SHALLA CHATS with Editorial Director Nikki Read

“TRANSITA: Great books for Grown Women”

by Shalla DeGuzman

 

So, who ’s Nikki?

Nikki Read is co-owner with Giles Lewis of How To Books Ltd which publishes aspirational self-help books and was founded nearly 15 years ago.

They have long wanted to publish fiction but it is a competitive field to get into. They identified the 45 plus age group as being a neglected market in terms of fiction in spite of having the greatest percentage of readers amongst it.

In setting up Transita, they soon discovered that essentially they were identifying a new genre.

Shalla: Hi Nikki. So many writers are very interested in learning more about TRANSITA so thanks for talking with us.

Nikki: You’re welcome. We’re very pleased that people are reacting so positively to Transita.

Shalla: Do you mind if we just jump right in? I’m sure many are wondering, because Transita is for the over 45 crowd, do you prefer the over 45 to write for Transita?

Nikki: Yes we do. We believe that you can really only understand the issues that are relevant to that age group and empathize fully with the characters you are creating if you are that age yourself.

Shalla: Do you consider Transita Chick Lit?

Nikki: No – there are plenty of other, bigger publishers to do that genre.

Shalla: What’s the difference between Women’s Lit and Chick Lit?

Nikki: We feel it’s broader, more reflective, more diverse and less romantically focused.

Shalla: Do all the main characters need to be 45 and over?

Nikki: The main character should be over 45.

Shalla: Are you looking for women’s lit with an American-flavor? (Ie. Setting is somewhere in the U.S. and characters are solely Americans or do we need to have British characters?)

Nikki: If it stems from America it should have an American flavour. Our list is all about authenticity really. Write about what you know. We would be delighted to publish American authors.

Shalla: Are you open to multi-cultural women’s fiction? (Euro-American, Asian-American, Hispanic-American, African-American etc.)

Nikki: Yes absolutely.

Shalla: How about women’s fiction with some paranormal elements? (Ie. One of the characters is psychic or intuitive or spell-casters like in the Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood?)

Nikki: No. We are looking for real life situations.
Shalla: Any big NO-NO’s? (Ie. No fantasy elements? No time travel even something like Somewhere in Time meets Designing Women? No crime fighters like Miss Congeniality?)

Nikki: We want to steer away from fantasy because of the lack of authenticity. We want stories that reflect the reality of the lives of contemporary woman of 45 and over – stories to engage and inspire other women of that age.

Shalla: Now, let’s talk S-E-X. How much is too hot and/or not hot enough?

Nikki: We’d like the books to contain an appropriate sexual tension, with relevant sex scenes that are erotic but meaningful.

Shalla: As for romance, how much romantic elements are you looking for?

Nikki: Again, whatever is appropriate for the woman’s situation and circumstances.

Stories for women without some romance is hard to imagine – but we’re not necessarily after romantic happy endings, because real life’s not like that - and we want to reflect real life.

Shalla: How funny is funny? Are you open to screw ball comedy?

Nikki: No not really – we want balance.

Shalla: Are you open to first person point of view? Multiple POV? First person-present?

Nikki: Anything goes as long as it tells a good story.

Shalla: Any movies, sitcoms, books etc. we can look at to get a better feel on what Transita’s looking for? (Ie. Under the Tuscan Sun meets Desperate Housewives? Everybody Loves Raymond meets Moonstruck? I Love Lucy meets the Golden Girls? …is that one too old?)

Nikki: Moonstruck is a good one.

Other movies are Calendar Girls and Ladies in Lavender.

As far as books are concerned, Elizabeth Buchan’s Revenge of the Middle Aged Woman is spot on.

 

Shalla: Earlier, you said you prefer over 45 to write for Transita, does that mean writers under 45 need not apply?

Nikki: I think, realistically most of the prospective authors will be over 40. And I would hesitate about encouraging someone under that age to send in a proposal.

The only way that it might work is to write from a daughter's perspective with her mother (or an older woman) as the focus of the book – so that it is the relationship between them that is the hub of the novel.

Shalla: Lastly, What’s the best way to submit?

Nikki: We’d like a one page synopsis and the first three chapters.

Shalla: Thanks sooo much Nikki and it’s very nice meeting you and TRANSITA! For more on TRANSITA, please visit www.transita.co.uk

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Shalla DeGuzman's short stories have appeared in Poetic Diversity, the Mad Hatters Review, etc.; her articles in The Scriptorium and L.A. Freepress; her skits at the Stella Adler Theatre. Shalla, a former writer and producer of a health and fitness cable show, is currently writing a novel. She is President of The ShallaDeGuzman Writers Group where she interviews literary agents, publishers, editors, etc. News! Shalla DeGuzman gets nominated for the prestigious Pushcart Prize! Plus! SHALLA Magazine, which features short stories, poetry and more, is here! For more on Shalla: www.shalladeguzman.com

 

 

 

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