot, but they were all very challenging, starting with this one, because fantasy and portal fantasies are not my strongest genre. But I like the comp mentioned to the Little Paris Bookshop because I think that gives very good insight into the tone and the character and the maybe the lyrical nature of the writing. For other more recent portal fantasies that bring us more up to date than the Neverending Story, perhaps I thought of the 10,000 doors of January by Alex Harrow, a favorite of East City Bookshop and a favorite of mine to recommend for things like this. Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children series is. It's an adult series, but that's the title of the series that's also a portal fantasy. And then a little bit older, but still. Still within the last less than 10 years. Fuzz Meadows, Manifold World Series. I think there's only two of them. The first is An Accident of Stars, but that's another portal fantasy that I would consider for this query.
Bianca Marais
Wonderful. Okay, number three. Hi.
Carly Waters
Hopefully third time lucky with my comp request as my manuscript keeps transforming.
Emily Summer
It's a literary short story collection, 45,000.
Carly Waters
Words, that links memoir with my Chinese American family's tragedies and triumphs, which include my mother's suicide when I was 4 years old and my great grandfather becoming one of the first Chinese American millionaires. You've suggested YA Gyasi's Homegoing, whose descendants of two half sisters made a great.
Emily Summer
Match while I was still covering the Eastern European Jewish side of my family.
Carly Waters
But I'm now focusing on just one half the Chinese American side. You've also suggested Delana Dameron's Redwood Court. Just wondering if there are any short story collections or authors that might make good comps.
Emily Summer
Thank you so much for your help.
Carly Waters
Once more.
Emily Summer
Okay, so as soon as I heard third time Lucky, I panicked. I was like, oh, if I've gotten it wrong twice before, I don't know if I can do better now. But building on our past recommendations for this inquiry, we'll focus on short story collections. And I know now you're just focusing on the Chinese American experience, so. So for short story collections that might hit that, I thought of Bliss montage by Ling Ma. She's Chinese American. This is her follow up to her outstanding novel Severance, which has nothing to do with this particular work in progress. But if people haven't read it, I highly recommend it. And then I also thought about Jenny Zhang's collection Sour Heart So another Chinese American short story collection. And both of those, they're great writers. Anybody who's a short story fan should check them out.
Bianca Marais
Thank you, Emily.
Carly Waters
Number four, Willow, one of seven heirs trapped in the fantastical Wisteria palace, is haunted by the death of her dearest sister. As a hundred suitors enter their home under the watchful eyes of the royal advisors, she competes against her remaining sisters.
Emily Summer
In a marriage competition.
Carly Waters
Only a sister chosen by the future king can access the magic sewn into her blood by the ancient Antler Tree. Yet Willow never intended to vie for the throne. Until a desirable suitor, Theodore, stumbles upon the sisters in their garden. Willow falls fast in limerence with him, seeing him as an escape from her grief and captivity. She wishes to win the crown after all. Theodore competes at the urging of his influential grandmother, accompanied by a new friend. Unbeknownst to him, a secret agent of a mysterious organisation, he courts the various sisters. Terrified of his growing feelings for Willow and his potential future as king. He betrays Willow while his companion witnesses a sister accessing her magic. The sister's powers have broken their bindings. Sorrows of the Antler Tree is a literary fantasy dealing with themes of inheritance, motherhood and power. It is a rich descriptive style and draws on my history major to weave a complex narrative in the likes of a reality dating show.
Emily Summer
Okay, so my first thought for this one, and I don't know if you said that it's ya, so I'm assuming that it. That it's not. I'm assuming this is an adult query, but the first thing I thought of was Kira Cass's the Selection series, which is young adult, but there is so much crossover between mature young adult, you know, older age, young adult and fantasy. We see lots of crossover from YA into adult and vice versa. So I think it could still work. It's a little bit older, but it feels right because it is about a competition for marriage and competition for the crown. Unclear if the tone would work, but I think it sounds spot on. So I would look at Kiera Cass's the Selection series and then also maybe just look and see what other people are reading once they've liked the selection. For something more recent and focused on adults, I thought of Blake's the Atlas 6, another sort of magic competition, and that could. That could work as well. And that's more recent.
