Back to Main Page

Back to Archive Page

Back to Guest Speakers Page

7/16/01 7:01:20 PM Opening "Chat Log 7/16/01"

HOST WRTR Paul: We have here an author team, two sisters. (Kristy and Kelly)
Sryope2: Hi Shirley
HOST WRTR Paul: Both are here with us tonight, and we're doing this as a Protocol session.
HOST WRTR Paul: PJs #1 and #2 can answer in tandem, as they see fit. :-)
Sryope2: welcome Kristy and Kelly
HOST WRTR Paul: Okay, I see Donna has a question. g/a
HOST WRTR Dee: Do you and your sister work together in person. how do you work together...
HOST WRTR Dee: ga
HOST WRTR Dee: always forget that!!!!
HOST WRTR Paul: Ah, yes, do not forget that magical "g/a"
PJParish: lots of phone time....1-2 hours at a crack.
PJParish: trade chapters on AOL
KristyMontee: like tonite....2 hours just to work out one minor plot detail
PJParish: then we visit once ot twice a year when we're wrapping something up...
PJParish: I usually go to Ft lauderdale and spend a week or more./ GA
HOST WRTR Dee: thanks
HOST WRTR Paul: !
HOST WRTR Paul: Paul, go ahead. :-)
JsmnStrm: :::shakes head at Paul::::
HOST WRTR Paul: Out here they just started advertizing "block" phone time. A flat monthly rate, even of you talk all day every day. Check it out, PJs. :-)
PJParish: Bills can get expensive.. where do u live Paul??
HOST WRTR Paul: California
Mod Gonne: How hard is it to develop a character working in tandem? It is hard to bring that together? g/a
KristyMontee: Kelly created our hero, Louis Kincaid, but it has become very easy for me to hear his voice
KristyMontee: ga
PJParish: Not if we talk it first. we usually know where its going and how it needs
Sryope2: ?
PJParish: to be written..we often take turns writingthe chapter depending on the mood of the chapter.
PJParish: ga
HOST WRTR Paul: Jasmine, go ahead
Mod Gonne: thanks.
JsmnStrm: What made you two decide to do this together? I would sooner hit my brother over the head
Sryope2: lol
KristyMontee: lol
OnlineHost: “Dcudlbug” has entered the room.
JsmnStrm: than work with him on a project... ga
KristyMontee: Shall I expalin Kel?
PJParish: Go ahead
PJParish: <--(She types faster)
KristyMontee: I am ex romance wirter who wanted to do mystery; started a bad one and got deadened. My
KristyMontee: agent sugggested I make switch. Kel always wanted to write cop stuff so my husband suggested
KristyMontee: we try collaboration. Kel has germ of idea for our first story and
KristyMontee: we took it from there
KristyMontee: ga
PJParish: !
OnlineHost: “Witnes4JC” has left the room.
SPultz: ?
HOST WRTR Paul: PJ comment?
OnlineHost: “Cyncity 1” has entered the room.
PJParish: It took a while, but we work well together..share the vision so to speak..
PJParish: I once said it;s like we fast-forward the same movei. GA
HOST WRTR Paul: Sryope, go ahead.
Sryope2: how do you divvy up chores, is all the writing evenly divided? How do you keep one
Sryope2: consistant voice throughout the piece?
Sryope2: ga
HOST WRTR Dee: ?
KristyMontee: The hardest part is the outlining and plotting. Writing is easy after that ga
HOST WRTR Paul: Shirley, go ahead
KristyMontee: Well, not easy but more enjoyable lol
SPultz: same question as sry except , do you both have the same writing style? GA
KristyMontee: kel take it
OnlineHost: “Witnes4JC” has entered the room.
PJParish: Basically the same, but with complimentary differences...
PJParish: Kris is a big one for atmosphere and character, I like the plot and the action.
PJParish: We feel we have acoomplished both. we get many comments on both. GA
HOST WRTR Paul: Donna, go ahead
HOST WRTR Dee: Did you base your detective Louis on detectives you known? How did you come up with the main
KristyMontee: But we try to keep an ear on the "voice"....so it is melded
HOST WRTR Dee: character.
