A Four-Noggin Nod to 'Glass Cases'

I've been on Twitter for almost a year, following agents and publishers left and right, to hear what they're buzzing about, what excites them, frustrates them. And to gain snippets of their wisdom, 140 characters at a pop.

In interviewing author Margo Candela this weekend, I was struck by her contention that writers who want to make a career of it need "someone in their corner." Via Twitter, I've come to realize that some agents are in some writers' corners. Some publishers are clearly encamped in other writers' corners.

For Sarah LaPolla, for giving many writers a hand up!

But there's one agent who's in every writer's corner--Sarah LaPolla--recipient of a hearty Scrivengale four-noggin nod!

She's an associate literary agent at Curtis Brown, Ltd. and a writing enthusiast. She loves talking about books, publishing, pop culture, and promoting up-and-coming authors. She also writes articles that publishing wannabes's would be wise to check out such as this essay, The Obvious Symbolism Police, which was singled out as A Top Ten Fiction Article of 2010.

She showcases novel and memoir excerpts, personal essays, and short stories on her blog, "Glass Cases." All genres of fiction are welcome. Just about the only thing she won't showcase is poetry. (Sorry, to all my poetic friends.) In the past year, she's featured the work of fellow Wilkes writers Rick Fellinger, Amye Archer, and Anne Henry, to name a few.

Today she is featuring the first five pages of RACE CARD, a suspense novel I've been working on for almost three years. And this is not the first time Sarah's featured my writing. She posted an excerpt from my opera novel some months back, which got some very heavy duty feedback, for which I'm grateful.

"Glass Cases" is a wonderful outlet for getting exposure and valuable gut-level feedback. You will find out PDQ whether people are taking a shine to your work or not. Being on "Glass Cases" is similar to experience a someone picking up your book and reading the jacket and the first few pages to decide whether they like it, and want to take it home with them, or not--only virtual.

How to get your writing on "Glass Cases"

Send your work to Sarah's attention at glasscasesblog@gmail.com. Pieces should be no more than five pages (size 12 font, double-spaced) and pasted in the body of the email.

Also on her blog are guidelines for querying Sarah. If you are seeking representation, you'll want to check those out to see if your work is a fit for her interests.

Salud, Sarah! Grazie mille, "Glass Cases."