Bianca Marais
Right, Here we go. Number five. Hi.
Carly Waters
Would love your help with comps. For my literary gothic novel, set in Edwardian Yorkshire, lonely, principled lighthouse keeper Tam vows to expose a charismatic swindler Laurie, whom Tam suspects of sabotaging boats for profit. But soon Tam learns Laurie is as misunderstood and lonely as Tam himself. Instead of being his enemy, perhaps Laurie offers friendship or even the romantic connection Tam craves. But can Tam really trust Laurie? Or was he right all along that Laurie is a calculating, shipwrecking con man and Tam his next mark? It's a cautionary tale of someone being totally convinced of their good morals and actions, but whose decisions end up coming around to bite them. So I'm trying to avoid comps with too happy an ending. I'd love to comp to Daphne du Maurier's My Cousin Rachel and Sarah Waters Affinity as they're both gothic novels about protagonists being manipulated in a similar way.
Bianca Marais
But they're both too old.
Carly Waters
I thought maybe Clear by Carys Davis could work is it's a similar setting and focuses on a queer relationship between two men with one hiding their motives from the other. But would love any more ideas you have. Thank you so much for your help.
Emily Summer
Before you even got to your wonderful idea of Clear by Karis Davies. That was my initial reaction. I love that book. I think it is an excellent comp because of the remote setting and the murky, perhaps cautionary tale, not too happy of an ending. I think that, that the vibe is perfect. So we are. We are on the exact same wavelength with Clear by Karis Davies. Because of that, I also want to suggest Whale fall by Elizabeth O'Connor which came out almost immediately like contemporaneous with Clear. It's a. It's very recent too. The setting is more recent. It's early 20th century if I'm not mistaken. But another remote location, another example of someone who is yearning for connection, finds a connection with some outsiders and similar murky motives unclear exactly what's going to happen there. So I would look at both Clear and Whale Fall and I think it sounds great.
Bianca Marais
Thank you, Emily. All right, number six.
Carly Waters
Hi Emily. My upmarket novel tells the story of a 47 year old woman who escaped the high pressured male dominated world of Hollywood to move to Belize. She becomes captivated by an abandoned property and a preternaturally bright orphan boy who lives there. She also meets a wealthy expat businessman turned philanthropist whom she hopes to convince to assist with the child's education. And against her better judgment, they become entangled romantically. When a secret she is keeping from him connects her past to the boy. She begins to fear her involvement with the child will end up exposing him to the patriarchal explanation Exploitation. She's escaped. I'm planning to use Glendy Vandra's where the Forest Meets the Stars as one of my comps. However, my novel is a bit quirky and contains a fair amount of profanity. Tonally, it's more similar to Kevin Wilson or Rufi Thorpe, but none of their books seem quite right. Ideally, I would like to find a comp with an older protagonist and maybe something about an expat looking for a fresh start. Thanks so much for your help.
Emily Summer
Hello. I just turned 47 this week, so I am here for all of the books that have main characters who are 47 or above. I love it and I love the idea of decamping to Belize as well. I also really appreciate that you included that. Tonally, the book is more similar to Kevin Wilson and Rufi Thorpe, two of my favorites. If I do nothing else on this show, let me be an evangelist for the great Rufi Thorpe. Read her backlist. Margo's Got Money Troubles is outstanding, but her older ones, oh, she's so good. She should be a household name as far as I'm concerned. So I love the inclusion of those. And I think that if you have a good plot comp and then you mention like in the style of Kevin Wilson or Rufi Thorpe, like, people will know exactly what you mean. For a book that is about an expat looking for a fresh start, I would take a look at Half Blown Rose by Lisa Cross Smith. Tonally, it's not Kevin Wilson or Rufi Thorpe. It's not that quirky. But thematically it is about a slightly older. I say slightly because we know 47 is still young, a slightly older main character than we see in a lot of novels who goes to Paris looking for a fresh start. And of course, you know, there are things in her past as there as there always are. So I would look at that one. And then I have to mention a book I just finished. It comes out in January, so it's not out yet. Not a good comp yet, but it is the best book I've read recently about a young child, unexpected, unexpectedly coming into an adult's life and the special connection that can form there. It's called Going Home by Tom Lamont and it's coming from Knopf in January 2025. One of the descriptors of it is like three men and a Baby because it's this. This toddler who ends up in the custody of his late mother's childhood friends and his dad. But it is the most special most wonderful book about an adult who finds themselves in the company of a new quirky child and what ensues. It is so funny, so tender. It's just wonderful. So take a look at that one and everybody else put it on your pre order list because it's wonderful.