KristyMontee: sorry
HOST WRTR Dee: GA
HOST WRTR Paul: (I will wait a little longer!)
HOST WRTR Dee: no problem Kristy...we're here to listen to you...
KristyMontee: kel this one is yours
PJParish: Didnt know any detectives before we created Louis, except my ex-husband and
PJParish: Louis is certainly not modeled after him--LOL
SPultz: ?
KristyMontee: only cop I knew was the one who ran a light and hit my car
PJParish: He's just a creation of experiences, the atmosphere in Mississippi and family circumstances.
PJParish: GA
HOST WRTR Paul: Shirley, go ahead
SPultz: do u practice character conversation with each other/ga
KristyMontee: Oh yeah,,,,often. We also act out scenes...people in restaurants stare at us
PJParish: We not only practice dialogue, we have acted out fights and other action to see if it works.
KristyMontee: We staged a knife fight on Ft Laud beach one with a rubber shark float
HOST WRTR Dee: lol
PJParish: I borrowed handcuffs once to see it if was possible to do what we wanted to do with them
SPultz: sounds like fun
KristyMontee: I remember for Dead of Winter, Kel was trying to tell me how she wanted this character stab
PJParish: It is great fun, guys. You gotta love it.
KristyMontee: bed so I went and got a kitchen knife and we acted it out
PJParish: I put Kris in a chokehold for Paint it Black on her patio.
KristyMontee: oh thats right. I also talk to myself (dialog) when I jog
PJParish: GA
HOST WRTR Paul: Many silent eWorlders here tonight! So I have a question.
Witnes4JC: ?
HOST WRTR Paul: How near are you in age? Were you always close?
PJParish: 3 yrs apart and never as close as we are now. :-)
KristyMontee: Close as kids, grew apart as adults do, came back together...its been fabul experience
PJParish: You guys can ask about the publishing business, too. Doesn;t have to be all about us
HOST WRTR Dee: ?
HOST WRTR Paul: (True!) Medic, go ahead.
PJParish: Kris had alot of experience there
KristyMontee: What? No ?s about query letters or horrible editors????
FalcnEdie: ?
Witnes4JC: How do you resolve problems when at a major part of the setting that will effect the plot?
Witnes4JC: g/a
KristyMontee: Wow...theres a cosmic question
PJParish: Throw stuff atthe wall and when it sticks, we know it.
KristyMontee: Lots of wine
OnlineHost: “Sryope2” has left the room.
PJParish: we toss out the stupidest ideas and eventually it becomes clear. Really.
OnlineHost: “Upsouth” has entered the room.
KristyMontee: seriously, it is hard hard work sometimes. Plotting mysteries is very difficult work
PJParish: WE spent 2 hrs on how a crooked sheriff would by-pass an investigation.GA
KristyMontee: I remember when things were going badly for Paint It Black rewrite, I took a shower and just
KristyMontee: stood there in shower crying!!
KristyMontee: But it worked out :)
JES No Time: ?
OnlineHost: “JsmnStrm” has left the room.
PJParish: I crawled out of bed one night about 1 am to email an idea to her that changed the ending of
OnlineHost: “Ruth Sil” has entered the room.
PJParish: Paint it Black, Best thought I ever had.
KristyMontee: lolol
PJParish: GA
HOST WRTR Paul: Donna, go ahead
HOST WRTR Dee: how long did it take you to write the first book? And how many re-writes before a finished
KristyMontee: thats why they tell you to keep a pad at your bed
HOST WRTR Dee: product...one with no crying in shower..lol
HOST WRTR Dee: ga
KristyMontee: First one took about a yr; it was rewritten several times. We are great believers in rewrite
OnlineHost: “Upsouth” has left the room.
PJParish: heavens, from first word to final submission..closer to18 months months
PJParish: Rewritten 8 times, Kris
KristyMontee: yeah porbably right about that Kel.
HOST WRTR Dee: did it change drastically in the rewrite?...
KristyMontee: hey...Im trying to forget
PJParish: I got so discouraged but I was pretty new at this stuff.
