tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-315860112024-03-13T22:23:55.359+00:00tonto books blogA blog from Tonto Books, featuring musings from the publishing world and some occasional special guest appearances.Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.comBlogger363125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-82743669015257150362015-03-02T09:59:00.001+00:002015-03-02T09:59:05.215+00:00stuart wheatman's invitation is awaiting your response Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-45881897260169261792015-02-23T10:03:00.000+00:002015-02-23T10:04:19.973+00:00stuart wheatman's invitation is awaiting your response Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-69499497709847435432015-02-18T08:56:00.001+00:002015-02-18T08:56:40.595+00:00I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-88916632581190667362009-05-13T14:18:00.002+01:002009-05-13T14:21:26.795+01:00NEW TONTO WEBSITE IS LIVEWooohoooooo! The new Tonto Books website is live!!Check out the new store where you can purchase all forthcoming titles ahead of the release date (although they won't be delivered until they are received from the printer).There's also a new BLOG up and running. Make sure to subscribe to it.Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-6798914791153037612009-05-08T16:03:00.002+01:002009-05-08T16:11:39.833+01:00SHEILA TAKE A BOWBreaking news... Today Tonto Books signed up the next novel from best-selling author, Sheila Quigley. To say I'm quite pleased would be a slight understatement! Sheila is a great writer and a great personality and I'm sure will be an excellent addition to Tonto's slate. The book is called 'Road to Hell' and will be out on 5 November 2009. We'll hopefully get a load of publicity around this Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-7701853916252779042009-05-06T12:17:00.002+01:002009-05-06T12:25:02.393+01:00BYKER BOOKS INTERVIEW PART 2I interviewed Ed from Byker Books a while back now. Been pretending to be too busy to put part two up, so here it is...Stu: What makes a good submission?Ed: Anything that follows the above! (or below in order of blog posts) S: What tips would you give to writers approaching publishers?E:1. Stick to the submission guidelines.2. Spend as much time on your synopsis and query letter as you do on Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-44791382394557081282009-05-04T09:23:00.002+01:002009-05-04T09:40:05.223+01:00NEWS OF THE WORLDSome breaking news for Bank Holiday: Although I can't officially reveal all just yet, Tonto is poised to make its biggest signing to date. I'm really looking forward to working with this author and it will give the rest of Tonto's fiction titles - and writers - a massive boost to have them on board. Details will hopefully be reported on the blog this week as the deal goes through. This is a Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-86738738234035881472009-05-02T00:11:00.002+01:002009-05-02T00:21:43.248+01:00BLOG CLOSING DOWN NEXT WEEK! NEW SITE WILL BE UPAs the title suggests, the current blog will be transferring to another dimension or whatever you call it next week.The web wizards at Instinctive Media are putting the final touches to the new website and tweaking it in all the right places.It looks splendid too.Will post the new address up in a couple of days.Keep the faith!Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-36283216755737897062009-04-30T23:57:00.002+01:002009-05-01T00:20:08.430+01:00BYKER BOOKS INTERVIEW PART ONEIt's always good to have allies in this 'game'. Tonto is building up a great contact book and it's always nice to add to it. The days of being based at Tonto Towers in Byker isn't tucked too far away in my terrible ummm ... memory, but Byker makes for what I'd argue as a seamless link.Byker Books seemed to creep up on the unsuspecting north-east publishing world and ... well, give it a playgroundTonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-86556542292289791692009-04-25T17:09:00.003+01:002009-04-26T08:51:17.600+01:00TWITTER ME LOTSOK, OK...Twitter... Imagine Michael to Alan in the Travel Tavern in his Geordie accent: 'What's it aall aboot?'I MySpaced, I FaceBooked, I left Twitter for the likes of Jonathan Ross et al to let the world know what they were having for dinner and where they were having it.But, due to pressure from a writing friend of mine who shall remain anonymous, I decided to sign up. No idea what to do on Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-32650894796215358952009-04-24T11:58:00.002+01:002009-04-24T13:57:11.295+01:00LONDON BOOK FAIR - THE AFTERMATHThe follow-up emails and calls are starting...I'm really looking forward to the rest of this year, albeit so far a slightly stressful one. I'm sure readers of the blog (and Facebook, etc) will know about my rants about chasing invoices since January and other energy-sapping admin capers, so it is great to see things starting to level out at last.At LBF, I had a meeting with Richard Squibb, head Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-54539041319000938302009-04-23T08:02:00.003+01:002009-04-23T09:24:14.415+01:00WHEATMAN IN 'HAPPY' SHOCKER... READ ALL ABOUT IT.I got back from London yesterday and am very pleased with how everything went. I think finding my feet there last year really helped - although I was a bit shell-shocked walking around with an 'Eh?' expression most of the time - and I knew why I wanted to be there this time.The first thing I noticed was that it seemed to be a lot busier than last year. I met up with Paul (the writer previously Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-48419841432133621322009-04-17T16:36:00.002+01:002009-04-17T16:46:06.580+01:00LONDON, BABY!!LBF is nearly here. Just been packing my suits and essentials such as cans of cider for the train journey down and Pot Noodles for meals.So, what's in store? Well, Monday is packed with meetings with book people - setting up with sales companies and distribution is one of the main reasons for going and that's what I aim to come away with. I'm also meeting up with people such as IPG, Bookseller, Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-33393499613620674202009-04-15T17:46:00.002+01:002009-04-15T18:01:55.796+01:00CAROLINE SMAILES INTERVIEW PART DEUXThanks for the fantastic response to Part One. I'm planning to make interviews a more