Going Dark

To quote Firefly (one of my top favorite shows):

Wash: Kaylee, go to blackout! We're being buzzed
Kaylee: Go'in dark [turns off lights].

And to keep it Firefly themed, I'll give you my news in Firefly gifs.

As 2014 beings to wrap up, I wanted to say how much I've loved blogging and sharing my thoughts with all of you.

                           

But as the end of December creeps closer, things have gotten busier and time has gotten scarce.

                          

Therefore, my blog is going dark until 2015.

                          

Don't worry! Starting January 20, 2015, I'll return with a bunch of new topics, videos, contests, etc.!

                           

Hopefully when I'm back I'll have some good news about "After Alice"'s queries.

                           

I'll have spent more time with family over the holidays.

                            


Begun a another adventure with my next book (think man-eating mermaids/sirens!).

                                      

And please don't forget to check back or else...

                          

I'll see you next year, no matter what.

                          

Until then, have a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

                                    

Value of A Tweet

I will admit it, I rarely use my Twitter account. I'm not famous (yet!), and I don't have anything interesting to share with the Twitter-verse. Odds are, I'm not alone.

Hold your horses though! Don't sprint to your laptops and deactivate your Twitter accounts (because you totally would if I told you, right? Ha!). Twitter does serve a purpose for the boring, Z-Listers of the population. Especially in the next few days.

                            

#PitMAD and #PitchMAS are starting!

                                         

You must be squinting at the computer screen and going "Um, what?" or maybe you know what I'm talking about and are giving excited nods. If you're in the second group, make sure you're alone. People tend to look strangely at people who encourage their electronic devices.

                                         

In lieu of giving a lengthy description, check out these two links for details. #PitMAD and #PitchMAS. They'll explain everything and answer any questions.

                                   

As far as the basics, here they are. #PitMAD and #PitchMAS take place on Twitter, thus the trendy hashtag (the number sign, in case you don't speak the lingo). If you don't have a Twitter account and are seeking an agent...make one now! 

On Thursday, December 4th #PitMAD starts on twitter. You have 140 characters to sum up your book in a catchy way. Well, less than 140 characters since the #PitMAD hashtag plus the genre of your book is required. The same goes for #PitchMAS on Thursday, December 11th. There are some other details along with #PitchMAS so you'll definitely want to click the link above.

                                  

Just to give you some inspiration, here are the pitch I'll be using:

150yrs after Alice's legacy, a spirited 17yo races to escape a steampunk Wonderland before she loses her head. And her heart. #pitmad ‪#‎ya‬

Fun, huh? Good luck! See you on the Twitter feeds!

Too In Love

I've entered different territory in the sequel I'm writing. The first book hinted at a romance between my two main characters. This second one cements it and makes them a "couple," so to speak. I have to say, it's super fun to write. Yes, I am a huge romantic.

                                         

The one thing I'm wary about is making it too over-the-top. I'm not writing a romance novel, but a young adult retelling of a classic. A touch of romance is great, but a cup full would be overdoing it.

                                        

Which is why I ensure there are different types of relationship in my book, and that the romance aspect isn't the most important one.

There are close friendships.

                                        

There are enemies.

                                        

There are people who were once in love,  but were driven apart by twists of fate.

                                       

There are individuals who plainly don't like each other, but work together for a common goal.

So as you're writing, check yourself. Make sure more than one type of relationship maintains dominance in your story. Don't be like those TV shows where the couple finally gets together and everything gets boring.

Happy Writing!

A Writer's Wounds

I got another rejection yesterday.

Well, more like yesterday at 5 AM. Why did I voluntarily put my email on my phone again?

The rejection stung particularly more than the others. Why? Because now I only have one submission out, a full request. Of course there are still some odd twenty query letters awaiting responses, but still. The realization that I might not get an offer of representation for "After Alice" was terrifying.

               

It still is, honestly.

I allowed myself to mope for an hour or two. I googled "way to deal with rejection" and all the sucess stories of writers who were rejected tons of times. I even contemplated the possibility of driving to the store and purchasing Woe-Is-Me Chips (aka Cool Ranch Doritos). Luckily for my waistline, I didn't.

                                

Instead I started writing "Shattered," the sequel to "After Alice" and the book I'm doing for NaNoWriMo. At first the words didn't flow.

And then they did. Oh, yes they did!

Yesterday, in the midst of my despair and self-doubt, I hammered out over 6,000 words in five hours. And by the end of the night, I didn't care what any agents thought about my book. I know it's worth publishing, I've just got to make them realize that too.

                      

Vlog #5: Judging & Interviewing Books, A Confession

Thank You, Elementary

I'm a huge fan of anything Sherlock Holmes. Not that I've ever read the books (it's on my bucket list, okay?), but I love the spin-off TV shows. Sherlock, Psych (it sort of counts), and Elementary.