KristyMontee: Sometimes it does, but usually it is just plot tweaking and fine tuning
PJParish: Didnt change enough, LOL, but changed' alot
HOST WRTR Dee: thanks
KristyMontee: Believe it or not, our editor wanted us to ADD pages to last manuscript so
KristyMontee: we spent weeks fleshing it out...it was much better for the effort
PJParish: Thats something they should know..editors have length expectations
KristyMontee: true
KristyMontee: But I still say a book is as long as it has to be....
PJParish: GA
HOST WRTR Paul: Ben, go ahead
FalcnEdie: Did the success of the second book have much effect on the offer for the third? ga
KristyMontee: oh boy
PJParish: Tough question...mythoughts are not really
PJParish: since the offer was made before Dead was released.
KristyMontee: Indirectly. We were already in contract nego before 2nd one surfaces so sales did not afffec
PJParish: But publisher's never tell you what they're thinking.
KristyMontee: affect that. But when sales turned out to be good, we believe this will
FalcnEdie: hmmm and finances set?
KristyMontee: influence publicity for upcoming one
PJParish: Hopefully Kensington will promote Paint it better, hoping it top Dead of Winter
SPultz: ?
KristyMontee: The best thing you can do as fledging author is make $$ (make back your advance)
Dcudlbug: ?
KristyMontee: Your publisher is more inclined to build you if you do
KristyMontee: ga
HOST WRTR Paul: Jes, go ahead
JES No Time: Do you love rewrites or hate them? ga
PJParish: hate doing them, love the results.
KristyMontee: Rewrites are hard work but necessary...completely utterly necessary
KristyMontee: if you get your complete ms right the first time youre either kidding yourself or youre
KristyMontee: Salinger
PJParish: They are ALWAYS worth it. I had to get over thinking the first draft was my best work.
KristyMontee: The first draft is written with the heart; the second and third with the head
PJParish: Writers often ask: How do you know when you've rewritten enough?
PJParish: You just know. GA
JES No Time: Thanks, I was afraid you were going to say something like that :-)
HOST WRTR Paul: amen to that! Shirley, go ahead.
KristyMontee: Dont be afraid to rewrite...its where the beauty comes out
PJParish: Think how hard it was before computers.
HOST WRTR Dee: I needed to hear that...thanks..
SPultz: how many copies have to sell for the pub. to take you seriosly?
PJParish: Kris...
KristyMontee: I think some writers fear rewriting becuz they are really afraid to confront what they wrote
KristyMontee: good question....Im not sure there is a pat answer
KristyMontee: it varies for hardcover, paper, literary, genre
KristyMontee: IT also is relative to how many copies they printed....
KristyMontee: if they printed 100,000 copies and you sold 10,000....yikes.
KristyMontee: but if your print run was modest and you sold more than half...thats damn good
OnlineHost: “Ruth Sil” has left the room.
OnlineHost: “Witnes4JC” has left the room.
KristyMontee: returns in the book biz are killing the biz right now...its awful
KristyMontee: ga
HOST WRTR Paul: Dennis, go ahead
Dcudlbug: Who are some of your favorite authors?
OnlineHost: “Witnes4JC” has entered the room.
KristyMontee: kel
HOST WRTR Paul: [Cyndia, Doc, Kathi, any questions?]
PJParish: I lean toward the faster paced folks and have to admit I have had
FalcnEdie: ?
PJParish: so little time to read lately. Sandford, have read some Demille...
KristyMontee: I dont have any big faves....Im like most readers. I pick up a good looking cover, and if
PJParish: Kris..
KristyMontee: the author can hook me quick, I keep going
JES No Time: ?
KristyMontee: that said, I love anything by Minette Walters
KristyMontee: ga
HOST WRTR Paul: (Don't know M Walters) Ben, go ahead
FalcnEdie: Did you get to give any input on cover design, blurbs, marketing, etc. ga
KristyMontee: Nope. Only the big guns get that.
KristyMontee: But we have gotten all our own blurbs from other authors
PJParish: we had to get our won blurbs. Kris & husband knew some authors and we were
FalcnEdie: then you must feel completely at their mercy?