Bianca Marais
Happy belated birthday wishes. Emily. I can't believe. I can't believe I forgot. Because you have the same birthday week as my husband, so I know you're in Libran.
Emily Summer
I am a Libra. Well, happy birthday to your husband.
Bianca Marais
Yeah. Well, happy belated birthday celebrations to you.
Emily Summer
Thank you.
Bianca Marais
Okay, here we go. Number seven.
Cece Leera
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Carly Waters
Thanks, Emily, for everything you do. I've learned a lot from listening to past comp title segments, and I'm hoping you can help me identify a few more comps for my contemporary fantasy Nursing assistant Alicia suspects her psychiatric patients are actually having visions of the future when they predict a train derailment. She learns that magic exists and her employers are lying to her about it, but it is the connection she discovers between her patients and her sister, who died when they were kids, that drives her to risk her family's financial security to protect those patients from the powerful people who want to use them for selfish means. I'm using Inkblood Sister Scribe by Emma Turge as a comp, both because of the strong family storylines and because of the way magic is known to only a few people in the broader world. I've also considered using the Cartographers by Peng shepherd, but I'm worried that moves too far from the contemporary fantasy genre. The protagonist in Bridge by Lauren Bucus has a similar character arc, but my book doesn't share Bridges visceral horror elements.
Emily Summer
Okay, this is one of the call ins that I love the most, but it also I feel like I'm going to lose my job because y'all are getting so good at coming up with your own comps. So the trio of Ink Blood, Sister Scribe, the Cartographers and Bridge, to me I think that's great. It tells me that this is very contemporary. It tells me that there is some magic, but that it's not that, you know, we're not in a completely different world, we're just in our world and we have some speculative elements. I do agree that Bridge by Lauren Bukus suggests horror, but I think that the combo of inkblood, Sister Scribe, the Cartographers and Bridge on the whole gives a really complete picture. So well done and I have nothing to add to that one.
Bianca Marais
Excellent. Okay, number eight.
Carly Waters
Thanks for your help in seeking comps for my women's fiction novel with elements of romance, fantasy and adventure. Maria and her husband are famous creatives. At just 23, he's an Oscar and Grammy winning musician and she's a dancer and choreographer on the rise. When he dies in a plane crash, Maria loses herself to grief. Twenty years later, at the debut of his portrait at the Art Institute of Chicago, she's sucked into a famous painting. You know, the one from Ferris Bueller's Day off where she and her newfound pointillist monkey sidekick journey from painting to painting, meeting Frida Kahlo, getting lost in an MC Escher and finding that she's not the only real world traveler. Navigating the artworks within the museum. While searching for her husband's portrait, Maria encounters a retired conservator chasing joy in black art, a thief stuck in a heist gone wrong, and a professor with a troubled past. As Maria finds herself on this adventure, she finds new love with the professor too. And together they recommit to living their lives fully on the real world side of the canvas. Like me, Maria is half Mexican.
