Ask Advice From a UK Literary Agent.

Yang-May Ooi, author of The Flame Tree and Mindgame, sent word that she'd be talking with a established London-based literary agent on her podcast in two weeks's time:

If you are a writer aiming to have your book published in the UK, now is your chance to put a question to a UK Literary Agent.

It can be confusing for a new writer trying to send out their novel for the first time, especially if you are based outside the UK. Should I go via a literary agent or submit direct to the publisher? How do you find an agent? What format should I submit my manuscript in?

I am the author of two novels published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton and the creator of Fusion View, an East / West blog on writing, culture and the arts at www.fusionview.co.uk. I will be interviewing an established London-based literary agent for a Fusion View podcast in two weeks time and I am inviting new writers to email me your question about writing and getting published. I will select the best and most relevant questions and ask them during the interview so that you can get a personal answer from an industry insider.

The closing date is Midnight (GMT +1) Friday 11 August 2006. The podcast will be uploaded onto Fusion View on Monday 21 August 2006.

To find out more, click on this link.

Please use the form in the link above to ask your question. Do not reply to this email with your question. Please help me manage the the likely volume of responses by following this guideline.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Many thanks

Yang-May Ooi

Author of "The Flame Tree" and "Mindgame" (Hodder & Stoughton)

www.yangmayooi.co.uk

Comments

Lesson: Commemorative Covers are Lame.

Well, I got the first day cover that commemorates the 35th anniversary of the establishment diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia that I mentioned a couple of posts ago. Except that it's not a first day cover, it's a commemorative cover, which is a slightly different beast. I guess I should read the news article properly next time! The difference between the two is that first day covers are specially-designed envelopes stuck on with specially-designed stamps, and marked with a specially-designed postmark. A commemorative cover is a specially-designed envelope... and that's it. All in all, it's an unremarkable affair, especially if you're used to well-designed first day covers (not that Malaysian first day covers are well-designed... but I digress). Oh sure, a commemorative cover has a stamp printed right on to it but that's just like an overglorified aerogramme. Lame. On the whole, what a disappointment. I haven't been collecting first day cover

HOWTO: Get Rid of Silverfish

The bane of every book collecting person: the Silverfish. DUN DUN DUNNNNN!!! How to get rid of them? If one book has been infected, place it inside an air-tight plastic bag along with some silica gel desiccant. The silica gel is important to get rid of moisture, because you will now place the sealed plastic bag with the book in it inside the freezer. Leave it in there for a couple of days so that those bugs catch their death of cold. If you're feeling particularly paranoid, (like I usually am) feel free to leave the plastic bag in there for a week. If they're not dead, then you might likely have an infestation of zombie silverfish , which is out of the scope of this blogpost. But what if a whole colony of silverfish decided to invade your whole bookcase? Then you have to make sure you're ready for war. Place a generous amount of silica gel (or if you can find it, diatomaceous earth) behind your books at the back of the shelves so that moisture levels remain low.

An Ipoh Ghost Story.

When I was growing up in Ipoh in the 90s, the only good bookshops around were Mubaruk's, which specialised in textbooks (and still does), and Novelhut, the second-hand bookstore that used to be in Yik Foong (and maybe still is there, but I haven't checked in years since I prefer going to their Ipoh Parade outlet when I'm in town). There was also a pretty good bookstore in the Parkson Grand in Ipoh Parade which could have been a Berita outlet, but I don't remember. This was in the days before they expanded Ipoh Parade into what it is today. (And temporarily causing the Convent school next door to consider moving.) I recall this because I was thinking of when exactly I started reading "serious" fiction, trying to pinpoint the years when I moved from young adult/fantasy/sci-fi books into non-genre fiction. I still can't remember, but it brought back memories of a book I bought from a short-lived bookshop in Old Town. Mum had brought me there, because she must

Ted Mahsun

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