PJParish: very fortunate to get Michael Connelly and Jeremiah Healy for the first
KristyMontee: lolol...yup. And you all know how cretinous the jacket copy can be
PJParish: John Sandford's blurb on the 2nd made a big diff, I Think
FalcnEdie: yes thanks :-)
PJParish: Our cover artist actually emailed us and told us he like dthe book. WE now communicate with
KristyMontee: Weve had readers tell us they bought the book because Standford or Conneally quote
PJParish: him and sa wthe third before the Pub did..lol
PJParish: we love our covers, by the way.
PJParish: not many authors can say that
FalcnEdie: are in Amazon?
KristyMontee: sorry for my typos by the way...I cant see what I type. Puter glitch
FalcnEdie: sorry I'll stop now
PJParish: what was the Amazon question, Eddie?
FalcnEdie: are your books sold at Amazon dot com
PJParish: certainly.
FalcnEdie: oh dear I've spelled dot
KristyMontee: lol
PJParish: LOL eddie
SPultz: ?
HOST WRTR Paul: [smart move with the illustrator!] Jes, go ahead
KristyMontee: And dont think we dont check on their rankings lol
JES No Time: So how important do you think the cover is to the success of the book? ga
HOST WRTR Paul: [Dale, any questions?]
KristyMontee: Hugely important.
HOST WRTR Dee: ?
PJParish: It's all a form of marketing, guys. In fact, the marketing dept seems to
PJParish: have more say then the editorial dept.
PJParish: thats scary.
KristyMontee: Shes right. Book proposals routinely go thru marketing staffs now
PJParish: We have many tell us they picked becuz of the cover GA
PJParish: sorry, picked up the book
JES No Time: Thanks
Kathi Smith 116: ?
HOST WRTR Paul: Shirley, go ahead
OnlineHost: “PepperRainesInc” has entered the room.
SPultz: whar % of a chance soes an unknown writer have of being published?ga
SPultz: sorry for typos
PJParish: Kris--
KristyMontee: Cant give you %age, really. It is harder and harder becuz of shrinking pub world
KristyMontee: but readership reamins steady so there is always hope.
SPultz: does it depend on the genre and topic?
Dcudlbug: ?
OnlineHost: “WhisperingThundr” has entered the room.
OnlineHost: “Spideb” has entered the room.
PJParish: There are many new authors out there. U probably meet them every day hanging aorund here
KristyMontee: Fewer publishers now becuz of mergers, less willingness to take chances on unknowns
PJParish: It's getting noticed that is harder, as well.
KristyMontee: I doubt it. But all genres have cycles of popularity. Mystery/suspence hot now
OnlineHost: “WhisperingThundr” has left the room.
KristyMontee: romance on slight dip but romantic suspece hotter.
KristyMontee: ga
SPultz: thanks
HOST WRTR Paul: Donna, go ahead
PJParish: !
HOST WRTR Dee: Is it better to look for agent, vs. sending to publishers? For the first book? GA
HOST WRTR Paul: PJ's comment?
OnlineHost: “Spideb” has left the room.
KristyMontee: I didnt have agent for my first romance. You dont need one but if you can get an agents eye
PJParish: Don't stop trying, though. Not if you want it. Forget the odds. GA
KristyMontee: you mite have better chance of selling a first novel. But you can still do it w/o agent
KristyMontee: If I were starting out again, I wud try to get agent ga
HOST WRTR Dee: thanks
HOST WRTR Paul: Kathi, go ahead
Kathi Smith 116: Who designs the cover? And what if the author hates it? ga
KristyMontee: lol
PJParish: apparently Kensington has a agency do it, as our artist does
KristyMontee: Every publisher has own art dept or free lancers. If you hate the cover, tough noogies.
PJParish: not work for the pub, and I don;t think anyone cares what the author thinks. not unless
PJParish: yr famous. GA
KristyMontee: You guys ever hear Harlan Coben talk about his early covers?
PJParish: sad to say, you don't have much muscle. GA
HOST WRTR Dee: no
Witnes4JC: ?
KristyMontee: He writes about sports sleuth so every cover had baseball, baseketball, football
OnlineHost: “LGHTMN1” has entered the room.
KristyMontee: all with knives in them or bursting into flames. He became known as the Burning Balls writer
HOST WRTR Paul: [ouch!] Dennis, go ahead
JES No Time: LOL
Kathi Smith 116: lol
Dcudlbug: How much time daily do you devote to your writing, and how do you make time for it?
