Meet Jessie Harrell

Today, I am conducting an interview with an aspiring author. *Drum roll please.* JESSE HARRELL! So please welcome her to my little blog by leaving comments below and say hi.

I met Jessie through YALITCHAT and, of course, I stalk her on twitter.

Always meeting such great people. Remember---networking!

I have had the opportunity to read just the first few pages of Jessie's novel DESTINED. And if those few pages are any indication, then the book is definitely going to delivered. You can see more here and here

I also blog with some fabulous ladies over at Oasis for YA – http://oasisforya.blogspot.com

If you’d like to stalk me too, I can be found on twitter under the very stealth code name: @jessieharrell (shhh! Don’t tell.)

When DESTINED does make it to the place where all of us aspiring authors dream to be, I would love to read the ARC. Did anyone see the hint there??

You got it. In fact, if DESTINED gets that far, I might even vlog a little happy dance for you.

Okay, off to meet to Jessie....

Tell me a little about yourself.....

Such an open-ended question – you’d never get away with asking that in a trial. Hee, hee. See, that was my way of letting your know I’m a lawyer. I can be very clever like that. :)

In a nutshell, I’m a wife, a mother, a former litigator turned part-time appellate attorney, and an aspiring author – not necessarily in that order. Depends on the day. I like summer more than winter; coffee better than tea; and I’ll eat chocolate just-about-anything (I draw the line at crickets, grasshoppers, etc.).

When you were a child, what was your favorite series?

I LOVED Sweet Valley High – couldn’t get enough of those twins. Of course, I was much more like the studious Elizabeth than the crazy Jessica. Just sayin’

When did you realize you wanted to write?

Not until a few years ago. My daughters were probably 2 and 3 at the time and my husband said, “We should write children’s books. Anyone can do that.” *eye roll* He bought books on writing children’s books for dummies, I took the online writing class, and the rest is history. Poor guy now sits around watching TV at night while I click away on the keyboard. I don’t think he knew what he was suggesting…

Which author inspires you the most?

Hard question. Right now I’m fascinated with Shelena Shorts, who wrote THE PACE and THE BROKEN LAKE. She’s a high school teacher and went through a slump where she couldn’t find the type of book she wanted to read, so she wrote it. And the results are amazing. *YOU* should read her books.

Have you written any other novels before DESTINED?

No. DESTINED is my first baby, but it did take me two years and the beginning has changed more times than I can count. I’ve read so many author stories about how their first novel was crap and they’re glad no one will ever see it. I didn’t want to be like that – I wanted to keep reworking DESTINED until it wasn’t crap. You know?

Where did the idea for DESTINED come from?

I was a classics major in undergrad and read the myth of Cupid & Psyche then. I LOVED the story… sort of an ancient precursor to Beauty and the Beast (my fav Disney movie BTW). But I wanted to modernize it… make Psyche (now Sadie) self-sufficient, give her friends, really see her personality. (And it was so much fun going back and researching ancient Greek history & culture again for the book.)

What methods did you use to breathe life into your characters?

I really tried to put myself in Sadie’s position. I know everyone says not to make your characters a mini-me, but I found – for my first novel at least – that made it easier to give her flaws and irrational reactions and all those other fun personality quirks.

I also created a big bulletin board and tacked up pictures of real people who I thought looked like the characters. It was easier to write about the sister, Marilee’s, hateful pout when I could see her pretentious, snotty face sitting right in front of me.

Can you give us a teaser?

(Not sure which you want) Logline teaser:

When Sadie destroys the one relationship she can’t live without, she must journey alone through ancient Greece, and confront the goddess who wants her dead, if she wants to reclaim an immortal love.

Line from the book teaser (if you know this myth, you’ll be able to appreciate the romance here):

As if to answer my thoughts, he reached a satiny, smooth hand to my face and let his finger trail from my cheek down my jaw line. “Sadie, I’m not monster. I love you, and I will love you always.”

Quick but oh so satisfying:

Vanilla or Chocolate? Vanilla ice cream; chocolate everything else.

Cookies or Cupcakes? Cookies

Werewolves or Zombies? Werewolves

Sparkly vampires or traditional vampires? BOTH (I love me some vampires)

Orlando Bloom or Johnny Depp? Johnny Depp (but neither are as cute as RPatz or Pierce Brosnan – I love Brits who wear a suit well)

Coke or Pepsi? Coke

Since a lot of us are in the same boat as you...the query stage. We can all relate to this.

