SHALLA
CHATS with Acquiring Editor Natasha Panza
“Acquiring Books for Tor/Forge”
So, who’s Natasha?
Natasha Panza began her publishing carreer at Fiction Collective Two, an experimental, literary small press based in Tallahassee, Florida. But bright lights and city streets were calling her name, so she packed her bags for New York City, where she was hired by Tom Doherty and Associates. She works with a variety of authors in a variety of genres and is currently acquiring chicklit and mysteries.
Shalla: Hello Natasha. Everyone’s excited about Tor/Forge acquiring
chick lit novels and it’s so nice of you to be here to tell us
more about it.
Natasha: It’s a pleasure. We’re pretty excited as well.
Shalla: Your new Guidelines say you’re not looking for the standard
NY City chick lit. Does that mean no Sex and the City type of
stories? Can it still be set in NY or Los Angeles?
Natasha: I’m always open to books that contain strong female bonds.
But female bonding doesn’t always have to happen at a trendy bar,
teetering on your stiletto Jimmy Choos, hoping your extra fruity martini
won’t slosh over your new Prada blouse. I’m tired of reading
about the “fabulous life” (i.e, fabulous job, fabulous car,
fabulous everything . . .). I mean, whose life is that fabulous
anyway?
I want different lives, strange lives, completely bizarre lives. I live and work in New York City, and while I have to admit, there are woman out there who can afford to dress and entertain like Carrie Bradshaw, most of us not only can’t, we don’t really want to. We have our own style, our own brand of humor; we’re smart and sassy and we have stories to tell. And I’m sure it’s the same from the smallest town to the largest metropolis.
Of
course, big cities like NYC and LA are still wonderful locations for
novels and those submissions will still
be considered.
Shalla: Are you open to multi-cultural chick lit?
Natasha: Most definitely. In fact, I strongly encourage
writers to submit novels with multicultural protagonists.
As a multicultural
chick myself, I want to see more women like me in the
books I read.
Shalla: The Guidelines say you’re open to paranormal
chick lit. What do you consider paranormal chick
lit? (Ie. Indiana Jones
and the Temple of Doom meets Ellen? Is Goddess
for Hire paranormal chick lit?)
Natasha: I’m not really looking to put too many boundaries on
my definition of paranormal, because you never know what is going to
work and what’s not until you read it.
Shalla: Now, let’s talk S-E-X. Can it be too sexy? No S&M?
No transgenders’ mating rituals?
Natasha: Hmmm, well I love sex..(now I’m blushing)..but seriously,
I think it is important to put a little steaminess in a chick lit novel,
because let’s be honest here, aren’t we all more than a
little disappointed when the heroine is left high and dry? I know I
am. That being said, I’m not looking for
erotica.
Shalla: Does it have to have a happy ending? Does the
woman need to get the guy in the end?
Natasha: I like happy endings. But happy can be bittersweet. And getting the
guy
on a permanent basis isn’t always
what a woman wants.
When
a protagonist learns something powerful or positive about herself
in the
course
of the novel—that’s
a happy ending too.
Shalla: Can it have little to no romance? (Ie. Protagonist
has one night stands here and there with no significant
romantic relationship?)
Natasha: No. Romance is important in a chick lit novel. Without romance, what kind of book is it?
Besides,
romance should be present in
people’s lives--and if it’s
not, then a great book can provide
that.
Shalla: How funny is funny?
Is screw ball comedy okay?
Natasha: Screwball, no. I’m not looking for slapstick because
it doesn’t usually translate well into text. But funny—yes.
I love funny.
Shalla: Are you open to first person point of view? Multiple POV? First person-present?
Natasha: I’m not the biggest
fan of first person-present,
but I am open to anything
that is done well.
Shalla: Any movies, sitcoms,
books etc. we can look at to get a
better feel on what Tor/Forge is looking
for?
Natasha: TV: Desperate Housewives .
Or Desperate Housewives meets Charmed.
Girlfriends—or Girlfriends meets Bewitched.
Practical Magic (the movie).
The
Mummy meets Bridget
Jones’ Diary.
Shalla: Finally, any big
NO-NO’s?
(Ie.
No e-queries or e-submissions,
snail-mail
only)
Natasha: No query letters, no email queries, no e-submissions, no faxes; please, snail-mail only!
A complete
submission
guideline
is
available at our
website: www.tor.com/torforgechicklit.pdf
Shalla: Thanks
lots Natasha! We
look forward to
seeing you
at RWA
Nationals.
For more
on Natasha Panza
and Tor/Forge, please
visit
www.tor.com
MORE SHALLA CHATS
More to come!
Stay tuned :)
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