The13thDoctor: LOL
PJParish: I still work full-time days so most is done at night or on weekends.
OnlineHost: “LGHTMN1” has left the room.
KristyMontee: I goof off fulltime so I write when Kelly tells me to
PJParish: OFten not enough time. I spent 14 straight days in Fla last March.
KristyMontee: just kidding
PJParish: (tough vacation...LOL0 but it was tough. we crunched 11 chapters in 14 days.
Dcudlbug: WOW
KristyMontee: I have luxury of working spouse. I try to do something with the writing each day...
KristyMontee: outline or whatever. Dont always make quota
KristyMontee: ga
KristyMontee: it about killed us
JES No Time: ?
HOST WRTR Paul: Medic, go ahead
Witnes4JC: Any tips on getting published for authors that seam to move more than they stay in 1 place?
Witnes4JC: save a laptop lol g/a
KristyMontee: Not sure I understand that one Wit
Dcudlbug: ?
HOST WRTR Paul: (he moves around a lot--Army type}
KristyMontee: ah....
PJParish: laptop would help..lol. I have moved 8 times in 7 years. shouldnt matter.
KristyMontee: Try a pad and pen...not being flip here. If you wanna write you will
Kathi Smith 116: ?
HOST WRTR Paul: Jes, go ahead
JES No Time: How many letters did you have to send out before you got pub.?
KristyMontee: Kelly has distinction of never getting a rejection letter....
KristyMontee: lol
PJParish: actually, kris had an agent from the romance days...she
HOST WRTR Paul: [Note! The hour is nearly up, but we can go as long as our guests are willing.]
PJParish: liked the first ms and sent it to 4 pubs. One took it.
KristyMontee: I got at least five rejections from publishers, more from agents
KristyMontee: when I was first starting out
JES No Time: Thanks
HOST WRTR Paul: Dennis, go ahead
Dcudlbug: How did you get up the nerve to send in the first ms?
KristyMontee: you cant take rejection personally. It may mean pub just doesnt do your kind of book or has
PJParish: many authors get dozens. dont give up.
KristyMontee: one like it in their pipeline already
PJParish: Beleive in your work and in your dreams.
KristyMontee: amen
PJParish: nerve has nothing to do with it.
KristyMontee: every author has been rejected...the stories are legion
PJParish: I live where Grisham where first started trying to promote his books.
Dcudlbug: Thank you
PJParish: There are only 2 bookstores he signs at here near Memohis. Both small. The big ones
PJParish: ,I have heard-- turned himd own for signimgs. So there you go. They sell tickets
HOST WRTR Paul: [good for him!] Kathi, go ahead
KristyMontee: I was so excited when I sent out my first book I didnt even THINK about having nerve
Kathi Smith 116: Do you both come up with ideas for stories, or does one get an idea and the other just helps
PJParish: to his signings in Memphis. GA
Kathi Smith 116: flesh it out? ga
KristyMontee: We have both come up with initial plot ideas. A couple our editor has rejected
Deluge3: ?
KristyMontee: the weasel....
KristyMontee: ga
KristyMontee: (sorry....)
HOST WRTR Paul: Dale, go ahead
JES No Time: ?
Deluge3: You seem to start out with an ending. Do you have trouble coming up with good endings?
Deluge3: ga
KristyMontee: interesting ? take it kel
OnlineHost: “Cyncity 1” has left the room.
PJParish: actually, we didn't start with endings prior to having to produce an outline.
OnlineHost: “Witnes4JC” has left the room.
PJParish: (Pubs buy on outlines after the first usually)
KristyMontee: You get paid on outlines, you know
PJParish: We have an ending in mind, but it can change.
PJParish: GA
HOST WRTR Dee: ?
HOST WRTR Paul: {interesting] Jes, go ahead
JES No Time: I thought fiction novels had to be finished before being submitted. ga
KristyMontee: Well, eventually sure. But the GENERAL rule is:
KristyMontee: you get paid a third for acceptance of idea, a third for the outline and final
KristyMontee: third for finsihed ms
KristyMontee: The fat and fabulously famous are different than you and me
KristyMontee: ga
PJParish: new or first time authors will have to finish 1st ms
JES No Time: So you could try to sell a novel before rewriting it?
