Category Archives: Book news

Feb22

Agent, Literary Agent – I GOTS ONE

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So…

I GOT AN AGENT!

That’s it.

Go. No back story here. You just need to know I have one now and that’s all.

Still here? Okay, I’ll tell you the WHOLE story. Now, stop it. Stop crying. I love you, too. You’ll be okay.

I’m not going to tell the rest of the story until you behave and pull it together.

All better now?

Good, here we go…

This won’t be an entire re-telling of my writing journey thus far. I will use another post to give all of that info. This is about the joyous event of signing with the wondrous, Marisa Cleveland with the Seymour Agency. Oops, spilled the beans too soon? Oh well, I don’t follow rules well. On January 17th, I sent my humble query and first few pages to Marisa. Within 34 minutes (yes, I did the math), Marisa wrote back to say she LOVED the pages and to please send the full. Aye, aye Captain! And send I did! This all happened on the same day that I was writing to my fabulous group of beta readers and critique partners lamenting the fact that the recent R&R (revision and rewrite for those not in the know) had not panned out as expected. Hindsight being 20/20 and all, I now know it worked out EXACTLY how it was supposed to but in the heat of the moment and all that jazz…

So, that weekend, I started peeking in on Marisa’s Twitter feed every now and again and she mentioned wanting to sign someone on Friday through her #agentconfessions feed but she couldn’t because the ending felt rushed. Well, obviously I thought that might be me she was talking about and I tweeted something probably not very witty about what she decided on that manuscript. Like an absolute doll and consummate pro, Marisa emailed me to let me know she had my manuscript scheduled for the first weekend in February so that I wouldn’t be wondering if she was talking about me. BUSTED. :)

I had a timeline which made me not as nervous until that first weekend in February. Come Sunday 02/03, Marisa wrote to say she was reading mine now. Ok, no pressure. On that Thursday, 02/07, Marisa wrote to say she LOVED it! She mentioned she might want some minor tweaks but she was discussing it with her senior agent. Now I’m in full happy/panic/crazed mode. Something like this:

My husband dealt with the onslaught of what if questions that ensued. What if her senior agent didn’t like it? What if I hallucinated the entire email? What if…So tiring. Thank God for my husband. He was great during all that and thankfully, it only lasted for two days. On the 9th Marisa wrote explaining her process and the notes she had about the minor tweaks and indeed they were pretty minor. She said she loved the premise, the hook, and the underlying conflicts. I was all like yay, yay, and yay! Immediately I began on the edits she mentioned and got those bad boys back to her by the end of the day. She’d also coyly mentioned to make sure to send my phone number when I sent back the edits and I played it totally cool when I sent it to her. Actually, I regaled her with the origin of why my cell phone number didn’t match up with the state I currently live in. Riveting stuff, I’m sure. I’m the definition of anti-smooth.

She didn’t hold that against me though because on Friday, 02/15, she called me and offered representation. Like straight up was all business and introduced herself and then went right into, “I’d like to offer representation.” So direct it left me fumbling for a few seconds. I knew in that instant we would get along famously. She got right to the point and didn’t mess about, so that was incredible and awesome. I perhaps had a little hand in the call happening on that day because I’d tweeted I needed a blog post idea and she felt like making a decision on an agent may make a great one and I agreed. But I decided to wait on that blog post until I could write this one.

After letting some other interested parties know that I’d made a decision, I officially accepted Marisa’s offer. And then I told my kids. They are THE reason I write. And I got to watch this. How awesome are they?

My babies hearing the good news

I have to thank my critique group, MGbetareaders, for their overwhelming support, push, and pimp slaps when I needed them. I have to thank especially Melanie Conklin and Michelle Mason.  They looked at IN THE MIDST OF MONSTERS over and over again, even back when I was calling it THE FAMILY VYGIL. Also, thanks go out to some wonderful people on Twitter who have been extra supportive and rad and that would be Angi, Suzy, Nicole, and Megan.