How many times did you revise your manuscript?

There’s no real way to measure this, since I revised as I wrote. Especially early on. Let’s face it, I needed a lot more work in the first half of the book as I was “learning” to write. As far as full, front to back edits though, I’d say I did at least five.

How many betas did you use?

Loads. I let everyone who wanted to read DESTINED have it in exchange for feedback. I think I had 5 junior betas (under 18) and 6 or so adult betas. More read it, but didn’t offer very critical feedback. I found making the junior beta’s fill out questionnaires got me far more substantive feedback (thanks to L.M. Preston for that tip).

I'm going to pipe in here and say that what an excellent idea it is to use beta readers from the market you are selling to.

What sources did you use to find readers?

SCBWI conferences, YALitChat, twitter, and friends’ kids. On twitter, I found a retired classics professor who gave me the most substantive feedback of anyone. She was particularly awesome. But I owe a huge debt of gratitude to everyone who read for me.

Was there ever a scene you just absolutely loved, but the majority of your betas said it wasn't necessary?

Originally, DESTINED had a lot more mythology woven into. Too much. I ended up pulling a couple of the info-dump scenes and turning them into (hopefully) amusing "news" articles on my website. http://web.me.com/jessieharrell/Site/%22News%22.html At least I got to use them somehow, right?

I did cut over 10,000 words in edits. It wasn’t a scene, but there were lots of places I needed to cut out narrative and telling. The manuscript got better as it got leaner.

Any recommendations for fellow writers?

Writing is thrilling and we all want to dive into a story head-first. But spend some time learning the skills (conferences, websites, blogs, etc.) and loving other authors’ work. The more I read, the better my own writing skills become.

What sources did you use to perfect your query letter?

MANY! It started with my online writing course, continued through an online class by CJ Redwine, read a TON online, and didn’t finally get it “right” until I sent it through the query kick around on YALitChat.

I'm not sure about most people, but I hate writing a synopsis. What's your feeling about them?

You mean the two-page document that exists only to torment me? Actually, I didn’t hate it that much. It took awhile, but condensing the story into 2 paragraphs for a query was harder for me than boiling it down to 2 pages. *Please don’t thrown stones*

Tell us a little about what you did to choose your favorite agents?

Originally, I found my top agent picks through twitter. Then I realized that not every amazing agent who reps YA will be a tweeting fool (although there are some WAY cool tweeting agents, for sure.) Again, I fell back to the internet (querytracker, etc.), agent insider on YALitChat and meeting agents at conferences.

How many queries have you sent out?

Can I plead the 5th? Let’s just say it’s been a “few.”

Have you gotten any requests?

I made the common rookie mistake of querying too early. My first round of queries (last fall) was a big waste. But thankfully, yes. At one point this spring, I think I had 5 fulls or partials out there. Sadly, while I have some lovely “refrigerator rejections,” I don’t yet have an agent. I took a query hiatus over the summer and expect to pick up again in the fall. Probably after another round of revisions. But right now I’m having too much fun writing another, completely unrelated, book!

Most of us can relate to that!!!!

Now I know this has happened to me. Did your dream agent reject your manuscript?

*sobs hysterically into a handkerchief* I actually had 2 dream agents and both passed. *wail* One said she’d like to read anything else I write though, so truly, I can’t complain.

Any other advice you'd like to share?

I just read it on someone else’s blog, and it’s so true: the only way to 100% guarantee that you WON’T get an agent or get published, is to give up. Look at Jay Asher (13 Reasons Why) -- it took him 10 years to write the novel that would eventually get his name in print. But he never gave up.

And there you have, right from an aspiring author just like me and maybe a few of you.

Thank you so very much for visiting my little blog, Jessie. I hope you'll let me interview you again when you snag an agent then again when your book hits the shelf.

Absolutely!! Thank you so much for being interested in me and my “pre-published” book (I love that Georgia McBride-ism). I hope to see your name on a book binding one day soon, too.

Interview with author Jessica Souders

Today, I am ever so pleased to invite Jessica Souders to my little blog. So everyone please welcome her by leaving comments below.

I met Jessica by joining her blog, and then participated in one of her Secret Agent contests. Once again, I highly encourage others to always join contests. Great way to meet peeps and to learn all about writing. In addition to having SA contests, Jessica also has query help available. She helped whip my query right into shape.

Her blog can be found here - Angels and Demons and Portals. Oh My!

