Saturday, September 21, 2024
Editio Books
Uncategorized

Shelly Jay Shore: On the Difference Between Competition and Community

Shelly Jay Shore (she/they) is a writer, digital strategist, and nonprofit fundraiser. Her writing on queer Jewish identity has been published by Autostraddle, Hey Alma, and the Bisexual Resource Center. She lives in New York with her partner, where she attempts to wrangle two large dogs and two small children. Follow her on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

Shelly Jay Shore

Photo by Divine Brujeria

In this interview, Shelly discusses the off hand comment her mother made that helped inspire her debut novel, Rules For Ghosting, her hope for readers, and more!

Name: Shelly Jay Shore
Literary agent: Ayla Zuraw-Friedland
Book title: Rules For Ghosting
Publisher: Random House – Ballantine / Dell
Release date: August 20, 2024
Genre/category: General Fiction / LGBTQIA+ / Romance
Elevator pitch: To save his family’s failing funeral home—and his own chance at a queer love story—a reluctant clairvoyant must embrace the gift he’s long ignored.

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

What prompted you to write this book?

The very first seed of this book was actually planted in 2018 at my grandmother’s funeral, when my mother made an offhand comment about the kinds of things people who work for funeral homes must hear on a daily basis. I remember thinking, Oh, there’s definitely a book there, but it wasn’t really the right time for it. It kind of hovered in the back of my head until I lost my job at the height of the pandemic, shortly after my remaining grandmother passed away, and I needed something to focus on while I sort of put myself back together. I didn’t set out to write a grief book, but in some ways, it kind of wrote itself.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

I wrote the first draft in about two months and finished in March of 2021. That draft was totally unrecognizable—it was barely Jewish, didn’t have any ghosts, etc. There was a lot of metaphorical haunting, but it was missing the literal, and I had a moment of, “Okay, well, why do the ghosts only need to be metaphors?” That got everything to click into place. I revised over the spring and summer, started querying around Thanksgiving, and signed with my agent in March of 2022. We did a bunch of revision work together, went on sub on Halloween—capitalizing on the ghost thing, because my agent is a genius—and sold the book in about two weeks, which was wild.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

We changed the title! I sold the book as Bodies in Water, which was a reference to the Jewish practice of taharah, which is the ritual washing of the deceased before burial. We ended up deciding as a team that the title didn’t quite match the book. Coming up with a new one was so much more collaborative than I expected, and I’m so grateful to my team for making it so painless.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

Getting to learn more about Jewish end-of-life rituals was both eye-opening and surprisingly emotional. One of the funeral professionals I spoke to had actually been at a funeral of a friend of mine, one that was deeply meaningful to me and came up a lot in the writing of the book. It was a completely unexpected moment of shared connection—which, in a lot of ways, is exactly what the book is about.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

That tenderness and love do not need to be earned. You don’t have to burn yourself up to deserve it. Your existence, your you-ness, is what makes you worth it.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Other creators are not your competition—they’re your community. Surround yourself with people who will lift you up, celebrate with you, call you in when you’ve made a mistake, find joy in your successes, and support you when the process (of writing, publishing, or both) is hard. Writing can be lonely, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone.


With a growing catalog of instructional writing videos available instantly, we have writing instruction on everything from improving your craft to getting published and finding an audience. New videos are added every month!

32 thoughts on “Shelly Jay Shore: On the Difference Between Competition and Community”

  • Have you ever thought about including a little bit more than just
    your articles? I mean, what you say is important and all.
    But just imagine if you added some great visuals or video
    clips to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with pics and video clips,
    this blog could certainly be one of the best in its niche.
    Good blog!

  • I visited many blogs however the audio feature
    for audio songs existing at this web page is genuinely
    fabulous.

  • I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good.
    I do not know who you are but certainly you’re going to
    a famous blogger if you are not already 😉 Cheers!

  • What i do not understood is actually how you’re not really a lot more well-preferred than you
    might be now. You’re very intelligent. You know thus significantly with regards to this matter, produced me for
    my part believe it from so many varied angles. Its like men and
    women don’t seem to be fascinated except it is one thing to do with
    Lady gaga! Your own stuffs excellent. Always maintain it up!