Also I’m thrilled to be agency sisters with the one and only, Feaky Snucker, AKA Tamara Mataya!!!!!!!

That’s all for now, folks. Time to turn my attention to the next steps in the process. Thank you, God. Thank you, mama and Russ for being there every step of the way. Thank you, Jennifer for always believing in me.

Oct11

First 250 words of In the Midst of Monsters

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UPDATE: Today (10/12/12) must be my lucky day because I won a free pass to the second round of the Hook, Line, and Sinker contest! That means I get to bypass the mad dash of entering the contest tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. eastern and moved to the top 20 in the MG division. This is a wonderful gift but it’s also one I’d like to live up to by presenting the best possible hook, line, and sinker possible. I’m now listing my hook and one sentence from my novel, IN THE MIDST OF MONSTERS, so that if anyone would like to help strengthen my first page, there’s some background info to reference.

Hook: Receiving the weirdest birthday gift ever, twelve-year-old Jonathan discovers his parents aren’t obsessed with rescuing exotic animals – they’re busy saving monsters. Now it’s his turn to train in order to protect the shape-shifting beasts who are in fact real and NOT evil. But when his creature-teacher disappears, Jonathan must find him—and fast—or his family will be next.

Line: The only way that guy had brains was if he had them stashed in a jar somewhere.

So, I’m contemplating entering the Hook, Line, & Sinker contest being hosted by the wonderful Miss Dee at www.writeforapples.com, Miss Summer at www.fizzygrrl.com, and Miss Kat at www.katelliswrites.blogspot.co.uk/. If I’m fortunate enough to be chosen to move on to the prized agent rounds, I will need to have the first 250 words of my manuscript properly polished and spit-shined to battle the other sure-to-be fierce competition in the contest. That’s where you guys come in :)

I’m going to post the first page of my manuscript here on my blog and allow it be a one-stop place for all of my wonderful followers and friends to help me hone the best first page I can produce. If you feel I’ve got a good first page as is, I’d love to hear that. If you feel there are some areas in which I could improve, I’d love to hear your feedback on that as well. Without further ado, here is the first page to In the Midst of Monsters:

As their pale, glowing faces closed in on me, I couldn’t imagine the moment getting any worse. Then they opened their mouths.

Make it stop. Please, make it stop.

“…And many more.”

Miss Ella and my little sister, Madeline, held a homemade chocolate cake, their faces lit up like smiling jack-o’-lanterns by all twelve candles burning. Glad we had a fire extinguisher handy.

“I’m not a little kid anymore. You didn’t have to sing to me,” I said.

Unphased by my grumbling, Madeline grinned. “Make a wish, Jonathan!”

Only one came to mind. I wish my parents were here.

Not that they were in the Great Beyond or anything like that. My parents were alive, but hardly ever home.

I took a deep breath and blew out all the candles.

“If you wished to have enough money to buy those pretty earrings I want for Christmas, you’re officially my favorite big brother,” Madeline said.

I folded my arms across my chest. “I’m your only brother, Maddie. Not a big achievement.”

Madeline crossed her eyes, stuck her tongue out, and tap danced across the kitchen floor. Had she been in her secret stash of Pixy Stix again?

I smiled even if I was bummed about Mom and Dad missing my birthday. For them, work came first. Madeline called them dedicated, but I thought obsessed had a better ring to it. Who knew? Maybe they really worked as spies, punching out bad guys and making the world a safer place. Yeah, right.

May10

And the Sunshine Fell Upon Me…

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So I got a lovely surprise today on my blog from the wonderful Valerie Lawson. She nominated me for the Sunshine Award and for that I send a big THANK YOU!

Here’s how the Sunshine Award works: Include the award logo in the post. Link back and thank those that nominated me. Answer 10 random questions about myself and/or tell seven random facts. Nominate 10 other bloggers and link them to the award in their comments section.