Jessica is a newly discovered talent represented by Natalie Fischer of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. Both of her novels, MIRROR IMAGE and THE EXILED are currently being shopped around to publishers.

I was lucky enough to beta read (something else I recommend doing) THE EXILED, and I can certainly say she should have no problem selling them. Both books should be up on a shelf at your local bookstore soon.

Now to Jessica....

Please share a little about yourself.....

I hate this question. LOL. Everyone always wants me to talk about myself and I never know what to say. :D In a nutshell, I’m a nerd, a bibliophile, a mother, a wife, and a klutz. I’ve been a klutz my whole life, before Bella Swan made it cool. :D Seriously. I’ve been known to trip over invisible curbs only I can find.

When did you become aware of your love for books?

I’ve always loved books. I’m pretty sure I was born with a book in hand. But I’d say the turning point was when I joined this contest my middle school was doing where you had to read a certain number of books they’ve chosen and then you would answer questions based on those books. One particular book caught my interest from the first page and I couldn’t put it down. It took place on the Jersey shore and was about a girl whose family had bought into a bed and breakfast. I don’t really remember a whole lot more about it, but it had romance and a ghost. From that day forward, I was a bibliophile. My parents used to hide my books so I would do something other than read!


What was the deciding factor that made you finally decide to write a novel?

I used to write all the time when I was in school, and had plans on being a writer when I graduated college, but then life interfered and I put it off to the side. It wasn’t until I had a dream about my uncle—who’d passed away 5 years earlier—that I started writing again. He used to give me angels all the time and was always very supportive of me in everything I did. I basically wrote my very first, very horrible story for him. I’ve since fixed it and it morphed into THE EXILED, which still deals with my angels, but it’s very different from the original.

Did you write any other books before MIRROR IMAGE or THE EXILED?

Yes. I’ve written a total of 6 complete novels and have several WIPs I’ve put off to the side. Most of those manuscripts, though, will NEVER see the light of day. LOL. They’re crap. Seriously. I think of them as my training wheels..

What inspired to you write paranormal?

Well, the idea of angels came from my uncle, and then I fell in love with world building. Yes, I know I’m insane. I’ve written contemporary, but I loved how I could twist the world in a paranormal to the way I saw it. That there is this secret world filled with the creatures that go bump in the night that the average human has no idea about.

Did you base your characters on people you know?
Not intentionally, no. Some of my characters did end up having traits of people close to me. For instance, Patrick is similar to my husband. Except my husband is a southern redneck instead of an Irish heartbreaker with a great accent. :D

Can you give us a teaser of both books?

MIRROR IMAGE: Lily Baker is losing her mind. She could have sworn that a stranger rescued her when her car careened into the murky waters of a local lake. But no one saw him, and all Lily can remember is his emerald eyes. It's probably all from the concussion, or so the seventeen-year-old thinks until she gets home and finds the mysterious stranger waiting for her on the other side of her bedroom mirror. Has she gone insane? Lily doesn't know what to believe anymore. Is it madness or her destiny waiting on the other side of the glass?

THE EXILED: Brianna knows she’s half-angel, but she doesn’t know she’s been sent to Ireland for protection and training, or that falling in love with her guardian’s apprentice could mean his death and her damnation.

Quick but oh so satisfying:

Vanilla or Chocolate? Chocolate

Cookies or Cupcakes? Cookies, cupcakes are too messy.

Angels or Vampires? Angels, but I think a few sexy vampires have their place.

Johnny Depp or Hugh Jackman? Yes please!! <---Excellent answer!

Wine or Beer? Wine

Okay, now to what unpublished writers want to know....

How did you perfect your query letter?

Well, I guess the question really would be what didn’t I do? I wrote it and then sent it off to my beta readers, then gritted my teeth through critiques from absolutewrite.com, who TORE it to shreds. But they helped make it a TON better and then I sent it off.

How many agents did you query?

For MIRROR IMAGE? 30

How many partial and/or full requests did you receive?

A lot? LOL. I don’t really remember. I think it was close to a 50% success rate, but of those that didn’t request, I didn’t usually get a form reject. I know one agent had something similar on her list, but invited me to requery if I hadn’t found an agent in a year. Another liked my premise, but didn’t think she had the contacts for a YA science fiction. And it’s SOO subjective!

What made you choose Ms. Fischer to query?