Emily Summer
This is so interesting. And I was just picturing all of the museums and the works of art as you were describing it, and it reminded me immediately of a forthcoming book. It's not out yet, so you would have no way of knowing about it unless you follow NYC Book girl on Instagram. Her name is Morgan Pager. She works in publishing, she's a writer, and she's also a bookstagrammer. But Morgan has a book coming out, I believe next year called the Art of Vanishing. And the premise is, if I am not mistaken, because I have not read it yet, is that a woman realizes that she can jump into paintings. And so it's. It is. It has that same museum setting and portrait portal into art. So I would look at that when it comes out. See when it's coming out. I think she got a really nice deal on it, if I'm not mistaken. And for books that are already out existing comps, I thought that tonally and thematically it might work for you to compare. Or take a look at the Saints of Swallow Hill by Donna Everhart. It's not as much of the portal speculative aspect of going into the art, but it is, I think, dealing with finding yourself new starts. It is concerned with art and it has that the museum and the art setting. And along those same lines, I would also look maybe at the last Painting of Sarah DeVos by Dominic Smith, just because of the art connections and they may appeal to similar audiences. But in terms of the jumping into the art and that wonderful aspect of it, the only thing I can think of is Morgan Pager's forthcoming the Art of Vanishing.
Bianca Marais
Okay, here's our second last one.
Carly Waters
I'm looking for comps for Chasing Northern Dancer, a book club novel. Liz Dunstone might die of embarrassment if she doesn't get her son Sawyer into the right college, move to the perfect house, or earn that promotion. Plans falter when she bails out Sawyer with her estranged father Phil for stealing and crashing her car. Sawyer will finish high school only if Liz goes on a road trip with Phil. Inspired by famous racehorse Northern Dancer, Liz plans to humor the old man until she can dump him in a home. But with her marriage collapsing, Sawyer flunking out, and her promotion falling through, she's in no rush to face her her mother's disappointment. Yet again. Phil introduces Liz to the joy of horses and the ambitions and disappointments of his youth. At the forgotten grave of the great racehorse, he reveals this trip is a final effort after years of trying to reconnect. Liz wasn't the reason he left, and appearances aren't everything. Liz arrives to the same home jobless, Sawyer's future up in the air. But she's learning to ride horses to break rules. And the falling doesn't always kill you. I found the Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan, which is too old, and A Turn in the road by Debbie McComber is not a standalone. I'd love to see themes of family reconciliation, discovering self esteem and women aging with courage. Thank you.
Emily Summer
Okay, I know I've mentioned this one before and it's one of my favorites. So any opportunity, if there is a book that mentions family reconciliation, an estrangement with a father, I am going to recommend They're Going to Love youe by Meg Howery. Just the best, beautifully written, perfect for book clubs. My book club really enjoyed talking about it and it deals very much with a father daughter connection that has severed and whether or not it can be repaired. Another possibility that may fit more with like the book club tone because they're going to love you is fairly literary. The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley just came out. I have heard nothing but wonderful things about it. It's got the road trip vibes as you might be able to tell from that title. And it has a young person, an old person. It's not a father daughter in this situation, but I think it may have that trying to figure things out, trying to decide where the rest of our life is going to go. The questions of connection, multi generational. I think that could be a really good one to consider.
Bianca Marais
Do you think Goodbye Vitamin by Rachel Kong would work at all or Tim Niche?
Emily Summer
I did not think about that one. That one has such a specific voice and she's still young in that one. So I would say maybe, maybe not. But I do want everybody to read it because it is just that wonderful.
Bianca Marais
Yeah. Excellent book. Okay, here is our last one.
Carly Waters
Thank you Bianca and Emily for this invaluable resource. I'm seeking help with comps from my YA historical feminist retelling of the creation of the Iliad. Good girls in ancient Greece are supposed to be quiet, obedient and definitely not storytellers. Good thing, Lyssa, daughter of Homer. Yes, that one doesn't care about being good. She just wants to be heard. And in order to prove she can provide for the love of her life, she must steal her father's name to publish a book that later becomes the iconic Iliad. I'm currently using My Lady Jane and Hulu's the Great as comps due to their contemporary comedic takes on moments in history, but I was hoping for something more recent. I've read many books set in ancient Greece and I find their serious tone doesn't match my casual voice on the scale of Aeschylus to Aristophanes. My book is definitely more Aristophanes, though I fear he is also too old to comp to. I would appreciate any suggestions that you might have. Thank you.
