Busy right now

Sorry not to have posted regularly recently. March is the busiest month at the Pub what with Lent, St. Patty's day and the final four.
Any way I plan on sending out some more pitches to agents and maybe that will give us something to cheer about.

This is my pitch letter to these agents. Its called a Query letter.

Dear Jeff,

My name is Michael Stone and I was a promoter in the music business from 1970 to 1999. My job was to make stars out of young men and women. As a result I have a multitude of awards that line my walls from bringing these stars to fame from Warner Brothers, EMI and Virgin Records.
To do this I had to work with the artist themselves and the radio station people that helped make this happen. During this journey I had the opportunity to work with some of the biggest stars in the music business including Van Halen, Lenny Kravitz, Smashing Pumpkins, Tina Turner, The Ramones, Sex Pistols, Rod Stewart, The Rolling Stones to name but a few. I also had opportunities to work with some entertainers like Richard Simmons and Steve Martin.
I have written a book that includes both positive and negative stories about these artists during my journeys with them. I tell the truth as it occurred which includes drug usage, sex and lots of Rock and Roll.
This book will appeal to the audience that listens to music radio stations, reads People Magazine, and watches Entertainment Tonight and other E TV shows. I also have written from a unique 3rd person perspective about these artists unlike any other published materials.
I am still in touch with some of my old radio friends, which would allow me to promote myself in most US markets. I would need some assistance stocking books for in store appearances as well as help with book reviewers and press interviews.
The book has been written but may still require some editing. I have numerous photos and autographs to publish along with the book.
I look forward to hearing from you to further discuss this book opportunity together. My contact information is below.

Yours truly,


Michael Stone

New pitches

I am sending 3 new query letters out tomorrow.
They go to Miriam Altshuler, Arcadia and Jeff Herman. This time none of these agents are in NYC which was my target at first. (I like NYC so I was predjudiced to send the first 6 there).
Jeff Herman is the writer of the Book "Guide to Publishers and Literary Agents" that I am using to find agents names and addresses. When I find the name I then go online and research the requirements and then I send out my pitch.
If anyone wants to read my pitch letter let me know and I'll send it on. Maybe its not good enough. I'll change anything in my quest; I'm a salesman, a glorified bloody flogger as my Dad would call me!!
Keep your fingers crossed.

Music as we know it has died

I was talking to my friend Bert yesterday. He owns a CD shop. Bert's CD's. Its one of the last independent CD shops in the USA.
I went to see him because I heard he was closing it up. He was disappointed to here that word was around about his plight.
His racks were bare.
He had only a handful of CD's left. He was selling some vinyl. Rarities. Stuff on E bay. You know, collectors items only.
He told me that even the kids had given up on it. The young musicians who wanted an advance on a record deal don't even buy music anymore. They download and burn it. Whose going to give them high $$ to record when they can't sell the stuff.
WOW! How low the music business has come from the high's I've been writing about.

Doug Feiger

Doug died last night. He was a young 57 and died of cancer.
He was the lead singer and writer for the Knack and was most famous for writing "My Sharona". It became a hit for him twice. I went to the same High School as he and he was my sister Jackies first boy friend. He was someone she really loved.
I liked Doug a lot and he came to my office at N2K and Virgin a few times over the years I thought maybe looking for another deal for his music. But then he just came to say hi.

RIP Doug you will be missed.

As it turns out Doug is not in my book but probably should be.

This writing project is a slow one

The book itself took time to write and I am still changing pieces of it. I think the selling of it is going to be even slower.
I found a Facebook site that I like. Its about one of the characters in my book. her name is Rosalie Trombley and her sons are spearheading a movemnet to get her inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She was the Music Director of CKLW radio in Detroit in the 1970's and was responsible for making stars and Hit records for many stars of yesterday and today.
When she said a song was a hit it was.
She helped me make lots of songs hits and one of them was The Dreamweaver by Gary Wright.
Maybe, he will write a prologue for me.
Anyway, its snowing outside and I realized I hadn't written in a while.

Generic rejection

I got this rejection form recently.
It made me think now thats an easy way out. Althouhg it sounds like he may have thought about the project but he never asks to read anything from it. Thats why I don't like the idea of e mail query letters.

Dear Author,

Thank you for your query. I will respond within three weeks if interested.
If you do not receive a response within three weeks then I have passed on
your project.

Please note that a pass should not be construed as a statement on your
work's publishing viability; it is just my subjective determination that the
project isn't a good fit for me and the agency. I encourage you to continue
your querying and wish you the best of success in your publishing endeavors.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Lyons
Lyons Literary LLC