KristyMontee: Sure. Some authors never produce what they are advanced for...big trouble
PJParish: not rewriting, altho editor may ask for rewrites, have to finish what you think
PJParish: is the final product. for first time authors.
KristyMontee: You can sell a book often on stength of outline and sample chapters...not uncommon at all
Kathi Smith 116: ?
JES No Time: OK, Thanks ga
HOST WRTR Paul: Donna, go ahead
HOST WRTR Dee: How detailed are the outlines that you work from? Do you deviate from them much? ga
KristyMontee: ugh
HOST WRTR Dee: sore subject, huh?
KristyMontee: I hate outlines...it is a necessary evil....EVIL
PJParish: we get less and less detailed as we go. tired of publisher nitpicking it to death.
KristyMontee: yup
PJParish: so we lay something out and change it at will, as long as they like
KristyMontee: And I think your pub gets more confident in your ability to produce
PJParish: the general story. GA
KristyMontee: But outlines are very helpful....you can get rid of a lot of bad ideas that way
SPultz: ?
PJParish: (Will have to go very soon here)
KristyMontee: Mysteries are plot-intensive. If you cant untangle the ball of yarn who will bother to read
KristyMontee: it?
HOST WRTR Paul: Shirley, go ahead (last question!)
SPultz: how long soes a pub like the book to be? ga
PJParish: I think we hang around what...90,000 words??
KristyMontee: For mystery-suspence? I'd say 350-400 pages. But thats ONLY A GUIDELINE
PJParish: 370-400 paperback pages
PJParish: many are much longer
HOST WRTR Paul: Okay! Kelly and Kristy, thanks VERY much. :-)
SPultz: thanks
KristyMontee: Our pleasure!!!
Kathi Smith 116: Thank you, great chat!
PJParish: Thank you guys...you have been great
HOST WRTR Dee: yes...thank you...You both have been one of our better guests!
HOST WRTR Paul: We really appreciate your efforts in visiting us tonight.
Deluge3: Great having both of you.
PJParish: Good luck to all of you.
FalcnEdie: yes thank you wonderful evening :-)
Dcudlbug: Thank you both.
JES No Time: It's been real interesting, thanks!
KristyMontee: Good luck to all of you in your writings!!!
The13thDoctor: bravo
SPultz: thank you for the visit and information
HOST WRTR Dee: hope you can come back again.
OnlineHost: “PepperRainesInc” has left the room.
FalcnEdie: best guests ever :-)
KristyMontee: Hey, anything to keep from outlining Dee
HOST WRTR Paul: And see you at the Rich and famous Writers gatherings. :-)
PJParish: LOl..by the way---attend a conference or two. very informative
HOST WRTR Dee: the fat, rich and famous writers, Paul...
HOST WRTR Dee: I've heard that on conferences...
HOST WRTR Paul: LOL
PJParish: anytime, Paul..just holler
PJParish: get to know people--people who might give you blurbs later
KristyMontee: thanx for the invite paul...good questions
PJParish: thanks alot guys
FalcnEdie: g,nite all 45 mins to pumpkin time
PJParish: nite all
SPultz: we enjoyed the visit
OnlineHost: “FalcnEdie” has left the room.
JES No Time: Thanks
HOST WRTR Dee: night
OnlineHost: “PJParish” has left the room.
HOST WRTR Paul: Thanks, gang, for your excellent questions
HOST WRTR Dee: thanks Kristy and Kelly
Dcudlbug: yeah. I gotta go too. Nytol
KristyMontee: Think I will go watch the news and see if they caught Condit yet
Mod Gonne: thanks..
HOST WRTR Paul: I smell dinner! :-q
Kathi Smith 116: Night all
Mod Gonne: It was nice of you both to take the time
HOST WRTR Paul: I know two who knew intern. I live not far from Modesto
JES No Time: Night all
OnlineHost: “KristyMontee” has left the room.

7/16/01 8:16:55 PM Closing "Chat Log 7/16/01"

Back to Guest Speakers Page

Back to Archive Page

Back to Main Page

Top of Page