Emily Summer
So I love the mention of My Lady Jane and the Great because I think that as we've discussed so many times in the past, I think tone is just as important as plot, if not more so in these comps. And that gets at that irreverent tone. And I agree with you. I hear what you're saying, that most of the historical retellings and these mythological retellings, they do have a serious tone that doesn't match with what it sounds like you're doing here. I love this premise. I love the daughter of Homer stealing her father's name. I think that's brilliant and I can really see a YA audience getting excited about it. Also agree that Aristophanes might be too old to comp, but the book that I will suggest is not ya, but I think it's a really good match and good suggestion. It's called Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon. It just came out, I believe from Henry Holt if I'm not mistaken. So it came out this year and the reason I think it's a good match is because it's very funny, it's very irreverent, it's not at all serious or old fashioned, but it is set during the Peloponnesian War and it is written in a contemporary Irish voice. So it has that juxtaposition between the ancient world and the modern contemporary voice and vibe. Several of my co workers have read it. My boss absolutely loved it. My friend Anton, who's the head buyer at politics and prose here in dc. Loved it and I think it would have some crossover YA appeal or at least would signal to the agents that you're querying. This is what my book is going to feel like. So that's Glorious Exploits and Best of Luck.
Bianca Marais
Do you think they should try and use the TV show Chaos?
Emily Summer
I don't know that one. I'm down on my tv. I don't even know that TV show Netflix Chaos.
Bianca Marais
I think it's definitely worth having a look at. It isn't ya, but it, it is sort of the gods in a contemporary sort of setting. So consider that as well. Emily, thank you so so much once again for taking the time out to join us. We really appreciate all the work you put into this for our listeners. Please support E City Bookshop, go to the store, say hi to them and give back. Because we all about, you know, literary community here and about literary citizenship. So it shouldn't just be a one way street. Let's spend money at our indies to thank them for all they do for us.
Emily Summer
Thank you Bianca and thank you to whoever, who, whatever listener from Utah came into the store this week and I was not there. Thank you for coming in and I'm sorry that I missed you. I'm always excited when a listener comes in and says hello.
Cece Leera
A reminder that this is an unscripted program and our conversations have been edited and condensed and is not a full picture of our feedback or conversation directly with each author. As always, refer back to our written notes for the fulsome picture. Carly Waters and Cece Lira are agents at PS Litera Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency and the views expressed by Carly and Cece on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co hosts do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of PS Literary Agency. A reminder about all the ways that you can support us as a show. Rate us five stars on Apple Podcasts. Tell your writing friends about us. We'd love to help as many writers as possible and follow us on our Substack newsletter. Get our stacked newsletter on a weekly basis. Bonus videos, articles, essays, advice and more. You can find it at TheShitAboutWriting.substack.com that's.
Bianca Marais
TheShitAboutWriting.Substack.com and that's it for today's episode. I hope you'll join us for next week's show. In the meantime, keep at it. Remember, it just takes one. Yes omg. Have you seen the Deep Dive Virtual retreat lineup for the 1st and 2nd of February. It's incredible. Gatekeepers galore. As well as the authors who managed to get past them, we've got the editors and agents who worked on phenomenal projects like Station 11, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Crazy Rich Asians, the Flight Attendant, Mame Wayward, the Wife Upstairs, the Tinder Swindler, Big Little Lies, the Perfect Couple, the Other Black Girl, and so much more. The presentation topics are brilliant, so practical and valuable regardless of where you are in your writing journey. One of our speakers, the brilliant Annabel Monaghan, who wrote the best selling Nora Goes Off Script, was a delegate at the very first Deep Dive Retreat and now she's kicking butt on all over the Place coming back to present. That could be you one day. Those of you who take part in the Thousand Words of Summer will also be super excited to see the fabulous Jami Attenberg in the lineup as well. Trust me, you do not want to miss this. Head to our website theshitaboutwriting.com go to the deep Dive page to see more information and to register. We hope to see you there.
