The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Tamela Hancock Murray

My Christmas Prayer for You

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The Christmas season is a lovely time to bless and remember our blog community and to let you know how much your thoughtful comments have brought insight and pleasure over the years. Thank you for being part of our community.

I pray that as we move through Advent that you and your loved ones are blessed as we all await in glorious anticipation to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I pray that the stillness of Christmas Eve brings you peace and a sense of wonder. I pray you and yours will enjoy a most wonderful Christmas Day celebration together and increased joy throughout Epiphany and beyond. May you thrive in 2025 as you follow the Lord’s plan for your life. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, Amen.

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Keep Vigilant Online

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Since authors must maintain an online presence and many receive scam messages, I’m addressing online safety today. On impulse during a recent trip to the library, I checked out Keanu Reeves Is Not in Love with You by Becky Holmes. The author relates how she communicated with scammers and victims in this lively and well-researched book. The book focuses on romance scams; but the advice …

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We’re Engaged!

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No, we’re not engaged in anticipation of a wedding. We’re engaged in your work as literary agents. When we respond to you with suggestions, we’ve read enough of your work to discern that we like your writing style and story and may eventually pursue representation. If we offer recommendations, please consider them. As a writer, you have a right not to take any of our suggestions. …

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Developing Characters’ Inner Conflicts

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My husband and I just read The Pursuit of Christian Maturity: Flourishing in the Grace and Knowledge of Christ by A. W. Tozer, compiled and edited by James L. Snyder. Steve Laube represents a portion of Tozer’s literary estate. The book offers many excellent points and is worth reading. An overarching lesson on obstacles to a fulfilling relationship with God made me think of writing about the …

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When Characters and Settings Go Wrong

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A few months ago, I didn’t finish a general market book because of the setting and characters. Here’s what I believe happened: The author did not want to write about where she lives, but she needed: A police force allowing a crime scene to be contaminated, along with other sloppy police work. A police force with corrupt and adulterous officers. A remote vacation spot. A coffee shop within walking …

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A Surprising Confirmation

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Not everyone likes to read. I went to school with one boy who would always choose the shortest book for a report. One day in fourth grade, he got in front of the class and gave a brief report. The teacher asked, “Did you get this report from the book jacket? You didn’t really read this book, did you?” He had to admit that the teacher caught him taking a shortcut. In fifth grade, this boy got in …

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Thank You for Being Here!

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Anyone who reads blogs notices that many posts don’t generate comments. A lack of responses doesn’t mean no one is reading the blog post. Most blog posts don’t invite comments. They are intended to inform. Here, we do our best to be accurate, encouraging, and educational. However, we know opinions differ. In the Christian publishing community, the polite person is reluctant to express disagreement …

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Write Your Passion

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When authors approach me with several ideas, I enjoy hearing their thoughts. I appreciate the tremendous creativity that goes into developing many books. I always give authors with tons of ideas the same advice: Write your passion. What if the book of your heart has no chance of being sold to a publisher, though? Write it anyway. Write with abandon, for your eyes only. Then write the next book, …

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How to Summon 135 Ghosts with a Single Email

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My office recently received a submission for a project that wouldn’t work for us. We were about to send the author a polite rejection when we noticed many other agencies’ addresses in the recipient field. The list was long. Dreadfully long. We counted 135 addresses. We may have missed a few lines because counting from an onscreen listing is difficult. Who knows? Maybe the author tried 140 agents. …

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No Contest Win? Thank You for Writing!

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Have you submitted published and unpublished books to contests but never won or even been a semifinalist? Then you know that congratulating your friends who won can be bittersweet. Consider: Most Books Don’t Win Awards. As with any condition where excellence is recognized (corporations, sports leagues, Emmy and Grammy awards), acclaim is based on a pyramid. Most books will remain at the bottom of …

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