My 10 questions are listed below, hope you find the answers interesting :) The people I pick can feel free to use these same questions or come up with their own or just give seven interesting facts about themselves. Your choice!

1.  What’s one of your favorite books from childhood? Wuthering Heights. I’d have to say it’s my favorite book of all time, hands down.

2.  What are you reading right now? I’m currently reading The Graveyard Book by the incomparable Neil Gaiman.

3.  What’s a go-to meal you make on busy weeknights? Well, I work from home as a medical transcriptionist so many nights I’m lucky enough to have a wonderful husband cook dinner for the family. If my hand is forced though, I would probably just go the easy route with a casserole or beef stew. My children do have a favorite I make which is something my granny handed down to me that is lovingly referred to as “tuna-nooda-casserole”. It’s really simple involving tuna fish, noodles, mayo and boiled eggs. It’s one of those dishes you grow up with, inexplicably fall in love with and then continue as a tradition for your kids. :)

4.  Favorite thing to do in your free time? What is free time? I work full-time, am married, have two kids and working fervently toward getting a book published, but all that aside, in my spare time, I normally read, dance, go on all the adventures the wonderful state of Colorado offers, spend time with great friends and yeah that’s about it.

5.  Favorite season? My favorite season would probably be Spring into Summer but then my favorite holiday is Halloween, so got to have love for Autumn as well. Like I said earlier, I live in Colorado and now I get to experience all four seasons which is really great. I’m originally from south Georgia and that means the only seasons I was used to were Boiling (Summer), Hot (Fall), Warm (Winter) and then Warm and Muggy (Spring) – wait Muggy is in every season.

6.  Favorite magazine? From time to time, I like to turn my brain off and read People. I also like local Denver magazines such as Westword and 5280.

7.  Favorite author? Of course there are too many to number but I’m a sucker for Terry Pratchett, JK Rowling, and Neil Gaiman, just to name a few.

8.  Favorite teacher (and why)? I loved many of my teachers but Mrs. Cribb was my music/chorus teacher for much of elementary into middle school. She taught me how to have fun, let loose and dance and sing. She was hilarious and made learning fun and exciting and sometimes it even felt dangerous with her. She was the best and the coolest!

9.  Favorite food? Oh my God, this is really too difficult. I’m from the South, so mama likes her fried chicken, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, collard greens, potato salad, BBQ. In summation, quintessentially anything Southern in nature is my favie.

10.  Do you prefer reading short stories or novels? I prefer reading novels but if there’s an awesome short story out there, I’ll read it too. I don’t discriminate against great reading regardless of the length.

Now that we all feel closer to who I really am, here are my picks for the Sunshine Award and I’m so excited to see their answers and how they nominate.

Sunshiney Fo’ Sho’

1.  Erica M Chapman

2.  T. L. Bodine

3.  Ann Marie Walker

4.  Monica B. W.

5.  Penney

6.  R.C. Lewis

7.  Jemi Fraser

8.  Kimberly Loth

9.  Valerie Cole

10. Chris W Smith

May9

The Writer’s Voice Update – I got picked! Go #TeamMonica

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So, it’s a Wednesday. The traditional hump day of the week, right. But guess what? I got totally exciting news today on this otherwise mundane work day. I got picked by the incomparable Monica B.W. found blogging away at http://monibw.blogspot.com/ to be on #TeamMonica in the wonderlicious writing contest, The Writer’s Voice. Out of 200 amazing entries, I made it to the select top 40 that have now been split into four teams of 10 people. This makes me so excited and nervous and excited and anxious and excited, well I think you get the idea. So I just wanted to pop in and share this. I should be posting my usually scheduled Wonderful Wednesday blog which just so happens to be on perspective and how your frame of reference can entirely change your outlook on a situation. Needless to say, no matter how I look at this situation, I feel totally blessed and ready for hard work and did I mention excited, yeah totally excited! Below are the wonderful comments that Monica left on my entry letting me know she wanted me to be on her team.