Podcast Summary: The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
Episode: October Comp Title Bonus Episode
Release Date: October 28, 2024
Host: Bianca Marais
Cohosts: Carly Waters and Cece Lyra
Guest: Emily Summer, East City Bookshop
The episode kicks off with Bianca Marais enthusiastically promoting the Deep Dive Virtual Retreat scheduled for February 1st and 2nd. Highlighting an impressive lineup of gatekeepers and successful authors behind bestselling titles like Station Eleven, Crazy Rich Asians, and Big Little Lies, Bianca emphasizes the retreat's value for writers at any stage of their journey.
Bianca Marais [00:00]: "The presentation topics are brilliant, so practical and valuable regardless of where you are in your writing journey."
She encourages listeners to visit theshitaboutwriting.com for more details and registration, underscoring the opportunity to learn from seasoned professionals like Annabel Monaghan and Jami Attenberg.
Bianca introduces the October Comp Titles segment, featuring guest Emily Summer from East City Bookshop. This segment focuses on providing comparable titles (comps) for writers seeking guidance on positioning their manuscripts in the market.
Request by Carly Waters:
A narrative centered on Nikki Scholz, a blackjack dealer with a penchant for opportunistic schemes inherited from her con artist mother. After stealing a fake Rolex, Nikki becomes entangled in a complex plot involving a pit boss, a judge, and a local pawnbroker, leading to a high-stakes scramble for survival and justice.
Carly Waters [02:37]: "A three way scramble ensues as the pit boss pursues Nikki to get the phone back."
Emily's Recommendations:
Emily suggests titles that delve into the world of grifters and con artists, highlighting their success and thematic relevance.
Emily Summer [03:06]: "I can comp the character arc of Nina George's Little Paris Bookshop, but the best comps I can think of for the fantasy quest aspect are the Neverending Story and the Chronicles of Prydain, which are far too old."
Request by Carly Waters:
An adult fantasy novel featuring a 68-year-old protagonist transported into her own novels' world. She embarks on a quest to guide a champion to confront a tyrannical usurper, blending lyrical writing with a rich fantasy landscape.
Carly Waters [04:39]: "It's a portal fantasy with a 68-year old main character who's transported into the world of her novels."
Emily's Recommendations:
Despite fantasy not being her strongest genre, Emily provides a selection of up-to-date portal fantasies that align with the lyrical and quest-driven aspects of the manuscript.
Emily Summer [05:06]: "Perhaps I thought of the 10,000 Doors of January by Alex Harrow, a favorite of East City Bookshop and a favorite of mine to recommend for things like this."
Request by Carly Waters:
A 45,000-word literary short story collection intertwining memoir elements with the tragedies and triumphs of a Chinese American family, including themes like maternal suicide and historical success.
Carly Waters [06:19]: "It links memoir with my Chinese American family's tragedies and triumphs, which include my mother's suicide when I was 4 years old and my great grandfather becoming one of the first Chinese American millionaires."
Emily's Recommendations:
Emily suggests acclaimed Chinese American authors known for their poignant storytelling and cultural depth.
Emily Summer [06:59]: "I thought of Bliss Montage by Ling Ma... and Sour Heart by Jenny Zhang's collection."
Request by Carly Waters:
Set in a fantastical Wisteria palace, the protagonist Willow competes in a marriage competition to access ancient magic. Themes of inheritance, motherhood, and power are explored through a rich, descriptive narrative resembling a reality dating show.
Carly Waters [07:51]: "It's a literary fantasy dealing with themes of inheritance, motherhood and power."
Emily's Recommendations:
Emily recommends both young adult and adult fantasy titles that incorporate magical competitions and intricate character dynamics.
Emily Summer [08:53]: "I thought of Kira Cass's The Selection series and Blake's Atlas 6."
Request by Carly Waters:
A gothic novel set in Edwardian Yorkshire featuring Tam, a lighthouse keeper determined to expose a swindler, Laurie. The story delves into themes of trust, misunderstanding, and moral ambiguity without a happily ever after.