Intuition. Seriously. I was going through absolutewrite.com and their Bewares and Background Checks board, looking up agents I was thinking of querying. I got a little tingle when I saw her name, so I researched her and researched her. Then I went to her site and read up on their submission requirements. It was like being dunked in freezing water. They wanted a partial off the bat, snail mailed. I couldn’t send it. My printer didn’t work and I didn’t want to spend money on postage for a no response. But I just couldn’t get her off my mind. I finally begged my husband’s boss to let me print from their printer and bit the price of postage to send it off.

How did you know she was a perfect match?

We clicked. That sounds vague, but that’s all there was to it. She was more enthusiastic about my work, than I was. Before I signed, she gave me a list of edits she wanted made and then told me what she saw for my book. It was exactly what I wanted and the edits were exactly right and things I’d been planning for another edit before I did another round of querying.

You got an agent--now what?

Now I wait and write another story. I LOVE having an agent, because I get to write and she does all the hard work. While she’s submitting and taking notes from different editors (very similar to the agent querying process) I get to spend time working on my WIPs. I don’t have to spend time trying to find someone to love me. :D

Can you tell us a little more about the process?

There isn’t much more to tell. Natalie told me the edits she wanted would take about a month to complete (she was exactly right) and then I’d be on submission. I’ve been on sub for a while, but that’s pretty common and in the publishing world isn’t very long at all. If there is one thing I’ve learned during this whole process it’s that publishing has it’s own time period. LOL.

Any advice you'd like to share?

Learn patience. Seriously. Don’t rush anything. It’s not worth it. Take the time to research, EVERYTHING. And most of all, keep writing and having fun doing it.

And there you have, right from an agented author. A very talented one at that.

Thank you so very much for visiting my little blog, Jessica. Maybe you'll do us the honor again when your books hit the shelf. Let us know how exciting that is for you.

Okay.. Just to thank my followers....I'm giving away a Barnes and Noble gift card to one lucky person. All you have to do is leave a comment, and for an extra entry, tweet this. Be sure to leave your link for verification purposes.

Contest ends Sunday, August 15th.

Interview with Kristie Cook ... author of PROMISE

This is my first author interview, and I am ever so proud that it is with Kristie Cook, author of newly released PROMISE. I was fortunate enough to win an ARC of PROMISE in a contest, which leads me to say...always enter contests, you never know the interesting people you will meet.





PROMISE will be released July 30, 2010. Be sure to order and read it. I promise (no pun intended) you will not be disappointed.


Easy stuff

Tell me a little about yourself...

I was born in Phoenix and have lived in 10 different states and Germany. My dad retired from the Air Force, so I was a military brat. I finished growing up in Arlington, VA, which is what I call my hometown. I'm now in Southwest Florida with my family and think I'll be staying here a while. There's a reason they call it "Paradise Coast."  I love writing, reading, cooking (when I have time), going to the beach and riding on my man's motorcycle. I have three teen sons who rock and they always have someone over, which is why I refer to them as "the herd." They crack me up and I love them.

What ignited your love of books?

I started reading when I was 4 years old, thanks to my mom. So I guess you could say she ignited my love. She's always been a big reader, much more than me, even. I wasn't very athletic growing up, I mostly was raised as an only child (I have half- and step-siblings, but I never lived with any of them for long) and I was shy. Combining all of that with moving around a lot meant I spent a lot of time alone (yes, Alexis is a bit like me in this way). But when I had a book, I didn't feel so alone and I could "go" anywhere.

What is your favorite young adult book?

While growing up, probably the Judy Blume books. Right now, The Hunger Games series. I cannot wait until August 24! I absolutely love the Harry Potter books, but I'm not sure that they fall under YA.

What is your favorite adult book?

Um…Promise.  Does that count? LOL Otherwise, I can't name one specific book. There are just too many.

When did you first realize you wanted to write?

When I was 8 years old and in the second-half of third grade, I had moved to one of the top school districts in the country. I was used to being at or near the top of the class and there I was pretty much average. We had to write a short story for school (mine was a contemporary fantasy about gnomes) and not only was I the only one who got an A, but I got an A+. I decided then that I loved writing and figured I must be good at it (I beat all those alleged geniuses, after all! LOL). I've been writing in some capacity ever since.

Can you tell us a little about your book PROMISE?