“I SO WANT YOU!!!!!

Okay, you know I generally don’t read MG, but I LOVED this one, and I could totally picture my 10yo reading this book!! He’d devour it, and I know his tastes. You had me at: “They aren’t obsessed with rescuing exotic animals – they’re busy saving monsters.” And from that line on, it just turned better! And btw, I love Tertulius for a monster name–I think it’s cute.
Like the other entries I’ve chosen, I have a few nitpicks, I think, but nothing huge.

So, I think this was AWESOME and I’d LOVE to have THE FAMILY VYGIL on my team!!!”

May3

The Writer’s Voice Competition Entry Contestant #61

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PLOT SUMMARY

Jonathan Vygil’s convinced he has the strangest parents ever. And he’d be right, but for all the wrong reasons. They aren’t obsessed with rescuing exotic animals – they’re busy saving monsters.

After turning twelve, Jonathan begins hearing disembodied voices causing him to question his sanity. Spurred by their urgent cries for help, he ventures into prohibited areas of the Vygil mansion where he’s frightened by Tertulius, a genuine monster. With his parents’ assurance that monsters aren’t make-believe or evil, Jonathan joins the Vygil Pact, an oath taken to ensure the protection of all monsterdom. To become a full-fledged member, he must train with Tertulius where he’ll learn why the existence of monsters is vital to all life on Earth.

But before his instruction begins, Tertulius disappears and Jonathan hurdles headlong into a frantic search for his guide. Through his journey, Jonathan realizes many people desire the rare creatures his family protects. The most perilous among them is The Plague, a family as intent on destroying the monsters as the Vygils are to save them. If Jonathan fails to find Tertulius in time, The Plague could grow strong enough to go seeking out their next victims – his parents.

FIRST 250 WORDS OF THE FAMILY VYGIL, 56000-word MG fantasy

Prologue

The disfigured man trembled in the darkness. On the verge of vomiting and sweating heavily, he wished he hadn’t been summoned. Even if he had a choice in the matter, he probably would’ve come because of his desperation for cash. He knew they would pay handsomely for this commission.They were desperate too.

Sounds of dripping water and a thick stench permeated the main hall of the ancient castle. Tattered and faded tapestries hung on the stone walls, the cobblestoned floor covered in mildew and dampness. The room sat dank and completely void of light, one of many in the cavernous castle. Centuries ago, the palace was glorious to behold. Carved deeply into the side of a mountain, its inhabitants considered it a safe haven, warm and inviting. Now it lay in a state of crumbling decay, just another relic in the modern world.

Without warning, an icy voice broke the silence.

“Hello, old friend. Glad to see you’ve decided to heed our summons. How are you today?” the man paused briefly. “You must be quite ill. Your hands are shaking, and your brow seems quite moist.”

The collector quickly wiped his forehead with the back of his sleeve and tried to regain his composure. Normally he wouldn’t behave in this manner. He took great satisfaction in being emotionless when it came to his line of work. Due to his occupation, he’d traveled to many treacherous locations, but none would ever compare to this place.

“Dear brother and sister, please welcome our associate.

************************************UPDATED 05/07/12**********************************************

(Although it’s too late now, I’m adding the first 250 words of my first chapter since I posted the first 250 words of my prologue and probably shouldn’t have done that in this contest. Oh well, you live and learn :)

     Their bloodlust was unquenchable. Every year the ravaging hordes descended upon their victims. No matter how many times they were caught and dispatched, they came back for more.

Jonathan dreaded this time of year. He’d already wasted most of his afternoon battling them instead of doing chores. Suddenly, he was attacked from behind. He swatted at the enemy with all of his might.