  • I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was great.
    I don’t know who you are but certainly you are going to a famous blogger if you aren’t already 😉
    Cheers!

  • Just want to say your article is as amazing. The clarity in your publish
    is simply spectacular and that i can assume you’re a professional in this subject.
    Fine together with your permission let me to take hold of
    your feed to stay up to date with coming near near
    post. Thanks one million and please keep up the rewarding work.

  • Decide funding for the upcoming motor vehicle or refinance with self esteem.
    Take a look at currently’s car financial loan costs.

    Time for you to first payment: After you offer a product, anticipate
    a wait duration of all-around 5 times to get money within your checking
    account on most platforms.

    There’s no justification for working away from money any more.

    Nicely, many of us mess up in some cases, but there’s no
    purpose you shouldn’t be able to conjure up a couple of hundred
    dollars away from slender air for those who’re prepared to get
    Inventive regarding how to make money.

    Not everyone seems to be courageous adequate to hire out their total residence to your stranger, but even leasing out the spare space can offer
    a large supply of excess money. You may perhaps meet
    some attention-grabbing individuals and find yourself enjoying it.

    In the same way, if you’ve attained past success on the planet
    of entrepreneurialism, your services could be of use to
    budding business people as well as established business people who want to consider
    their organization to the subsequent amount.

    Everybody knows that therapy is actually a hugely-expert
    and hard occupation, although not Lots of people realize it’s shifting
    online.

    A different crucial element of promoting and advertising
    is casino starting off a good email promoting system, which helps to keep customers and
    change prospects.

    You may also make money fast by completing surveys, microtasks, rewards plans, or any of
    the other simple tips on this checklist. The quantity you’ll get
    won’t be high, but It’ll be quick.

    In addition to supporting organizations to deal with their social accounts, you’ll be able to give
    them advice regarding how to sort a protracted-expression social websites strategy.

    Should you aren’t excited about working with a pc all day,
    Check out a lot of the finest methods to make money offline:

    Engaging in liable gambling with bonus resources and managing them as authentic money can cause greater determination-making along with a simpler reward system.

    Choose in for bonus resources. As many as 50x wagering, recreation contributions
    differ, max. stake applies, new customers will have to decide in and claim offer in just 24 hrs and use inside thirty days.
    Geographical Limits and T&Cs

    I’m not sure if it’s intentional or an editorial remark, though the pitch for blogging claims “Is there a topic
    or subject matter you’re really experienced about and luxuriate in adequate to have the
    ability to create on it each day For some time?

    That compensation impacts the location and buy by which the manufacturers are offered and
    is some scenarios may impression the rating that may be assigned to them.

    MONEY
    FREE CASH

    CASINO
    PORN

    SEX
    ONLY FANS

  • Hello this is kinda of off topic but I was wondering if
    blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code
    with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding know-how so
    I wanted to get guidance from someone with experience.

    Any help would be enormously appreciated!

  • Awesome! Its actually remarkable piece of
    writing, I have got much clear idea concerning from this
    post.

  • It’s an remarkable article designed for all the internet viewers; they will obtain advantage from
    it I am sure.

  • My brother suggested I would possibly like this web site. He was once entirely right.
    This post actually made my day. You cann’t believe just how so much
    time I had spent for this information! Thank you!

  • My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find almost
    all of your post’s to be exactly what I’m looking for.
    can you offer guest writers to write content to suit your needs?
    I wouldn’t mind composing a post or elaborating on most of the subjects you write
    in relation to here. Again, awesome weblog!

  • Hello! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a
    group of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a
    community in the same niche. Your blog provided us
    beneficial information to work on. You have done a outstanding job!

  • Check out the stories and image below for more World War II news from early
    1944, including a U.S. Their task was to provide a grand strategy that
    would win the intended war and battles.

  • CEO pay is always controversial — especially when the CEOs are getting perks at a time when the company isn’t doing well.

    Consequently, multinational companies like Walmart, Ford and Boeing,
    as well as small- and medium-size companies, have started to reshore production facilities back to their
    parent countries.

  • Dependency exemptions may sound like a way for us to get a mulligan on all those times when our compulsions impacted our
    income. Sadly, to the IRS – who would probably welcome some
    more candid tax returns – dependency exemptions aren’t designed
    for spilling secrets about our more covert spending habits.
    When every business generates high returns for your efforts, time and capital,
    then your net earnings increase rapidly.

  • An example of such trends might be the development of a housing bubble like the one that busted in Ireland in 2010, or of an uncontrolled current account surplus or deficit.
    HND Assignment Help Understand the Concept of Risk Management with an example
    Whenever you make a decision about your investment, there is some risk involved.

  • Thank you for any other excellent post. The place
    else could anyone get that type of information in such
    a perfect way of writing? I’ve a presentation subsequent week, and I am on the search
    for such information.

  • I think consumer spending has rebounded a little faster than what I thought.
    People are more optimistic and cautiously spending.
    Often companies that offer flex time find that
    their employees are more productive, motivated,
    and loyal. Are there bright spots in the economy that stand out?
    It is a famous shopping area for girls and women, prices are
    reasonable and bargaining is must.

  • Effective treatment for mood disorders often involves a combination of different approaches,
    including medication, psychotherapy, and other therapeutic interventions tailored to the individual’s specific needs.
    Accurate diagnosis is essential in understanding and treating mood disorders, and it typically
    involves a comprehensive evaluation by a mental health professional, considering medical history and various assessments.
    The diagnostic process begins with a thorough examination of
    the individual’s medical background, including any previous mental health diagnoses, medications,
    and treatments.

  • Accrual financing for your tax credit claim might be funded at a lower loan to value.
    This can be seen in financial bubbles where asset prices rapidly
    spike upwards far beyond what could be considered
    the rational “economic value”, only to fall rapidly afterwards.

  • The stock investment advisors make sure to adopt a robust
    risk mitigation and management approach for the damage control if in case any
    of any sudden fluctuation in the stock market.
    This not only relieves the traders from the burden of risk management but also
    leave them with enough quality time to think over their new investment opportunities.Because
    risk management is as important as earning profits from the investment.

  • You will not receive the actual bond, but a book entry; marking you as the owner of record of the bond.
    The interest rate a bond pays will depend on the credit worthiness that the rating companies assign. Not only will this provide enjoyment
    for your family, but it will also pay off when you decide to sell.

  • In a ready forward deal, securities were not moved back and forth
    in actuality. At that time, a bank had to go through a broker to buy securities and
    forward bonds from other banks. In the early 70’s, banks in India were not allowed to invest in the equity markets.

  • Such kind of reports actually analyses the demand for a company’s product line in the market.
    In line with the predictions of the model, they find that at the 25th percentile of
    initial income in the world sample, a 1 percentage point increase in the Gini coefficient increases income per capita by 2.3%, whereas at the 75th percentile of initial income a 1 percentage point increase in the Gini coefficient
    decreases income per capita by -5.3%.

  • Horizontal shows are shows with vendors who are selling a broader variety
    of products or services, and the attendees usually come from a single market
    segment and are looking for either very specific products or services or a broader variety.
    A strong economy indicates that more people are confident and have enough
    money to spare to invest in assets, shares, bonds, etc.

    and as a result boosting the economy further.

  • We are starting to see stress on municipalities and states that cannot balance their books or repay their debt.
    It’s actually the opposite-gold is rising because the debt ceiling
    will be raised. The bear market’s last gasp will be bringing the Dow Jones into 13,000 territory, as it attempts to lure more investors back into stocks.

  • For editors, there are opportunities to manage teams of freelancers,
    help executives write their memoirs or do freelance
    editing for fiction and nonfiction authors. Point Cloud to BIM services enables
    project teams to review and assess existing structures together.

    This the rate at which one currency can be exchanged in terms of other.

Comments are closed.