regular thing on here, so any suggestions etc are very welcome. Maybe you are part of this here writing industry and would like to put yourself forward, or as a writer you'd benefit from seeing an editor/publisher/agent under the Tonto spotlight.On with the show...Stu: Word on the street is that you have an Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-36197957690144624102009-04-14T21:46:00.002+01:002009-04-14T21:57:53.519+01:00CAROLINE SMAILES INTERVIEW PART ONEI interviewed Caroline Smailes yonks ago now. Well, a few weeks ago. Hey, I've been busy, ok! So, now that I'm fully in LBF mode, it seems a nice time to post it up. Caroline is one of those rare writers who has time for anyone and doesn't mind spending time doing interviews like this and passing on words of wisdom to newer writers. In short, she's one of the good guys of the writing world and Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-86901954773695730532009-04-02T21:54:00.002+01:002009-04-02T22:02:27.352+01:00LONDON BOOK FAIR 2009Not long to go now! London Book Fair, or LBF to those in the know, is from 20-22 April at Earls Court.A huge industry event where all the moving and shaking in the industry goes on... which means all the bars in the immediate area are 'wall to wall' for three days. This year I chose not to take a publisher stand. At the moment I'm setting up meetings with overseas publishers to sell territorial Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-46409594669315964322009-03-27T16:20:00.002+00:002009-03-27T16:25:08.793+00:00TONTO AUTHORS AT BORDERS TEAM VALLEY ON SUNDAY 29 MARCHLAZY SUNDAY AFTERNOON is at Borders Team Valley this weekend - Sunday 29 March, 1pm. It is being held upstairs in Starbucks... a relaxed atmosphere where you can have yourself a cuppa and a muffin and be entertained by readings from Roz Wyllie, Nik Jones, Stephen Shieber and Sarah Shaw.They will be reading from their recently-published debut works and will be answering any questions you have Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-65035698315935424192009-03-13T14:44:00.002+00:002009-03-13T14:48:59.122+00:00FREELANCE EDITOR WANTEDI'm currently looking for editors to take on freelance work on a book-by-book basis. With some interesting non-fiction and a couple of fiction projects in the pipeline, I'm looking to assign editors who'd best be suited to each title.Payment would be on an agreed fee prior to taking the work on. If you are interested in applying, please send me a CV and let me know of your experience and Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-90473035066108044662009-03-11T15:42:00.002+00:002009-03-11T15:52:34.863+00:00the vampires have wings, and are half-breed angelsCouldn't resist nicking that line as the title to this blog.I've ranted about how not to approach publishers too many times. Or not near enough, I'd probably argue (that's one hell of a mood if I argue about ranting, isn't it?)There was an ace feature in the Bookseller recently, read all about it here. Basically, a few lit agents in the US of A had been posting Twitter feeds with the worst Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-33599902217058003652009-03-10T22:59:00.002+00:002009-03-10T23:08:55.870+00:00DIZZYLEXIAIt's not easy being a dyslexic publisher. That's why I tried to get out of the 'writing game'. It always makes for some comedy moments though.As I've struggled to and from sick bay recently, I've answered and sent a few emails here and there... nothing too stressful and nothing that can't be helped along by a bit of chicken soup and Lucozade.Two words that always seem to get past me are 'Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-75081641478928177892009-03-09T23:19:00.002+00:002009-03-09T23:26:17.229+00:00MAN FLUWhat is it? Where does it come from? Why is it worse for us than it is for women?I dunno. I'm just getting over a bout of it. My tale of woe started on Wednesday night at my true crime talk at Borders. By the time I got home I was about to phone for th'ambulance. It was touch 'n' go. Probably the worst case of 'flu' ever recorded.Anywho. A weekend of doing as little as possible always helps. ThisTonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-50049809744846791512009-03-04T00:30:00.003+00:002009-03-04T00:54:54.550+00:00HELLO GATESHEAD!Another night, another launch. Nik Jones rocked Gateshead with a Borders Team Valley 9987 event on 3 March. Sheila Quigley hosted the event - a joint 'do' for Nik and Sandra Rowell.It was great to meet everyone there and was a splendid night for networking. Tomorrow, I'm back at Borders to talk true crime in the shape of notorious underworld bosses, the Krays. Also coming this week, I'll be Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-82516489438901770232009-03-02T22:54:00.002+00:002009-03-02T22:59:33.560+00:0099879987 - the Nik Jones debut novel will be launched/relaunched tomorrow night. Borders Team Valley is the place to be all this week from 6.30pm... make sure you get along to one of the events, even if it's just to heckle us and drink all the wine. Nik is also featured in the current edition of the Journal Culture mag on p38/39.See you tomorrow!!Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-72266532028012445582009-03-01T13:41:00.003+00:002009-03-01T14:01:49.146+00:00AND THE WINNER IS...VOTING HAS ENDED...9987 by Nik Jones is the winner! The novel received the most votes and will be made available FOR FREE in pdf format throughout March. All you need to do is email me at Tonto with your request.9987 will also be HALF PRICE THROUGHOUT MARCH! That's right - HALF PRICE!!All you need to do is email me with your order and I will send you a paypal invoice for the amount. Each copy of Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31586011.post-72850058061646607842009-02-27T13:08:00.005+00:002009-02-27T13:25:26.581+00:00A WEEKEND OF FREE STUFFDoesn't time fly, eh?The time to cast your votes is nearly up. In case you didn't know, voting is for the four fiction works Tonto published in 2008/09. The winning title will then be available FOR FREE as a pdf throughout March, and will also be half price throughout March via the website. If you want the opening chapter/story to either of them, please contact me at the usual email address with Tonto Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06378833401736890037noreply@blogger.com0