Carly Waters [09:57]: "It's a cryptic tale about protagonists being manipulated in a similar way."
Emily's Recommendations:
Emily identifies recent gothic novels with remote settings and morally complex characters that avoid overly happy endings.
Emily Summer [10:54]: "I would look at both Clear by Carys Davies and Whale Fall by Elizabeth O'Connor."
Request by Carly Waters:
A 47-year-old protagonist escapes Hollywood's pressures to Belize, where she becomes involved with an orphan boy and a wealthy expat businessman. The novel blends quirky elements with themes of exploitation and personal growth.
Carly Waters [12:00]: "Tonal, it's more similar to Kevin Wilson or Rufi Thorpe."
Emily's Recommendations:
Emily suggests books that feature older protagonists seeking fresh starts and incorporate quirky, heartfelt narratives.
Emily Summer [12:59]: "I think that if you have a good plot comp and then you mention like in the style of Kevin Wilson or Rufi Thorpe, like, people will know exactly what you mean."
Request by Carly Waters:
Maria, a 23-year-old dancer, is tragically killed in a plane crash. Twenty years later, her spirit is sucked into a famous painting, leading her on an adventurous journey through various artworks alongside a professor, rekindling her passion for life and new love.
Carly Waters [19:27]: "She's sucked into a famous painting... navigating the artworks within the museum."
Emily's Recommendations:
Emily highlights both forthcoming and existing titles that involve magical realism within artistic settings and personal transformations.
Emily Summer [20:24]: "Morgan Pager's forthcoming The Art of Vanishing is very similar."
Request by Carly Waters:
A YA novel that reimagines the creation of the Iliad through the lens of Lyssa, Homer’s daughter. Defying societal expectations, Lyssa strives to be heard by publishing her own version of the epic, blending historical elements with a casual, contemporary voice.
Carly Waters [24:31]: "Good girls in ancient Greece are supposed to be quiet, obedient and definitely not storytellers."
Emily's Recommendations:
Emily recommends contemporary, irreverent historical retellings that maintain a modern tone while respecting ancient settings.
Emily Summer [25:24]: "It's called Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon... set during the Peloponnesian War with a contemporary Irish voice."
Request by Carly Waters:
A book club novel about Liz Dunstone, who embarks on a road trip with her estranged father to secure her son Sawyer’s future. The journey leads to family reconciliation, self-discovery, and a newfound passion for horses.
Carly Waters [22:04]: "She's learning to ride horses to break rules. And the falling doesn't always kill you."
Emily's Recommendations:
Emily suggests heartfelt, character-driven narratives that explore familial bonds and personal growth through meaningful journeys.
Emily Summer [23:04]: "Any opportunity... I am going to recommend They're Going to Love You by Meg Howery."
Bianca and the cohosts extend their gratitude to Emily Summer for her invaluable insights and encourage listeners to support their local literary communities by visiting independent bookstores like East City Bookshop.
Bianca Marais [28:01]: "Please support E City Bookshop, go to the store, say hi to them and give back."
Bianca Marais [00:00]: "The presentation topics are brilliant, so practical and valuable regardless of where you are in your writing journey."
Emily Summer [03:06]: "I love a grifter. I like to read about grifters."
Carly Waters [02:37]: "A three way scramble ensues as the pit boss pursues Nikki to get the phone back."
Emily Summer [12:59]: "If you have a good plot comp and then you mention like in the style of Kevin Wilson or Rufi Thorpe, like, people will know exactly what you mean."
This bonus episode of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing serves as a comprehensive guide for emerging writers seeking comparable titles to position their manuscripts effectively within the publishing landscape. Through Carly Waters’ diverse comp requests and Emily Summer’s expert recommendations, listeners gain valuable insights into selecting appropriate comps that resonate with their story's themes and tones.
For more detailed guidance and community support, tune into future episodes and consider participating in events like the Deep Dive Virtual Retreat.