Promise is basically a prologue that kicks off the Soul Savers series. It tells the story of how two souls meet and unite nine years ago, all a part of the Angels' preparation for the war for human souls to enter the human realm. In it, we learn the love story of these two souls, as well as some of the mythology, and we experience exciting and important events that lead to major points in future books. We find out what brings the main character, Alexis, to who she is in the next book, Purpose, which picks up in present day.

What inspired you to write PROMISE?

Heh…starting to write the second book (which was the first book at the time). I didn't get very far before realizing that I needed to know what happened before. I needed to understand her (she was just a "her" at the time, no name) connection with this soul-mate. What made them soul-mates and not just "regular" lovers? What happened or what was it that bound them tighter than any other souls? So I went backwards and after a long, winding road, there was Promise.

Where did the ideas for the characters come from?

Many years ago, I had the thought of writing about angels and demons and real, action-packed fighting for human souls. But that's all. No actual story to go with it. But when I decided to start writing fiction again, I went back to the idea of an angel. I started with a pivotal scene and very vague ideas of the main characters. They grew from there, kind of like real children – sometimes slowly, when little things come out as I'm writing, and sometimes in big growth spurts.

Will there be sequels?

Yes, but I don’t know how many. Name? Book two is called Purpose. The rest are yet unnamed, but they will be similar one-word titles (but I’m hoping NOT P-words, it’s confusing even for us! LOL).

Quick but oh so satisfying...

Vanilla or chocolate? For reelz??? Chocolate! Duh!

Cupcakes or cookies? Brownies

Vampires or Nephlim? Hmm…I never heard of Nephilim until now, but after looking it up, I definitely want to learn more. So I can’t intelligently answer this, but I’m almost thinking Nephilim. But I do love vamps!

Johnny Depp or Hugh Jackman? Johnny Depp

Wine or beer? Usually beer, but I like a glass or two of wine every now and then

Okay..now that we know a little about her, back to the interview...

From what I understand, you didn't go the traditional route. Can you tell us a little bit as to why and the process?

I tried the traditional route, but not intensely or for long, like many who go indie after finally flipping the finger to the big industry. I have little patience, especially when I have to rely on subjective opinions of others. There's that long, arduous, rejection-filled way, but it's no longer the only way. So when I was told my book wasn't marketable, I didn't really show them the finger. I shrugged. "If that's what you think," I thought, "but I disagree."

There were many things that all came together to lead to this decision of going indie – the state of the economy which affects the publishers and how much money they put into debut authors, the influx of ereaders and ebooks, the ease and low cost of self-publishing with print-on-demand (POD), my marketing background, my business partner's sales background and contacts…and we were both already in business together.

And then there's the fact that most books are purchased because of word-of-mouth. A few noisy people can generate at least as much buzz as a publisher with a measly marketing budget for a new writer. Debut authors, especially, have to do 95% of their marketing (including paying for it). Even James Patterson does his marketing and pays for it. If we could figure out the rest – the ISBNs, printing, distribution, etc. – why give up a large percentage of a tiny profit margin to a publisher and agent? So, we're giving it a shot and so far, so good. We've had to learn a lot…which we'll get to apply to the next books.

What avenues did you use for self-promoting?

Mostly social media – it's the cheapest, easiest and fastest way to spread the word all the way around the world. We've used email for personal and business contacts, a book trailer, handing out bookmarks and flyers, asking book bloggers to read and review the book, giving it away for more early readers and reviews, and sending out press releases to the media. Next is looking into indie bookstores, fairs and festivals and the like to do a signing tour.

Overall, what is your experience with this?

Definitely positive. I could still be waiting to hear on that partial I sent in last November (no kidding!!) or on other queries, worrying about what exactly it is they want and driving myself crazy. Or trying to fix something that ain't broke because someone said it ain't marketable. Instead, my book is now in other people's hands. And everyone I know has been so excited for me and incredibly supportive, making the experience even better. And guess what? It is marketable. People want it. They like it. Most love it. And that makes me happy.

Would you recommend the publishing route you chose to take?

In all honesty, yes. Six months ago, I would have said, "Well, it's not for everyone." But I think, whether good or bad, it will have to be for everyone within the next five years, if not sooner. At least, for every debut author. Publishers just don't have the money to invest in new, unproven writers. Even established authors are risky, but someone without a track record? The risk is incredible. I just read a stat that 7% of big-publishers' books earn 87% of sales, which equates to 93% of their books sell fewer than 1,000 copies (I wish I could remember the source…sorry).

