In today’s Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe evaluate the same three query letters, and in the process, they offer solutions for when your novel doesn’t seem to have any similar comps; remind us of the importance of story-forward curiosity; and explain what’s necessary in historical fiction to ensure the feel of a certain time period.After which, Bianca chats with Isabel Cañas, author of The Hacienda, about the inspiration for the book; carefully choosing your comps; the archetypes of the gothic novel; overturning canons deeply rooted in English literature; writing modern takes on 19th century settings; when writing feels like a fever dream; overcoming rejection and writing what you’re passionate about; pivoting when it comes to genre; writing in sprints; allowing some degree of pantsing so that characters can have agency, because your subconscious knows what it’s doing; and how having no agent is better than having a bad agent. Find us on our socials:Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: @biancamarais_author @carlywatters @cece_lyra_agent @ the_shit_about_writing Facebook: @tsnotyaw Website: www.biancamarais.com and www.theshitaboutwriting.com Isabel can be found at @Isabelcanas_ on Twitter and Instagram, and at www.isabelcanas.com Our Sponsors:* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/tsnotyaw* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/tsnotyaw* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.