Alicia Condon
Editorial Director, Kensington's Brava Imprint
May 2011
WG: Welcome, and thanks for stepping into my spotlight this month. To start off, please tell us a bit about yourself.
AC: I'm Editorial Director of Kensington's Brava imprint, acquiring romance of every stripe. Previously, I spent 24 years at Dorchester, where I started up the Love Spell imprint to focus on cutting edge stories that many other publishers were hesitant to publish.
WG: Can you tell us why you decided to pursue a career as an editor and what steps you took to get you where you are today?
AC: I was one of those kids who always read through meals, read when everyone else was out playing, secretly kept a novel under the desk in math class. So it was natural for me to want to break into publishing. After graduating from Brown University, I sent my resume everywhere, but it was a trip to the vet with my kitten that landed me my first job. When the doctor pulled out a needle for a vaccination, I promptly fainted onto the floor. The nurse had to resort to smelling salts to bring me round, and during our conversation afterward, she gave me the name of a friend who was looking for an editorial assistant, and I was hired the next week. Sounds like something out of a romance novel, right?
WG: What genres/lines do you currently acquire?
AC: Brava, Zebra and Aphrodisia. I acquire historical, contemporary, paranormal, funny, heartbreaking, wacky, fantastical, YA, suspenseful and/or magical romance. If it's romantic and the writing is wonderful, I'm interested.
WG: When was the last time you acquired the work of an author from the slush pile?
AC: It's been a while since I've acquired a manuscript from the slush pile, but I have discovered wonderful new authors through writing contests. I found New York Times bestselling author C. L. Wilson that way, and last year I acquired fantastic YA writer Erica O'Rourke after reading the opening of her July debut, Torn, for the Golden Heart.
WG: Are you actively seeking out new authors, and if so, what would it take to catch your eye?
AC: I am always looking for new writers - it's one of the most exciting parts of my job. Real storytelling talent is what catches my eye more than plot or concept.
WG: Have you ever considered penning a novel yourself?
AC: No, I've noticed that writers are always writing; it's almost a compulsion. I have never felt that urge. Writing back cover copy is about as many words as I want to come up with.
WG: How would you describe your editorial style?
AC: I think of editing a little like gardening. The writer is the garden designer, but I'm there to water and fertilize her ideas and get rid of the weeds. :D
WG: What is your involvement with the author's creative process? With his/her career planning?
AC: If an author has a strong idea, my job is just to get out of the way. If she's floundering a bit, I'm there to brainstorm, guide her toward the most marketable story, and suggest ways to make her project as powerful as possible. I try to understand how the author visualizes her book and then help her realize that vision. Career planning comes in during discussion of sales results, cover ideas, marketing efforts and series ideas - I try to be as involved as the individual author requests.
WG: What do you see as the main strength you personally bring to the table as an editor?
AC: Open mindedness to new ideas, a willingness to take creative risks, 30 plus years of experience in publishing romance.
WG: Are some/all of your submissions read by someone else in house before they reach you? If so, what sort of feedback and/or screening do you expect that reader to provide?
AC: Some of my unsolicited manuscripts are read by an intern, who gives me a quick overview of the project's strengths and weaknesses.
WG: Realistically, what is the normal timeframe for your response to queries? Partials? Fulls?
AC: About two months. If it's been longer than that -- and let's face it, I do get backed up sometimes -- I'm happy to get a follow up email.
WG: Given that you feel an individual author's manuscript is marketable, how important is it that you personally like the work in order for you to pursue acquiring it?
AC: I can't think of a manuscript I've acquired that I wasn't excited about. It's very important for an editor to like the work she's editing, otherwise how can she communicate genuine enthusiasm to the art department, marketing, sales reps, etc.? An editor's job is to be the in-house cheerleader for every one of her projects.
WG: What input do you personally have on the cover art selected for the manuscripts you acquire? What level of involvement do you feel the author should have in this process?
AC: I like to discuss cover concepts with my authors before I write up the art sheet for the book. I will describe the cover I'd like, often providing examples of similar art to illustrate just what I envision. At the art meeting, our publisher and creative director will discuss the concept with me, and sometimes it's modified or rejected for sales reasons, or because it's too difficult to illustrate, or because someone else has a better idea. Usually we'll be presented with several different options, and I'll be involved in choosing the final art, but it's definitely a collaborative process. I always welcome the author's input, especially when she understands that the purpose of the cover is to attract attention and sell books and not necessarily to be a literal representation of a particular event in the story.
WG: Do you feel that writers' conferences provide significant value to you in the way of personal contact with your authors, other authors (either published or unpublished), and/or other industry professionals? Do you receive any value from other offerings such as the presentations, pitch appointments, and/or networking opportunities?
AC: I almost always find that interesting ideas come out of personal meetings with authors at conferences, and I think the exchange of ideas is energizing and networking can lead to great opportunities. Bestselling author Dara Joy once told me she decided to send her first manuscript to me because of a talk I gave at RWA. I don't find pitch appointments to be very helpful because I can't really tell whether I'm interested in a project unless I actually read it.
WG: Do you visit the websites and blogs of authors you work with or of authors you are considering acquiring? If so, is there something in particular you look for that potentially impacts your view of the author and their work?
AC: I do often visit an author's website before acquiring a manuscript. I like to see an attractive design, links to other sites, frequent updates and quotes if any are available. However I certainly have never decided to pass on a project because I didn't find those things.
WG: Do you approach submissions by agented authors differently from those without agents? Does your familiarity with/opinion of the agent impact this?
AC: I will usually read agented submissions more quickly, and those agents who regularly send me exciting projects definitely get the quickest reads. But once I start reading, it's a level playing field and the writing itself is the only thing I care about.
WG: What piece of advice or 'pearl of wisdom' would you like to offer authors who are considering submitting a work to you--or to any editor for that matter?
AC: Let your writing be as genuine an expression of yourself as possible. Your purpose is to strike a sympathetic chord in your reader, and if you've touched even one person, you've succeeded.
WG: What sort of misconceptions/ unrealistic expectations have you encountered from authors about what an editor's role is that you would like to correct?
AC: Some writers have the impression that editors set print orders - if only that were true!
WG: How important do you think self-promotion is to a writer's career? If so, is there a particular area of promotion that you feel is most effective?
AC: These days, self promotion has become very important. I believe a Facebook fan page is the most effective tool available right now.
WG: What do you do to relax and have fun?
AC: I love working in my garden, where I can work with my hands and let my mind wander.
WG: Other than your client's work, what do you enjoy reading?
AC: I'm a fan of literary fiction. Just read TINKERS, which I found both beautifully written and thought provoking.
WG: What are your favorite movies and/or TV shows? Why?
AC: I love MADMEN because it's so stylized and I grew up in the era it depicts.
WG: Is there a website you can point us to where folks can go to learn more about you and/or your publishing house?
AC: I blog once a month on BravaAuthors.com, and KensingtonBooks.com is a great place to learn more about our books and authors.
WG: And finally, thanks again for taking some time to 'stop by' this month!
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