                                                       

Earlier this week I got season two of Elementary out at the library. Commence binge watching. 15+ episodes in three days. Huge accomplishment. Now you can probably see why I was so behind on my NaNo-ing!

                                          

Anyway, in one episode, Sherlock was trying to solve a particularly difficult case. Watson came downstairs to see Sherlock doing sit ups and push ups. Sherlock explained that physical activity helps get blood flow to the brain, which aids in thinking.

                              

Elementary, my dear Watson.

So what have I been doing before I sit down at my desk to write?

I stretch.

I do push ups.

I do sit ups.

                                             

Then I get a glass of water and start working. The difference between "warming up" before writing and just sitting down is enormous.

Give it a try. You may be as surprised--and efficient--when you start writing as I was.

Rocking My NaNo

Okay, that title was false advertising. I'll admit it.

Am I on track to finish by the infamous November 30 deadline? You bet! Did I sprint out of the word count gate on November 1? Not so much. Because I'm a fan of self-inflicted humbling here's my word count chart so far.

Yup. Those first two days, I didn't write. At all. Then I wrote a lot and managed to catch up, even get ahead. Then I didn't write anything on Sunday. Laziness and Procrastination were paying me a lengthy 24 hour visit.

                                       

But that's how it works with NaNoWriMo. You get behind, catch up, get ahead, and fall behind again. Or maybe you're one of those insanely awesome people who have already hit your 50,000 word mark.

                                        

No matter what word count is reached come November 30, the point is that major writing was done. And I plan to blow 50,000 words out of the water. Or so I hope.

So excuse me while I bang my hands against a keyboard and attempt to make words.

Preferably words that make sense.

Got Magic?

This week I rescued a boy from drowning in a half-frozen river, soared above the streets of Manhattan, and returned to the arms of my husband after six months away...

Hold on a second. One, I'm a horrible swimmer. Two, I can barely walk without falling, let alone fly. And three, I'm 100% single without any prospects of a fiance, let alone husband!

So how exactly did I do all those things this week?

I read a book.

                                   

Books may be physically composed of paper and ink, but they are truly made up of magic. They act as a transportation device, hurling you into the minds of different character, forcing you to wage battles against impossible foes, placing you at the head of a rebellion.

                                                 

Seriously, magic.

Which is why when I heard people say that they don't like reading (after I get over my initial horror and shock), I ignore them. They just haven't found the right book yet.

Luckily I have. In fact, I've got a huge stack of books from the library waiting for me. The only thing holding me back from reading is NaNoWriMo, but more on that later. As in Thursday.

To quote Stephen King, "Books are uniquely portable magic."

Query Critique: THE FEATHER

I had the opportunity to critique a query letter of one of my favorite writer friends. She told me I could share it on my blog with all of you. Just a disclaimer that I am no expert when it comes to query letters. Any comments are just my own thoughts. Ready?

                                     

13 year old Ariana has a lot of things to worry about. On top of the normal worries like grades, homework, and making friends, she finds herself taking care of her mother who fell into a deep depression when Ari's father went missing several years back.

What Ari doesn't know is that things are about to get worse. A lot worse. This is all unnecessary background information. The next paragraph is where things actually get interesting, so let’s have the query start there.

After a fishing trip turned nightmare, thirteen-year-old Ari finds herself trapped in a parallel universe, with terrifying shadow creatures close on her heels Why are they on her heels?. Her only friend ally is a talking weasel, who informs her that not only can she never go home, but that she's expected to save an entire kingdom from an evil mage who turned his own son into a bird. Why does she have to save the kingdom? She’s the outsider after all.

Can she rise to face the challenges presented to her, or will she turn her back on the people who desperately need her help? Questions at the end of queries are big No-No’s, apparently. Try putting the stakes into just one sentence.

THE FEATHER is a 70,000 word novel that tells the story of Ari, a young girl who is whisked away from her normal life, into one that is almost too impossible to believe.  Though her journeys Ari must come to terms with her inability to control the path she has been put on, or learn to take charge and change it. What kind of novel is it? Sounds like a middle grade novel to me.

Okay, final thoughts. You could stand to make this query longer, especially since it’s a 70,000 word novel. The annoying thing about query letters is you don’t want the agents asking questions. Let me just list mine to help you figure out what direction you want to go into:
    1. Why are the shadow creatures after Ari

          2. Why does Ari have to save this kingdom? Is she the only one? Does she have a special power?        3. What are the stakes? Why does Ari have to save the kingdom? Does she end up caring about the weasel or any of the inhabitants?

Thank you for the opportunity to critique your work. This book sounds incredibly interesting. I can’t wait to see it in print. Good luck!

Vlog #4: Query Letters & Rejections

Where Do You Go?

Writing takes intense concentration.