“993,” he tallied his latest kill as he flicked the dead mosquito from his neck. Sweat trickled into Jonathan’s eyes. In mid September in Georgia, the temperature still hovered around 90 degrees. If the heat alone wasn’t enough reason to work up a sweat, trying to protect his precious blood supply had been. The mosquitoes plagued the town which made the thought of going outside unbearable at times. But Jonathan didn’t have the luxury of hiding inside. Outside responsibilities needed his attention, per his mother’s instructions. Like a dutiful son, he braved the outdoors to take care of the task. Dutiful didn’t mean that a fair amount of grumbling wasn’t involved, however.

He crouched down in his mother’s garden to pull out the stubborn weeds while the sun mercilessly beat down on his back. It was as though Mother Nature was baking cookies and left the oven door wide open. The cicadas overhead made the trees vibrate with their singing. Jonathan desperately tried to finish up to get out of the heat, but his mind strayed far from the task at hand.

Apr12

The Bipolar Mania that is Query Letter Submission

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So, on Monday I got a request for my full manuscript and the euphoria could not have been greater. I thought I needed to vomit, dance, pee and repeat. I didn’t want to eat because I was just too excited for food (great weight loss idea btw). I celebrated with my husband who was working from home that day and while I couldn’t eat, he was more than happy to make up for both of us (it’s what makes him happy people!). It was a great day and I was appropriately excited and hopeful about what it would bring.

Now it’s Thursday and I’ve gotten about 4-6 rejections since then. No partial requests, certainly no fulls. Not even, “Hey, keep your head up champ. We know you’re great but we’re just too busy at this time to take on your obviously fabulous book.” But such is life. Certainly the life of an aspiring published author because I can now with great assurance call myself a writer, just not a published one yet.

These emotional highs and lows of Himalyan proportions are to be expected. I spent months and months researching the submission process and so, intellectually, I know all of this is to be expected. But some days you just need to take a break, take a breather and regroup. I plan to take time this weekend with my family and get ready to face a new week all over again come Monday.

All this said, I wouldn’t change it for anything. I may have realized much later than I wanted what I really wanted to do with my life, but at least I did before it was too late. Btw, I’m not 102 and just now discovering my writer skills. I’m only in my early 30s, but with today’s youth-obsessed culture, it can feel like 102.

Anywho, in closing and summary and conclusion, it’s been a productive week, an emotional week and thankfully it’s almost near its end.

Apr9

Got my first full manuscript request!

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Within 3 minutes (literally 3 minutes) of submitting my query letter today to one of my dream agencies (if not the dream agency), I got a request for my full manuscript.  I was beyond overjoyed but played it cool and was very demure when responding and sending my attached ms.  Today came after taking this past weekend scrutinizing my query letter for every little issue and to get a response to it so quickly blew my mind.  I’m so thankful for today’s triumph and I take nothing for granted and know that the next step is not guaranteed but I did want to share today’s little hooray.  This blog will help me document my journey to publishing.  Today’s word of the day – HOORAY!!!!!

Mar30

The Family Vygil

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ImageHello world!  I’ve written a great upper MG book entitled THE FAMILY VYGIL.  Do you like excitement and danger and humor and intrigue and a twist on legendary stories?  Well if you do, then you’re in luck because my book now exists and it will fulfill all your literary needs. Well maybe not all of them, but most of them. Can you relate with being an outsider? Can you relate to wanting to find out what really makes your parents so strange? Do you secretly believe you’re a part of something much larger than you know? Want to meet a bit of a smart aleck, but lovable rapscallion named Tertulius? Sure you do, we all do. With THE FAMILY VYGIL, you can enjoy a journey typical thirteen-year-old Jonathan takes where he discovers that his parents are into something much more mysterious than animals.

This blog will serve as my journey from an undiscovered, struggling, crazy MG writer to hopefully a successfully-published, pretty darn good author. Feel free to cheer me on, cheer me up and commiserate if you’re also traveling down the sometimes lonesome path of being a writer. If I find out any tricks of the trade or you have any to share, I’d love to make this a medium for a community of like-minded individuals. Most anything is on-topic, so feel free to ask.

(The illustration above was done by husband, a talented but unknown artist, Russ)