Mark Malatesta Review by Kathy Finley
You thought I could get a traditional publisher, and you were right. Three publishers were interested in my book, and I just signed with Purdue University Press (their animal-human bond series). They loved it and gave it rave reviews.
I’m ecstatic!
You convinced me to put the story in chronological order, because I’d started it in the middle, which gave too many things away too soon. I also broke the chapters apart more and made the book more spiritual than religious, which was also a good idea, to avoid putting off readers why might worry I was going to preach at them.
I sent out queries before I met you, and I wish I hadn’t done that. I blew it. My original query and book proposal lacked detail and depth.
Purdue was totally impressed with my book proposal. They said they’d never seen one that thorough, and that my book wouldn’t have been published without that marketing plan. The publishing industry has changed so much. Literary agents and publishers aren’t interested unless they think they’re going to sell a lot of copies. You need to make sure you have a good marketing plan so they can have less risk.
That was a shocker.
Following your advice, I sent letters to a lot of influential people relevant to the content of my book, telling them about the book. I got many letters of encouragement with people saying I could send them an advance copy of the book for them to consider writing a review or promoting the book somehow. Some of them also said they’d consider publishing a related article.
It was encouraging getting those positive replies. It’s uplifting to know you can build your platform and find people interested in your work. I’m in awe of how many people replied, and I’ve since been asked to be on the board of the Cat Writers’ Association because through my articles, I have become known among cat writers and cat advocates.
Coaching with you was a lot of money and it was scary committing, but you give away a lot of valuable information on your websites that you could charge for. You aren’t just trying to take people’s money. You’re running a business and need to charge for coaching, but you’re also genuinely interested in the authors you work with.
Since you’ve been a literary agent and worked for a publisher, you also know how they operate. I’m grateful for you showing me the things I did wrong in a gentle way. Not everyone in the publishing industry cares about authors. Some are uppity and snarky. You’re genuine and tell it like it is, but you’re kind. You’re also encouraging—a great coach—and a cat lover!
I have a good sixth sense about people, but I don’t always listen to it. For some reason, I listened to it with you. Seeing how the literary world operates really opened my eyes. Thank you so much for all you’ve done for me. To other authors I say, “Don’t give up on yourself. Work with a professional who knows how to do this.”
My One-Eyed, Three-Legged Therapist: How My Cat Clio Saved Me (Purdue University Press)
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Do You Want to Be Like Kathy Finley Who Provided this Review About Mark Malatesta?
Do you want to be like Kathy and get a book deal with a traditional book publisher like Purdue University Press? Click here to get instant access to the Free Resources on our websites for authors and click here to find out how you can Schedule an Introductory Coaching Call. Mark Malatesta is founder of The Bestselling Author and Literary Agent Undercover, helping authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books) get top literary agents, publishers, and book deals. The above review of Mark Malatesta, Author Coach was provided by author Kathy Finley.
MARK MALATESTA is a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark now helps authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children's books) get top literary agents, publishers, and book deals through his company 
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