So where are publishers going to put their money? It's all business. I think in the near future, they won't take the risk with new authors. With POD and epublishing so easy and cheap these days, authors can now prove themselves on their own. Once they build a readership, then the publishers will take notice and decide whether they're worth the risk of investment. The question for the author then becomes, "Do I want to share all these profits with you?" Oh! And now look who's in control?!  I'm all about more power to the author. *hit Play button on Uprising by Muse*

Any closing comments?

Um…did I not say enough? Is anyone still even here, reading my verbosity?

There you have it. A great author and a great book. After reading PROMISE, I can't wait for PURPOSE to come out. I'll be waiting impatiently.

Thank you so much for stopping by and visiting my little blog, Kristie.

Thank you so much for having me. You are such a gracious hostess! (Seriously. She served me brownies and coffee! How did she know???) I'd gladly visit you any time. But I do expect a return visit. 

Be sure to visit Kristie for her virtual release party going on ....NOW! Contests and prizes and fun. Click here

The query process

As promised...

After much: writing, revisions, critiques, revisions, whining, revisions, crying, revisions, I have included my final query for you all to view. Please leave a comment whether you like it or not. I'm interested in your opinions.

If you are interested in seeing the first ones, they are listed somewhere below. Scroll down and you'll see them. :)

Dear Super Agent,

Based upon the concept of Aryan purity, Ellyssa is genetically engineered to be the perfect soldier: stronger, intelligent, unemotional, and telepathic. Her purpose? To eradicate inferior beings. A task she's spent her whole life training and conditioning for under the strict guidance of her creator.

Then she runs into the epitome of inferiority--a dark-haired renegade. He speaks to her by pushing his thoughts of a place she's never visited into her mind. An inconceivable possibility since she is the one who usually does the psychic picking. Not only that, but he's clearly not from her society. A substandard person who should not possess such an extraordinary gift.

Yet he does, and his unspoken words initiate a catalyst. Ellyssa finds herself questioning her indoctrination and, even worse, feeling emotions. Confused and afraid her creator will discover her mental breakdown Ellyssa runs away from her life and embarks on a journey that leads to the realization there is more to her than what she was bred to be.

Unfortunately, her creator has other plans.

PERFECTION is a young-adult dystopian complete at 99,000 words.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Contests---Should You Enter Them??????

The answer is rather easy. Yes.

Many author's, agent's, and editor's sites often host contests and help; such as for queries. Some are first lines contests, pitch contests, secret agent contests, and so forth and so on.

These contests open a great opportunity for published and unpublished authors alike and give you a great opportunity to have a variety of people offer advice and writing help. Which, in turn, gives you a different perspective.

As you know, part of the writing process is learning. A perpetual Ferris Wheel ride where you are always stuck going round and round and never getting off.

Sounds dreary? Horrible? Unimaginable?

Impossible! Surely, one becomes a master at writing; only to one day construct the world's best novel ever.

Too bad. That's not the way it works. You will never ever become a master at the craft of writing. Sure, you will get better, you will make better word choices and sentence choices, you will find better ways to express the pictures in your head, but you will never master.

Now back to the point......

Take for instance--the time you spend on editing your story. You finish your story, read through it, send it to beta readers, revise, edit, read through it, sent it to beta readers, revise, edit...rinse and repeat. How often have you come across a sentence that can at least be written differently like a hundred times. The sentence says the same thing, but it can say it in different ways. How do you know which one is the best way for your novel? How do you choose?

You most certainly have your beloved writing group, your beta readers, your family. But getting help from people you don't even know, never had communicate with over the phone, internet, in person, gives one a completely different perspective. And a great way to come across such people is by joining different contests where readers, agents, and such get to offer tidbits of advice.

And even better is the fact that a lot of these contests offer priceless prizes. Maybe a critique, or a chance to submit your work, or other writing related things. Things too good to pass up. Things that might really help you improve.

You will be putting yourself out there, because most of the contests post your entries on their blogs. Yes, complete strangers will be reviewing and critiquing your work. Yes, some comments might feel heart breaking heart wrenching like someone is digging into your chest with nothing more than the tips of their fingers and yanking your heart out through a tiny hole.

But as I said before...Writing is a non-ending learning process. Take whatever advice works for you and use it.

A super cool contest with a chance to win lots of super cool books. Actually, I want to win them so I really shouldn't be sharing with you, but it is part of the rules, so here is the link.

http://breebiesingerdespain.blogspot.com/2010/06/books-available-to-choose-from-for.html

PROMISE - book review

PROMISE
by debut author Kristie Cook
Release date: July 30th (see marker on the side for further information)

About the novel:

Alexis Ames has a life full of promise…but not all promises can be kept.

