Dashboard Literary Agents Success Story Interviews Judith Gonda

Success Story Interview - Judith Gonda

An Interview with Judith Gonda (determined1 on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency.

12/19/2015

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?: Judith Gonda:
My book, FRIGHT ON, is about a mystery novelist whose university dean husband becomes the prime suspect in the murder investigation of two fellow deans. To clear her husband she must find the real killer, but fears where the trail may lead her.

Pamela Thomas-Graham’s Ivy League mystery series set at Harvard, Yale and Princeton was a big influence for my series set at different schools in the Pac-12 Conference. FRIGHT ON features the University of Southern California campus. I’ve always loved mysteries, from Agatha Christie to Sue Grafton. I’m also a big Charles Dickens fan. I wanted to write a story that was timely and rooted in current social issues, namely, how as a society we seem to be constantly on edge since 9/11. I’m a psychologist and interested in the way personality interacts with situation. My MC’s anxiety makes her vulnerable to the fear generated by the sensationalism of the media and TV shows and films. So when she lands in a situation where she must track down a killer, not only must she overcome her legitimate fear of danger to clear her husband, she must overcome some of her more personal fears, real and imagined, too. The humor with heart tone is inspired by my love of Bridget Jones’s Diary and Modern Family. Sometimes when stressful like events occur, like a husband’s arrest, the only thing that keeps us sane is humor—it’s a coping mechanism. Also, I wanted an older female MC who was relatable and hip, more Netflix’s Grace and Frankie than Miss Marple. Lastly, I’ve always been into school spirit (former song girl in high school and college) and I love all things related to education (Ph.D. in Educational Psychology). So writing stories set around college campuses is pure bliss for me.
QT: How long have you been writing?: Judith Gonda:
I started taking a few courses at UCLA Extension Writers Program in 2007. So for fiction, since then. But my previous incarnation as a research psychologist helped me with the endurance aspect needed to complete a book—my dissertation, research publications, and grant-writing experience prepared me for the marathon.
QT: How long have you been working on this book?: Judith Gonda:
Since 2007.
QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?: Judith Gonda:
Oh yes, there were dark times. But my story continued to entertain me during all the endless revisions so I took that as a good sign. QueryTracker helped me immensely, in particular the comments section for each agent. Both the desperation and encouraging words of other authors in the query trenches were comforting and made me feel understood. Reading the success stories kept me going because I saw that their perseverance paid off.
QT: Is this your first book?: Judith Gonda:
It is.
QT: Do you have any formal writing training?: Judith Gonda:
I was an English minor as an undergrad. And the UCLA Extension Writers Program courses mentioned earlier. And I’ve taken a few other courses taught by agents offered by Writers Digest and Writing Pad. Plus, I started out by reading several books on writing and mystery writing.
QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?: Judith Gonda:
I’m almost always thinking about plotting, characters, situations, puns, so I’m constantly jotting down stuff on an open file for my current WIP. Once I know where I’m going, I write in long spurts until my brain fries, taking breaks for laps around my backyard. Time seems to fly when I’m really into it and oftentimes I write into the wee hours, and end up scaring myself with my own suspense.
QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?: Judith Gonda:
Too many to count, but at least 20 times. It was 109,000 words when I started querying. It’s now 73,000.
QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?: Judith Gonda:
My two daughters. I know, shouldn’t use family members. But one is a professional TV writer who gives great notes and the other is an avid reader who provides valuable constructive criticism. I also hired a developmental editor who I found very helpful in refining my MS. And anytime I saw an opportunity for free or charity auction critiques from agents or editors I participated. Also, one recent contest (PitchWars) helped me find two potential CPs through a mutual mentor.
QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?: Judith Gonda:
I started out from the hip but had a mental outline based on what I learned from books on writing. But I quickly realized I needed a written outline to keep all the threads straight and to pace it properly.
QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?: Judith Gonda:
Started with the 109,000-word version in 2011. Had an R&R in 2012 that reduced it to 81,000. I started querying the current 73,000-word version in July 2015.
QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?: Judith Gonda:
A lot. Mainly for the earlier 109,000-word version. But even from the start, I kept getting requests (over two dozen total) and positive feedback. Even had one agent who said she was “this close to offering.” Maddening, but that kept me going because I knew I was doing something right. But for the 73,000-word version, I sent out about 25 and got several requests.
QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?: Judith Gonda:
Those who represented mystery and crime, chick lit, women’s fiction.
QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?: Judith Gonda:
I tried to whenever possible with information garnered online.
QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?: Judith Gonda:
Keep. At. It. Stay the course. Don’t give up. You can think about it, wallow for a while, nurse your wounds, then get back in that saddle and try again. I do think practice makes perfect, 10,000 hours, hanging in there even when you’re down, all works. I’m inspired by athletes like Kobe Bryant, and sayings like “Tough times never last, tough people do.” And rewards work too, whether it’s online shopping or a tempting treat. Plus, put yourself out there. Join professional associations like Sisters in Crime if you write mysteries, enter contests, take courses from agents, read agent and writer blogs and tweets, go to a conference and pitch to an agent. I learned something from every experience and have found other writers to be very generous and kind, agents too. There’s a lot of helpful information online, and becoming a premium QueryTracker member was one of the best things I did.
QT: Would you be willing to share your query with us?: Judith Gonda:
Of course, so many authors helped me by sharing theirs. This is the exact query, minus a paragraph about my marketing plans.

Success Story Interview - Judith Gonda

Query Letter: