Read Hard

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

It's funny because it's true

First off A BIG CONGRATS go out to an amazing new voice in YA lit, Cyn Balog for her recent sale. I couldn't be more excited if it was my own deal (well, maybe a hair more excited, but that's it!). I screamed in the airport when I read her first email about it and then attempted to reply to her using my phone and realized how crappy I am at that. SO a proper congrats is in order--please raise your cyber toasting bevvy of choice and welcome Cyn to the wild world of published authors:

Debut YA author Cyn Balog's FAIRY LUST, about a teenage oracle whose boyfriend slowly turns into a fairy and the lengths she'll go to in order to keep him human, to Stephanie Lane at Delacorte, in a pre-empt, by Nadia Cornier at Firebrand Literary.

And because she'll be embarking on the journey of a thousand re-writes (or at least one round of copy edits), here is a little publishing humor I've shamelessly stolen from Cheryl Klein of Brooklyn Arden (a more perfect place I can't imagine):

Q: How many copy editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: I can't tell whether you mean "change a light bulb" or "have sex in a light bulb." Can we reword it to remove the ambiguity?

Q: How many editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Only one. But first they have to rewire the entire building.

Q: How many managing editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: You were supposed to have changed that light bulb last week!

Q: How many art directors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Does it HAVE to be a light bulb?

Q: How many copy editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: The last time this question was asked, it involved art directors. Is the difference intentional? Should one or the other instance be changed? It seems inconsistent.

Q: How many marketing directors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: It isn't too late to make this neon instead, is it?

Q: How many proofreaders does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Proofreaders aren't supposed to change light bulbs. They should just query them.

Q: How many writers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: But why do we have to CHANGE it?

Q: How many publishers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Three. One to screw it in, and two to hold down the author.

Q: How many booksellers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Only one, and they'll be glad to do it too, except no one shipped them any.

Q: How many agents does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Check out the comments on Brooklyn Arden for possible answers... (yes, I draw the line at stealing from the comments sections, LOL)

4 comments:

Alyson Noel said...

This is hilarious! And I LOVE your cover--congrats!

Heather Harper said...

I had no idea she blogged! Stupid me. Does Cheryl blog, too? And are you on MySpace yet?

Brooke Taylor said...

I don't think Cheryl is blogging yet--and Cyn just got a MySpace page, but I haven't yet--will soon. I'm hoping my web lady can create something that will match my website (which is also coming soon).

Brooke Taylor said...

Thanks Alyson--I adore your books--Keep them coming!!