When Alexis Ames is attacked by creatures that can’t be real, she decides it’s time she learns who she really is, with or without the help of her mother, who guards their family’s secrets closely. After meeting the inhumanly attractive, multi-talented Tristan Knight, however, Alexis retreats behind her façade of normalcy…until she discovers he’s not exactly normal either. Then their secrets begin to unravel.

Their union brings hope and promise to her family’s secret society, the Angels’ army, and to the future of mankind. But it also incites a dangerous pursuit by the enemy – Satan’s minions and Tristan’s creators. After all, Alexis and Tristan are a match made in Heaven and in Hell.

My opinion:

I won this book as part of a giveaway in a contest hosted by Kristie Cook. The first thing I noticed was the cover. I love it. It's simple and beautiful. Then I opened the book to the first page and saw this--

The sensation of being watched clung to me like a spider web, invisible threads bristling the back of my neck and down my spine.

And I was hooked.

As you can see, the writing is beautifully done. The beginning starts off with action and keeps a great pace throughout the rest of the story. A definite page-turner.

The main character, Alexis Ames, is someone you immediately care about. And as other characters are introduced, the descriptions given are tantalizing, making you want to know more about them and their plight.

The storyline keeps you intrigued, pulling you into Alexis' world full of family traditions, friendships, and magic; topped with a battle between the armies of good and evil for good measure.

Quite honestly, this is one of the best books I've read since my love affair with the MORTAL INSTRUMENT SERIES. I highly recommend it.

If you love the blooming romance of TWILIGHT and the magic of EVERMORE, this book is right up your alley.

Time..Where Does It Go?

Summer is here and my time feels so limited. As I am sure everyone is experiencing.

I honestly don't know how some people find time to write with kids, jobs, meetings, family outings, "I have to go here" kid things, and so forth and so on. It seems since summer started that my time disappears into whiffs of smoke.

Now that Perfection is finished, edited, and I really hope shining, I'm getting ready to start the second book in the series (no title as of yet) on Monday. But I have to go there and do this and that, my distractions of blogs and trying to keep up with agent and publishing news, I'm doing another beta read (which is something I really love doing)--oh...not to mention the fact my computer is in the living room and people come and flip on the television regardless of the crazy lady sitting in front of the computer clacking away on the keyboard--so I am forced to really have to set aside time to write.

I wish I could just pop up first thing in the morning all bright-eyed and bushy-tail (while everyone else is snoozing), and start typing, but unfortunately the gears in my head are barely moving. I tried it, can't do it. All I want to do is zombie-out while my neurons kick start into firing.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun for my fellow writers and blog readers to tell me what they do to schedule their time to include everyday distractions, family, work, exercise, chores, taxi driving, and whatever interferes with what you really want to do (which is write).

Maybe help can be found within the comments.

New Picture

Hi all.

This is my wish cover for my finished wip Perfection. My daughter designed it for me. She is rather talented. I told her what I kind of wanted and then she made it even better.

Leave a comment and let me know what you think.


Thanks.

Writing a learning process

I've been writing seriously for more than three years now. I have three completed novels. My first is a fantasy, my second is a paranormal romance, and my most recent is a dystopian fantasy.

And no...none of my novels are published. I am currently sending queries for PERFECTION and crossing my fingers.

I just wanted to share with you what I have learned.

My first completed novel, Krelis, is bad. I'll say it. It really is. Part of the reason for that is I tried to stick to the rules completely, and I wrote out my voice. (I did a blog about the rules earlier.) While editing, I forgot the most important rule. Voice. I wrote my voice right out of the book. Just remember, the rules are there, use them wisely, but don't forget your voice. I sent out queries...not one (not one) request.

My second novel...I wrote it the way I wanted, and went back and edited. I used the rules, but I kept in what I thought was important in keeping my voice. The book was better, and I actually learned a little more about queries...I actually got a full request. Yes, said agent (a wonderful agent by the way) passed, but it was a step closer.

Now with my third...One thing I have learned is to use the rules even more wisely and keep my voice. And once again. The rules are there, sometimes they are meant to be broken, others times maybe not, just use them wisely and remember voice, voice, voice. I honestly believe that is the most important element in writing a great story. Voice is what draws the reader in to your story, into your world, and breathes life into your characters.

I have a couple of queries out for Perfection, and I'm waiting. I've already got one rejection (by a most wonderful agent) but that is okay. I'm still waiting. Testing the waters with my many-times revised query.

What I wanted to share with everyone is don't give up. Learn. Writing is a never-ending learning process. And I believe with every book I've written (and you have written) your voice becomes more defined, your story-telling capabilities mature, and your wonderful story will shine.

Don't ever give up.

Beta Readers

Well, it is way past due for me to be writing a blog post. My days have been busy with end of school/kid stuff, beta reading, editing, and so forth and so on.
Basically the same excuses you have. :)

I wanted to speak just a little about Beta Reading. What does it mean to do so? What is expected for you? What should you know?

I haven't one answer for any of these questions. My interpretation of Beta Reading is probably a lot different than yours.

So, I thought I would tell you what I do.

When I Beta read, I'm doing so for two reasons. To help someone out and to learn. Reading---is just a good thing. And when you read someone's story, and you see mistakes, I believe it helps with recognizing the same mistakes within you manuscript.

Things I look for:

Grammar and punctuation mistakes. This is just a courtesy I do. I don't think it is required to look for these types of mistakes. But when I see a mistake like that, I point it out.

Timeline of story. I try and make sure the time coincides with the story.

Sentence structure. If the sentence is all flubbed up, I'll point it out.

Flow of story. Of course the story has to flow. It's gotta make sense.

Most important though is to try and remember that this is said writer's story, and not mine. I try to think of it as a book I bought at the store.

I feel taking on the project in this fashion gives the author a reader's perspective of what does and doesn't work. It also stops me from thinking....If this was my story....and then telling the author.....Well, you should do this or that.

To me, telling the writer that does not help them. That defeats the purpose of being a Beta Reader. After all, it's not my story.

With that said...I will suggest to the author...Hey, it be kinda cool if you might add this in. I think it might add tension, detail, color, or whatever to the story. OR You should delete this, because it really doesn't add to the story or whatnot.

What about you? What do you like in your Beta Reader? What do you do when you Beta Read?

Perfection Query ---take two

As promised, here is a second attempt at my query. I really hope this procedure might help others (and me) to see the development of a query from ground zero...see post below...to this one and possibly to others as it develops.

So please leave comments for everyone to see, so that we can help each other out.

Please note, this is just the body. Every query will be personalized to the agent.

Dear Wonderous Agent X,

Normal does not describe Ellyssa. She is superior, a picture of perfection. Genetically engineered to be faster, stronger, more intelligent, and emotionless. Not to mention, she’s a telepath. One of the few lethal soldiers of tomorrow.

But when she crosses paths with a dark-haired prisoner, the only world she's ever known, a world built around the concept of Aryan purity, crumbles. He speaks to her, not vocally, but in her mind. An inconceivable possibility according to her indoctrination.

Unable to resist the allure of his unspoken words, Ellyssa finds herself in turmoil, feeling emotions and running away from her life. What’s worse is she doesn’t even understand why.

PERFECTION is a young-adult, dystopian fantasy complete at 100,000 words.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Perfection Query

Here is something I am doing for fun. I put my rough draft of my query for Perfection.

Yes, it needs some work, but I thought it would be a great experience for everyone to see what is good about it (if anything) and what is not (which is probably a lot). And leave me comments.

I did this for my blog readers and whoever visits just to see the process of how I write my query, as I hone and tweak and delete and rewrite.

As I do the above, I will post those and we can all see it take shape.

So I hope to see you again and again as the query takes shape.


To the dearest of the dear Agent X, (
Right here, right in this exact spot, I will put a greeting to my wish list agents after I study their blogs and webpages and tweets and whatnot.

Normal does not describe Ellyssa. She is superior, a picture of perfection. Genetically engineered to be faster, stronger, more intelligent, emotionless, and lethal. Not to mention, she’s a telepath. The soldier of tomorrow.

But when she crosses paths with a dark-haired man, the world she’s always known, the only world she’s been exposed to, crumbles. He speaks to her, not with vocal words, but in her mind. Kansas City.

Now Ellyssa finds herself experiencing emotions and running from her life to a city she’s never been to, and she doesn’t even know why.

PERFECTION is a young-adult, dystopian fantasy complete at 100,000 words. And then some more stuff depending on agent's likes and dislikes.

Then right here, right in this spot, I'll put my personal contact info.