Broken up by frequent visits to Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Some people call this procrastinating. I like to think of it as... staying up-to-date.

                                      

Back back to my original statement. Writing takes intense concentration. And as NaNoWriMo season approaches (T-minus TWO DAYS!), I'm contemplating how to sink into that "zone." C'mon, you know what I mean. The magical place where the outside world vanishes, and you're totally submerged into the world of your book.

There are many ways people achieve that kind of focus, and they're different for each person. For me, I've found three things that boost my concentration.

1. Having a dedicated writing area. When I sit down at my desk, I know I'm going to be doing something writer-related. Immediately that gets me in the right frame of mind.

2. Being comfortable. Yes, this usually involves pajama pants and slippers. Nothing's more aggravating than trying to imagine a scene and that tag in the back of your t-shirt is playing a game of indian burn with your neck.

                                       

3. Force, by any means necessary. I'm a procrastinator. I'm also lazy and at times very unmotivated. So I have to force myself to write. This is why I love NaNoWriMo so much. It shoves me into writing mode. Every. Single. Day. Rewards are also great motivators. Like if I keep ahead on my word count, on Monday I'll be reworded with a sandwich, chips, and the latest episode of Sailor Moon Crystal. It seriously works.

                                       

Growth

Back in September I planted some forget-me-not seeds in a teapot. I was hoping for beautiful blue flowers in a whimsical pot to brighten up my desk. That's not quite what I got.

                                

A week passed and green shoots emerged from the soil. But so did nasty little bugs the size of a pin. I tried a soap and water trick via my mom to get rid of the mites. No such luck. Disappointing.

                                         

Saturday evening found me dumping out my plants and refilling the teapot with brand new soil and seeds. So far no bugs. Trust me, I've become OCD with checking.

This planting mishap applies to writing too. I have a first manuscript that I am 110% ashamed of. But through that mishmash of plot and romance, I learned how to write. Writing is a gift that can only be honed by experience. Now I'm querying my third book that I think is fantastic (if only the agents would think so too!). But I bet, two years down the road, I'll look back on AFTER ALICE and cringe.

                                    

It's the nature of the beast.

Slogging Through the Slush

So last week I entered the miry trenches of querying. I was so involved I forgot to do a post last Thursday.

                                     

But here I am now! That has to count for something, right?

Here are so updates for you so we can commiserate together. Over the last week I have received the following:

Query Rejections: 18
Full Requests: 2

You know that sound Lucy makes in I Love Lucy where she messes up pretty bad and Ricky finds out? Yeah, cue that.

                                     

Not as stellar as I was hoping. In fact, I was pretty annoyed/frustrated/depressed/melancholy over it this weekend. Especially since my novel for NaNo happens to be the sequel to After Alice (my querying manuscript). My family tried to cheer me up, but it didn't really work. I was determined to be pessimistic.

                                   

Then I got to talking to this writer on twitter then on NaNo's website. She probbaly doesn't realize how much she boosted my spirits, but shout outs to her website! She's querying too, so we commiserated and she reminded me how cool of an idea After Alice is.

Maybe you're wondering what the point of this post is? Well, let me sum it up for you in one sentence. When braving the querying trenches, have a fellow writer/soldier at your side, it works wonders.

Unfortunately, I'm still going to jump every time my phone vibrates...

                                   

Vlog #3: Why I Want You to NaNoWriMo

Let the Querying...Begin!

On Monday I entered a whole new realm of the writing adventure: querying!

                                               

After three weeks spent writing/editing my query letter...

After two months (in total) editing my book...

After five months writing my book...

I knew I was ready. After compiling a list of agents on Query Tracker, I set to work. After 62 emails, all my "letters" were sent. Phew!

Since I had off work that day, I pretty much spent the waiting period cleaning and watching Firefly. Oh, the wretched waiting period!

                                       

Then I got an email.

                                                        

And in that email was a full request! Ensue running around the house and screaming.

Of course, this is only the first response and I've got about 61 to go. Eek, I can already feel the pang of soon-to-be rejections. But honestly? I love every moment of it. This is what being a writer is about. Throwing yourself out there and seeing the result.

We'll see if I'm still saying that come Thursday ;)

Vlog #2: A Writer & Her Books

Instincts

A few blog posts ago I discussed this awesome schedule I planned to use. Well, last post I talked about flexibility. Now I'm combining those two posts into one epic finale...

               

I'm not waiting until December (or whenever I said I'd start querying for "After Alice"). In fact, my first queries are going out Monday, October 13. Yeah, that's in four days.

                                           

But you know what? I am so ready.

As a writer, I've learned to always trust my instincts. It's my story after all. Who would know it better than me? Exactly.

So wish me luck! On Monday, I'll be braving the slush pile! While keeping you wonderful readers updated, of course. Let the adventure, begin!

              

Oh, woops... That's Firefly...