Dawn Kurtagich (WritaholicDK on QT) has recently signed with agent Weronika Janczuk of Lynn C. Franklin Associates, Ltd.. Dawn, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Congratulations and good luck.



QueryTracker: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you¹ve found representation? What inspired you to write it?

Dawn Kurtagich: It was actually two books that got my agent's attention.

DEVIL'S THORN is a literary novel that deals with girlhood friendships and what happens when they become abusive.

DEADSONG is a literary suspense novel with paranormal elements, about two sisters who have been sent to a school in the remote Welsh woodlands in order to escape from something that happened to them the previous June. While there, strange and paranormal things begin to happen to them.

It was a visit to Bodiam Castle, coupled with my long-running interest in folklore (British or otherwise) that sparked the idea of DEADSONG. Wandering the penumbral corridors of Bodiam Castle (the parts that remain in tact) was a very visceral experience, one which stuck with me through each revision of the novel.

 

QT: How long have you been writing?

DK: I started my first novel when I was twelve‹it took me five years to complete and another to realize it needed shelving. I was twenty when I decided to pursue writing full-on, which was four years ago.

 

QT: How long have you been working on this book?

DK: I wrote DEVIL'S THORN in January 2010, and I wrote DEADSONG in February 2010. I spent a good five months polishing it after that. By October I had my agent.

 

QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?

DK: I didn't feel like giving up, but I did question my worth as a writer. My husband was instrumental in keeping me from driving myself insane, and valuing my work.

Going online, especially the QT forums, kept me in touch with other writers like me, and made me realize that writers can be very hard on themselves, and I wasn't alone.

 

QT: Is this your first book?

DK: No, it's my fourth full-length novel.

 

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

DK: I took a creative writing module once, and did a very average job of it too. So, no.

 

QT: Do you follow a writing "routine" or schedule?

DK: My only rule is to try and get away and do other things. Otherwise I write way too often, and less well than when I keep busy with other things as well.

 

QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?

DK: Before I got my agent? Once. After? A few more times.

 

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

DK: Yes, I have five amazing beta readers who are all made of awesome, and who are all such nice people and offer very sage advice and a shoulder to freak out on.

 

QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?

DK: I wrote from the hip. Panster at the core, I am. But I'm learning the value of outlining, plotting, and planning ahead. (Thank you, Weronika!)

 

QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?

DK: For DEADSONG, I think I queried less than a week. Before DEADSONG, I queried two other projects‹‹the first got me a good collection of rejections. The second got me very close with 9 full requests and some very strong interest (including Weronika).

 

QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?

DK: One. To Weronika. In an email I also mentioned DEVIL'S THORN, and she wanted to see both.

 

QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?

DK: Dare to be yourself.

If you're a writer, be one. Don't be scared away by rejections, by self doubt, or by fears. You CAN do it, but only if you believe you can. (Also, give yourself a break once in a while. Be your ally, not your enemy).

 

QT: Would you be willing to share your query with us?

DK: Here is the pitch paragraph section of my query letter (the meat, as they say). It can be found on my website, along with two others.

Anna and Liz Thorpe have baggage aplenty when they are exiled to Wick Estate Academy, a creepy castle-school‹a la Bram Stoker‹in Britain¹s most ancient forest. They think that their shared summertime secret is all they have to deal with now that they are away from brutal London. Thank God, too. Now Anna can get back to hiding in Liz¹s shadow and Liz can make a concerted effort to Get Very Drunk and to Not Give a Crap.

But when Anna starts hearing violent ghostly voices and feeling cold breezes, and Liz can suddenly move objects with her mind, each Thorpe sister discovers that there is more than meets the eye within the penumbral school grounds. Worse: it seems that their horrifying secret‹the one that landed them here in the first place‹might be the reason behind the sudden ghostly attacks on Anna. Anna can¹t forget what happened in June. Liz can¹t face it. Unless they can confront their demons, it¹s just going to get worse. And now, it seems, Anna¹s life is on the line.

Literary Agents (Search) | Literary Agents (Browse) | Publishers (Search) | Publishers (Browse) | Who Reps Whom | Demo Videos | Site Map