From Mary Kennedy:
Can you sell a book in five words? Yes! My darling agent sold DEAD AIR to Penguin on the basis of this high concept pitch: Frasier meets Murder She Wrote. These five magical words landed a 3 book deal for a Penguin mystery series called The Talk Radio Mysteries.
Like every writer I know, I borrowed from my own background to create the character of Maggie Walsh, the “shrink turned radio talk show host” in Dead Air. In real life (which really is stranger than fiction!) I’m a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice on the east coast. and yes, I really do have a background in radio. Right out of college, I worked as a radio copywriter for a rock station in Nashville, Tenn. So I blended my two careers to bring Maggie to life.
As Maggie says, she closed up her Manhattan practice because she was “sick of the cold, sick of the high real estate prices and sick of listening to peoples’ problems all day long. So she moved to sunny Florida where she snared a job as the host of a call-in show at a radio station called WYME.
And she’s a big hit in south Florida. But there’s just one problem. She seems to stumble across a dead body in every book. (Jessica Fletcher, anyone?). In DEAD AIR, a popular guru is a guest on her show and is murdered that very night. And just to up the ante, her roommate is charged with the murder! Maggie, with the help of her zany sidekick, Vera Mae, has to swing into action and solve the crime. Maggie is tempted to join forces with a hunky detective, Rafe Martino, but as far as he’s concerned, the police already have their man. Er, woman. Stay tuned, everyone. DEAD AIR is on the shelves now with new releases coming out in June and October..
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Ed here: If you're inclined to write a New Books piece for your latest novel or collection feel free to send it here. At the moment I won't accept pieces from self-published books. Sorry.
15 comments:
Love the post (and your agent's pitch) Mary. And I love Dead Air too. I'm just finishing it. You have a winner here - it's easy to see you've brought valuable personal experience to the book. Well, maybe not the dead bodies ... but the rest of it. Great stuff.
So THAT's what "high concept" means! What a fabulous story, Mary. Of course, it helps that you are a great writer. I loved DEAD AIR and am eagerly awaiting more books in this series.
Mary Jane, and Becke, you are wonderful!! Thank you so much. I know sometimes people make jokes about "high concept," but I think it's alive and well. Heck, I'm proof it is. Thanks again for reading the blog, it was great fun to do.
High concept story idea and high energy writer with a lot of talent--that's what makes this work. Great book, great writer, and fun blog. Thanks for sharing that, Mary. Will you write my pitches for me?
Love the concept! And I sold my 3-book genie series on 7 words: "I Dream of Jeannie meets Indiana Jones."
Congrats!
(okay, had to share my anti-spam word: dingle. LOL)
Love the pitch, book and the COVER. That is perfect for today's market, Mary. Great job!!!!
Lori Avocato
www.loriavocato.com
Judi, I remember that pitch, "I Dream of Jeannie meets Indiana Jones." I actually used that in a workshop I was teaching for newbies. Everyone thought it was terrifc. Hope we meet at a conference again! You are so talented and energetic, it is always a boost to talk with you!
Hey Lori, good to hear from you! You are an amazing writer and I am still chuckling over Pauline Sokol and her adventures (or should I say escapades?)She managed to juggle her zany relatives, a hunky love interest, a dead body and her own career as a nurse-consultant. That series was the best!! Hands down, the best! You brought all your experience to it, plus your terrific sense of humor. I have all the titles on my "keeper" shelf.
Carolyn, your pitches (and your books) are perfection. I wouldn't dare touch them, that would be like gilding the lily!! Huge fan of your work, as you know. Thank you for the kind words, dear friend.
Dr. Maggie and her mom Lola are a high five combo. Not only is Dead Air clever and funny, it is written with style and verve.
I love that your agent sold the series on that short pitch. What a hoot (and a thrill)! Also adore how your background plays into this. Great concept, Mary. Can't wait to read DEAD AIR!
Beth, thanks so much for stopping by! I remember when I discovered Everybody Loves Evie in the Chamelon Chronicles, I think that was Book 2. So I dashed to the store and bought Book 1, All About Evie. And now I see you have a new series out? Or maybe they are stand-alones? They look terrific. Love your books, full of witty one-liners and loads of charm. Hope we meet someday, after all, we live just one river (the Delaware river) apart!
Sounds like a fabulous book and a fabulous agent!
That's one of the things I love about your books, Mary. You have such a talent for weaving these crazy, real-life adventures into your plots. I loved DEAD AIR.
Wonderful article, very well explained.
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